CHICAGO — For the past two seasons, the Washington Capitals have been the NHL’s top regular season team. It looked like they would finally break through in 2017 after over 40 seasons in league, but once again the Stanley Cup eluded them. It has been almost 20 years since the team passed the conference semifinals.
In pursuit of the Cup, the Caps have traded away many draft picks over the last few years. At the 2017 Entry Draft here they do not pick until the fourth round. Despite their first pick not coming until the 120th overall selection, Washington general manger Brian MacLellan expressed confidence to RMNB in the team’s ability to acquire talented players late in the draft.
“Our amateur scouts know them very well,” Maclellan said of fourth round picks and beyond. “They’ve interviewed most of them. They’ve watched them several times. We may have some guys they like [in the fourth round] and the fifth and the sixth and the seventh.
