The future of the Washington Capitals is looking very bright. Young prospects are making fantastic moves in the AHL, World Juniors, and WHL. Let’s check in on these guys and see a small glimpse into Washington’s (probably) successful future.
Andrew Cristall
Andrew Cristall, 18, was selected in the second round of the 2023 draft. Unfortunately, he was snubbed from attending the World Juniors with Team Canada, but he continues to be a huge asset to the WHL’s Kelowna Rockets. In December 30th’s game against the Calgary Hitmen, Cristall extended his point streak to 16 games and registered a hat trick, earning him the first star in the game for his efforts in the 7-6 victory. He is now leading the points per game category in the WHL with 2.03, on average. If he continues this pace, he is on track for a 125-point campaign.
Clay Stevenson
The Capitals recently signed goaltender Clay Stevenson to a three-year contract, the first of those years being a two-way with the Hershey Bears and the next two being a one-way contract. In Hershey’s recent game against the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, Stevenson registered a league-leading fifth career shutout, making 37 saves to help the Bears in their 4-0 victory. He has won three of four matchups against Lehigh Valley, all of those victories being shutouts. In just his first full season in the AHL, Clay Stevenson has more than proven himself as an elite goaltender, having a .937 save percentage and 1.70 GAA, topping AHL charts.
Ryan Chesley
Defenseman Ryan Chesley was drafted in 2022 by the Caps and was selected for this year’s World Juniors Team USA. In USA’s game against Czechia, he scored a crucial equalizing goal to help lead the team to a 4-3 win. Chesley plays for the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers and has tallied two goals and four assists across 18 games in his sophomore season.
Ryan Leonard
2023 first-round draft pick Ryan Leonard joins Ryan Chesley on this year’s Team USA roster, and Leonard is making a big impact on the team so far. While facing Team Norway, Ryan Leonard tallied an assist and a game-high eight shots. He continued his efforts when the team faced Switzerland, registering a goal and an assist. His goal was number seven for the team, who took a whopping 11-3 victory over the Swiss. Leonard skated 15 minutes in the win alongside Boston College teammates Gabe Perreault and Will Smith. He also scored a goal against Slovakia, helping Team USA take a 10-2 victory.
All in all, Washington’s young guns are looking really good, and as the team continues to age and disappoint in their play, this should give Capitals fans a glimmer of hope for the inevitable rebuild.
ITR 43: It's Winning Time – Inside The Rink
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