F Andrew Cristall - Kelowna Rockets, WHL (2023, 40th, WSH)

[stephenball]

I think he’ll definitely be in contention for an NHL spot next year, but I think they’ll probably want him to play a year in Hershey first, since Miroshnichenko would be ahead of him at the moment on the depth chart. If Cristall pans out at the NHL level, what a potentially great draft for the Caps getting Leonard and him.

 

[GRob83]

Has looked outstanding so far. Leonard at 8 and Cristall at 40 has the makings of a really good draft class for Washington.

This is the team that drafted Filip Forsberg, Tom Wilson and Chandler Stephenson with their first 3 picks in 2012. Hopefully they don't do anything stupid to screw this up.

 

[AlexModvechkin8]

This is the team that drafted Filip Forsberg, Tom Wilson and Chandler Stephenson with their first 3 picks in 2012. Hopefully they don't do anything stupid to screw this up.

Very different times. When Forsberg was traded, the Caps had bombed in the playoffs five years in a row, had churned through three coaches in three years, the Young Guns era looked like it was ending quickly, and McPhee was flailing around trying to save his job.

Much more stable organization now with a clear plan on who they are and how they want to play. I don’t think you need to worry about knee-jerk decisions to try and grasp victory from the jaws of defeat.

Plus, two of those guys helped Washington win a Cup and one helped usher in BMac and Trotz (and TJ Oshie).