The end is nigh.

The Washington Capitals are closing in on the end of their competitive window. They’re not ready to give up the dream just yet, especially with Alex Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom still trucking along. But after they missed the playoffs in 2022-23, very few think this iteration of the team still has a legitimate chance at winning the Stanley Cup again.

For years, the Caps had one of the worst prospect pools in the game, which is understandable given their 15-year run near the top of the standings. But after snagging Ryan Leonard and Andrew Cristall at the 2023 NHL Draft, it has given the team a much-needed boost high in the depth chart.

There’s also Connor McMichael, who, after playing most of 2021-22 in the NHL, spent 2022-23 back with Hershey. He should get another shot at the club, but we’re not counting him because of his extended NHL experience. His absence from this list weakens the pool a bit, and it’s not a great one to start with. But if there’s one thing this group has, it’s scoring options.

Biggest Strength

The team has some excellent forward depth to work with, with Leonard, Cristall and Ivan Miroshnichenko all being quality offensive weapons. Alexander Suzdalev could end up being something, too. That’s already an area of strength, with Alex Ovechkin, Max Pacioretty, Tom Wilson and T.J. Oshie making up part of the top six, and Miroshnichenko should be given a chance to start the year with the Capitals, even if just for a few games.

Biggest Weakness

The Capitals better hope Darcy Kuemper is the answer. Ilya Samsonov wasn’t, and then they let Vitek Vanecek go. Charlie Lindgren is a solid backup, but he’s nothing more than that. Mitchell Gibson is the best goalie prospect the Capitals have right now, and even he’s more of a backup at best. It’ll be interesting to see if Antoine Keller ends up becoming something as a late-round pick – some scouts I’ve talked to really like his potential.

TOP 10 PROSPECTS

*Ryan Leonard (Steven Ellis/Daily Faceoff)*

Grade: C

1. Ryan Leonard, RW, 18 (Boston College, NCAA)

Drafted: No. 8, first round in 2023

Leonard finished off a tremendous U-18 World Championship effort by scoring the gold-medal-clinching goal against Sweden. The seven-game affair was a perfect microcosm of Leonard’s true abilities: good speed, skill and physicality all wrapped into one. Leonard’s play at the World Junior Summer Showcase – away from his usual linemates Will Smith and Gabe Perreault – showed just how good he can be in any situation. He’s the type of player every team wants.

2. Andrew Cristall, LW, 18 (Kelowna, WHL)

Drafted: No. 40, second round in 2023

Cristall is coming off a wild season with the WHL’s Kelowna Rockets, scoring 39 goals and 95 points in his second full campaign with the club. He also had six points in seven games with Canada at the April IIHF U-18 World Hockey Championship and won gold at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup last spring. The Vancouver, British Columbia native was among the most skilled players in the 2023 draft. His skating is a big concern, and he’s only 5-foot-8. But in terms of pure skill, few in the 2023 draft class could compete with Cristall, whom I expect to fight for the WHL scoring lead.

*Ivan Miroshnichenko (Eric Bolte-USA TODAY Sports)*

3. Ivan Miroshnichenko, LW, 19 (Hershey, AHL)

Drafted: No. 20, first round in 2022

It was good to see him back this year after missing significant time to deal with his cancer diagnosis the year before. While he struggled for opportunities in the KHL, he absolutely dominated at points when at the top of his game in the MHL, Russia’s top junior league. He’ll adjust to life in the AHL this year, which will be a significant step up. But he’s a gifted goal-scorer who never stops competing, and that’ll give him chances to shine in North America.

4. Hendrix Lapierre, C, 21 (Hershey, AHL)

Drafted: No. 22, first round in 2020

Scoring 15 goals and 30 points as a rookie in the AHL is no small feat. His energetic nature allows for him to stay on the attack more often than not, and he’s lethal on the power play. That being said, some scouts are worried he doesn’t have the high-end scoring potential or skating to translate into an NHL star. He’s a smart player that can do a lot with the puck, but he needs to find another gear in his skating.

5. Vincent Iorio, D, 20 (Hershey, AHL)

Drafted: No. 55, second round in 2021

It was an interesting season for Iorio, his first as a pro. Iorio played many minutes during Hershey’s championship run, which very few 20-year-olds get to experience earlier in their career. There’s nothing that stands out about his game in a high-end sense, but he’s really smart and can make difficult plays under pressure. Maybe a career as a second-pairing defenseman? We’ll see.

*Ryan Chesley (Eric Bolte-USA TODAY Sports)*

6. Ryan Chesley, D, 19 (University of Minnesota, NCAA)

Drafted: No. 37, second round in 2022

You’re not counting on Chesley to generate offense. Instead, it’s all about the physicality and own-zone play. He’s willing to use his body to keep chances away from the crease, and he might have the best compete level of anyone in the Capitals’ system. Chesley is prone to getting baited on a play and tends to make too many mistakes trying to distribute the puck, but there’s a really good chance he ends up carving out an NHL career.

7. Cameron Allen, D, 18 (Guelph, OHL)

Drafted: No. 136, fifth round in 2023

I’m so conflicted about Allen. As a rookie, he was incredible, looking like a potential top-10 pick for 2023. But he struggled as a sophomore in Guelph, with many of his defensive inconsistencies getting exposed this season. The good news: he still played close to 30 minutes a night often and could have some great evenings. He is still confident enough to get creative with the puck, which allowed him to succeed as a rookie. But at the U-18s, and throughout the early parts of the season, he looked completely lost.

8. Ryan Hofer, C, 21 (Hershey, AHL)

Drafted: No. 181, sixth round in 2022

The Caps drafted Hofer as a double-overager in 2022 after putting up a solid 58-point season. A proven goal-scorer, he upped that to 68 points between Everett and Kamloops this year. He’ll head to Hershey as a first-year pro, and, standing tall at 6-foot-3 and 184 points, I’m not worried about him adjusting to the physical aspects of the game. But will he have the offensive abilities to translate into a full-time NHLer? He didn’t blow up the WHL by any means, but his quick release and physical attributes give him a chance.

*Alexander Suzdalev (Steven Ellis/Daily Faceoff)*

9. Alexander Suzdalev, LW, 19 (Regina, WHL)

Drafted: No. 70, third round in 2022

Connor Bedard’s left-hand man in Regina, Suzdalev can dazzle you at times. He’s an excellent puckhandler, and it paid off with a tremendous 38-goal, 86-point campaign in his first year in North America. Suzdalev has good size at 6-foot-2, and he isn’t afraid to throw some muscle around, either. His defensive game can be costly, and his skating definitely lacks, but I could see him putting up 15 goals a season in the NHL with the right linemates. It’ll be interesting to see where he starts the season, because Suzdalev told Daily Faceoff that both Regina (WHL) and Hershey (AHL) could be options.

10. Mitchell Gibson, G, 24 (Hershey, AHL)

Drafted: No. 124, fourth round in 2018

Gibson recently finished his college career with Harvard University, recording an 18-7-2 record with three shutouts and a .919 save percentage this past season. He was a consistent threat in college, recording a career save percentage of .918 and an overall record of 47-25-6 in 79 games. Given that he had one more year of college eligibility and that they have an influx of goaltenders signed, including Hunter Shepard, Garin Bjorklund and Clay Stevenson, they must think highly of Gibson. Look for him to share the net with Shepard while potentially making a push for some NHL starts in the next few years.

Other notables: Henrik Rybinski, D (22), Antoine Keller, G, 18, Perrick Dube, RW (22), Ludwig Persson, LW (19), Patrick Thomas, C (19), Brett Hyland, LW (20), Oskar Magnusson, C (21), Brent Johnson, D (20), David Gucciardi, D (20), Chase Clark, G (21), Jake Karabela, C (19), Haakon Hanelt, C (20)

Previous 2023-24 NHL Prospect Pool instalments

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