Photo credit: leksandsif.se

Washington Capitals General Manager George McPhee spoke with Mike Vogel on Thursday to discuss a variety of issues. He covered his plans for the upcoming trade deadline (more on that later) and his vision for the club in the future. That vision certainly includes first-round pick Filip Forsberg, a talented winger who was recently named the HockeyAllsvenskan’s best under-20 player and was a World Junior Championships All-Star. McPhee announced today that he’d like Filip Forsberg to join the Hershey Bears when his season concludes on April 5th.

Forsberg, whose Swedish team Leksands IF is playing in the Kvalserien (a ten-game tournament to decide which teams get promoted to the Elitserien next season) is currently second in the tournament’s goal-scoring race and fifth in points.

When asked who the 18-year-old prospect would play for next season, McPhee replied, “I’m not sure. I’d have to see him this year in Hershey. I’d like to take a look at him this year to be able to project ahead and see where he should be.”

McPhee, who hasn’t seen Forsberg play since the World Junior Champions, also said that “Our scouts have watched him. He’s doing well, so we’ll see.”

Thursday, Capitals owner Ted Leonsis said of both Forsberg and Kuznetsov that the two players are “budding top six forwards, and will add speed, skill and star quality to our lineup.”

It seems the future of the Washington Capitals is arriving sooner rather than later.