Photo: Chris Graythen/Getty Images
The 2024 Stanley Cup has been awarded, and the NHL Draft is rapidly approaching. On Friday, June 28, the first round of the NHL Draft will occur at The Sphere in Las Vegas, Nevada, with Rounds 2-7 taking place the following day. The Washington Capitals are slated to choose 17th overall, after all the non-playoff teams but before all the other playoff teams.
The question is, which player would the Capitals most likely pick in the first round? This season, the Capitals are likely targeting a defenseman at that slot, given that they had chosen a forward in the first round in four of the previous five drafts, selecting Ryan Leonard in 2023 with pick #8, Ivan Miroshnichenko with pick #20 in 2022, Hendrix Lapierre in 2020 with pick #22, and Connor McMichael in 2019 with pick #25.
To be sure, they had selected defensemen in later rounds, including Ryan Chesley in 2022 and Vincent Iorio in 2021 (a year without first-round picks). However, with John Carlson turning thirty-five in January and the team’s other two leading right-handed defensemen being thirty-three years old at the start of the upcoming season, there is a clear need for blue-chip defenseman prospects, particularly on the right side.
This article explores potential players available at the 17th draft slot, primarily focusing on defensemen, as they are expected to be the Capitals’ main priority. It will highlight defensemen ranked between 11th and 20th, referencing rankings from various media sources, including the NHL site, The Athletic, and The Hockey News. Additionally, it will consider other potential choices if the Capitals opt for the best player available, regardless of position.
Below are the defensemen projected to be drafted between #11 and #20 from the main sources of hockey media. There are differences of opinion among the different references.
Adam Jiricek
Photo: Martin Voltr (hokej.cz)
Height: 6-2 Weight: 176
Date Of Birth: June 28, 2006
Shoots: Right
Nationality: Czech
2023-24 Team: HC Plzeň (Czechia)
Pre-Draft Prospect Rank
Elite Prospects: #28
The Athletic (Pronman): #16
The Athletic (Wheeler): #17
NHL (Kimelman): #13
NHL (Morreale): #22
The Hockey News: #20
Hockey Writers: #17
Comment: The scouting report from Elite Prospects considers him to have the “vision to identify the right play at pace and even the ability to deceive and manipulate opponents from the blue line to create those openings himself.” His 2023-24 season had ended early due to getting injured at the World Junior Championships.
Zayne Parekh
Photo: Zachary Clingenpeel (Mlive)
Height: 6-0 Weight:181
Date Of Birth: Feb. 15, 2006
Shoots: Right
Nationality: Canadian
2023-24 Team: Saginaw (OHL)
Pre-Draft Prospect Rank
Elite Prospects: #5
The Athletic (Pronman): #13
The Athletic (Wheeler): #7
NHL (Kimelman): #8
NHL (Morreale): #8
The Hockey News: #8
Hockey Writers: #7
Comment: An offensive defenseman who scored 33 goals and recorded 96 points in his pre-draft season. There are questions about his defense and whether his game will translate into the NHL. The scouting report from Elite Prospects reads, “He doesn’t wait for holes to open up in the defensive coverage to make a play; he bends opponents to his will and makes those openings for himself.” Considering that most pre-draft rankings rank him above tenth, he will likely not fall to the Capitals.
Anton Silayev
Photo: Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod
Height: 6-7 Weight: 205
Date Of Birth: April 11, 2006
Shoots: Left
Nationality: Russian
2023-24 Team: Nizhny Novgorod (KHL)
Pre-Draft Prospect Rank
Elite Prospects: #12
The Athletic (Pronman): #3
The Athletic (Wheeler): #3
NHL (Kimelman): #3
NHL (Morreale): #4
The Hockey News: #4
Hockey Writers: #4
Comment: According to the scouting report from Elite Prospects, he is “a giant defenseman with the skating ability to cover any area of the ice in the blink of an eye.” Scouts consider him a defensive defenseman with speed. He has generally been rated near the top of the draft and will likely not fall to the Capitals.
Stian Solberg
Photo: NHL
Height: 6-2 Weight: 201
Date Of Birth: Dec. 29, 2005
Shoots: Left
Nationality: Norwegian
2023-24 Team: Vålerenga (Norway)
Pre-Draft Prospect Rank
Elite Prospects: #20
The Athletic (Pronman): #14
The Athletic (Wheeler): #16
NHL (Kimelman): #13
NHL (Morreale): #19
The Hockey News: #55
Hockey Writers: #14
Comment: He is considered a hard-hitting, defensive defenseman with a mean streak. He was better in the second half of the season. His stock has risen after a great playoff performance with Valerenga, followed by his performance at the IIHF World Championships.
Carter Yakemchuk
Photo: The Athletic
Height: 6-3 Weight: 195
Date Of Birth: Sept. 29, 2005
Shoots: Right
Nationality: Canadian
2023-24 Team: Calgary (WHL)
Pre-Draft Prospect Rank
Elite Prospects: #17
The Athletic (Pronman): #8
The Athletic (Wheeler): #11
NHL (Kimelman): #11
NHL (Morreale): #12
The Hockey News: #14
Hockey Writers: #11
Comment: Yakemchuk had a solid offensive season for the Calgary Hitmen in 2023-24, scoring 31 goals and recording 41 assists for 71 points overall, ranking fifth in the Canadian Hockey League for points. The scouting report from Elite Prospects reports that he “manipulates opponents, makes plays with perfect timing, and creates looks for his teammates with the threat of his shot every now and then.”
Other Prospects
While the Capitals will probably focus on selecting a defenseman in the first round, the best player available may play another position. Below is a list of forwards that might be available between draft slots 11-20.
Andrew Basha (LW)
Cole Beaudoin (C)
Sacha Boisvert (C)
Michael Brandsegg-Nygård (F)
Berkly Catton (C)
Igor Chernyshov (LW)
Trevor Connelly (LW)
Cole Eiserman (LW)
Liam Greentree (RW)
Michael Hage (C)
Konsta Helenius (C/RW)
Jett Luchanko (C)
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