Daily Washington Capitals news and notes: Reflecting on the 2022 draft and the seven new additions to the team, Vitek Vanecek finds a new home and more.
Your savory breakfast links:
- Brian MacLellan jumped into the goalie fire yesterday, sending Vitek Vanecek (and a pick) to the New Jersey Devils for Jersey’s second- and third-round pick this year. [Rink, Caps, WaPo, NBCSW, WHN, S&S, RMNB, NoVa Caps, NHL, ESPN (and again), AP]
- So why Vanecek and not Ilya Samsonov? [WHN]
- With Vanecek on the move, the chatter began to heat up around Darcy Kuemper potentially heading to DC in his place. [WHN]
- Thanks for everything, Vitek. [Caps Outsider]
- The Caps made six selections on the second day of the draft – two left wings, two centers and two defensemen. [Caps, NBCSW]
- First up yesterday was two-way defenseman Ryan Chesley out of the USNTDP. [Rink, WHN (and again), THW, S&S, RMNB, NoVa Caps]
- They followed that up with pick #70, which went to Russian-born but Swedish-trained Alexander Suzdalev. [Rink, S&S, NoVa Caps, WHN]
- Their second of the two third-round picks went to Swedish forward Ludwig Persson. [Rink, RMNB, S&S]
- In the fifth round, the Caps snagged center Jake Karabela out of the OHL. [Rink, NoVa Caps, S&S]
- They followed that up with another center in the sixth round, selecting Ryan Hofer, a big body from the WHL. [Rink, S&S]
- The team wrapped up the draft with their selection of Michigan State sophomore blueliner David Gucciardi. [Rink, Spartans Wire, The Only Colors, NoVa Caps, S&S, WHN]
- GM Brian MacLellan and Assistant GM Ross Mahoney both seemed pretty pleased with the team’s selections at this year’s draft. [Caps video (Mac, Mahoney]
- And they probably should be, with a couple of steals mixed in. [WHN]
- Hear from new Caps kiddo Ryan Chesley… [Caps video]
- …and get a behind-the-scenes peek at what being drafted looked like for the team’s first two picks. [Caps video (Miroshnichenko, Chesley)]
- The first-round selection of Ivan Miroshnichenko was a gamble for the Caps – but a potentially rewarding one. [THW, S&S]
- The Caps have re-signed defenseman Lucas Johansen to a new two-year, $1.525 million contract. [Rink, Caps, NBCSW]
- T.J. Oshie is once again participating in the annual American Century Celebrity Golf Event – and is in the lead after the first round! [Reno Gazette-Journal, AP]
- Finally, happy 56th birthday to Mike Richard!