Caps Clinch 8th Best Odds For No.1 Overall Pick
Washington guaranteed to have top-10 draft pick for the first time since 2007
The Washington Capitals finished off a season where they failed to miss the playoffs for the first time since 2014 with a 5-4 overtime loss to the New Jersey Devils. By only picking up one point, the Caps locked in the 8th best odds (6%) to win the No. 1 overall pick.
With the new lottery rules, teams can only move back a maximum of two spots. As a result, unless the pick is traded, the Capitals will have a top-10 pick for the first time since they drafted Karl Alzner fifth overall in 2007.
Washington also has a 6.5% chance to win the second overall pick, a 54.4% for 8th, 30% for 9th and 3.2% for 10th.
It is also the first time the Capitals will be picking before 20th overall since the team drafted Jakub Vrana in 2014.
The 2023 NHL Entry Draft is considered one of the deepest in years, highlighted at the top by Connor Bedard of the WHL’s Regina Pats. Other top prospects include forward Adam Fantilli who just won college hockey’s equivalent of the Heisman at Michigan, Swedish forward Leo Carlsson and Russian forward Matvei Michkov. Michkov is under contract in the KHL for at least another two seasons.
In 1997, the Capitals took Nick Boynton 9th overall and John Slaney in 1990. In 1994 they took Nolan Baumgartner 10th overall. The team has never picked 8th overall. Of course, they got the No. 1 pick in 2004, despite having the third best chance, when they picked Alex Ovechkin.
The draft is scheduled for June 28-29 in Nashville.
