2015 NHL Prospect Preview: Washington Capitals
NHL training camps are coming soon. We will preview every team’s important prospect information, going today with the Washington Capitals.
The Capitals are in good shape as an organization moving forward. This strength is especially true between the pipes, where they have a surplus of netminders. Braden Holtby is their goalie, but Phillip Grubauer made quite the impression last season between the NHL and AHL. Vitek Vanecek is another young goalie in their system.
Grubauer might be the most impactful prospect for the Capitals 2015-2016 season. He will serve as the backup goaltender to Holtby and will have a chance to start a few games. Hockey’s Future likes what they see in Grubauer.
"Grubauer is in the slide year of his original three-year entry-level contract and had spent all but one game of the 2014-15 season with Washington AHL affiliate Hershey as of early March 2015. He is having his best season to date for a Bears team that has been one of the league’s top teams. He is expected to challenge veteran Justin Peters for the backup spot to Braden Holtby in Washington as soon as next season but could also find himself elsewhere. Long-term, Grubauer has the physical make up and natural ability to one day be a starter at the NHL level and appears to be approaching his potential."
Where they are not as deep is with forwards. Jakub Vrana aside, the Capitals lack any elite or even moderately strong forward prospects. Chandler Stephenson and Riley Barber are certainly on the path to the NHL, however, and that means either of them could emerge at any time.
Center Shane Gerisch is a young 19 years old, but he is highly touted by the Capitals organization. Now a member of the University of North Dakota, the Capitals can watch his development from afar, but that is one of the weaknesses overall of the Caps system; most of their prospects at the forward position are more than a few years away.
The defense is in good shape moving forward, and that’s a good thing since Mike Green has left the organization. Madison Bowey is their top guy at this position. Bowey is a two way defenseman that can move the puck, so he is exactly the kind of player that can replace Green.
Their other top defender is Jonas Siegenthaler. Siegenthaler is more of a defensive defenseman, but he’s also ranked as one of the best defensive minded blueline prospects in the NHL.