The Washington Capitals are the second-last team featured in the NHL prospect pool overview series.

Tony Ferrari digs into Capitals’ strengths and weaknesses, the latest draft class, positional depth chart, next player in line for an NHL opportunity and more. A player who no longer holds rookie eligibility in the NHL is considered graduated and no longer a prospect for these exercises, with few exceptions.

Initial Thoughts

It was just a few years ago that the Capitals had one of the worst prospect pools in the NHL, with basically no effective NHL prospects in the system. 

Now, they have some intriguing young players who could help build the future of the franchise after they eventually move past the Alexander Ovechkin Era.

Thankfully for the Caps, they have been and will be able to integrate some of these young players while Ovechkin is still around, giving them a chance to rub elbows with the all-time leading goal-scorer in NHL history. 

Their top prospect is Ryan Leonard, one of the most intense young wingers in the game. Leonard is as strong as an ox, and he loves to engage physically, with and without the puck. He personifies a bull in a china shop, looking to level defenders en route to the net before breaking out his impressive puck skill to dangle another defender.

Leonard showed quite a bit in his quick NHL stint at the end of last season and playoffs, but there is still so much of his game he still has to give. With an instant transition from college to the pros, he played into the most instinctual part of his game – his physicality. With a summer of training, Leonard should be ready to hit the ground running. 

Once again, Ivan Miroshnichenko played most of the season in the AHL with an extended stint in the NHL. Although his four points across 18 NHL games weren’t world-beating, the young Russian looks ready to take a step up from the AHL. He’s an excellent finisher from distance and in tight, using his physicality, power and skill to make himself a versatile goal-scorer. 

He’s been used to being one of the strongest people on the ice, and last year, he began to show that once again in his second AHL season. A good summer of training could lead to a role in the middle six with an excellent opportunity to score some goals and appear on the power play as well.

After finishing one of the most productive WHL careers in the last 30 years, Andrew Cristall is heading to play pro hockey, likely with the AHL’s Hershey Bears. His skating and pace have always been an issue, but Cristall has improved in both of those areas in his final couple of WHL seasons. If he can even get up to a passable NHL level, his offensive skill in all regards will make him a highly effective left winger. 

Cristall is a lethal shooter who can dangle his way into the slot to get his shot off or evade pressure with his hands while drawing extra attention and then make a pass out of trouble to set up a scoring chance. The ceiling on Cristall’s game is quite high, and if he hits it, he could be a legitimate top-six scorer who puts up some impressive numbers. 

Drafting and developing Aliaksei Protas worked so well, the Caps decided to double down and draft his brother, Ilya Protas. The younger Protas brother tore it up last season with the OHL’s Windsor Spitfires, putting up 124 points in 61 games. He’s not a burner by any means, but the 6-foot-5 forward has incredible hands and excellent instincts with the puck. He combines finesse and power quite well. Protas is set to jump to the AHL, which will test his skating. He could be a bit of slow burn developmentally, but he could be as effective as his brother with a bit more skill.  

Drafting Terik Parascak 17th overall in 2024 was a bet on his tactical play and play recognition. Parascak relies on his linemates when it comes to puck transportation and driving the line, but when he’s in the offensive zone, he’s a high-end play-connector who can finish and make crisp passes all over the zone. His step back last season was a bit expected after a wildly productive draft year, but he needs to show he can bounce back.

Since the Capitals drafted Cole Hutson 43rd overall in 2024, he’s been one of the most impressive offensive blueliners outside of the NHL. His play with Boston University has been unreal, posting 48 points as a freshman to lead the nation’s defensemen in scoring. He builds his offensive game on his shiftiness and puckhandling, using his cohesive hands and feet to evade pressure. He must work on his defensive game, but that’s the one area of his game that might be more advanced at his age than his brother, 2025 Calder Trophy winner Lane Hutson. 

Swiss defenseman Leon Muggli is a smart, steady, mobile defender. His offensive game isn’t flashy, but he does a great job of advancing play when his team has the puck. Defensively, he makes good reads and seems to understand how to position himself and cut down plays. After a couple of seasons playing in the men’s league in Switzerland, Muggli will play his first full North American season in the AHL.

After helping the London Knights win the Memorial Cup, Cam Allen has reasserted himself as a legitimate NHL prospect after injuries slowed his development. He moves well and has utility at both ends of the ice, constantly scanning and keeping his options open. Allen should be making his AHL debut this fall when he will look to move forward with his development against pros. He had some off-ice issues this past season that should be monitored moving forward. 

U-23 Players Likely To Be On NHL Roster This Season

Ryan Leonard (RW)

2025 NHL Draft Class

Round 1, 27th overall - Lynden Lakovic, LW, Moose Jaw (WHL)

Round 2, 37th overall - Milton Gastrin, C, MoDo Jr. (Swe.)

Round 3, 96th overall - Maxim Schafer, RW, Berlin (Ger.)

Round 5, 155th overall - Jackson Crowder, C, Chicago (USHL)

Round 6, 180th overall - Aron Dahlqvist, D, Brynas Jr. (Swe.)

The Capitals had a very solid draft in June, headlined by first-round pick Lynden Lakovic. 

At 6-foot-4, Lakovic has the size NHL teams want, but the knock on him is that he doesn’t use it effectively enough. They want him to throw his weight around and impose himself as a power forward. While he does flash those things, Lakovic is an incredibly skilled forward with impressive handling ability. 

He pairs that puckhandling with high-end skating. Lakovic can pull away from opponents and evade pressure with his edge work. He is an intelligent shooter, understanding where the most dangerous chances come from and getting the puck there as a passer or skater. 

Lakovic is a true dual-threat offensive player. He could be the steal of the first round if he continues to be the fast, skilled forward he’s been while adding a touch of physicality. 

In Round 2, Washington added Milton Gastrin from Sweden. He’s a strong, intelligent player who projects as a center long-term thanks to his facilitation ability and defensive IQ. He already plays the game with pro habits, which has allowed him to be a serviceable bottom-six forward in the Swedish League already when he got a cup of coffee. Gastrin has shown some flashes of higher-end skill, and if that ever becomes a bit more consistent, he could play as a second-line center in a pinch.

Third-round pick Maxim Schafer is a high-motor player who must refine his skill with the puck to reach his full potential. Schafer loves to get in on the forecheck and crash the net. He likes to get involved physically all over the ice and pushes himself to be a nuisance on the backcheck as well. He should get a more consistent look at the men’s level in Germany next season where he will look to build on his skill.

Jackson Crowder is built to be a bottom-six, crash-and-bang forward who makes life difficult on his opponents. His skating will need work, and he isn’t much of an offensive player, but he is always looking to be the hardest worker on the ice. He doesn’t have the upside that you look for in a top-six player, but his brute force is something NHL teams value. 

The Capitals finished their draft class by adding 6-foot-4 bruising blueliner Aron Dahlqvist. He tracks play well and finishes all of his checks with force. He protects the net front quite well, doing a good job of keeping his goalie’s sightlines clean. Dahlqvist uses his length to close space and knock pucks free with his stick. Dalhqvist is a meat-and-potatoes defender coaches will love. 

Strengths

Adding Lakovic at the draft to go with Cristall and Miroshnichenko gave the Capitals a trio of really solid and diversely skilled left wingers who could all play in the top six one day. 

Cristall is the all-out offensive skilled player who can score and pass at a high-end level. 

Miroshnichenko is the power forward of the trio, using his blend of strength and skill. 

Lakovic is a raw ball of clay with incredible skill and speed as well as a 6-foot-4 frame to build on, and he could have the highest upside of the three. 

Beyond them, Alexander Suzdalev and Ludwig Persson are interesting players in their own right. The Capitals’ face of the franchise for the past two decades is a left winger, so it’s almost poetic that the left wing is the strength of their pipeline. 

Weaknesses

The Capitals have quietly built their prospect pool up to a respectable level, especially for a contender. After years of having one of the worst pipelines in the league, they have some solid prospects. 

One glaring weak spot is the right wing. 

Despite 2024 first-round pick Terik Parascak playing on the right side, the Capitals such a lack of talent at right wing that they traded for Justin Sourdif, who struggled to establish himself as an NHL option in the Florida Panthers’ system. Sourdif has become one of Washington’s more promising prospects on the right wing despite being on his last legs as a prospect at 23 years old. That said, if you’re going to have a weak point, the wing isn’t a bad spot to have it.

Hidden Gem: Ryan Chesley, D

After three solid years of development at the University of Minnesota, wearing the ‘C’ in his final NCAA campaign, Ryan Chesley signed his entry-level contract and joined AHL Hershey to finish last season. 

Chesley is a physical blueliner who defends with his stick first before closing with his body. He isn’t a flashy player, but he moves well and understands how to make the right play at the right time. He doesn’t get beaten often. 

His confidence with the puck also grew last year, becoming a serviceable puck-mover and facilitator from the blueline.

Heading into his first full pro season. Chesley should be one of Hershey’s better blueliners in the defensive zone.

Next Man Up: Ryan Leonard, RW

When Leonard finished his college season and signed his entry-level contract, he made an impact almost immediately. 

Leonard was fast, physical and meshing with his teammates on and off of the ice. Leonard only ended up with a single goal in his nine-game stint to end the regular season before adding an assist in the playoffs, but his 200-foot play and instant injection of intensity was something Washington loved. 

Coming into this season, Leonard will have a full summer of training after seeing what the NHL had to offer, and he should be able to hit the ground running. Leonard should be one of the Calder favorites heading into next season.

Prospect Depth Chart Notables

LW: Lynden Lakovic, Andrew Cristall, Ivan Miroshnichenko, Alexander Suzdalev, Ludwig Persson

C: Milton Gastrin, Ilya Protas, Patrick Thomas, Jackson Crowder, Miroslav Satan

RW: Terik Parascak, Justin Sourdif, Henrik Rybinski, Graeme Clarke

LD: Cole Hutson, Leon Muggli, Aron Dahlqvist, David Gucciardi

RD: Cam Allen, Vincent Iorio, Ryan Chesley, Brent Johnson

G: Garin Bjorklund, Chase Clark, Nicholas Kempf, Antoine Keller

For a deeper dive into the prospect pool with player rankings, check out the Yearbook and Future Watch editions of The Hockey News in print.

If it's in the game, then it's in the video game.

That's always been EA SPORTS' motto when it comes to its popular NHL video game franchise. And this year's edition, NHL26, is no exception.

A year ago, EA Sports introduced ICE-Q, a game play intelligence system that brought more realism and authenticity to a gaming controller. EA SPORTS has taken it up a notch this year by "incorporating the data-driven insights of NHL EDGE to impact how players perform in-game" for NHL 26, which comes out on Sept. 5.

For example, not every player in the video game will be able to skate like Connor McDavid, because, well, no one in real-life hockey can skate like McDavid. The same is true when talking about Alex Ovechkin's one-timer, Mitch Marner's passing ability or Leon Draisaitl's knack for scoring goal-line goals.

These X-Factors, as EA SPORTS describes them, is what separates the superstar from the 4th-line grinder.

With that in mind, The Hockey News' Ryan Kennedy (editor-in-chief) and former NHLer Drew Shore shared their picks for a range of X-Factors, including Quick Release, Backhand Beauty and Tape-to-Tape:

Quick Release

(Get shots off lightning quick with an extra fast shot release)

Chicago's Connor Bedard only scored 23 goals last season, but his ability to get shots off in traffic is why he potted a whopping 134 goals in 134 games in the WHL. "Since junior, he's got that crazy whippiness to his stick and he really gets it off fast," said Kennedy.

Another player who can get shots off in the blink of an eye is Winnipeg's Kyle Connor, who ranks sixth in the league with 217 combined goals in the past six years. "He's a guy who's scored a lot of goals in the last couple of years," said Shore. "He's the first name that came to my head."

Elite Edges

(Shake off opponents with explosive edge work)

Edmonton's Connor McDavid might seem like the obvious pick when it comes to all things that have to do with skating. But these days, McDavid has company when it comes to edge work and beating guys with his feet.

"I'll go with Cale Makar, who I guess is pretty obvious as well," said Kennedy. "He's an absolute elite skater in the NHL."

"William Nylander came to my head," said Shore. "He's a guy who's a very good skater, he's very elusive, he's able to kind of do a lot of that 10-and-2 and open up his hips in different spots on the ice and get away from guys."

Panthers’ Matthew Tkachuk Revealed As EA Sports NHL 26 Cover AthleteFlorida Panthers superstar forward Matthew Tkachuk has been revealed as EA Sports’ NHL 26 cover athlete, becoming the first Panther to grace the cover since John Vanbiesbrouck on NHL 97.

One T

(Become the ultimate threat with increased one-timer shot power and accuracy)

The ability to blast a one-timer is a skill that can strike fear into opposing goalies and make defensemen think twice about blocking a shot. Just ask Washington's Alex Ovechkin, who broke Wayne Gretzky's seemingly unbeatable record for career goals this past season mostly because of his patented one-timer from the left face-off circle.

"I've got to go with Alex Ovechkin, in his office, even in the twilight of his career," said Kennedy.

"That was mine too," said Shore. "Obviously, he's been doing it for 25 years now. He's scored more goals there than anybody."

As for the next generation of big-time slappers, Edmonton's Evan Bouchard scored a combined 32 goals in the past two seasons — mostly, because of a point shot that gets called the "Bouch Bomb".

Backhand Beauty

(Catch opposing players and goalies off guard)

The backhand is a work of art, something that is increasingly more difficult to pull off these days because players are choosing to warp their blades like the shape of a banana. Pittsburgh's Sidney Crosby, whose blade is as straight as they come, has long been the master of this shot.

"Oh yeah, it's Sid," said Kennedy.

"(Nikita) Kucherov might make the most plays in the NHL on his backhand," said Shore, "He might not necessarily score. I would say Crosby is the goal-scorer, but the amount of plays that Kucherov makes every single game on his backhand, when I think of backhands, I think of Kucherov."

Send It

(Spring your teammates by enhancing that pass receiver with a temporary boost of acceleration)

The breakout pass determines whether a team can exit its zone. And, more importantly, whether they exit with speed. A lot of that depends on having a defenseman who can find a forward in motion and hit him in stride with an outlet pass like a quarterback hitting a wide receiver.

"I'm going to go with Evan Bouchard," said Kennedy. "Going back to his draft year, I remember scouts telling me he was the best at stretch passes in the (draft) class. Now he's got McDavid and (Leon) Draisaitl to stretch it to, which is pretty good for him."

"I was going to go with (Cale) Makar," said Shore. "He's kind of got the (skating) ability too that gives him a little extra room on the ice, because guys are afraid of getting beat 1-on-1 … he obviously has more time than others to make those passes. And he executes them on a high level."

Panthers' Matthew Tkachuk Joined By Brother And Father On Deluxe Edition Of EA Sports NHL 26On Monday, Florida Panthers superstar winger Matthew Tkachuk was announced as the EA Sports NHL 26 cover athlete, becoming the first Panther to grace the cover since John Vanbiesbrouck on NHL 97.

Tape to Tape

(Feather saucer passes and make snappy passes in and out of vision)

Passes don't get the same level of attention as a goal. But without someone making a tape-to-tape pass, most goals wouldn't get scored. For each of the past two seasons, no one has picked up more assists than Tampa Bay's Nikita Kucherov, who tied Connor McDavid two years ago with 100 assists.

"When Stamkos was on that power play, the two of them were absolutely lethal. But I do marvel at some of the passes that Kucherov manages to get through on the other side of the ice."

Winnipeg's Mark Scheifele was outside the top-30 when it came to assists. But it's difficult to talk about Kyle Connor's goal-scoring ability without also mentioning the player who feeds him the puck most of the time.

"His ability, especially on the power play, to have that sauce pass to whoever is in the bumper spot I think has contributed to most of his spots over the course of his career," said Shore.

The Hockey News Big Show breaks down recent NHL and hockey news as well as some other big topics as the off-season continues.

Who's The NHL's Best Pest? by The Big Showundefined

Here’s what Michael Traikos, Ryan Kennedy and Drew Shore discussed in this episode:

00:57: Rating Happy Gilmore 2

3:40: Aug. 13 was supposed to be Johnny Gaudreau's 32nd birthday. What was Drew Shore’s favorite memory of him?

8:30: The Montreal Canadiens made arguably the biggest splash of the summer. What do you make of their off-season?

10:38: What is the challenge for Montreal being in the Atlantic Division?

12:22: The Florida Panthers re-signed all their big free agents. Nate Schmidt left, but Jeff Petry filled his spot. Are they better, worse or the same as last year? 

18:58: What qualifies a player as a rat or a pest in the NHL nowadays?

21:25: Who is the best pest in the NHL today?

23:39: Did Drew Shore have any run-ins with pests during his career?

24:31: What are the rats like off the ice? 

25:31: Who will be the next rat in the NHL?

26:46: Has there ever been a player like Brad Marchand who broke into the NHL and was a depth player for a long time before turning into a star?  

28:27: Why does Team USA not send the USA Hockey National Team Development Program players to the Hlinka Gretzky Cup ? 

30:27: How do scouts guess if a kid will grow in height?

34:07: Gerard Gallant's was introduced as KHL Shanghai’s newest coach in a Mortal Kombat style of video. Yay or nay?

37:13: EA Sports' NHL 26 "X-Factors" were revamped. Which NHL player best matches each one? We start with Quick Release: get shots off lightning quick with an extra-fast shot release.

37:48: Elite Edges: Shake off opponents with explosive edge work with increased acceleration and agility.

38:28: One T: Become the ultimate threat with increased one-timer shot power and accuracy.

39:04: Backhand Beauty: Catch opposing players and goalies off guard with increased backhand shot power and accuracy.

39:43: Send It: Spring your teammates by enhancing that pass receiver with a temporary boost of acceleration.

40:51: Tape to Tape: Feather saucer passes and make snappy passes in and out of vision with increased pass power and accuracy.

Watch the full Episode here 

Subscribe to The Hockey News Big Show on your preferred platform.

Pittsburgh Penguins forward Rickard Rakell has been a popular name in the NHL rumor mill this off-season. 

With the Penguins being in some sort of retool or rebuild, Rakell stands out as one of their top trade candidates. 

There is no question Rakell’s trade value is higher right now, as he just had a career year with the Penguins. In 81 games with the Metropolitan Division club in 2024-25, he recorded new career highs with 35 goals and 70 points in 81 games. After a season like this, he will certainly generate interest from NHL teams looking for another top-six winger. 

Rakell’s contract also adds to his value, as he has an affordable $5-million cap hit until the end of the 2027-28 season.

That said, the price to acquire Rakell is high. The Penguins want to return to playoff contention as soon as possible, and if they have a good start to the season, they'll likely want to keep Rakell for a while longer. So the ideal time to acquire Rakell might not be until during the season if the squad slumps out of the gate.

Let’s go over three potential NHL trade destinations for Rakell. 

Toronto Maple Leafs

The Toronto Maple Leafs stand out as a prime potential landing spot for Rakell during the season if they clear salary cap space. 

While they brought in forwards Matias Maccelli, Nicolas Roy and Dakota Joshua this off-season, there is no question that they still could use a proven top-six winger to help lessen the sting of losing Mitch Marner.

Maccelli will likely get the first crack at replacing Marner’s spot on the right wing in the top six, but with 18 points in 55 games last year, there are no guarantees he will bounce back to the type of production he had with the Arizona Coyotes and hover around 50 points or more.

If the Maple Leafs acquired Rakell, he could work nicely playing on their first line with Auston Matthews and Matthew Knies. Even if he played on the Maple Leafs’ second line with William Nylander moving to the first, Rakell would undoubtedly give their current forward group more proven goal-scoring and playmaking abilities.

The Maple Leafs have just under $2 million of cap space, so they can’t acquire him right now without clearing cap space. 

The Penguins have over $13 million of cap space right now, so they could afford to take on more contracts in a potential trade with Toronto. This is especially so if it helps improve their overall return for Rakell. But Toronto can also accrue cap space during the season and make a push for Rakell around the NHL trade deadline if he’s still available – they could have about $8 million in space by then, according to PuckPedia.

Los Angeles Kings 

The Los Angeles Kings brought in bottom six forwards Corey Perry and Joel Armia this off-season, but they could use a top-six scoring winger.

While they have a defensive-focused system that allowed the second-fewest goals in the NHL last season, they were only 14th in goals-for. Only Adrian Kempe had more points last season than Rakell, with 73, so adding Rakell should add more scoring power without ruining the team’s system.

If the Kings acquired Rakell from the Penguins, he could be a strong fit on their second line with Quinton Byfield and Kevin Fiala. However, due to his versatility, he could also replace Andrei Kuzmenko on L.A.’s first line at left wing. With this, the Kings would have multiple different options to consider if they acquired Rakell.

Similar to the Maple Leafs, the Kings would also need to either move money out or accrue cap space during the season to afford Rakell. They have roughly $2.6 million of cap space right now but could have more than $12 million by the trade deadline. That said, they have a surplus of bottom-six forwards, and they could part ways with at least one of them if it means landing an effective forward like Rakell.

Three NHL Teams That Could Use UFA Matt GrzelcykMatt Grzelcyk is arguably the NHL’s best UFA defenseman still available for the taking. 

Winnipeg Jets

After losing star winger Nikolaj Ehlers to the Carolina Hurricanes in free agency, the Winnipeg Jets certainly could use another legitimate top-six forward. With this, it would not be surprising in the slightest if they kicked tires on Rakell. 

While the Jets brought in veteran winger Gustav Nyquist this off-season, Rakell would be an upgrade over him in the Jets’ top six if acquired. The first line of Kyle Connor, Mark Scheifele and Gabriel Vilardi should stay as-is, but Rakell could slot in their second-line right wing spot alongside potential linemates Cole Perfetti and Jonathan Toews. He would also give them another scorer to work with on the power play – Rakell had nine goals and 19 points on the man advantage last season.

The Jets have just under $4 million of cap space left, so it would not be too hard for them to find a way to afford Rakell. However, the one potential obstacle in a possible Rakell trade is that he has an eight-team no-trade list. With this, he would need to either not have the Jets on his no-trade list or be willing to accept a trade to Winnipeg if he does.

The Hockey News' Kelsey Surmacz also listed four trade destinations for Rakell on THN.com/Pittsburgh.

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