The Washington Capitals top-three future stars.

the capital’s top three Future [Music] Stars 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 lockon capitals I’m so glad you decided to join me today as always this podcast is free and available on all the major platforms including the Sirius XM app and on YouTube and I want to thank you for making this your first listen each and every day my name is Dan homy I’ve covered the capitals for the last three seasons for locked on 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 dcaps 28 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 lock on capitals on YouTube and comment anything down below today’s episode is brought to you by Game Time download the game time app create an account and use code locked on NHL for $20 off your first purchase terms apply so in this edition of locked on capitals we talk about future stars and I think it’s important to have our eyes fixed to the Future while keeping a mindful eye to the present as well as we have seen players slowly start to peel off I mean Nick Backstrom hasn’t formally retired from hockey but he will most likely play out the final season of on his current contract on the ltir uh and then you take a look at TJ ooshi you know the future for him is a bit murky too with all the back issues that he has and Al oetkin the great eight is on the back eight of his career or back nine if you will of his career as well so the capitals need to have their eyes fixed to the Future while keeping a mindful eye on the present in the first segment here we will talk about Ryan Leonard as that should come as no surprise as he has absolutely killed it at the world juniors the world championships and at Boston College he figures to be a huge piece to the capitals future we’ll talk about that a little bit later we will talk about a star I guess I’m going to go ahead and say even Mir nenko as we know that he had a couple stints with the capitals on the big team and is absolutely killing it for the Hershey Bears he also stands to be a huge piece and then in the final segment we will talk about Andrew Crystal a guy that’s future is a little bit more murky I guess in the top two but ultimately I think once he refines his game he stands to be a huge piece of the capitals future but just to get it going here talking about the capitals and how they have to have their eyes set to the future I know that oftentimes I talk about on the show what are the capitals going to do in the fall what are they going to do in the fall what are they going to do tomorrow th those are important things don’t get me wrong but you also have to have a mindful eye on the future as like I talked about there a lot of the older players are slowly starting to peel away and you’re going to need the next wave of young caps Stars the capitals Prospect pool received a significant Boost from the top of its 2023 draft class with the addition of Ryan Leonard and Andrew Crystal both considered to have firstr talent despite key graduations the capitals pool is in a better position than it has been in for years though it is still relatively thin compared to others and why is that well that is all the Perils of being in win now mode uh and the capitals have been in win now mode for I’m going to go ahead and say at least 2018 uh perhaps before that uh especially that they found that that lineup the 2018 lineup found a way to win a Stanley Cup while we have to repurpose and reconfigure and try to get as much as we possibly can we’ll we’ll you know kick out a draft pick to get you know a rental player uh you know we’ll think about the present and won’t think about the future at all and ultimately that is why the capitals were in the position that they were in they’ve taken steps of improvement but still have much to do uh as far as the future is concerned but Ryan Leonard is one player I know for sure will be a huge piece to the capitals future he is the guy that oftentimes I refer to as a Tom Wilson 2.0 he has a lot of the same characteristics he plays with some snarl he has some physicality to his game and he knows how to score goals um and it’s going to be interesting to see what kind of player he grows into uh if we remember Tom Wilson when he first entered the league he wasn’t quite the hulking big guy that he is today I think that ultimately Ryan Leonard will turn into a player somewhat similar to that Ryan Leonard is an exciting prospect for the capitals at 19 years old and playing for Boston College he has already made a name for himself as a versatile and Powerful player on the ice with his high energy and Scrappy style he’s able to bring his teammates into the game and make big things happen and I don’t think it’s just going to be for Boston College I’m going to be candid here with you capitals fans I think that he is going to be an absolute Game Changer when he joins the capitals I think the capitals will immediately go to next level and I know uh I might be getting a little bit ahead of myself as you know maybe it’s not going to translate pound-for-pound uh from Boston College to the capitals but I think that he is a dynamic player and I think that uh his trajectory and his arrow is pointing up I think the capitals will be in a really great POS position what’s impressive about Leonard is not just his energy but also his skill he’s not just that tough guy he has quick hands a hard shot and the ability to make quick moves to get into scoring positions that’s what’s been said about him is he’s good at getting those greasy goals setting up up front doing whatever it takes to find the back of the net that is exactly what the capitals are looking for he’s not afraid to drive to the net and strong enough to battle through contact plus he’s developed defensive awareness that adds another dimension to his game and it’s going to be interesting to ultimately see what happens with him as we know that he was playing with Will Smith at with the uh at Boston College and now we know that Will Smith will be joining the San Jose Sharks that uh is the pressure on him is that his line is getting broke up there uh will that put the pressure on Ryan Leonard to join the capitals in the fall or will he say yeah I see all that but I still want to play another year in Boston again I would love for him to join the capitals in the fall Brian mclen the GM of the team he said that whenever he’s ready he’s got a job it’s just up to him but he’s still a young guy and it I know it’s important not to rush these things while he may seem as a net focused player at times he has been working on becoming a more intensive and less predictable player on the ice his improvements in the area along with development on his backhand shot make him an even more dangerous offensive threat uh the capitals did struggle in the goal scoring department so if they can have a guy that knows how to score goals on the regular that’s a winwin despite being a top prospect Leonard remains humble and determined to improve he’s proven to be a key player for Boston College and has performed well at the world juniors and the world championship showcasing his potential as a future NHL star uh it it’s one of the things that you know often times I’m indecisive will this guy turn into being you know a good player or not I I I don’t you know well you know dilly dally I don’t acques I know that for sure for sure that he is going to be a really great hockey player an NHL hockey player and I think he is going to you know change the Capitals in a big way as the Washington Capitals Prospect Leonard has the potential to become a key player in their lineup his ability to score bring physicality to the game and adapt to different line combinations make him an EXC exting Prospect for the team with his impressive skill and work ethic it’s clear that Ryan Leonard is a player to watch for in the future the question is is when when will Ryan Leonard be uh willing and ready to join this team uh again whenever he you know signs on the dotted line and and joins the capitals at Camp I think this team will grow by Leaps and Bounds all right so coming up here Straight Ahead we will talk about another Dynamic player in even mirish nenko this guy has had to overcome all sorts of obstacles put in his way but he has crushed through every one of them when and where can we expect to see even in the fall all discuss Straight Ahead a lot of life is unpredictable but a good life insurance plan gives your family a financial safety net to protect against some of the unknowns policy genius is the country’s leading online Insurance Marketplace it makes choosing the right policy for your family easy and quick and 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all day have to turn down the volume with all the shouting make the switch to locked on 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 or the free Amazon Fire TV channels app part of the locked on podcast Network your team every day all right welcome back into this edition of lockon capitals part of the lockon podcast Network your team every day so in this next segment here we will talk about a player that got a big opportunity this past season even mesenko uh he was on the team he got sent down to Hershey got called up towards the end of the season and all things considered I think that he played better than expected uh when he was on the team you know earlier in the season I thought there was some question there is I don’t think that he was totally acclimated to the North American game but what I’ve seen from him uh in Hershey in the cder Cup playoffs is he is next level and I think that this is you know the perfect scenario for a guy like even Mir nenko is to work on his game uh he got some good work in with the capitals but he can continue to get that work uh playing in Hershey and he has been absolutely crushing it I’m very very excited about what the future is for even on the big team I don’t know if he’s going to be playing in Hershey next year I think that if he continues on his current path I see him wearing a red jersey in the fall not a brown Jersey but it is exciting to watch him grow as a player and everything that he’s had to overcome even a promising 20-year-old Winger has been making a remarkable comeback overcoming Hotchkins Lymphoma despite two seasons due to his diagnosis even has shown positive progression since returning to the ice his performance in the AHL has been particularly impressive displaying a strong on Ice presence and contributing offensively at a commendable rate for his age and what do we know we talked about the lymphoma he was able to bust through that and and overcome that he was able to terminate his contract with the KHL uh he was able to put on a lot of that weight and muscle mass Last Summer he was able to go from Hershey to the capitals this guy is a man on a mission if you want to look up the word determination and the definition look at even mirish nenko that man is determined and ultimately why he is in the position that he’s in prior to his diagnosis even was widely considered as Russia’s top prospect in the 2022 draft although his ranks ranking shifted following his illness his talent and potential were were never in doubt known for his leadership on the international stage and his solid domestic play even skill set has always been highly regarded and I think that you know if he didn’t have that uh Hodgkins lymphoma diagnosis and I think that he would have gotten higher in the draft I really do I’m good on Ross Ross Mahoney and his crew uh for vetting the situation and and finding out that it was in remission and that he was in in a good position and I think that was a solid move I’m kind of in a lot of ways surprised he was available uh at that particular spot but a win for the capitals and I think that he will continue in the fine Legacy of great Russian players on the capitals Even’s game is characterized by a combination of athleticism powerful shooting and strong skating ability with good offensive instincts and a resilient attitude he has the markings of a top tier player however his analytical skills on the ice have been identified as an of improvement despite this he is on track to become a valuable middle six Winger uh at least I think that you know the ceiling is high on him I’m going to be really excited like I said to see how he is in Camp in the fall and well how he continues to play for Hershey in the cder cup push uh it’s just really fun to watch him play as even continues to push forward in his career his inspiring story and undeniable Talent make him a player to watch with his determination and skill set he is poised to make a significant impact in the NHL as a member of the Washington Capitals and I for one couldn’t be more happier to have even on this team again he is another one of the big pieces of the future and uh you know I’m going to go ahead and say unless something crazy happens and Ryan Leonard does sign a contract he is going to be more about the present than the future but in any event I consider him in the top three an exciting a dynamic player to watch and uh I think that we’re just starting to see the beginning of it um like I said when we first saw him in Camp we saw him in the beginning of the Season there were some question marks like okay you know is this guy really going to be you know the guy to to find a spot on the team this year and last summer that was one of the things I was really banging the drum for even that I wanted to see him get an opportunity and he did and I think it’s paid off all things considered I think towards the end of the regular season and into the playoffs that even was a big uh game Cher for the capital and it’s it’s refreshing because you know you take a look at the team as is and it’s been kind of the same players for years and years and years and not to diminish those players they’ve done a really good thing but I’m almost ready to turn the page as we’re seeing diminished Returns on players like well Backstrom of course stepped away TJ oi’s back problems and just in general those players that have been here for a while aren’t quite the players that they once were so as capitals fans you should be excited about the present of course but the future I think is is going to be exceptionally bright for this team all right so coming up here Straight Ahead we will talk about another player that is a bit interesting we don’t know uh how quickly he will make it into prime time and when that when he’ll land I’ll talk about Andre Andrew cryistal Straight Ahead game time makes getting NBA Finals tickets even faster and easier prices on game time actually go down the closer it gets to tip off with killer last minute deals all in prices and views from your seat and their lowest price guarantee game time takes the guess work out of buying NBA tickets and it’s not just NBA tickets it’s MLB tickets so say you are at work and you were going to get tickets to the Nationals game and you forgot about it and you’re like oh no fear not as tickets are actually cheaper close to first pitch and or tip off take the guest work out of buying NBA Finals tickets with Game Time download the game time app create an account and use code locked on NHL for $20 off your first purchase terms apply again create an an account and redeem code l o c k d o n NHL for $20 off your first purchase download game time today last minute tickets lowest prices guaranteed all right welcome back into this edition of lockon capitals part of the lockon podcast Network your team every day so another player that has some question marks around his name is Andrew Crystal but I still put him in my top three is a guy that can be an absolute GameChanger he is the guy that’s the friend with Connor Bard he is the guy that many said you know if he was so great why didn’t he go in the first round and I hear all that there are some questions surrounding Andrew Crystal but I think that at the end of the day Ross Mahoney and his crew did the right thing by selecting Andrew crystal in a lot of ways surprised that he was even available I thought he would have gotten scooped up sooner Andrew Crystal a promising Prospect for the capitals has been making waves in the hockey world with his Dynamic playmaking abilities despite some concerns about his size and skating Crystal’s creativity and craftiness on the ice have been Turning Heads having faced a quad contusion that momentarily halted his rise during the draft year Crystal has nonetheless demonstrated his exceptional offensive capabilities consistently creating scoring opportunities for himself and his teammates his knack for playing in tight spaces and outmaneuvering opponents has set him apart as one of the most productive draft eligible players in recent WHL history showcasing a potential reminisent of the likes of pass number one Ryan nent Hopkins again just because Andrew crystal is a little bit raw right now I think that uh you know he maybe needs a little bit more time to simmer before he’s ready for prime time I think that you know once he’s good to go and ready to play he’s going to be a dynamic player for the capitals as well and some people say well you said that about even you said that about Ryan yes that is why these guys are in my top three I did not pick some loow hanging fruit I picked some what I consider upper echelon players and I think that Andrew Christal has that he’s just got to put in a little bit of work and I think he’s going to be exceptional despite his diminutive size Crystal’s intelligence and an i awareness have been evident positioning himself effectively and proving to be challenging Target for opposing defenses his ability to create scoring opportunities in a variety of ways coupled with his problem solving skills and spatial awareness has solidified his reputation as a natural playmaker uh some of the things that I’ve heard and I’ve had when I had locked on NHL prospects on here one of the things that they said is he’s a good player sometimes he tries to go for too fancy of a play like when there was just a a clear play to make he’s going to try to go above and beyond to try to go for a fancy play I guess I’m not going to fault him on that too much but we’ve seen that with the capitals before last season in particular where the net was open and he’s going to go for the shot no nope not so quick he’s going to shoot it to the next guy and he uh it didn’t work so that’s something that I don’t want to see I want these young players to not try to showboat I want them to go for the sure thing uh and get some goals at the end of the day that’s one of the things that one of the deficiencies I guess you could say of the capitals this past season with his stock on the rise once again this season Andrew Christal continues to Showcase his skills as one of the whl’s most productive players again we don’t know exactly how everything’s going to shake out with him his growth and pace and improved footwork and tight spaces have added New Dimensions to his game making him a formidable for on the ice his age is one of the things that kind of limits his opportunities if you will as a Washington Capitals Prospect Crystal’s potential become a GameChanger for the team is undeniable and fans can look forward to witnessing his talent and skill unfold as he continues to make his Mark in the world of hockey again and I’m okay with the fact that he’s not going to be ready you know to join the capitals in the fall again that’s just that ere eagerness uh as caps f that we want we want the team better tomorrow well not tomorrow hockey until the fall but you know what I’m talking about we want this team to be better in a hurry and I do want that I don’t want to be talking about well you know in a couple years a few years no I do want the team to be competitive in the fall however uh I also want to widen the lens a little bit here and take a look lift that telescope up a little bit have it fixed for the Horizon and who’s going to be there it’s going to be your Ryan Leonard your even mirish nen your Andrew Crystal your hendrik SLO here Conor McMichael those kind of players who the whoever the capitals draft uh coming up here soon and that’ll be the topic of a upcoming podcast as well is the capitals finally are doing some of the right things and that is thinking about the future and I think that you know like I said off the top of the show for the longest time they were trying to win this season what am I going to do to win this season and that was in large part because of the coaches they had you took a look at Barry trotz you looked at rean uh you took a look at Peter Lavette there was a different mandate and I you know can never knock what Barry trotz did for this team I’m goingon to go ahead and say and I’m going on a sidebar here briefly but probably my favorite capitals coach of all time but the Mandate has changed that it wasn’t about you know winning a Stanley Cup and and you know moving Heaven and Earth to win a Stanley Cup of course that is the above all and all is to win a Stanley Cup that’s why they lace up the skates every season but it’s also to finally bring along this Youth and that I think is the biggest reason why the capitals went with a head coach like Spencer Carberry he has the Fami familiarity with a lot of the players in Hershey uh the ones down in the sting race as he was a head coach for both of those teams as well and he just has a a good rapport I think with the younger players I think that you know kind of the complete opposite in a lot of ways of Peter lulette I don’t think that he had that same rapport with young players he was very kind of stoic and Gruff and he didn’t say a whole lot Spencer carbury is an intense man for sure but I think that he has more personality to his game or even just as a man he has more personality and those are all positive things and I think that you know that is why you know you take a look at the young players coming up Crystal mirish nenko and Leonard and I would assume that Carberry will still be here when some of those players are ready to come along but I think that you know he is going to be that perfect coach for some of the younger players where he’s you know as far as like a young Talent he seems old but he’s not you know 60 year old you know an old old coach so I think that you know the capitals are in a good position with the head coach these young players coming up that this is the making of The Perfect Storm except think of storm in a good way I think the capitals will be poised to hit the ground running in the fall and I think that it’s going to be interesting to see what Ryan Leonard chooses to do it’ll be interesting to see if even Mir nenko joins the team and Andrew Crystal what kind of steps forward does he take next season it is quite exciting for me as a capitals fan listen I want to thank you for joining me on this edition of locked on capitals your only daily year on 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 Chann 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 lockon capitals part of the locked on podcast Network your team every day my name is Dan homy and I’ll talk to you again next time

The Washington Capitals have some promising young players in their prospect pool. Ryan Leonard, Andrew Cristall, and Ivan Miroshnichenko have all shown potential to make an impact. Leonard is known for his energy and skill, Cristall has demonstrated his playmaking abilities, and Miroshnichenko has made a remarkable comeback after overcoming Hodgkin’s lymphoma. These players could be valuable assets for the team in the future.

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