Washington Capitals 2025 Mock Draft 1.0: Picking 3 Times in the Top 100 – The Hockey Writers – Washington Capitals

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 netminder, Alexei Medvedev. The 6-foot-3 goalie was 22-8-2 with a 2.79 goals-against average (GAA) and a .912 save percentage (SV%) in 34 games during the Knights’ regular season.

While this choice at pick No. 37 might be a bit high for his projection at the end of Round 2, that caliber of goalie talent will be gone by Washington’s next pick at the end of Round 3, so it’s best to address the need by selecting an athletic goalie that has room for growth. Medvedev turns 18 before the start of the season on Sept. 10, giving him several seasons to develop in the OHL, if needed.

Round 3 (No. 93) Ivan Ryabkin, C, Muskegon Lumberjacks (USHL)

Ivan Ryabkin is a high-upside swing to take in the third round, if his draft stock slips that far. Based on information obtained at the draft combine, his skill level is off the charts, but where he will be selected in the draft is questioned after a roller-coaster season split between Russia and North America.

Related: Capitals Draft Target: Ivan Ryabkin

The 6-foot forward spent time in three different leagues in Russia before opting to play with the Muskegon Lumberjacks in the United States Hockey League (USHL) in January 2025. Ryabkin totaled 30 points in 27 regular-season USHL games and kept that point-per-game production going in the playoffs with 16 points in 14 games as the Lumberjacks celebrated their first Clark Cup in the franchise’s history. 

The opportunity to acquire a potential first-round talent who teams may have removed from their draft board could provide a massive opportunity for Washington if Ryabkin is still available at the end of Round 3. 

Conclusion

The NHL Draft is an unpredictable event. As the Florida Panthers demonstrated in their recent Stanley Cup Final victory, teams need a combination of skills to achieve success. Based on the assumption that Washington does not make any draft-day trades, the choices of Brzustewicz, Medvedev, and Ryabkin bode well for a bright future in Washington.