Washington picks 26th in apparent weak year
For years the Capitals have plucked top talent from the back end of the NHL draft’s first round.
It happened with defensemen Mike Green and Jeff Schultz in 2004. It was how they acquired defenseman John Carlson in 2008. Forward Marcus Johansson was drafted No. 24 overall in 2009 and at 20 years old became a key part of the lineup last season. Washington general manager George McPhee says last year’s first-round pick at No. 26 — Russian prospect Evgeny Kuznetsov — may be the most talented player in last year’s draft. He certainly spent the last 12 months proving it.
But grabbing another gem might prove difficult this weekend when the Caps’ front office travels to St. Paul, Minn., for the 2011 draft. There are good players available among the top picks, maybe even a future star or two.
| NHL entry draft |
| When » Friday-Saturday |
| Where » Xcel Energy Center, St. Paul, Minn. |
| TV » Versus |
| Not an elite crop of prospects at this year’s NHL draft. The Capitals will pick 26th in the first round, but because of previous trades they don’t have a second- or third-round pick. |
But they will be long gone by the time Washington selects at No. 26. And that will likely be its only chance at an impact talent. The Caps do not have a second- or third-round selection thanks to deadline day deals for defenseman Joe Corvo in 2010 and defenseman Dennis Wideman in 2011. But that prospect also doesn’t worry McPhee much.
“I thought if you’re going to give away picks, this was the year to do it,” McPhee said. “And I don’t have any regrets about that. If something happens and we pick up a pick or two, that’s OK. But I’m not that concerned about not having picks in this particular draft. There are some drafts that are great drafts, and you sure don’t want to give away picks in that kind of draft. But this isn’t that kind of draft.”
McPhee said the team will hew to its longtime philosophy — choose the best player available. There are prospects who the Caps are interested at No. 26. But so much depends on who falls to them. Needless to say, no one in the organization expects a repeat of last year, when Kuznetsov fell right into their lap. Ross Mahoney, the organization’s director of amateur scouting, said last week that when Kuznetsov was falling and falling through the first round last June, he “thought ‘Oh, well this is awesome.'”
“I think [the 2011 draft] lacks the real difference makers,” McPhee said. “I think we were able to look at the last couple drafts and say we’re picking at [24 or 26]. Is there a difference maker who is going to be there? Can we find one? And I think in those drafts there were going to be more available. I still think there are a few in this draft, and we’re hoping one is sitting there when we pick. There were just in our opinion — from what I’m hearing from the scouts — more available in most recent drafts, and we were fortunate to get three of them in Carlson, Johansson and Kuznetsov.”
