The Washington Capitals are scheduled to draft 17th overall in the first round of the 2024 NHL Draft. The event begins at 7 pm on Friday, June 28 inside the Sphere in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Capitals’ first-round pick is their first of eight picks in the first six rounds this year.
The Capitals have used three of their top picks in the last two drafts on forwards so the team may opt to go for a defenseman. General manager Brian MacLellan and the team’s scouting staff normally operate with a “best player available” approach.
“I think [the draft] is deepest on D,” MacLellan said Thursday. “The defensemen at the top seem to be pretty good players. There’s a section of players at the top that are really good, and then I think it’s going to be a little gray as you get closer to us. Teams will have guys they like better than other guys, so it might get mixed up a little bit as it approaches our pick. We’re excited. I think Ross has a few guys that he really has interest in, and we hope we can get one of them.”
Washington has picked 17th in the first round five other times in their history with the latest time coming in 2002 when they selected Boyd Gordon.
Gordon was preceded by Jaroslav “Yogi” Svejkovsky (1996), Brad Church (1995), Jason Allison (1993), and Kevin Hatcher (1984). Hatcher spent parts of 10 seasons with the Capitals and was a five-time NHL All-Star. Allison also had a considerable amount of NHL success but all of it came outside of DC, most notably recording 95 points (36g, 59a) for the 2000-01 Boston Bruins.
Here’s a list of names at all positions other than goaltender that the Capitals may select this year.
Adam Jiricek – RHD, HC Plzen (Czech Extraliga)
#4 ranked European skater by NHL Central Scouting
Jiricek has a familiar last name as his brother David was taken sixth overall by the Columbus Blue Jackets in the 2022 NHL Draft and then played against the Hershey Bears with the Cleveland Monsters in this year’s AHL playoffs. The younger Jiricek played 19 games for HC Plzen in the top Czech league, recording one assist, before a knee injury in his first game at the World Juniors ended his season early.
The six-foot, three-inch, 182-pound defenseman had a very tough draft year with both the injury and play before the injury being very inconsistent for such a highly thought-of prospect. Still, Jiricek was able to show glimpses of elite puck-moving, passing, and defensive habits, especially as one of the top defenders at the Hlinka-Gretzky Cup with Czechia.
Jiricek has clear NHL size, a great pedigree, and puck skills but would be more of a raw, project pick than a lot of the other first-round graded defensemen in his class. At the same time, his potential is also higher than a decent handful of them, and right-handed blueliners that can pass like Jiricek do not grow on trees.
Chris’s take: It’s no secret that the Capitals have a very shallow pool of young, right-handed defensemen in their system. Jiricek would immediately shoot to the top of the rankings there with Washington, likely even above Ryan Chesley and Vincent Iorio due to the untapped well of potential he may hold. I personally think there’s too much risk in using the 17th overall selection on him though.
Stian Solberg – LHD, Valerenga Ishockey (EHL)
#20 ranked European skater by NHL Central Scouting
Solberg is one of a couple of Norwegian-born prospects expected to go off the board right around when the Capitals get on the clock and one of the biggest risers in this draft class due to being somewhat of an unknown. He has played in Norway’s lesser-appreciated top league for the last three seasons. The hard-hitting blueliner has been playing against men in the EHL since he was 15 and recorded 15 points (5g, 10a) in 42 games last year.
The 18-year-old, left-shot defender really put himself on the map with impressive showings on the international stage both at the World Juniors and at the senior World Championship. He played top, all situations minutes at both tournaments and excelled beyond expectations. At the World Championship playing often against NHL talent, Solberg tallied three points (2g, 1a), skated a Norway-high 22:44 of ice time per game, and was named one of Norway’s top three players over seven games by the team’s coaching staff.
Solberg is an absolute wrecking ball of a defender who hits a ton but also does it intelligently. While he has good size, standing at six foot, two inches tall, and weighing 205 pounds, he’s not exactly a physically imposing rearguard but he makes up for that by being absurdly strong and playing with a battle-level possibly not rivaled in his draft class. While labeled a “defensive defenseman” by some, that doesn’t mean he’s a weak, plodding skater. He’s likely one of the top 10 best skating defensemen in the draft.
Chris’s take: Solberg projects as a legit, top-four NHL defenseman to me. Whether or not that projection jumps higher will be determined by whether he takes any further steps offensively because he’s already impressively sound on defense for how young he is. He hits like a freight train, has an active stick, closes gaps quickly, and playing against him can be absolutely miserable.
Michael Brandsegg-Nygard – RW, Mora IK (HockeyAllsvenskan)
#5 ranked European skater by NHL Central Scouting
Brandsegg-Nygard is the other top Norwegian expected to go off the board right around 17th overall. The 18-year-old spent most of his 2023-24 campaign playing against men in the HockeyAllsvenskan, the second-highest tier of hockey in the Swedish league system. He recorded 18 points (8g, 10a) in 41 regular season games and then turned his production up a notch with 10 points (4g, 6a) in 12 playoff games.
The six-foot, one-inch, 207-pound forward also got in some games at the senior international level for Norway, having a particularly impressive showing at the most recent World Championship. While playing on the team’s top line with the likes of NHL veteran Mats Zuccarello, Brandsegg-Nygard chipped in five points (2g, 3a) in seven games. He also had a four-goal game against Denmark in a tune-up matchup before the tournament.
Brandsegg-Nygard is considered one of the most well-rounded players in the entire draft and already plays a tough, physical pro-style. His shot is also nothing to sneeze at as it can come with deadly, water-bottle-popping precision especially when he has time and space from the high slot down to the goal line.
Chris’s take: If there’s a “safe” pick around the middle of the first round, it’s Brandsegg-Nygard based on his compete level alone. This kid would run through a brick wall to win a hockey game.
Igor Chernyshov – LW, Dynamo Moscow (KHL)
#9 ranked European skater by NHL Central Scouting
Chernyshov is a product of the Dynamo Moscow youth setup just as Capitals-affiliated names like Alex Ovechkin and Bogdan Trineyev were. The powerful winger spent the majority of his draft year playing a small role with Dynamo in the KHL, seeing on average 8:19 of ice time per game over 34 games. In those 34 games, he amassed four points (3g, 1a) which is not atypical production for players in his age group in Russia’s top league.
At the junior level, Chernyshov dominated players more around his age range and recorded 28 points (13g, 15a) in 22 games. His 1.27 point-per-game rate in the MHL during his age-18 season ranks above the sort of production seen from current NHL names like Yegor Chinakhov, Artemi Panarin, Kirill Marchenko, and Andrei Kuzmenko in their age-18 seasons in the league.
Chernyshov has a projectable NHL frame, standing at six feet, two inches and weighing 196 pounds. Unlike some of his highly-skilled, fellow countrymen who tend to go high in drafts, Chernyshov plays a more power-forward type game and may have increased offensive potential once he gets more polish on his game at the pro level. The Russian-style, one-on-one ability is still present in his game too though and he has no issue carving defensemen up on the rush.
Chris’s take: I think there’s another level to his offensive game that could be unlocked if he gets into the right situation. I’m not sure a bottom-six role with Dynamo is that situation and he also could slide down the board simply because of the Russian factor, making 17th overall a little too high of a landing spot for him.
Liam Greentree – RW, Windsor Spitfires (OHL)
#14 ranked North American skater by NHL Central Scouting
Greentree was the captain of a rebuilding Spitfires team this past year and recorded the second-most points in the OHL of any player in his draft class. His 90 points (36g, 54a) were 24 more than the next-highest skater on a Windsor team that finished with just 18 wins. He was also named to the OHL’s First All-Rookie Team after scoring 25 goals in the 2022-23 campaign.
At the international junior level, Greentree hasn’t put up the numbers you would expect from a future NHL first-round pick. He managed just one assist at the Hlinka-Gretzky Cup and then was more of a background figure for Canada at the most recent U18 World Championship.
Despite those weaker performances, Greentree’s ability with the puck remains absolutely tantalizing especially when you consider he’s just under six foot, three inches tall and 215 pounds. On his best nights, the big winger maneuvers around the ice with the puck like a hot knife through butter. His offensive instincts are elite and he has a very hard shot to go with those soft hands.
However, scouts seem to be very concerned with his skating ability. Much like Andrew Cristall, who the Capitals selected in last year’s second round, Greentree has been able to get by in junior with his high skill level and offensive brain but the NHL will be an entirely different beast.
Chris’s take: Greentree is one of the most intriguing prospects in the draft. His combination of size and skill just doesn’t come around often but his skating really does need to come leaps and bounds for him to be viable in the NHL. I also think he tends to opt for the extra pass far too much and doesn’t use his big frame in a physical way enough. The total package is there though if the right team can develop him correctly and get a little help from Lady Luck.
Trevor Connelly – LW, Tri-City Storm (USHL)
#6 ranked North American skater by NHL Central Scouting
Connelly, who is committed to Providence College in the NCAA next year, lit up the USHL with the Tri-City Storm to the tune of 78 points (31g, 47a) in 52 games. His 1.50 point-per-game rate is one of the top 20, U18 seasons in the USHL since 2000 and outpaces names like Logan Cooley, Trevor Zegras, Cole Caufield, Matthew Tkachuk, and Kyle Connor among many other big NHL names.
The playmaking winger was also one of Team USA’s top contributors at the U18 World Championship, putting up nine points (4g, 5a) in seven games. He also led Team USA in scoring with 10 points (5g, 5a) at the Hlinka-Gretzky Cup.
Connelly is one of the best skaters in the draft and also a top-five puck handler. He can attack off the rush and pull off impressive offensive feats at top speed. The 18-year-old is one of the most dynamic players in the draft and competes on the other side of the puck as well.
So, why is he not projected as the top 10 draft pick that he sounds like he is? He has major, major character concerns. Per a very detailed, excellent article on The Athletic by Katie Strang and Corey Pronman, Connelly was a member of seven different amateur programs between the ages of 13 and 17. Much of that turnover came about because of Connelly’s behavior which reportedly included posting offensive imagery on his Snapchat, bullying, hazing, poor sportsmanship, dangerous on-ice play, and allegations that he used a racial slur in a game when he was 15.
Connelly, his family, and his advisor deny everything except the Snapchat post which they admit came from a place of ignorance.
Chris’s take: Connelly has legitimate game-breaking talent and claims to have matured as a human being. I don’t think the Capitals should consider him though.
Cole Eiserman – LW, USA U18 (USNTDP)
#12 ranked North American skater by NHL Central Scouting
Eiserman was once considered a surefire top-five pick in this draft but is falling down draft boards and may get to the Capitals at the 17th overall selection. The 17-year-old winger passed Cole Caufield for the most goals in US National Development Team Program history after potting 58 goals in 57 games this past season.
The six-foot, 196-pound winger kept up that scoring at the U18 World Championship where he tied for the Team USA lead in goals with nine in seven games. He is also one of the youngest players in this year’s draft class with an August 29, 2006 birthday. The cut-off to be eligible for a draft is turning 18 on or before September 15.
Eiserman has the best shot in the entire draft and it’s not particularly close. He is a pure goal scorer who can score from any area in the offensive zone, has legit puck skills, a nice physical edge to his game, and can skate. The primary concern from scouts is that his decision-making isn’t great, he has some selfishness in his game, and consistency issues on a shift-to-shift basis.
Chris’s take: Every draft seemingly has a player that teams pass up on and then look back not even a year later and go, ‘Why did we do that?’ I think Eiserman will be that player if he does fall to the range where the Capitals are picking. Elite goal-scoring talent does not grow on trees. You can hammer out almost all of the current faults in his game with good coaching. Take the risk.
Michael Hage – C, Chicago Steel (USHL)
#10 ranked North American skater by NHL Central Scouting
Hage, a Michigan commit in the NCAA next year, was once thought to be an easy top-10 prospect in this draft but faced some injury difficulties in 2022-23 that saw him play just 13 games and was on a weak Chicago Steel team in the USHL last season. In 54 games for the Steel in 2024-25, Hage put up 75 points (33g, 42a) after really turning it on down the stretch and finishing as arguably the best player in the league.
The 18-year-old, Mississauga native also went through some personal tragedy during the summer right before his draft season as his father, Alain, died in a swimming pool accident. Through unimaginable adversity, Hage is rising up draft boards after a great showing at the combine and should be an immediate, major contributor in the NCAA as a freshman.
Hage’s most evident skills are the sheer smoothness of his skating and how he can make high-level plays with the puck at his top speed. Offense oozes out of him and he makes very good reads in transition to open up space for his teammates. He also has an NHL-caliber shot and should be able to stick down the middle as a centerman once he turns pro.
Chris’s take: I really, really like Hage and I think he’s the type of player that the Capitals have proven they’ll take a chance on as they once did with someone like Hendrix Lapierre in 2020 and even defenseman Cam Allen last year. The amount of drive and willpower Hage showcased to have the kind of run to end last season is special. I’d be very happy with Hage if he was the Capitals’ pick at 17.
Jett Luchanko – C, Guelph Storm (OHL)
#20 ranked North American skater by NHL Central Scouting
Luchanko is another draft board riser after leading the OHL’s Guelph Storm in scoring this past year with 74 points (20g, 54a) in 68 games. The jump in production from his rookie campaign was staggering after he amassed just 14 points (5g, 9a) in 46 games for Guelph during the 2022-23 campaign.
Scouts were further impressed when he was a point-per-game player for Team Canada at the U18 World Championship, pitching in seven points (2g, 5a) in seven games from the team’s second line. Luchanko is widely considered one of the best pure athletes in the draft class after finishing in the top 10 of 10 different physical tests at the combine. He took first place in mean power output, left-hand grip strength, and right-hand grip strength.
Luchanko’s game is all about pace and being explosive when he’s on the ice and on both sides of the puck. The 17-year-old centerman is a legit two-way threat, has a very high compete level, is one of the headiest forwards in the draft class, and has the aforementioned top strength. While his shot is rather weak and his puck skills are just average, Luchanko does still create offense with his ability to make reads and fly around the ice.
Chris’s take: I liked more and more of what I saw from Luchanko down the stretch and some scouts believe he will be an elite, two-way NHLer. His lack of goal-scoring ability does concern me but the pace he loves to play is becoming more and more important in the modern game. I wouldn’t be mad if he was the Capitals’ pick.
Sacha Boisvert – C, Muskegon Lumberjacks (USHL)
#16 ranked North American skater by NHL Central Scouting
Boisvert is another player committed to the NCAA for next season as he’ll be attending North Dakota. This past season in the USHL, Boisvert racked up 68 points (36g, 32a) in 61 games playing a ton of minutes for the Muskegon Lumberjacks. He also served as one of the team’s alternate captains.
The six-foot, two-inch, 183-pound center was named to the USHL’s All-Rookie Second Team after recording 45 points (17g, 28a) in 57 games during the 2022-23 season. His 36 goals this past year were good for fifth-best in the league and he also showed off some added grit, getting into a few fights and racking up 86 penalty minutes.
Boisvert’s shot is his standout ability and he’s definitely a shoot-first center. He is also great in front of the net, has a great backhand both passing and shooting, and is another player with a very high compete level. There’s still a lot of room to grow for Boisvert physically with his leaner frame and with his footspeed as he’s presently just an average skater.
Chris’s take: I really like Boisvert’s size down the middle combined with his goal-scoring which is not something the Capitals have a ton of in their system. I also like that he’s not completely done adding onto his big frame so there’s potential for him to become even harder to deal with in front of the net and in the corners. Boisvert needs to prove he can be a game-changer at the next level and I think getting into that fantastic North Dakota program will be a big help.
Honorable Mentions
- Nikita Artamonov – LW, Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod (KHL)
- Andrew Basha – LW, Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL)
- Teddy Stiga – C, USA U18 (USNTDP)
- EJ Emery – RHD, USA U18 (USNTDP)
- Terik Parascak – RW, Prince George Cougars (WHL)
- Emil Hemming – RW, HC TPS (Liiga)
- Alfons Freij – LHD, Vaxjo Lakers (J20 Nationell)
- Leo Sahlin Wallenius – LHD, Vaxjo Lakers (J20 Nationell)
- Charlie Elick – RHD, Brandon Wheat Kings (WHL)
- Ryder Ritchie – RW, Prince Albert Raiders (WHL)
After the first round is completed on Friday, Rounds 2-7 will begin at 11:30 am ET on June 29.
