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Assessing the Capitals’ 2023 Draft Options

Photo courtesy of the Washington Capitals

The Washington Capitals weren’t lucky enough to win the draft lottery this year. They will still have a shot at a very good player with the eighth-overall pick, and based on General Manager Brian MacLellan’s comments after the draft lottery, the team is more than likely keeping the pick. A wise choice, indeed. 

Now, should the right player comes along who can is available in exchange for that pick, and that player can make a difference now, it might be understandable to make that trade – but if the summer retool is done correctly, the Caps won’t have this high of a pick for years and even if they do, there’s no guarantee the draft will be as strong as it will be this summer. 

They’re better off holding pat, keeping the pick and finding other ways to improve the team now. That can put them in the best position to not only be good for the remaining Alex Ovechkin years but also draft a high-end young talent who can head up the next generation of Capitals.

So let’s take a look at some of their options, ranked in order from least likely to be available to most:

The “No Way” Tier

Connor Bedard, C, 5’10” 185lbs – Bedard is a generational talent who is putting up better numbers than Connor McDavid at his age. Granted, Chicago absolutely does not deserve Bedard after covering up sexual assault for over a decade…but they won the lottery, and there is no question that they are drafting him.

Adam Fantilli, C, 6’2” 187lbs – If Bedard wasn’t born when he was, Fantilli would be the number one pick this draft (though a certain Russian also makes a case). He’s a high-flying center with elite puck skills, putting up numbers in college as a freshman that very few do. He’s getting comparisons to Nathan MacKinnon or Jack Eichel, and there’s next to no chance he’s available anywhere near where the Caps pick.

The “Highly Unlikely” Tier

Leo Carlsson, C/W, 6’3” 194lbs – It’s not often big centers like Carlsson come along. He is drawing comparisons to Mikko Rantanen, or even Evgeni Malkin or Nicklas Backstrom. Those would be some tough shoes to fill, but he’s on the right track, putting up huge numbers as an 18-year-old in the SHL, one of the top men’s leagues in the world. Hard to see him being picked outside the top four.

William Smith, C, 6’0” 172lbs  – Outside of Bedard, Smith might be the best pure playmaker in the draft. It’s otherworldly sometimes how he sees people and gets the puck to them. His shot is also above average – perhaps not high end, but since he can sell a pass so well he gets a lot of great looks near the net where he can bury it. He reminds me a lot of our very own Evgeny Kuznetsov, though Kuznetsov is a much better skater. If Smith wants to hit that next level he needs to add more speed to his game. Trevor Zegras is another great comparable.

If Caps can add him he’d make a great partner to a sniper like Ivan Miroshnichenko. That’d make a deadly pair on the top line in the future. Unfortunately, while he may have been within reach earlier this year, he put on a clinic at the recent U18 tournament and now, like Carlsson, it’s hard to see him going outside the top four or five picks.

The “Absolute Dream” Tier

Matvei Michkov, RW, 5’10” 148lbs – Michkov is arguably the second-best player in this draft and he could still go there with his elite shot and playmaking ability – but there’s a complication that could drop him down a bit. Michkov is currently signed to a KHL deal through the 2025-26 season, and some of the teams ahead of the Caps could be nervous about waiting for him for the next three years or so (or even longer, should he decide to stay in Russia beyond that). Now, all six non-Blackhawks teams having that attitude, given the caliber of player in question, seems unlikely. But he may drop enough that the Caps could take a shot at trading up and grabbing him – and if they can, they absolutely should. Michkov is the next elite Russian player, the next Nikita Kucherov. Sure, he won’t help the Caps for years, probably not until after Ovechkin retires, but it’s worth it for a superstar player that could be the face of the franchise for the next decade or two.

The “Likely” Tier

Dalibor Dvorsky, C, 6’1” 201lbs – Everyone knew about Dvorsky’s defensive, mature game, but apparently he wanted to make sure people knew his offensive tools, as well – so he went out and put the entire Slovakian team on his shoulders at the U18s and just dominated, putting up 13 points in seven games, good for sixth in the tournament. That’s particularly impressive given the caliber of team he was working with.

He already possesses great size and defensive reliability, making him one of the few players in this draft who could quickly jump to the NHL over the next year or two. He’s got some similarities to someone like Joel Eriksson-Ek, who just had a career year with 61 points in 78 games while also being very strong defensively, or even Anze Kopitar, a future hall-of-famer. Dvorsky might not be a point-per-game center in the NHL (neither are Kopitar or Eriksson-Ek) but his mature game mixed with good offensive tools can turn him into a reliable 1C that helps drive play. That would be a great grab at number eight. 

Zach Benson, C/W, 5’10” 159lbs – If Benson were three inches taller and 20 pounds heavier he’d probably be a slam dunk for the #3 or #4 pick, but alas he’s a small boi. He’s a hard working two-way forward with high-end IQ and vision, and he’s one of the better playmakers in the draft as well. His shot isn’t elite but due to him being so smart and getting to the right areas, he doesn’t need a hard shot because his accuracy does all the work. He plays wing, mostly, but a team should really focus him as a center because he has the work ethic, two-way ability, and skill to be a full time top-line center. He’s reminiscent of Brayden Point (without the skating ability) or Brad Marchand (without the assholery) – both top-line, two-way players.

David Reinbacher, RHD, 6’2” 187lbs – His name has been shooting up the rankings of late, so it wouldn’t be surprising if a team in front of the Caps snags him, but it’s still somewhat surprising that Renbacher isn’t getting more interest from rankings. He’s often being listed behind other defensemen like Axel Sandin Pellikka, Mikhail Gulyayev, and even Dmitri Simashev. All of those players are good in their own right, but Reinbacher might be the best defensemen. He’s a big kid who looks like he’s pro-ready already. He plays in the National League in Switzerland and doesn’t look at all out of place as an 18-year-old playing against men. He probably won’t be a pure offensive defensemen but he has put up the second-most points by a U19 defensemen in that league ever, only behind the great Roman Josi. He’s big, quick, plays physical and can put up points. He has all the makings to be a strong top pairing two-way defensemen like a Colton Parayko or Brett Pesce – or even the next Moritz Seider.

Ryan Leonard, C/W, 5’11” 181lbs – Leonard was part of the dynamite trio for the US development team along with Smith and Gabe Perreault. Though he’s not the biggest, Leonard is a power forward through and through. He’s tough as nails, grinds along the boards with anyone, and fights to the front of the net. He brings those aspects at both ends of the ice, becoming one of the more reliable forwards in the draft, and is similar to Brendan Gallagher or young standout Matt Boldy – players who are maybe lacking in high-end offensive tools, but their hard work, skating, and reliability can turn them into puck possession hogs and great complementary top-six players. Leonard has that skillset, and it’s a bonus that he literally plays all three forward positions, making him versatile, as well.

Gabe Perreault, RW, 5’11” 165lbs – Going from one USDP player to another, Perrault scored the most points this season on the US National U18 Team. Historically, he has put up more point totals and points per game than players like Patrick Kane, Cole Caufield, Trevor Zegras, Matt Boldy, Jack Eichel, Logan Cooley, Zach Parise, and more. So why isn’t this kid a lock in the top five, even top three? Well, he has little to no speed. His IQ is elite, his passing is top tier, and his shot is above average, but his skating has real potential to hold him back in the NHL. He’s a gamble to take, so it makes sense why teams in the top 10 may not want to take a chance – and the Caps are probably one of those teams, not wanting to take a gamble with such a high pick. If they do, though, and they can just improve Perreault’s skating (even just to get him to average speed), they’ll get an absolute gem. This kid has all the potential to be a point-per-game player in the NHL. Comparables are hard in general but in this case, because of his lack of skating ability, it’s almost impossible. There just aren’t many, if any, NHL-caliber top-six wingers who can barely skate. Justin Williams did make a great career despite his lack of speed because of his elite IQ, and Mark Stone has, as well – so maybe he can follow in their footsteps. 

Oliver Moore, C, 5’11” 176lbs – We did two USPD players, so why not make it three in row? Moore isn’t getting as much attention as the three big USPD players (Smith, Leonard, Perreault) but many feel it’s because he wasn’t playing with as talented teammates as those three and he could have really broken out if at least one of those players was on his wing. There’s a case that Moore could be the best skater in the 2023 NHL draft. He skates and accelerates quickly, and can turn on a dime. Mix that with his work ethic and he becomes a great impact player at both ends of the ice. Because of his speed he opens up a lot of lanes where he can dish it with some of the best of them.

He’s not an elite playmaker but his play style makes it so that his above-average passing game is very effective. The same goes with his shot; it’s not that it’s top tier, but his speed can throw goalie and defenses off, much like Jakub Vrana can do. He’s getting compared to Dylan Larkin, which would be a great addition for the Caps down the road. Another potential comparable is Roope Hintz, who had himself a ridiculous playoffs.  A young, potential, speedy center with top-line ability? Yes please!

Andrew Cristall, LW, 5’10 165lbs – Cristall, like Benson, would be a guaranteed top-five pick if he weren’t a more diminutive player. He put up the most points per game in the WHL outside of Bedard and the very talented Logan Stankoven. Actually Benson is a pretty good comparable, though Benson has a better defensive game and is a better skater. Where Cristall is better than Benson, and this is hard to believe, is overall offensive skill – not by much, but it’s there. He’s an elite playmaker and his shot is quick and deadly. He has all the makings to be an offensive dynamo winger in the NHL if he improves his skating. He’s got a little Johnny Gaudreau-ness about him, although Gaudreau can skate like the wind. If everything breaks right, Cristall might be able to follow in Johnny Hockey’s footsteps and become a legit top-line winger who can get you 50+ assists and 30+ goals. He will need lots of time to develop, get stronger, and vastly improve his skating, and like Perreault, it would be a big gamble at #8 – but could also pay off huge if he hits his ceiling.


There are some other intriguing players after this group like Brayden Yager, who before the season was looked at a potential top five pick, but had a slow season; or Eduard Sale, the dual threat forward but lacks pace; or Nate Dainelson, the unsexy center but has elite defensive ability with offensive potential; or hard-working, 30+ goal potential winger Colby Barlow; or potential Tage Thompson clone in Matthew Wood; etc.

If the Caps are set on someone like those players, though, they should probably look to trade back…and if the plan is to trade back, they might as well trade that pick altogether now for help in the present. 

But the Capitals should have a very good prospect to pick at the #8 spot, one who has the ability to be a top-line or top-pair player. It’s a high pick in a deep draft, a chance that doesn’t come around very often. They should take advantage of it. 

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Greg S

Jesper Bratt is no longer possible. NJ Devils re-signed him to 8 years $63M ($7.875 AAV).

exwhaler

But another Devil forward might be. From LeBrun via The Athletic:

Meanwhile, the Devils are getting a ton of calls on pending RFA forward Yegor Sharangovich, 25, whose arbitration case might put him in a place that doesn’t make sense within New Jersey’s cap puzzle. That will depend on a few other things the Devils are looking at, too. So it’s possible they move him. 

lookmanohands

Since we gifted them Siegs and VV, they owe us one.

Aberg

Something from 32 Thoughts by way of THN that Michkov might be angling his draft day pick down to the Caps – by not endeavoring to make himself available in any logical sense to inquiring teams – and saying that it would be “cool” to play in Washington. He didn’t attend the combine, not taking calls, and not too many want to go to Russia to, as it was written, have a few minutes in conversation rinkside after a game.

https://twitter.com/khl_eng/status/1667149292887511041?cxt=HHwWgsDU4d3c86IuAAAA

Last edited 9 months ago by Aberg
BGGB

It was a painful season BUT….

if they were going to miss the playoffs one year, they picked the right draft class to do it.

lookmanohands

Amen to that. No matter who they get at #8, he’s going to be a good player. If Michkov somehow falls to them, it would make last season’s misery all worth it. I particularly love that Pittsburgh also missed the playoffs and won’t come close to an impact player.

exwhaler

Do you mean somebody like Michkov? ‘Cause in this draft, the level of good player the Capitals will most likely have a chance is going to be similar to Pittsburgh–there’s that many good players to pick after the locked-in top 5. There’s very little separation between guys like Dvorsky, Leonard, Moore, Yager, Perreault, Reinbacher, Danielson, Wood, and on and on and on.

I’d love to have Michkov, but any of those guys are going to be Forsberg/Wilson/Alzner-like.

DA091705

Stop with the 5 years ago and concentrate on the draft and free agency. The team that won the cup was not the Caps best team. maybe the 8th or 9th best team in Caps history.

lookmanohands

To paraphase Susan O’Malley, their house, their rules. They put a ton of effort into those posts. Personally, I thought they were great, but if you don’t like them then don’t read them. Bitching about something that’s given to you for free isn’t the way to go.

exwhaler

The crew at Japers Rinks are taking a partial break as they get the new site up and running and the archives moved over. They announced back in April that they would post the 5 Years Ago series during the transition time (thank you Becca!), while Luke obviously decided to drop a couple draft/prospect posts to tie us over. They won’t be back full time until near the draft or free agency, depending on how things shake out.

But since you brought it up via hot take rude-ville:

It was the only team that won the Cup. It was the best team, because unlike the others, they didn’t choke when it mattered. Results matter. They didn’t give in after losing Tom Wilson to suspension and were skating a tapped together roster in Pittsburgh, and instead downed their franchise demon harder than the Brooklyn Dodgers slaying the Bronx Bombers. They didn’t collapse after losing 3 straight to the 113-point Lightning, and instead shut them out in the most dominant playoff game I’ve ever seen them play in my 20 years plus enduring this franchise. They won 10 of their 16 wins on the road, including all series clinchers. They went up against a Story of the Year team that knocked off the best in the West and lost only 3 games in 3 rounds, but after scratching and clawing and saving their way to a Game 2 win in Vegas, they never looked back.

They took fans on a journey that they never experienced before–or since.

If revisiting and celebrating that story on the five year anniversary of something no other Caps team has done isn’t enjoyable to you, then I don’t know what to tell you. You obviously celebrate different things.

BGGB

Wrongl I want to re-live every moment, as often as possible.

OldPhil

MIchkov at 5’10, 148 sounds awfully small. I just read another summary that has him at 172.

Greg S

The Hockey News pegs him at 148 as does KHL’s.ru and Elite Prospects. I’d be inclined to believe them. He can add weight, and possibly an inch, but he seems a bit on the small size. So it gets to resilience, strength, and agility.

exwhaler

Corey Pronman has updated info on his talent rankings. He’s got Michkov at 172 pounds, 5’10”. For point of comparison, he’s got William Smith at 5’11.75, 181 pounds and Connor Bedard at 5’95” 185 pounds.

Michkov has to put on weight, but he’s also 18. He scored 9 goals and 20 points in 27 games with the KHL’s worst team this past season–playing against professionals and veterans.

Elite Prospects is a third-party site that’s a step or so above the old Hockey’s Future (they’re not connected to professional scouts and do all their own scouting, so their perspectives are formed by small sample sizes), and their data comes from the leagues themselves (same with Hockey News), and player height and weight are always outdated in public facing sites.

Last edited 9 months ago by exwhaler
Jldelcam

So not really related but Protos is killing it for the Bears and it’s hard to find info about the minor league at times. Does someone know if he is playing on the wing or his natural center position.

Aberg

Tarik (The Athletic) wrote an article about Caps prospects in the run for the Calder Cup. He had Protas listed as LW. Here’s the Protas part:

”Protas, meanwhile, leads the Bears in scoring after playing 91 games for the Caps over the past two seasons. It would qualify as an upset if the 6-foot-6, 225-pound forward didn’t claim a full-time roster spot in Washington next season.

“He’s gaining tons of experience and he’s playing in lots of different situations,” Helmer said. “You can see that he’s played a lot of games in the NHL. He’s doing what we expect of him. Now we need him to have a really good finals.”

Said Protas: “The regular season, for sure it’s important. But playoffs? It’s hard. This is a tough league, and the playoffs are real tough. You use so much energy. I want to prove myself like a guy who can win, who can be dialed in and sacrifice for his teammates. I want Washington to know I can be that guy.””

The $1.99 / month intro offer to this journal is more than worth it. So many great writers on hockey alone.

exwhaler

It feels like they’re preparing him for a regular role next season. Protas will probably be penciled on the fourth line when training camp opens, but I suspect they’re going to give him a chance to win a middle six winger role.

skyywise

I wonder if Michkov would try to get out of his KHL contract sooner for the chance to play alongside Ovechkin.

All things being equal, give me Dvorsky with his ability to reach the NHL soon-ish and to be a 1C or 2C in the eventual post-19 & post-92 era.

exwhaler

Given that Miroshnichenko (still have to copy-and-paste his name) recently had his KHL contract terminated a season early, I suspect that it could happen. The Capitals obviously have established relationships with some of the teams in the KHL thanks to Ovechkin, and that’s a big reason why DC would be more willing to pick Michkov than other teams.

Aberg

Early days, 22 more to figure this out, but today I’m on the Dalibor train.

Combing through the Scott Wheeler summaries then to synch those thoughts with most of the other stuff.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yDUU7raVlYM

Last edited 9 months ago by Aberg
Aberg

From Scott Wheeler The Athletic on Dvorsky. How do we not need all of this? And he’s 17 (until next week). His skill set and work ethic reminds me of someone, just can’t recall…

17 – and six one two 0 one. Oakie doakie.

”The next in a long line of top Slovak prospects over the last couple of years, Dvorsky’s June birthday makes him one of the younger players on this list and he has already accomplished a lot, including leading a Slovak Hlinka Gretzky Cup team that featured Juraj Slafkovsky and Filip Mesar in scoring as an underager, producing well above a point per game in Sweden’s J20 level last year, producing at a strong age-adjusted clip in his draft year in the second-tier HockeyAllsvenskan (while clicking at two points per game in stints back down at J20 when the schedule allowed), and driving the bus on a Slovak team that was thin up front but exceeded expectations in Switzerland at this year’s U18 worlds.

The big question with Dvorsky for a while was whether or not he’d be a centre or a winger long term. This season, after noticeably adding some muscle, a little more speed (I’m not worried about his skating), and rounding out his game nicely, I think he has shown folks that he’ll be able to stick down the middle.

He’s sound positionally defensively. He uses his body to gain inside positioning on defenders and shields pucks effectively. I no longer have concerns about his skating (he did not look slow in the second half of this year, and began to show more consistently at five-on-five across levels as a result). He has also shown a little more fire. His gifts in control of the puck are real (I actually found it weird that he became cast as a high-floor 200-foot player as his draft year progressed, because while his energy and detail are certainly strengths, I see legitimate finesse skills, point-production upside and power-play tools). He can run the wall or the point on the PP, effortlessly picking coverage apart and feathering pucks through seams. He’s got excellent touch and weight on his passes (he’s a great saucer passer off of his forehand and backhand, in particular), and does a beautiful job waiting for lanes to open. He trusts his one-timer and his wrister from midrange. He’s got quick hands and instincts, with standout puck control and shading — and he uses them to take pucks to the middle. I like him in give-and-gos and in individual attacking sequences inside the offensive zone.

Dvorsky is a highly talented and intelligent playmaker who can threaten coverage in a variety of ways, whether that’s carving through it in control and finishing cleanly from the home plate area, sliding off of coverage to find pockets of space to get open into, or drawing coverage and facilitating (he does a wonderful job hanging onto pucks and waiting for options to open). He’ll occasionally force things but he usually finds his way through with his skill, strength on pucks and smarts. His statistical profile is really strong and continued progress in his skating will keep it that way into the NHL. I expect he’ll be picked a little lower than this, but I still like him at the edge of the top 10.”

Last edited 9 months ago by Aberg
RockingRed843

I just call him Miro.

BGGB

do we know his Russian nickname yet? 50% chance it’s Sasha.

lookmanohands

Seems like Montreal is really interested in Michkov at #5. Have to wonder if Mac would try and work a deal with San Jose and package the #8 choice with a top prospect and/or someone like Kuzy and try and move up to the four spot.

Larry

trading kuzzy for someone that will show up in 5 years is a giant Fuck You to Ovi. there is no way BMac is allowed to make that trade.

lookmanohands

There’s a better than fair chance that Kuzy gets traded this summer. That’s not me saying it. It’s guys like Tarik, Friedman, LeBrun and even his agent. Personally, I think trading him would be a mistake, but there’s just too much chatter out there to think it couldn’t happen. And frankly, if it does happen I wouldn’t be surprised if Kuzy hadn’t told Ovi that he wanted it to happen. If that’s the case, Ovi will understand.

(Not That) Bill O'Reilly

Not all Kuzy trades are necessarily created equal. Trading Kuzy can hypothetically make this team better for next season by returning some combination of NHL roster players and cap space that can be better used elsewhere. Trading Kuzy for a prospect who won’t realistically be with the team until after Ovi retires is an entirely different proposition, and one that is at serious odds with the team’s stated goal of remaining competitive through the balance of Ovi’s career.

exwhaler

Yup…I keep thinking of how Orlov (and Hathaway) was moved…and how the first round pick that came back in that helped the Capitals get Sandin.

It’ll probably be something similar with Kuzy if it happens. Or, it could be a change-of-scenery trade with the Flames or Jets, both of whom are trying to reboot as well.

There’s a few options out there. An extremely weak UFA pool of forwards both helps and hurts the Capitals, but ultimately it means that more teams will be opening to making deals than usual, and that 2 years of a revitalized Kuzy is an attractive target.

BGGB

Tarik has changed his prediction with the coaching change. And he also said what I’ve been yelling for a few years:

If it doesn’t return a top 6 center (which it won’t), then it’s not a good trade for this team right now.

exwhaler

With William Smith and Leo Carlsson sitting there along with Michkov, the Sharks aren’t going to trade down. Those two players are potential franchise cornerstones. The first round is packed with talent this year, but there’s still a drop off after the first 5 guys.

The Capitals just better hope the Canadians don’t want Michkov. If they don’t, they can trade with them to move up. Or just hold onto their pick and trade assets and see if he drops. It’ll suck if Michkov doesn’t, but the Caps will still get a very good player.

lookmanohands

Yeah, probably wishful thinking on my part. But you’re right, even at #8 they’re going to get a very good player. Michkov falling to them would be the ultimate Christmas gift.

RockingRed843

I thought Canadians don’t like Russians.

Aberg

Montreal has had lotsa Russian players. That’s not a factor in this instance.

Last edited 9 months ago by Aberg
lookmanohands

FWIW, I just listened to a podcast with the chief draft guy from McKeen’s Hockey and he said a number of scouts were not crazy about Michkov and one even thought he shouldn’t be in the top ten. He also thought the Russian factor re: the war could impact where the kid is drafted. Guess we’ll see.

RockingRed843

woosh

exwhaler

Michkov Watch….The top 4 are pretty much locked on 5 players, with Michkov as the wild card. As Luke makes it clear, Bedard and Fantilli are excellent No. 1s who will go back-to-back.

So, for the Capitals to have a shot at Michkov, they have to hope that the Canadians, Coyotes, and Flyers opt for somebody else.

Ryan Leonard is one of those who those three could take instead. Very good all around forward who can play all three positions and comes with those intangibles that scouts and assistant GMs love. He’ll go slightly higher than he probably should, but whoever drafts him probably won’t regret it (I actually hope the Caps get him if Michkov is gone by then).

It appears that the majority of prospect evaluators have dropped Cristall out of the top 10, even top 20. They’re very split on him–Pronman actually ranks him 68th (!) in his draft prospect rankings–but the general conscious appears to be that he has serious issues with his skating, speed, and size, and there are many other prospects in the first round with better projection than him.

Moore also has dropped a bit, but he’ll still most likely go mid-round. Would not be upset if the Capitals nab him.

Almost everything recent I’ve read has Reinbacher as the best defenseman in the draft and a near lock top 10, especially in a draft overloaded with forwards. In talent rankings, Pronman has him No. 6, Scott Wheeler has him 12th (his top ranked defenseman), NHL Central Scouting has him 5th among all European skaters (top ranked defenseman), and both Sportsnet and Daily Faceoff have him 8th. Because he’s a late riser, some other rankings may be a bit behind or are being influenced by small sample size scouting reports.

Benson…he’s a big wild card, too. There’s no real consensus on him, and he’s all over the rankings.

Others to keep an eye on, for Michkov-Dropping or Capitals-Picking:

  • Nate Danielson–C
  • Colby Barlow–LW
  • Matthew Wood–RW
  • Samuel Honzek–LW
Larry

Just convince MTL that someone not names Michkov speaks French. Done.
OK… Coyotes…. find a dead player that someone is not paying but still has a cap hit. Trade to Yotes. Done.
Flyers. Find an eccentric Goalie. Trade to them. Done.

This shit is easy.

lookmanohands

You mean someone who speaks french like this guy?
https://theathletic.com/4420509/2023/04/27/gabe-perreault-2023-nhl-draft/

Aberg

That’s more than likely tongue-in-cheek, but in 2006 the Habs left Claude Giroux and Brad Marchand on the table while picking a guy named David Fischer, who has yet to play in an NHL game.

tbh, I’m not certain Marchand speaks French though, being from Moncton and all.

Last edited 9 months ago by Aberg
Larry
Aberg

Indeed!

Thank you. This is great music.

CapsFan75

Giroux speaks French but his birthplace was in Hearst, Ontario (closer to the Sens) than to Montreal. His hometown is a Francophone location.

Aberg

Yes. It’s very French up there. Dates back to the coureur des bois days and then to some extent the building of the railroad. My mom was FC and, get this for different, my parents honeymooned in Kirkland Lake.

Talking Points

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