Are the Washington Capitals completing one of the most successful resets of the modern era in the National Hockey League (NHL)?
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Occupying first place in the Eastern Conference with 55 points in 39 games, the team from the American capital can also count on one of the strongest banks of prospects in hockey.
Several of them stood out during the last World Junior Hockey Championship, something to rejoice the team’s recruiters who have not often drafted in the top 10 for 20 years.
Starting with the captain of the American team, Ryan Leonard. The 19-year-old forward helped his team win a second consecutive gold medal and was named the tournament’s MVP. He finished the competition with 10 points in seven games.
The seventh overall pick in the 2023 draft is playing this year with the Boston College Eagles in the NCAA.
Only one player was ahead of Leonard in the tournament scoring column: defenseman Cole Hutson, another Capitals pick. Lane’s little brother, chosen in the second round last June, finished the event with 11 points.
The man who will once again be eligible to defend the colors of the United States next year has become the first defender in the history of the tournament to finish first in scoring.
That’s not all.
The big star of the surprising Latvians Eriks Mateiko is also a choice of the “Caps”. The forward who plays in the Maritimes Quebec Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) with the Rimouski Océanic scored five goals in as many games during the tournament.
Add to that Petr Sikora, sworn enemy of the Canadian fans, who collected seven points in as many games for the Czech Republic. And defender Leon Muggli, who was in all situations for the Swiss team.
Canada could also have benefited from the presence of Capitals prospects who stand out within their junior club. The talented Andrew Cristall, the team’s second round pick in 2023, was passed over by Canadian leaders despite collecting 60 points in 28 games with the Kelowna Rockets in the Western Junior League (WHL) .
Forward Terik Parascak, selected 17th overall last June, was not considered, even though he has already scored 49 points in 33 games so far this season with the Prince George Cougars in the WHL.
All these young prospects will be added to the formation of the Capitals in the years to come, a team already carried by several young people, including Connor McMichael, 23 years old, and Aliaksei Protas, 24 years old. Not to mention that the team’s top two centers, Dylan Strome and Pierre-Luc Dubois, are only 27 and 28 years old, respectively.
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