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With the 11th Pick in the SB Nation Mock Draft, the Washington Capitals Select…

If you’ve been following SBN Hockey’s network-wide mock draft, you know that the Caps are on the clock, which means we’re on the clock for them.

One year ago, drafting in the 26th slot, we selected Scott Mayfield (he ended up going to the Islanders with the 34th pick in the actual draft, and the Caps, of course, traded the 26th pick to Chicago in exchange for Troy Brouwer; the Blackhawks drafted Phillip Danault with the pick). Two years ago, also drafting 26th overall, we took Brock Nelson (he ended up going to the Isles at 30th in the real draft; Caps pick Evgeny Kuznetsov was off the board already).

This time around, we’re pleased to select… center Zemgus Girgensons (@zemgus94) out of Dubuque of the USHL.

Here’s Girgensons at the 2012 NHL Combine (via hockeyprospectTV):

Per Corey Pronman, who ranks Girgensons as the 14th-best prospect in the draft:

Our SBN partner, Hockey Wilderness, had this take on him:

And at midseason, here’s what TSN had to say:

Poised to become the first Latvian-born prospect to be a first-round NHL draft choice. There’s no worry about him adjusting to North American life as he’s played in the U.S. since he was 15. Slated to attend the University of Vermont next season. Strengths: A smart, all-around player with size and skating ability. Good hands, heavy shot, tough and competitive, can play any style of game. A safe pick, he will play in the NHL. Weaknesses: Some scouts question his offensive instincts and ability to create scoring opportunities. May not be a top-two center at the NHL level. NHL upside: Has been compared to Colton Gillies, but with more offensive upside. The type of player that will help an NHL club win a playoff series by playing a tough, two-way game. May have the intangibles to be a top two centre.

Girgensons isn’t the sexiest pick ever, but he’s got good size and appears to have a good mix of skill and grit, offensive ability and defensive responsibility, and, of course, plays a position of need. The Caps haven’t been afraid to draft out of the USHL in recent years (though with just one big win and limited success overall); if this was our pick, we might look to that League again and at Zemgus Girgensons.

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