Ranking the Washington Capitals’ Last 20 First-Round Draft Picks: From Nicklas Backstrom to Lynden Lakovic (Part 1)
Ranking the Washington Capitals’ Last 20 First-Round Draft Picks: From Nicklas Backstrom to Lynden Lakovic (Part 1)
Nos. 20-14
The Washington Capitals built the most successful era in franchise history through the NHL Draft.
Alex Ovechkin may be the face of the franchise, but Washington’s Stanley Cup championship in 2018 was built around a collection of homegrown first-round picks. Nicklas Backstrom, John Carlson, Tom Wilson, Evgeny Kuznetsov, Andre Burakovsky and Jakub Vrana all played significant roles during that historic run.
Not every selection became a success story. Some developed into stars. Some became solid NHL contributors. Others never established themselves at the highest level.
This series ranks the Capitals’ 20 most recent first-round selections beginning with Nicklas Backstrom in 2006 and ending with Lynden Lakovic in 2025. The rankings consider NHL production, Capitals impact, playoff performance, draft value and long-term organizational significance.
No. 20: Anton Gustafsson
Center | 2008 NHL Draft | 21st Overall
Player Snapshot
- Drafted: 21st Overall (2008)
- NHL Games: 0
- NHL Goals: 0
- NHL Assists: 0
- NHL Points: 0
Washington selected Anton Gustafsson hoping to find a dependable two-way center. The son of former Capitals player and coach Bengt-Ake Gustafsson arrived with strong hockey bloodlines and the size necessary to compete in North America.
Unfortunately, the offensive development never materialized.
While many first-round disappointments at least reach the NHL briefly, Gustafsson never appeared in a single NHL game. Offensive struggles throughout his post-draft development prevented him from becoming a serious option for Washington’s future plans.
The selection becomes even more painful when considering the rest of Washington’s 2008 draft class. Six picks later, the Capitals selected John Carlson, who would eventually become the greatest defenseman in franchise history.
Every organization has misses. Gustafsson remains Washington’s biggest miss among its last 20 first-round selections.
Final Grade: F
No. 19: Lucas Johansen
Defenseman | 2016 NHL Draft | 28th Overall
Player Snapshot
- Drafted: 28th Overall (2016)
- NHL Games: Single-digit NHL appearances
- NHL Points: Limited production
Washington hoped Johansen would become another mobile, puck-moving defenseman capable of eventually replacing aging veterans on the blue line.
The younger brother of NHL center Ryan Johansen possessed strong skating ability and offensive instincts. Several scouts believed he could eventually grow into a top-four defenseman.
Injuries significantly impacted his development path.
Johansen eventually reached the NHL but never secured a full-time roster spot. The offensive upside that made him attractive during his draft year never translated consistently against professional competition.
The draft slot softens the disappointment somewhat. Late first-round selections are far from guaranteed successes. However, first-round defensemen must eventually become contributors to justify the investment.
Johansen never reached that level.
Final Grade: D
No. 18: Alexander Alexeyev
Defenseman | 2018 NHL Draft | 31st Overall
Player Snapshot
- Drafted: 31st Overall (2018)
- NHL Games: 70-plus
- NHL Points: Limited offensive production
Washington entered the 2018 NHL Draft as defending Stanley Cup champions.
Holding the final pick of the first round allowed the Capitals to target upside. Alexeyev represented exactly that.
The Russian defenseman possessed excellent size, strong mobility and a modern skill set that projected well to the NHL. Washington hoped he could eventually develop into a reliable top-four defender.
The development process never fully clicked.
Alexeyev reached the NHL and demonstrated flashes of potential. Unfortunately, injuries and inconsistent play prevented him from locking down a permanent role.
Because he reached the NHL and provided organizational depth, Alexeyev ranks ahead of Johansen. Still, Washington expected significantly more from a first-round defenseman.
Final Grade: C-minus
No. 17: Lynden Lakovic
Left Wing | 2025 NHL Draft | 27th Overall
Player Snapshot
- Drafted: 27th Overall (2025)
- Position: Left Wing
- Height: 6-foot-4
- Status: Prospect
Lakovic enters the ranking with the least professional experience of any player on the list.
The Moose Jaw captain became one of Washington’s newest building blocks after the 2025 NHL Draft. His size, leadership qualities and offensive upside immediately made him one of the organization’s most intriguing prospects.
Washington clearly believes Lakovic can eventually become a top-six winger.
The challenge with ranking recent draft picks is obvious. Projection can only take a player so far. NHL results ultimately determine success.
Lakovic remains near the bottom simply because he has not had enough time to establish himself professionally.
The upside, however, remains substantial.
Final Grade: Incomplete
No. 16: Terik Parascak
Right Wing | 2024 NHL Draft | 17th Overall
Player Snapshot
- Drafted: 17th Overall (2024)
- WHL Star
- 100-point junior scorer
- Top Capitals prospect
Parascak arrived in Washington’s system carrying one of the most productive offensive résumés in junior hockey.
His draft season featured elite scoring numbers, outstanding hockey sense and the ability to consistently find open ice. The offensive instincts immediately stood out.
Washington viewed him as a player capable of adding scoring depth to the next generation of Capitals hockey.
Like Lakovic, Parascak remains difficult to evaluate fairly because his NHL career has not begun.
His ceiling is significantly higher than his current ranking suggests. Several years from now, Parascak could realistically challenge for a top-10 spot on this list.
Potential, however, does not outweigh NHL production.
Not yet.
Final Grade: Incomplete
No. 15: Ivan Miroshnichenko
Right Wing | 2022 NHL Draft | 20th Overall
Player Snapshot
- Drafted: 20th Overall (2022)
- NHL Games: 40-plus
- NHL Goals: Double digits
- AHL Success: Strong scorer
Few prospects possess a more remarkable story than Ivan Miroshnichenko.
Health concerns complicated his draft year and caused some organizations to hesitate. Washington focused on talent.
That decision may eventually look brilliant.
Miroshnichenko combines size, strength and one of the best shots in Washington’s prospect system. His path back to elite hockey after overcoming significant obstacles remains one of the NHL’s best stories.
The NHL production remains limited, but encouraging signs continue to appear.
Washington still believes Miroshnichenko can develop into a productive scoring winger capable of playing in the top six.
The combination of talent and perseverance already makes this one of the organization’s most interesting recent draft picks.
Final Grade: Incomplete, with top-six upside
No. 14: Hendrix Lapierre
Center | 2020 NHL Draft | 22nd Overall
Player Snapshot
- Drafted: 22nd Overall (2020)
- NHL Games: 80-plus
- NHL Points: Growing production
- Calder Cup Champion with Hershey
Lapierre entered the draft carrying both elite skill and significant risk.
Injuries created concerns among several organizations, allowing Washington to select one of the most talented playmakers in the draft class outside the lottery.
The offensive vision remains impressive.
Lapierre consistently demonstrates strong hockey IQ, creativity and the ability to distribute the puck in dangerous areas. The challenge has been translating those skills into consistent NHL production.
His development in Hershey provided important progress. Winning environments matter, and Lapierre benefited from significant playoff experience in the American Hockey League.
The next step is becoming a permanent NHL contributor.
Washington still believes that outcome remains possible.
The skill set keeps him ahead of the younger prospects. The lack of sustained NHL production keeps him outside the top half of the ranking.
Final Grade: C-plus
Coming in Part 2
