Revisiting the Capitals’ History of Drafting 16th & 18th Overall – The Hockey Writers – Washington Capitals

After last night’s 2026 NHL Draft Lottery, the Washington Capitals still have the 16th and 18th overall picks. With the slim hopes of landing a superstar like Gavin McKenna now defunct, here’s a look back at players the Capitals selected with those picks ahead of this year’s draft on June 26 and 27 at KeyBank Center in Buffalo, New York.

16th Overall in 2012 

The 2012 NHL Draft was the only other time Washington held the 16th overall pick. It was the second of two first-round selections that year after the Capitals drafted Filip Forsberg with the 11th pick. Five selections later, Washington selected Tom Wilson, a 6-foot-4 beast who still roams the frozen floor of Capital One Arena. 

The Toronto-born forward was selected out of the Plymouth Whalers organization in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) because of his size and physical play. Wilson rewarded the Capitals’ selection with a breakout campaign during the 2012-13 season, when he scored 23 goals and 58 points in 48 games as an alternate captain in Plymouth. 

Wilson joined Washington for his rookie year in 2013-14 and scored three goals and 10 points over a full 82-game slate. More than a decade later, he has totalled 209 goals and 457 points in 907 games wearing Washington’s red, white, and blue crest. He’s added 18 goals and 41 points in 97 postseason games, including five goals and 10 points en route to celebrating a Stanley Cup victory alongside Alex Ovechkin in 2018.

The 32-year-old right-winger is entering the third year of a seven-year, $45.5 million contract extension signed in August 2023 – he will earn $6.5 million per season until he becomes an unrestricted free agent at age 37 after 2030-31.  Wilson’s deal also provides him with some trade protection, including a 14-team no-trade list through the 2027-28 campaign, and a 10-team no-trade list through the remainder of his contract. 

18th Overall in 1978 and 2003

Courtesy of the Anaheim Ducks via the John Carlson trade deadline acquisition in March, the Capitals also have the 18th overall pick. They have held that spot twice in their history: 1978 and 2003. 

Washington acquired the 18th overall pick in the 1978 Amateur Draft after the Cleveland Barons merged with the Minnesota North Stars. Washington finished second-to-last in the 1977-78 season and as compensation they were offered the choice between selecting first in the Dispersal Draft of former Barons players or taking Cleveland’s first-round choice in the draft (moved from its original spot at fifth-overall to the end of the first round at 18th overall).

The Capitals opted for Cleveland’s first-round selection and chose four players inside the top 23, beginning with Ryan Walter at second overall, followed by Tim Coulis at 18th, Paul Mulvey at 20th, and Paul MacKinnon at 23rd. Coulis was the least successful of the four players, totaling just nine points over a 47-game NHL career with Washington and Minnesota. 

Twenty-Five years later, Washington was again selecting at 18th overall, when they chose center Eric Fehr of the Brandon Wheat Kings of the Western Hockey League (WHL) in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft. Fehr scored 87 goals and 174 points in 419 games over nine seasons in Washington. He finished his 14-year NHL career with 113 goals and 174 points through 652 games. The 40-year-old winger was a member of the Stanley Cup-winning Pittsburgh Penguins in 2016, scoring an important insurance goal in Game 4 of the 2016 Stanley Cup Final against the San Jose Sharks.  

Washington’s 2026 Draft Picks

Capitals’ general manager Chris Patrick will have some good options to select from with a pair of mid-first-round selections in June. However, once those choices are exhausted, it could be a long wait for Capitals fans until the team is back on the drafting board. Washington has three other selections heading into Buffalo, including #112 in the fourth round, #144 in the fifth round, and #208 in the final round.