Washington's 2008 Draft Review

Washington Post - June 22, 2008-

The draft has concluded in Ottawa this weekend and the Washington Capitals are fairly pleased with how things went down. "We traded our first next year for a hell of a offensive defenseman. We had Erik on our radar and just recently he rose up the ratings like a rocket. We knew we had to get him by any means necessary, so we did what we had to do" Sviland said.

The review:

First round, 15th overall: Erik Karlsson - Defenseman - Sweden

Outlook: Excellent on the power player, smart outlet passes and has great vision. Plays with loads of confidence, has natural hockey sense and is consistently a threat from the point. . He compensates his lack of strength and size with passing game, consistency, vision and skating ability. Great slap shot from the point and is very accurate. Once he gains strength then he will be NHL ready.

Style Comparison: A mix between NIklas Konrwall and Tobias Enstrom.

Projection: Top 2-4 defenseman with top PP QB techniques

"We want to give him time to develop. He will stay in Sweden for a few years, develope and gain some strength. Unlike with Enstrom, we will not let this one get away. He will be in our plans for the future. We love what we see and he is probably the best defenseman in our system"

Second Round - 49th overall - Maxime Sauve - Forward

Outlook: Great skater, solid coordination, plays with confidence, , great hands and cal really undress players with his stick handling and speed. He plays with a lot of passion and once he plays with better plays on a better team, he will continue to progress. Very small frame and needs to add some strength to be able to make it into the professional ranks. His defensive game also could use work, but this offensive catalyst could become something special in the QMJHL.

Comparison: Poor man's Simon Gagne

Projection: Top 6 forward, top line PP player who has slick skills and will makes players around him better.


Third Round - 79th overall - David Ullstrom - Forward - Sweden

Outlook: A big, physical winger is not affraid to get involved physically. He has a good scoring touch around the net and knows where to get himself positionally sound. He goes in front of the net and will take a beating if need be. Like many of his kind, he does not possess the best offensive touch, but he compensated that with a brilliant mind of knowing where to be on the ice that best suits his game. His skating is not great, but it will not hold him back. Also, his defense is far from refined and needs to work on it.

Comparison: A mix between Johan Franzen and Tomas Holmstrom

Projection: A third liner who could potentially, like the players he compared to, he could complement first or second liners and become a threat on the PP if he indeed develops a front-of-the-net presence.

Forth round - 101st verall - Andrei Loktionov - Forward - Russia

Outlook: Not a lot of known about the kid besides tha fact that he's training in Russia, loves the NHL and wants to plays as soon as possible. Hes currently being trained by the man we remember as "the professor" Igor Larionov. His overall game is still a mystery, but many people say he probably should have been ranked higher on the Russian list and his stock has gone up a little since he's committed to NA. He could play in the AHL in Manchester or in the OHL where he was recently drafted by Windsor.

Comparison: No idea

Upside: Again, no idea.

Overall grade: B, better then expected; however, could have been better. Every player is a project and is several years away.