Hockey Wilderness Community 2011 NHL Mock Draft: Washington Capitals

by BReynolds on Jun 17, 2011 9:01 AM CDT in Features

The choice for the Toronto Maple Leafs seemed like a difficult one. Turns out, not so much. With help from our friends at Pension Plan Puppets, the choice seems to have been rather simple. Adding to a stable that holds Nazem Kadri, the Maple Leafs community has chosen Ty Rattie, a left wing out of the OHL. They seem pretty happy with the choice, too:

Shocked that Rattie fell this far. I came here expecting to make a case for Puempel (well played Ottawa) but Rattie is too good of a player to still be available at 25.

Good on ya. With that pick our draft looks like this:

1. Edmonton Oilers: Ryan Nugent-Hopkins
2. Colorado Avalanche: Gabriel Landeskog
3. Florida Panthers: Adam Larsson
4. New Jersey Devils: Sean Couturier
5. New York Islanders: Jonathan Huberdeau
6. Ottawa Senators: Ryan Strome
7. Winnipeg: Mika Zibanejad
8. Columbus Blue Jackets: Dougie Hamilton
9. Boston Bruins: Ryan Murphy
10. Minnesota Wild: Sven Bartschi
11. Colorado Avalanche: Duncan Siemens
12. Carolina Hurricanes: Mark McNeill
13. Calgary Flames: Joel Armia
14. Dallas Stars: Zack Phillips
15. New York Rangers: Mark Scheifele
16. Buffalo Sabres: Nathan Beaulieu
17. Montreal Canadiens: Jamie Oleksiak
18. Chicago Blackhawks: Brandon Saad
19. Edmonton Oilers: Oscar Kelfbom
20. Phoenix Coyotes: Thomas Jurco
21. Ottawa Senators: Matthew Puempel
22. Anaheim Ducks: Alexander Khokhlachev
23. Pittsburgh Penguins: Rocco Grimaldi
24. Detroit Red Wings: Jonas Brodin
25. Toronto Maple Leafs: Ty Rattie

Up next, Alexander Ovechkin and the rest of the Washington Capitals. Make the jump and help the Caps make their choice.

Think the Caps are a dangerous team? You're right. With Ovechkin, Alex Semin, Nicklas Backstrom, Mike Green... sigh... there is a ton of talent in the organization. Looking at the prospect pool, it is no different. Evgeny Kuznetsow, Braden Holtby, and Cody Eakin are all blue chip prospects, and maybe Holtby can finally be the goalie that actually plays goalie.

Right now, the positional mix in the system for the Caps looks pretty good. They aren't in desperate need of any one position, opening up the board.

So who will it be? The Russian? A big d-man to allow Mike Green to pinch? Another goalie? The choice is yours. Choose wisely.

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Comments

I’ll take the big D who can skate well and is coordinated enough to play with the puck. Scott Mayfield’s my vote.

A kitten on fire, a baby in a blender, both sound as sweet as a playoff surrender.

by Rob Parker on Jun 17, 2011 10:50 AM CDT reply actions

It came down to him and Jaskin for me.

I’d love some more prototype power forwards in the system, so Jaskin was my ticket.

I wouldn’t mind Mayfield at all, though, especially since he’s projected mid-first round.

If my answers frighten you, then you should cease asking scary questions.

by Steck It Out on Jun 17, 2011 11:20 AM CDT up reply actions

I tried to stay away from the guys with skating issues. I don’t know how accurate the critiques are, but there are a couple things at play with my decision. First, a guy that big that already is skating at an NHL level is impressive, and you know that if he already skates at an NHL level the skills will translate. Second, that kind of coordination is rare in a big D. Third, I think the USHL is an underrated league, so for now players that are in the USHL will be overlooked because of the perceived weakness in competition. Fourth, (sort of a mix of all), a lot of the things I read about Mayfield remind me of Tyler Myers and John Carlson leading up to the ’08 draft.

A kitten on fire, a baby in a blender, both sound as sweet as a playoff surrender.

by Rob Parker on Jun 17, 2011 11:39 AM CDT up reply actions

I still think that with proper coaching, the skating factor will become a non-issue.

And I agree on Mayfield. He’s a good two-way defenseman, and I have no quarrel over the level of competition in the USHL at all.

If my answers frighten you, then you should cease asking scary questions.

by Steck It Out on Jun 17, 2011 1:12 PM CDT up reply actions

It’s hard to say without seeing the guy. Skinner had skating questions last year, obviously that was bogus. I guess I just see a good skater as a safer bet. A nice power forward definitely wouldn’t upset me, though. Get your boy to slide down to 26 and we’ll both be happy.

A kitten on fire, a baby in a blender, both sound as sweet as a playoff surrender.

by Rob Parker on Jun 17, 2011 1:20 PM CDT up reply actions

Indeed.

I’d be happy with either player.

If my answers frighten you, then you should cease asking scary questions.

by Steck It Out on Jun 17, 2011 2:58 PM CDT up reply actions

Give me Nick Jensen.

Get me a tub of Häagen-Dazs because I'm depressed.

by jaytown99 on Jun 17, 2011 12:56 PM CDT reply actions

He got my vote too. It’s like a redo of the Fehr pick. Plus, his favorite team is the Caps (and Penguins, don’t know what to make of that), his favorite player is Ovie, and he does the Ovie celebration when he scores.

Founding member of the "Bring Silent Jay McClement to Washington" club.

by Flash in the Pan on Jun 17, 2011 2:25 PM CDT up reply actions

A couple of US NTDP forwards in Tyler Biggs & JT Miller are worthy of consideration as well. I’d take either.

by Langway on Jun 17, 2011 1:12 PM CDT reply actions

And JT Miller is from Pittsburgh!

A kitten on fire, a baby in a blender, both sound as sweet as a playoff surrender.

by Rob Parker on Jun 17, 2011 1:20 PM CDT up reply actions

I don’t know anything about Tyler Biggs, what’s his game like?

A kitten on fire, a baby in a blender, both sound as sweet as a playoff surrender.

by Rob Parker on Jun 17, 2011 1:24 PM CDT up reply actions

Looks like he’s a tough SOB. I think he’s probably going to be a grinder in the NHL. I wouldn’t be pumped to use a First on him.

A kitten on fire, a baby in a blender, both sound as sweet as a playoff surrender.

by Rob Parker on Jun 17, 2011 1:33 PM CDT up reply actions

That’s my worry too. I’d love a power forward who, in his own words, models his game after Iginla and D. Brown, but if he can’t find a scoring touch he could end up a 3rd line grinder. A bit too much risk there for me.

Founding member of the "Bring Silent Jay McClement to Washington" club.

by Flash in the Pan on Jun 17, 2011 2:26 PM CDT up reply actions

Why does everyone assume we want a Russian?

Get me a tub of Häagen-Dazs because I'm depressed.

by jaytown99 on Jun 17, 2011 11:01 PM CDT reply actions

I’m not sure. I just threw it out there. Guess they ran with it. That won’t be the selection, though. Executive over ride.

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by BReynolds on Jun 17, 2011 11:04 PM CDT up reply actions

Folks are confused — the Caps aren’t scared of taking a Russian who should have been picked higher but fell to the Caps due to uncertainty, but that doesn’t mean the Caps will reach to get one.

Atta dinnin stick a who!

by Gould Old Days on Jun 18, 2011 8:58 AM CDT up reply actions

Although is Namestnikov a reach? It’s hard for us to sort out that non-elite group of players since we haven’t seen them. I won’t be shocked if we get a Russian, but I’m hoping we don’t.

A kitten on fire, a baby in a blender, both sound as sweet as a playoff surrender.

by Rob Parker on Jun 18, 2011 11:13 AM CDT up reply actions

and he has bloodlines!

by Reckless on Jun 18, 2011 10:41 PM CDT up reply actions

I’m one of the two people who picked Dmitrij Jaskin. The Caps have selected a C with their first round pick for the past three years but the first one was a bust so it wouldn’t shock me if they picked another C with their first round selection again this year. However, to me the Caps’ biggest need is at RW. Chances are, Knuble will be done after next year and the Caps have absolutely no one that can replace him at that position. BB used a number of different players on that line this year when Knuble was struggling including Chimera, Fehr, Laich, and even MJ with mixed results. Jaskin or a similar RW could replace Knuble there in a couple of years. Here’s what HP had to say about Jaskin.

20. Dmitrij Jaskin, Right Wing, HC Slavia Praha-Czech Extraliga
Dmitrij Jaskin has gone under the radar this draft season due to playing in the Czech Republic all year and not making an international appearance until the Under-18’s due to injury, but make no mistake that this is a prospect who should be on everybody’s radars. Jaskin is a very well-rounded prospect and one who projects well down the line. Coming in over six feet tall and with a well filled out 200 pound frame, Jaskin’s physical game projects as above-average and may even touch plus when he’s physically matured. He brings it every shift and makes like hectic on opposing defenders with hard checks along the wall, planting himself firmly in front of the goalie’s field of vision, and a solid puck protector who loves to stiff arm and drive the play to the net. He has solid puck skills that are above-average for a forward his size and while he isn’t a flashy player, he is capable of doing pro-level stick-handling and he can come off the half-wall on the power play and distribute. Jaskin had a hard shot which he doesn’t refrain from using and has multiple weapons in his wrist shot and slap shot. His hockey sense is solid as well, especially from a defensive perspective which is aided as well by the fact he shows a notable work ethic in his own end and on the backcheck. His only liability is his skating tool which grades as fringe to below-average, although there’s nothing mechanically wrong that I’ve noticed and it does look fixable to an extent.

The biggest knock on him is his skating but Knuble is not a great skater either and it doesn’t seem to affect his play much.

Lobbies: Green, Carlson, Orlov

by CapsFan2020 on Jun 18, 2011 9:45 AM CDT reply actions

The last sentence is what scares me. If you have a guy that can’t skate well, he’s a bigger bust threat. A guy that can skate at NHL level right now is safer because even if he doesn’t improve his skating at all you already know that he’ll be able to do it in the NHL.

A kitten on fire, a baby in a blender, both sound as sweet as a playoff surrender.

by Rob Parker on Jun 18, 2011 11:16 AM CDT up reply actions

I’m not as worried about his skating in part because he’d be playing alongside Backstrom, not speed demons MJ and Eakin. As long as he can do the following consistently, I think he’d be fine.

He brings it every shift and makes like hectic on opposing defenders with hard checks along the wall, planting himself firmly in front of the goalie’s field of vision, and a solid puck protector who loves to stiff arm and drive the play to the net.

Here’s some video of the kid in action if you’re interested. He’s #20. Yes, the skating is not pretty but is not terrible either for a guy his size.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LT8-ursmAKU

Lobbies: Green, Carlson, Orlov

by CapsFan2020 on Jun 18, 2011 1:15 PM CDT up reply actions