The Washington Capitals enter the 2025 NHL Draft next weekend with five picks in the decentralized process. The Capitals hold one choice in each of the first five rounds, including a pair of picks inside the top 40 selections at No. 27 and No. 37 (via the Boston Bruins). Barring a trade, it’ll be a lengthy wait until the end of the third round at No. 97 (via the Carolina Hurricanes) for Capitals general manager Chris Patrick and his staff.
The Capitals have used their recent first-round picks to restock the forward pool with their five straight forwards – Terik Parascak (2024 Draft), Ryan Leonard (2023), Ivan Miroshnichenko (2022), Hendrix Lapierre (2020), and Connor McMichael (2019). Despite many enticing forward options available at the end of Round 1, Washington should target some of the most challenging elements to find in hockey with their choices in the first two rounds before tackling a potential project in Round 3.
Round 1 (No. 27) Henry Brzustewicz, RHD, London Knights (OHL)
After a season as the best team in the Eastern Conference, Washington controls its first-round selection at the draft at 27th overall. Defenseman Henry Brzustewicz fits a need, adding some size to the prospect pool. With defensemen like Sam Dickinson and Oliver Bonk graduating out of the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) following the London Knights’ Memorial Cup win, Brzustewicz is in line to receive more ice time to refine his skills under head coach Dale Hunter’s guidance in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) next season.
Right-handed defensemen are always in high demand in the NHL market. Brzustewicz played a support-style game for London last season, pairing with Dickinson on the top line, where he scored 10 goals, contributed 32 assists, and amassed 42 points. Brzustewicz totaled five points with a plus-9 rating in 17 postseason games. Adding a 6-foot-2 defenseman as a potential pairing for Cole Hutson, Washington’s 2024 second-round pick, would be a shrewd move in Round 1.
Round 2 (No. 37) Alexei Medvedev, G, London Knights (OHL)
The Capitals’ goaltending prospect pool could use an infusion with Nicholas Kempf, a 2024 Round 4 pick, as the highest-rated netminder in the system. With the expectation that names like Joshua Ravensbergen and Jack Ivankovic are likely gone by the fifth pick in Round 2, Patrick looks back to London by selecting their incumbent starting…
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