The history of first overall draft picks for the Washington Capitals

The history of first overall draft picks for the Washington Capitals

the history of first overall draft pick for the capitals over the years next on this edition of lockon capitals your locked on capitals your daily podcast on the Washington Capitals part of the locked on podcast Network your team every day well hello and welcome into this edition of lock on capitals I’m so glad you decided to join me today as always this podcast is free and available on all the major platforms and I want to thank you for making this your first listen each and every day my name is Dan Hy I’ve covered the capitals for the last three seasons for lockdown and various other outlets before that I’m also the host of the weekly show called the capitals minute cast available wherever you find your podcasts you can find me on Twitter it’s danc caps 218 you can find the show on Twitter it’s lockon caps and the best way that you can help grow the show is to subscribe to lockon capitals on YouTube and comment anything down below today’s episode is brought to you by FanDuel make every moment more right now new customers get $150 in bonus Bets with any winning $5 bet that’s a 50 bucks with any winning $5 bet visit fanduel.com locked on to get started so in this edition of lock on capitals I talk about the history of the capitals I talk about how they first joined the league and the three first overall draft picks in the capitals history hint hint one of them stands much higher than the rest of them I’ll talk about that a little bit later I will talk about the very first overall first round draft picked Greg Jolie and what he meant for the capitals a little bit later I will talk about Rick green and where he fits in and what kind of player he is and then in the final segment I will talk about Alex oetkin and what kind of first overall draft pick he has been but just to get it going here talking about the history of the capitals a little bit just to get going on the show here in case some of you don’t know maybe there’s some newer fans uh just to give you a bit of the history the capitals joined the NHL as an expansion team for the 1974 1975 season I’d be willing to wager that maybe quite a few people that are listening and or watching this show weren’t even alive then I was a couple years away from existing myself their inaugural inaugural season was Dreadful finishing with the worst record in the league with an eight 67 and five record over the years the team struggled to be competitive but there were bright spots in the form of impactful draft picks despite the challenges the owner Ava poan stood by the team in contrast to the fate of the Kansas City Scouts who moved to Denver after just two years and then I think after that moved on to what is now the New Jersey Devil so the Washington Capitals came into existence in The District in 1974 and like they said there it was pretty Dreadful uh to start off and you know it took a while for this team to get going for this team and you take a look at how this team has grown by Leaps and Bounds and how Alex oetkin who I’ll talk about a little bit later kind of revolutionized hockey uh in the district and kind of brought the prominence and the respect uh to the district the acquisition of the first overall pick in the NHL entry draft is significant event for any hockey team representing both a challenge and a thrilling experience what no fan base wishes for their team to perform poorly obtaining the first pick can mark the beginning of a new and exciting era um you take a look at Conor Bard for example what did that mean well you take a look at Conor McDavid those kind of players what did those players mean for their respective franchises talking about that here the Edmonton Oilers selection of Conor McDavid as the first overall pick in 2015 even though it was said that he looked rather distraught that he was going to Edmonton I think he probably feels pretty good about it now now I say if you look how poor the Edmonton Oilers started this season and how a new coach nabla kind of changed the fortunes of that team in the Toronto Maple Leaf’s choice of Austin Matthews uh some people say will make a big push for Alex oetkin and the overall goal lead I guess we could argue about that but that is what has been speculated there have been pivotal moments for the respective teams these picks have led to the emergence of notable talents in the sport prep telling their teams to new heights uh similar to that the New Jersey Devils and the Buffalo Sabers have seen their first overall picks Jack Hughes Nico heier Rasmus Dalene and Owen power become key figures in their organization and you take a look at the Buffalo Sabers despite your thoughts on them I’ll talk about him them briefly that team will be one to be reckoned with in years but to talk about the capitals and where it all started for the capitals the first overall pick has been a compelling part of their history with a team securing the position the first overall position three times the first instance was in 1974 when defenseman Greg Jolie was selected however Jolie struggled to meet expectations in the team faced challenges in their inaugural season and I did quite a bit of homework on him because I’m going to be honest with you I was not too familiar uh with him but taking a look at him some people thought that he should have gone second overall and that he had shown flashes of greatness and ultimately they had their eyes set on someone else and I’ll talk about that a little bit later here but talking about GRE Greg Jolie a Canadian former professional ice hockey player who was drafted first overall Jolie played a total of 365 NHL hockey games over the course of nine seasons for Washington the Red Wings he scored the last goal at Detroit’s Olympia Stadium but his career in the HL ended by the age of 28 uh Jolie is considered to have been a draft bust uh definitely not something that you want to have you know in notation or being known for that on the back of your hockey card that even though I was selected first overall I was considered a draft bust the drafting process the selection of Greg or excuse me a Greg Jolie by the Capitals in 1974 NHL amateur draft was a result of a series of events triggered by the signing of another player Pat price by the wh’s Vancouver Blazers this decision was met with criticism as other highly regarded prospects such as Clark Gillis were available at the time and that was the belief uh that the capitals should have gone after another player ultimately why did they land on Julie I guess I don’t know or why did they sign him and all of that kind of thing the NHL expansion draft and the longest draft in NHL history in 1974 the NHL expansion draft did not yield significant talent for new franches like the capitals the capitals made 25 picks over three days and what was then the longest draft in NHL history as they sought to add talent to their roster as it was a new team uh you see what was done with Vegas you see what was done with the Kraken here recently and what will you know potentially be done here with Utah that it is an exciting time and no doubt was an exciting time for hockey in Washington DC however the draft was largely unsuccessful in providing the team with impactful players Additionally the NHL’s decision to hold on to draft via conference call rather than in person was met with disapproval from some general managers and then there was the pressures and the expectations on Greg Julie in particular that he was the first prize pick for the capitals even though it will go his history is not one of their finest hours with high expectations placed on Jolie shoulders he faced significant pressure as the face of the new capitals franchise however the team’s performance in their first season was dismal with only eight wins in significant goal differential the pressure and expectations may be contributed to challenges in Jolie’s performance um you know being the the first overall pick in the amateur one there for the capitals had to be tough especially since it was perceived that there were better options I don’t know what was going on in their mind why they you know happen to pick out those players that particular player back then and Rick green and Alex oetkin but you know sometimes you just have to go with your gut and back then that is what they did and it was an exciting time for the capitals a bumpy ride uh to be sure I’m sure that maybe there are a few maybe a couple listeners out there that were listeners uh uh you know of the games back then or watching them on television or attended them in person hit me up on Twitter at danc caps 28 lockon capitals or on YouTube I would sure love to hear your thoughts about the first year for the capitals or the first handful of years what was it like to be a capitals fan back then you know we think it’s hard now that well was me the capitals got eliminated in the first round it was slim Pickins and it was really tough to be a capitals fan in the earliest days and uh I know that it wasn’t just oetkin there have been a lot of prolific hockey players going through the district but uh my how times have changed and how despite the fact that the capitals did not get the season that they’re looking for they are a much better team today than they were Al those so many years ago all right so coming up here Straight Ahead we will talk about Rick green another first overall draft pick for the capitals what did he mean for the team all those years ago all discuss straight ahead it’s winter take call in the NBA and NHL and fanduels giving you a shot to bring home a big win of your own right now new customers get $150 in bonus Bets with any winning $5 bet that’s 150 bucks to to bet on spreads money lines player props and more and let me tell you something guys maybe you are watching the NBA Playoffs maybe you’re not that into to it it’s your team’s not playing I know my team already got eliminated so there’s not a lot of vested interest or say you’re watching the Nationals or this or that game and you’re just not that into it get into the game by opening up the FanDuel app put a little bit of money on the game all of a sudden the game is that much more exciting so visit fanduel.com Lockton and make every playoff shot count FanDuel America’s number one sports book are you watching Fox Sports or ESPN on your TV all day have to turn down the volume with all the shouting make the switch to lockon sports today a free 247 sports streaming Channel program for you every day to bring you the biggest stories without all the screaming locked on sports today brings you the can’t miss analysis opinions and news streaming 24/7 on YouTube or the free Amazon Fire TV channels app part of the the lockon podcast Network your team every day all right welcome back into this edition of lockon capitals part of the locked on podcast Network your team every day talking about the history of first overall draft picks for the capitals there has been three and what they’ve meant to this this team I talked about in the first segment that Greg Jolie was a bust uh some people said that at best he should have been a second overall pick and what that probably meant for him as a guy knowing that he didn’t live up to expectations for a team that in its first year was struggling uh again I talked about how we think the capitals aren’t playing well now consider how bad the team was back in the mid 70s quite deplorable also Rick green he was the next one Richard Douglas Rick Green born on February 20th 1956 was the capitals inaugural overall pick in 1976 NHL entry draft prior to his professional debut he garnered a claim by his Stellar performance with the London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League culminating in the receip of the max Kaminsky trophy for the most outstanding defenseman in his final Junior Hockey year a prestigious Accolade bestowed by League general managers and let’s talk here of course about his career with the capitals I gave you a little bit of his history there Green’s steadfast presence as a defenseman spanned six season with the cap encompassing 377 games and yielding 31 goals and 127 assists amounting to 158 points uh not that great all things considered in 377 games but it was a different time and notably his performance during the 7677 season saw him estab establish himself uh a team record subsequently surpassed for the most shots on goal by a defenseman in a single game with nine despite his on Ice prowess green contended with persistent injuries his intend his tenure with the capitals uh talking next about him and what he meant representation of Canada and trade to the Montreal Canadians throwout his time with the Caps green represented candada in the world championships on three occasions and notably contributed to their bronze medal victory in 1982 Green’s career took a significant turn as he was a part of M momentous trade that involved him and team captain Ryan Walter being exchanged for Montreal Canadians for esteemed players including defenseman Brian Ang blam and Rod langway alongside forwards Doug Jarvis and Craig Lachlan uh maybe you’ve heard of one of those players he’s the color commentary guy Craig Lachlan uh career with the Montreal Canadians and post play career Green’s career continued with the Canadians culminating in a pinnacle in 1986 when he contributed to their victory over the Calgary Flames in the Stanley Cup finals following his stint with the Canadians green concluded his NHL career with the Detroit Red Wings and the New York Islanders before retiring in 1992 having amassed a total of 845 games 43 goals and 220 assists culminating in 263 points post retirement he embarked on a coach coaching career serving as an assist coach for the Islanders and the Kings before subsequently returning to Montreal so taking a look at these players and what they’ve meant for the capitals in the lean years that’s what I’m going to go ahead and say about jooli in particular the lean years the very beginning phases uh of the capitals Rick green oftentimes when we hear the name green if you’re a younger capitals fan of course you think of Mike Green and what he meant for the capitals a a really great player for the capitals defenseman for so many years um but there are it is the history and sometimes it’s interesting to take a look back and I think that you know demographically speaking there are quite a few younger listeners and viewers of the show that is a bit of the history of some of the first overall picks for the capitals and in the early years for the capitals uh as there was uh quite a bit of struggles until they found some footing and how you know Alex oetkin and a lot of those type of players helped revolutionize hockey in the district and made it what it is today all right so coming up here Straight Ahead we will talk about that guy Alex oetkin how he changed hockey in the district and got more young people into hockey and and made it a real hockey City let’s talk about the great eight Straight Ahead all right welcome back in to this edition of locked on capitals part of the locked on podcast Network your team every day talking some capitals hockey in June and I’m so happy you guys are along for the ride in this episode we are turning back the clock to the earliest days of the Capitals in Washington and their struggles despite having some good draft picks and and Greg Jolie who is considered a bust and Rick green uh two players that definitely have did not live up to what Alex ovin currently is and has been uh his entire career by by far the best overall pick first overall pick for the capitals there is no question in the 2004 NHL draft on June 26 2004 the Caps forever changed their trajectory of the franchise by selecting a Russian forward Alex oetkin first overall in 2004 held in Raleigh North Carolina oetkin previously played for Moscow Dynamo of the Russian Super League the NHL draft that year was held in Raleigh North Carolina a large contingent of capitals fans travel down to RBC Center to witness and cheer on the selection that had to be quite an event to be at uh to select Alex oetkin and what that meant for the capitals according to then general manager George M MC the team fielded 15 inquiries and received three serious offers for the pick again George MC will forever be in his debt for what he did uh with Alex oetkin oetkin heralded by Scouts and GMS as the best Prospect since Mario Lemieux was too good of a player to pass up and those are the things that you think about in hindsight in retrospect and all those kind of things is where would the capitals be present day had they never drafted selected Alex oetkin oetkin NHL day in early career while the 2004 2005 lockout delayed oetkin NHL debut a year the Russian machine dazzled when he finally put on a cap sweater for the first time Obi scored twice in his first game and finished the season with 52 goals as a rookie claiming the cuer trophy for right out of the gate a dynamic player uh that I think is forever what has etched him in the hearts of capitals fans forever I don’t think that he could ultimately do any wrong considering what he has meant for this team so let’s you know take a look at the Highlight Reel of Alex oetkin egin’s career achievements after that season oetkin wearing a black Capital Dome caps Jersey announced the next first round pick of the capitals Nick Backstrom and what that meant for the capitals how what kind of player would Obie have been had it not been for Alex oetkin fourth overall over the years egin’s remarkable career had been decorated with numerous accolades including seven rocket Rashard titles three har trophies and a KMI trophy in 2018 he led the capitals to their first Stanley Cup victory solidifying his place in the best player in team’s history oetkin handed off the Stanley Cup to Backstrom after finally winning a championship it finally happened something that had eluded capitals fans something that had eluded Alex oetkin uh for quite some time that this team that was good enough but not good enough to win a Stanley Cup did just that the Washington Capital selection of oetkin was the first overall pick in 2004 draft marked a pivotal moment in the team’s history oetkin exceptional talent and dedication have significantly impacted the capital’s performance and contributed to their success there is no doubt C culminating in the Stanley Cup his remarkable achievements and statistics including numerous Awards uh are what speaks to the lore and the legendary nature of who Alex oetkin is oetkin Legacy Beyond his on Ice accomplishments Obi influence extends to inspiring countless individuals to embrace the sport of hockey more people picked up ice hockey in DC after Alex oetkin started playing that is quite an accomplishment that feeling that I want to do what that guy is doing out on the ice to just get that kind of enthusiasm into some people that maybe normally wouldn’t have picked up uh playing hockey as he continues to pursue the all-time goal record currently held by Gretzky oetkin Legacy as the iconic figure in the NHL is undeniable his imminent induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame and retirement of his jersey by the capitals are Testament to his enduring impact on the organization and the league I mean again there is no doubt after Alex vkin hangs it up at some point his jersey his number eight will be retired and hanging from the rafters ain’s impact on the French reflecting on the capital’s history of first overall selections it is evident that oetkin selection stands out as transformative moment that has shaped the franchise’s trajectory in success and the face of the team forever uh that is quite something and you know we can you know talk about his slow start and you know this and that and how he likes to eat Subway sandwiches and you know he’s had some down years let’s never gloss over what he meant and does currently mean for this team and will mean until he hangs up the skates how you know I talked about Greg Jolie I talked about Rick green and then all of a sudden you’re gonna have to move your your camera up here a little bit and you’re all the way up here Alex oetkin you know revolutionized hockey in DC and that is something that you know despite however the rest of his career plays out we will forever be in his debt uh for what he meant to this team so kind of a fun trip for me anyway down memory lane you know taking a look at it learning some things along the process again I wasn’t a stute of capitals hockey in the mid 70s as in some cases I wasn’t even born yet uh so it was fun to look back on that and just see how this team became what they are today and I hope you guys appreciated this uh you know all season long it’s game breakdowns it’s draft and it’s going to continue to be all that but in these summer months sometimes it’s kind of fun to you know go off to beat path a little bit and talk about the history and if there’s any topics that you guys would like me to cover hit me up on Twitter or on YouTube I’ll do the best to cover those the best I possibly can uh but there is exciting days ahead we have the draft coming up we have free agency coming up on July 1 that this is kind of not the dog days I’m going to say the dog days of the hockey season are you know July August like that but this is a slow time for Capital fans but there is still plenty of fun things to talk about for the the capitals player reviews uh you know taking a look back on some capitals history what players we can add to this team potentially to make it a lot better there is still a lot of excitement around locked on capitals I love coming to you guys even in the summer as we get to talk about our favorite hockey team and the potential of what can be in the fall and I want that to be clear here that I know that they didn’t get what they wanted to last year but even if they go into next season pretty much as is this is still a really great hockey team with oetkin and Wilson and Carlson and you know you take a look at Charlie lingren and all the young Talent with even Mir schenko and Conor McMichael that uh things are still looking quite good even if this team goes in as is is still a team to be reckoned with and this is our team and and let that kind of ReSound and wash over you that we are proud of this team and how far it’s come I know many of you weren’t around in its earliest days a lot like myself and those people that were around back then no doubt have seen the evolution of this team and you know uh to talk to some of those PE guys and gals that watched the games back then how much better this team is you know like Craig Lain he was around back then remembers the Capitals in their earliest days it would be fun uh to hear him talk about some of those early days for the capitals fun to kind of Remis here sometimes I hope you guys appreciate it listen I want to thank you for joining me on this this edition of lockon capitals your only daily yearr podcast covering the Washington Capitals and I want to thank all of you that listen on the audio side and watch this on YouTube you are ultimately what makes this show successful when you’re done here head on over to lockton’s 247 streaming channel available on the free Amazon Fire TV channels app and on YouTube all right once again I want to thank you for joining me on this edition of locked on capitals part of the lockon podcast Network your team every day my name is Dan homy and I’ll talk to you again next time

The history of the Washington Capitals, particularly their experiences with their first overall draft picks, highlights the significant impact of these selections on the team’s trajectory. From the challenges with the selection of Greg Joly to the transformative influence of drafting Alex Ovechkin, the team’s journey underscores the profound role that draft picks can play in shaping a franchise’s destiny. These selections not only impact on-ice performance but also contribute to the identity and legacy of the team.

Follow Dan on Twitter: @dancaps218
Follow Locked on Capitals on Twitter: @lockedoncaps

Follow & Subscribe on all Podcast platforms…
🎧 https://link.chtbl.com/LOCapitals?sid=YouTube

Locked On NHL League-Wide: Every Team, Fantasy, Prospects & More
🎧 https://linktr.ee/LockedOnNHL

Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!

Indeed
There is no “I” in “team.” But there is one in “Indeed” and that’s the hiring platform you need to build yours. When you’re hiring, you need Indeed. Claim your SEVENTY-FIVE DOLLAR CREDIT now at Indeed.com/LOCKEDON. Terms and conditions apply. Need to hire? You need Indeed.

Policygenius
Check life insurance off your to do list in no time with Policygenius. Head to policygenius.com/lockedonnhl to get your free life insurance quotes and see how much you could save.

eBay Motors
For parts that fit, head to eBay Motors and look for the green check. Stay in the game with eBay Guaranteed Fit at eBayMotos.com. Let’s ride. eBay Guaranteed Fit only available to US customers. Eligible items only. Exclusions apply.

Gametime
Download the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDONNHL for $20 off your first purchase. Terms apply.

FanDuel
FanDuel, America’s Number One Sportsbook. Right now, NEW customers get ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY DOLLARS in BONUS BETS with any winning GUARANTEED That’s A HUNDRED AND FIFTY BUCKS – with any winning FIVE DOLLAR BET! Visit FanDuel.com/LOCKEDON to get started.

FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN)

#WashingtonCapitals #Caps #NHLHockey #allcaps #ovechkin