After a long brutal season, the Capitals were ready to draft some players to give this joke of a franchise hope again. So without further ado lets look at the poor souls who are now trapped within the prospect pool of the Capitals.

 

14th – Cole Sillinger

The Caps first pick was Cole Sillinger, a big bodied, hard hitting, goal scoring center. With pick 14 being one of the 2 picks acquired for trading pick 7, the Capitals wanted to try to make the pick be a home run and it appears that it could be a home run pick. Was already impressive in his D -1 season in the WHL, producing over a ppg, but this year in the USHL he seemed to improve more with 24 goals and 22 assist in only 31 games. What also helped his game out a lot was him filling out his frame. He’s “only ” 6’0” tall but he weighs in at 201 pounds so he’s a solidly framed player. Sillinger needs to work on his skating and defensive game, due to these issues he may be a winger at the pro level. But everything else is there. Skill, compete, hockey IQ, he’s the type of prospect that the Capitals desperately needed. Could be a part of a big 1-2 punch down the middle with Byfield sometime in the future. The Caps are very happy about the first piece that they have drafted as part of the deal from moving back from 7th overall.

 

24th – Logan Stankoven

At this point in the draft the Caps weren’t particularly fond of many of the higher ranked guys left on the board, so instead they decided to reach a bit and got Logan Stankoven, a diminutive goal scorer with a high hockey IQ and good motor. Stankoven only played 6 games this year but in those 6 games he put up 7 goals and 3 assists. Stankoven has the talent of a 1st rounder, but the questions around him mainly are his size/skating combo as he is only 5’8” weighing in at 170lbs and isn’t an overly good skater. At the world U18’s though Stankoven continued to impress putting up 4 goals and 4 assists in 7 games. While he can play center the Caps project him to be a winger at the pro level.

 

27th – Yegor Chinakhov

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The Caps acquired 27th overall for a late 2nd and mid 3rd so they felt like they could use this pick to select someone that could be seen as a stretch. Having been passed up in the past 2 CDNHL drafts the Caps  come away with Chinakhov who is seen as a potential top 6 goal scoring threat. In 32 games this year in the KHL he put up 10 goals and 7 assists which is decent for a 19 year old. Chinakhov isn’t a generational talent or anything, but with him already producing decently in the 2nd best league in the world, the Caps believe he is a lot closer to being a full time pro compared to other prospects while having good upside. With him being so close along with prospects like Byfield and Podkolzin and with young sniper Tolvanen already on the roster, the Caps could have a few young top 6/9 players very very soon.

 

43rd – Daniil Chayka

Originally the Caps selected 30th as pick 30 was the 2nd pick dealt to them in exchange for 7th overall. However the Caps were confident that some of their guys would fall to 43rd, so in exchange for 30 they got 43rd and Montreal 3rd 2022. So Chayka is the 2nd piece that was received from the 7th overall deal and the Caps are thrilled. Chayka was rated highly coming into the year, however he played a more defensive role in Russia rather than two-way so he didn’t produce, didn’t look like the same player. However, the Caps are big believers that he still possesses that offensive upside so they are taking a chance. If he doesn’t end up producing, the Caps will still have a very good defensive d-man.

 

53rd – Logan Mailloux

Usually this is the part where we talk about the prospects game, but there are some things more important than hockey. The Caps are well aware of Mailloux’s horrible act, and him being drafted by the Caps is no way the Caps being insensitive to the victim. We hope the victim gets the proper help that she needs in this difficult time.

 

56th – Ayrton Martino

One of the more interesting prospects the Caps looked into, they see a big time boom or bust guy in Martino. Martino had a very good season in the USHL with 18 goals and 38 assists in 38 games. To go with his high end playmaking ability he is a very good skater. There are times where his compete level isn’t up to par but that’s something that can hopefully be addressed over time. The only other major concern is his size as Martino is currently listed at 5’10” and 170lbs, but with a player like this being available this late in the draft there were obvious concerns. Overall there is some big time top 6 upside with Martino, playing in the NCAA will help grow his game and will give him time in the gym to work out and bulk up.

 

67th – Oliver Kapanen

Oliver Kapanen is a big bodied, goal scoring, two-way C who played mostly in the U20 SM-sarja league this season and in 37 games put up 25 goals and 16 assists. While he wasn’t playing the highest level of hockey these are still impressive numbers. Kapanen has a pretty good shot and as previously stated he is a 200 foot player. He isn’t quite the skater that his cousin (Kasperi Kapanen) is, but he’s far from a horrible skater. Kapanen has a good hockey IQ as well and the Capitals are confident that he will be a pro player at some point, it’s just a matter of how high his ceiling is. The Caps see him as a potential 3C and if he becomes anything more than that it will be a pleasant surprise.

 

78th – Kirill Gerasimyuk

Gerasimyuk was a goalie the Caps wanted for the past few weeks once they started looking at all the goalie prospects available. For one he doesn’t turn 18 till the end of August so he’s super young. For another thing Gerasimyuk’s numbers in the MHL are quite impressive when you factor in the team in front of him sucked. A 2.59 GAA isn’t elite but his .931 save% is pretty damn good. Gerasimyuk has a really good glove hand and is pretty athletic. Will be interesting to see his development over the next couple of seasons.

 

80th – Dmitri Kuzmin

Not the best picture of him available, but Kuzmin scored a Michigan goal so automatically he’s the steal of the draft and should’ve been taken 1st overall. Kuzmin is a small offensive d-man who has a ton of skill and is very mobile. Kuzmin is also a very aggressive defender and tries to make up for his lack of size with intensity. The key to Kuzmin developing into a pro is to 1)Get more consistent defensivley 2)Get more muscle on those bones. Kuzmin has some really nice upside but he is a big time boom or bust type of player, as to be expected at this point in the draft.

 

85th – Alexei Kolosov

Damn the Caps went from no goalie prospects to 2 pretty solid ones within 7 picks. Kolosov is an overager and went undrafted last year, he was supposed to play for the Erie Otters last year but than COVID happened so he stayed on the other side of the Atlantic. In 12 Belarus league games he had a .910 SV% and a 2.23 GAA. He also played in 9 KHL games going 3-5-1 with a 2.69 GAA and a .911 SV%. Kolosov isn’t the biggest goalie but he is super competitive and has really good reflexes. Like Gerasimyuk it will be interesting to see how he develops over the next few years.

 

101st – Janis Moser

Moser has been passed over twice already but the Caps made sure he wouldn’t be passed over again. Moser served as captain on EHC Biel-Bienne this year and broke out in a big way by producing 9 goals and 21 assists in 48 games. The last time a blueliner this young produced at that clip in the Swiss league was Roman Josi(although Josi was a year younger as well). Moser has pretty good skating ability, good at playing a shutdown game, and has some really impressive hockey IQ. He probably needs a few more seasons of development but the Caps are confident he will be a pro player in North America at some point.

 

110th – Vladislav Lukashevich

The Caps once again go back to Russia and pick the budding offensive d-man Lukashevich. Lukashevich had a solid year in the MHL with 3 goals and 16 assists in 36 games. Lukashevich is a decent puck handler (could be better at it though) with great speed and passing ability. He is also a good defender for his age and shows maturity beyond his years. The only thing that scouts can agree needs to be improved is his puck handling a bit as said before, and just to add some muscle on his lean frame as he is 6’2” but only weighs in at 167lbs. Lukashevich another boom or bust d-man in the lower rounds for the Caps.

 

112th – Elmer Soderblom

The Caps will never use a high draft pick on a guy for the sole reason of “hey this guy is f****** massive”. But a late rounder could be, and the Caps gave into the urge to draft a giant. Soderblom has been passed over twice in the CDNHL draft because questions of his offensive upside and for good reason. He had only 3 goals and 2 assists in 28 SHL games this year in his D+2 year. But the picture of 6’8” 238lb Soderblom on one wing, 6’4” 204lb Podkolzin on the other wing, and 6’4” 220lb Byfield down the middle was something the Caps loved as that would be a terrifying line for small defenders to play against. Soderblom likely tops out (if he reaches his potential) as a Brian Boyle type, but f*** it, maybe some Space Jam shit happens and Soderblom steals McDavid’s talent.

 

119th – Damir Zhafyarov

We are now at the point in the draft where players have a slim shot of being a pro at best, so decided at this slot decided to pick an older player who may come to North America in the near future. Zhafyarov put up some pretty good totals in the KHL this year with 21 goals and 40 assists in 58 games. Zhafyarov is a good skater with a strong shot and excellent offensive awareness. AT 27 years old he is likely in his prime now and won’t improve much more, he looks like he could be an effective 2nd line wing in North America. In the 4th round a guy like this was way too appealing to not pick.

 

126th – Josh Bloom

Honestly not too familiar with this guy, a big left wing who didn’t play this year with the shutdown of the OHL due to COVID. More so a stretch pick and hoping that when he does player again he can show off some powerforward type of game and show some potential as a steal.

 

137th – Simon Ryfors

Ryfors is a diminutive forward from the SHL who will be coming to North America this season to play. He had a breakout year in the SHL putting up 25 goals and 20 assists in 51 games and has a strong two-way game. Ryfors is pretty versatile as well as he can play center or left wing. Ryfors has been compared to Yanni Gourde in terms of play style. If he does turn into a Yanni Gourde type of player, this pick will be a steal. The Caps are excited to see what he will do in North America this season.

 

138th – Jesper Froden

Froden is another player the Caps selected who has played in Sweden but is coming over to North America next season. Froden is a bit older than Ryfors, with Ryfors currently being 23 and Froden being 26, but Froden also had an impressive season in the SHL with 22 goals and 18 assists in 51 games. Froden is described as a “offensive player who plays with an edge”  so the Caps are hoping he can turn out to be a consistent bottom 6 forward who can play on the powerplay at least. Froden is a bit small as well, being only 5’10” and 176 pounds, but the Caps think his skill and feistiness will make his lack of size less of a detriment.

 

149th – Declan Chisholm

A player who fell through the cracks of previous CDNHL drafts, the Caps were ecstatic when they learned he had not been taken before. Chisholm is a strong skating offensive d-man with great puck moving ability and has decent size as well, being listed as 6’1” and 190lbs. Chisholm played in the AHL this year and had 2 goals and 11 assists in 28 games for the Manitoba Moose. Chisholm could be patrolling the Caps blueline sooner rather than later as well, they expect at least 1-2 more years of development before he can play for them, but getting a guy like this in the 5th round is always nice.

 

150th – Ryan Mast

Mast is the 2nd shot in the dark player chosen this round as he like Bloom didn’t play this year, the season prior he put up 1 goal and 10 assists in 58 games. So why did the Caps choose him? Mast is seen as a defensive d-man with good size being currently listed as 6’4” and 190lbs while also being a strong skater. Mast is a project for sure but the Caps see him as having all the physical tools to be an effective shutdown d-man.

 

151st – Denis Alexeyev

Alexeyev won’t be coming to North America for at least another season as he signed back in the KHL for 1 season, but the Caps are willing to bet he will come to North America and will be an effective pro. Plus it’s a 5th near the end of the draft so why not. Alexeyev put up good numbers this year considering his age and lack of powerplay time with 14 goals and 23 assists in 58 games. Alexeyev is also very good at winning faceoffs so that’s a plus. Alexeyev likely tops out as a 3rd liner but the Caps are hoping he can unlock some offensive potential in the future and come across the pond to play.

 

155th – William Trudeau

Trudeau was the only one of the Caps 7 5th round selections to be in his first year of draft eligibility and actually play this year. So did the Caps get a stud with the very last pick of the draft? Possibly. Trudeau is a solid two-way d-man with high hockey IQ who broke out this year with 8 goals and 23 assists in 40 games this season. He also has good size being listed as 6’0” and 190lbs and is a good skater. What does he need to work on? He needs to work on the physical aspects of his game. Overall the Caps are thrilled he was available at the end of the draft.

 

So with 21 picks the Caps certainly added a lot to their prospect pool, now will any of these players be stars? I don’t know. Will some make the show? I hope to god. If none of these players make it I may retire from gming and just curl up in a corner and cry.