#17: Jett Luchanko
* What's not to love? Best skater in the draft, very high motor and he has impressed everywhere he has gone. In the OHL he stepped up big time when Poitras surprisingly made the NHL, in the CHL top prospect game he blew everyone out of the water on-ice tests. He impressed in the OHL Coaches polls, finishing top-3 in OHL West in Best skater, smartest player and hardest worker. Impressed at the U18 WJC and again at the Combine. He's already one of the better two-way centers in the OHL and that's impressive given he's one of the youngest players in this draft class. I'd guess the Capitals have seen plenty of him and have gotten plenty of opinions on him given he used to play for the London Junior Knights and now plays with Jake Karabela for a really bad Guelph team. Offensively he cracks the PPG mark but he does have plenty of his on the PP, which in some cases is a red flag. But there are some factors in play here. He played for a really bad team and still managed to be involved in over 35% of his teams goals which is really impressive, especially for a guy who gets all the tough minutes and plays in all the toughest situations. He did also improve his point totals from year ago by 60 points and received votes for the most improved player, and i don't think he's done improving. As he gains more strength there will be more offense from him and i see him as a very high-end 2nd line center in the future. He should be one of the best centers in the OHL next season and once he gets some help in there (Guelph had 4th worst offense in the OHL last season), he's going to be seen as one of the best players in the OHL perhaps as soon as next season.
HM: Trade up for one of the top-6 D's or Catton!
* If they stay here: Eiserman, Eiserman and Eiserman. I don't think he's left though. Who i think is here and was my other consideration was Liam Greentree. He checks a lot of the boxes too, but ultimately lost here because of where the Capitals are right now, i think high-motor center is a guy they need more than a heavier winger. Close, though.
Who i think the Capitals will pick: Adam Jiricek.
* I think they were hoping to get a D here given they drafted Leonard year ago, and Jiricek seems to fit their mold of 'injury dropper'.
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#52: Cole Hutson.
* Have teams learned their lesson? I don't think so. Cole Hutson is a bit of a risky pick but he does have all the tools to be an elite offensive D. Very similar to his brother and has put up huge point totals in the USHL despite also being one of the youngest players in his draft class. This might require moving up but i think even if you move up ~10 spots with one of the 3rd rounders to draft him you should walk away really happy.
HM: Teddy Stiga.
* This would likely require moving up too. I went with Hutson since i had them taking a forward in the first-round. They are both really good prospects.
Who i think they will pick: Harrison Brunicke/Tarin Smith.
* Both are very intriguing D prospects and they are playing in the WHL, where the Capitals love to pick from.
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#82: Justin Poirier
* One of the best shots in the draft, but he will fall because of his 5'8 frame. 51 goals in 68 regular season games and 18 goals in 17 Playoff games is why you just can't pass this up. It's an ultimate boom-or-bust -pick but you have to go for it here. He fits sort of the Cristall -model of a player that has some traits that are out of this world but drops because he's smaller and not an elite skater. He's even smaller than Cristall but i feel like in this situation, it's easily worth the risk. Also one of the youngest players in the draft, which give you some hope that his skating might take big steps ahead still.
HM: Luca Marrelli.
* RHD with decent size and is a pretty good skater. Really good year in Oshawa and was really impressive in the Playoffs aswell. Very good passer and i think he'd be a really good pick at this range.
Who i think they will pick: Lukas Fischer.
* Big, physical D.
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#83: Mikhail Yegorov.
* Big goalie who moves really well. Played in the USHL this season and impressed despite the team being really bad. This might require moving up, too.
HM: Ryerson Leenders.
* This is likely the goalie that would be available here at 83. I do like his game, he tracks the puck very well.
Who i think they will pick: Evan Gardner.
* WHL goalie, also one of the younger in this draft class that is coming up from having a very good year for the Saskatoon Blades. Teammate of one Alexander Suzdalev so i think the Capitals have seen him a lot.
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#90: Mac Swanson.
* Another very small (5'7) guy who had a really good year. One of the best players in the USHL this season but he's going to fall like a rock given his lack of size.
HM: Clarke Caswell.
* Put up good numbers in the WHL this season and i really like his game. Another not that big player but a really smart two-way player that skates well and is an excellent passer.
Who i think they will pick: Ilya Protas.
* I mean... is there really even a doubt?
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#114: Heikki Ruohonen.
* I had to pick a Finn just because i know the Capitals won't. But he's a center with pretty good size and great skating ability. Also a really smart players. Battled some injury issues lately which is why his stock has fallen but the tools are there.
HM: William Zellers.
* Very crafty playmaking winger but all kinds of offensive tools. Reads the play well and his biggest strength is his hockey IQ (notice a trend here).
Who i think they will pick: Herman Traff.
* Big, physical bottom-6 winger from Sweden.
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#146: Frankie Marrelli.
* A bit of a sleeper, could be gone earlier but he's been overlooked in many rankings. Very smart defensive D with good skating ability.
HM: Jack Pridham.
* Project forward that played in BCHL this season and is going to Boston Univ. for next season.
Who i think they will pick: Jack Pridham.
* Played in Kelowna where Ross Mahoney is based.
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#178: Marcus Kearsey.
* Offensive D that put up good point totals but lacks a defensive game. Good skating ability but needs to get more strength. Long-term project.
HM: Vincent Desjardins.
* Small, offensively creative center. Long-term project.
Who i think they will pick: Andrei Krutov.
* Two-way winger from Russia.
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Perhaps needless to say but with many of my (later) own picks i'm shooting for high potential instead of high floor, as i think the Capitals right now are in state where middle of their line-up is starting to look really good and there are lots of potential coming up there too but the top of the line-up still needs more work. I would have loved to add one of the top-6 D's from this draft but barring a trade up i can't see any of them falling to 17. I feel like Luchanko would still be a brilliant add for this team going forward and i think he has more offensive potential than most think.
Here's to hoping that we use some picks that we have to move up in the draft. It'd be great especially in round 1 but in round 2 they should seriously consider it too.
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