WASHINGTON (7News) — The Washington Capitals have been ‘movers and shakers’ this offseason. The team having traded away goaltender Darcy Kuemper for Pierre-Luc Dubois, made several other big moves during the two-day NHL Draft.
In a draft day move, the Capitals acquired forward Andrew Mangiapane from the Calgary Flames for a second-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft, that pick came originally from Colorado.
Once the draft began, Washington used their 17th overall pick to take right winger Terik Parascak from Prince George Cougars of the Western Hockey League. The 18-year-old led all CHL rookies in goals (43) and points (105) and was named to the 2024 CHL All-Rookie Team.
In the second round, the Capitals made another move sending forward Beck Malenstyn to Buffalo for the 43rd overall pick in the draft.
With that selection, Washington drafted defenseman Cole Hutson from Boston University. Hutson averaged a point per game during the 2023-24 season. (15 goals- & 36 assists in 51 games played)
Saturday, Washington found a possible backup to goalie Charlie Lindgren by acquiring Logan Thompson from Las Vegas for a pair of third-round draft picks.
The 27-year-old a former prospect in the Capitals system, playing for the South Carolina Stingrays was an All-Star and was on the 2022-2023 Stanley Cup-winning Golden Knights team.
Thompson has a year left on his deal and will get $767,000, the move making sense for Capitals General Manager Brian MacLellan.
“It’s below the (league) minimum, even,” said Maclellan. “There’s value there just from the contract — and given the skill he has to play.”
Thompson told reporters Saturday, “I got a lot more that I can prove in this league and I’m hoping that I get that opportunity with Washington.”
In the third round, the Capitals traded up to select Ilya Protas, the younger brother of Capitals forward Aliaksei Protas.
The Capitals took a goaltender, Nicholas Kempf, from the US NTDP Under-18 team. Kempf posted a 23-7-0 record with a .897 save percentage in 37 games.
With the 52nd overall pick, Washington drafted another defenseman, Leon Muggli. The 17-year-old played with the EV Zug of the Swiss National League, and had the most points (12) of any defenseman under 18 years of age in league history.
The next third-round pick the Caps selected another teenager, Eriks Mateiko. The 6’5″ forward is the first Latvian-born player selected in franchise history.
Washington drafted Petr Sikora In the sixth round. Sikora had 40 points including 13 goals for the Czechia Under-20 champions, the HC Ocelái Tinec.
With their final pick of the 2024 draft, the Caps selected Miroslav Satan.
The forward is the son of 14-year NHL veteran Miroslav Satan. The younger Satan recorded 16 goals for HC Slovan Bratislava.