Who Could the Washington Capitals Select in the First Round of the 2026 NHL Draft? – The Hockey Writers –

After the 2026 NHL Draft Lottery on Tuesday night, the Washington Capitals will be selecting the newest members of their team 16th and 18th overall in the first round. The team also has three additional selections in this year’s draft — 112th (fourth round), 144th (fifth round), and 208th (seventh round). They will be looking to add some exciting young talent to their pipeline to join them in a new era of Capitals hockey.

Projections for Pick 16

While Gavin McKenna and Ivar Stenberg have shaped up to be the top talents in this year’s draft class, there is no shortage of stellar players to be chosen, particularly in the first few rounds. Having two selections in the middle of the first round could be a huge advantage for the Capitals. Who could they select at 16th overall?

ESPN suggests Yegor Shilov, a center out of Victoriaville in the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). Shilov would likely play a middle-six role in the NHL and was compared to Jared McCann. He had an explosive season, with 82 points (32 goals, 50 assists) in 63 games. He’d slot into the team’s emerging forward core alongside players like Ilya Protas, Andrew Cristall, and Ivan Miroshnichenko.

Jordan Orth of The Hockey Writers proposes Oscar Hemming, a left winger who plays for Boston College. He is a fast, physical player, and “a pest to play against”. He had eight points in 19 games and would make a fantastic addition to the fourth line, where he could use his physicality to shut down opponents and regain control of the puck.

NHL Central Scouting ranked right-winger Nikita Klepov 16th among the North American class. Klepov plays with the Saginaw Spirit in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), where he had a breakout year. The forward tallied an astounding 97 points (37 goals, 60 assists) in 67 games. He is highly skilled and makes intelligent, patient plays that yield a great level of success for his team. The Capitals would be lucky to have a young, disciplined player with top-six potential in their pipeline.

Projections for Pick 18

The team will quickly be on the clock again after their first pick in the opening round. There are a handful of skilled players who are projected to be picked somewhere in the middle of the first round, so their options are wide open with the 18th selection.

Maddox Dagenais, a center, is ranked 18th overall among North American prospects by NHL Central Scouting. He’s large in stature at 6-foot-4 and 196 pounds, and a power center who knows how to use his speed, agility, and physicality effectively. He was a point-per-game performer this season with the Quebec Remparts (QMJHL), finishing with 64 points in as many games. He could be effective alongside other offensive and physical players like Ryan Leonard or Aliaksei Protas.

Andrew Forbes of The Hockey Writers could see Daxon Rudolph going 18th overall. The defenseman stood out in the Western Hockey League (WHL) this season by tallying 78 points in 68 games with the Prince Albert Raiders. He plays with intelligence and capitalizes on his opponent’s mistakes. He’s a fast, skillful skater and knows how to play a two-way game effectively. He could shape up to be a top defenseman in the NHL.

Sportsnet’s Sam Cosentino ranks Oliver Suvanto at 18th. Suvanto is a 6-foot-3, 209-pound center who plays with a keen defensive awareness. He played with Tappara (Liiga) out of Finland this past season and notched 11 points in 46 games. Not only can he bring the natural physicality that comes with his stature, but he can also play with great agility and speed like a smaller forward would. He would be a valuable addition to the Capitals’ bottom-six lineup.

Draft Information

This year’s draft will take place on June 26-27 at KeyBank Center in Buffalo, New York. The Capitals will have five selections across the draft’s seven rounds. Who will they add to their future and rebuild after the end of “the Ovi era”? The team’s next superstar could be eagerly waiting in the wings.