Centers Waiting in the Capitals’ Wings

One of the few holes in the Washington Capitals lineup is the position of 2nd line center. It seems weird that such a dominant offensive powerhouse is missing such a potentially crucial piece, but it is a testament to how gifted this team is when it comes to scoring. While the organization will likely have to look outside the organization to fill this hole, they won’t have to for long.

There are three up-and-coming centers in the Capitals organization who have been drafted in the last couple of years. While they have never pulled on the Caps jersey for an NHL game, each of these players shows promise down center ice for a team that is kind of weak in that area behind Nicklas Backstrom.

(Keara Dowd/KG's District)

First, there is Marcus Johansson, the Swede the Capitals selected with their first-round draft pick (24th overall) in 2009. It was the third time in the previous 4 years that the Caps selected a Swedish center with their first round pick (Backstrom with the 5th pick in 2006 and Anton Gustafsson with the 21st pick in 2008).

The 6 ft, 190 lb 19 year-old was Team Sweden’s captain in the 2010 World Junior Championships. At the Caps development camp this past July, he demonstrated a control and vision on the ice that was head and shoulders above that of his peers. He had some trouble adjusting to the rink size and the North American system, but his skating was superb.

Johnasson has played the last three seasons with Farjestads BK of the Swedish Elite League, and will likely return for a fourth if he doesn’t make the Caps out of training camp. Depending on how much he has adjusted to the North American game, Johansson will almost definitely find time in Washington if no this season, then next. He is the prototypical Swedish player, but with a hint of physicality to round out his game. Once he makes the transition to North America, he will be a very good player.

(Keara Dowd/The Hockey Writers)

Next we have Cody Eakin. The 2009 third round draft pick (89th overall) made waves last week at Team Canada’s evaluation camp for their World Junior Championship team. After he was drafted, he had a breakout year for the Swift Current Broncos of the Western Hockey League with 47 goals and 91 points in 70 games.

He is a gritty, quick scorer who impressed at the Caps’ development camp. It likely won’t matter for the 2010-2011 season. Eakin is too young to play in the AHL for the Hershey Bears this year, so unless he somehow wins a roster spot on the Caps out of training camp, he will be headed back to Swift Current to finish out his junior career.

While Hershey may be out of the question, it is looking like Eakin will have a larger stage to play on come January: the World Junior Championships in Buffalo. Eakin was invited to the camp last year leading up to the World Juniors, but he was left off the squad. Eakin will likely have better luck this year as Canada looks to avenge their 2010 overtime loss to the United States in the Gold Medal game. Eakin scored two goals in the final White vs Red scrimmage at Team Canada’s camp last week. He will probably never be a top player in the NHL, but he will make a very sound 3rd line pivot in the future.

(Keara Dowd/The Hockey Writers)

The third is Evgeny Kuznetsov, the Caps’ first round pick (26th overall) in the 2010 entry draft last June. Kuznestov was projected to go much higher, but a fear that Russian players will eventually bolt for the KHL scared some teams away, leaving him ripe for the picking for the Capitals.

Kuznetsov has two years left on his KHL contract with Traktor Chelyabinsk, and will return to play them out unless his contract is bought out, which probably won’t happen unless by some chance the Caps want him on their roster this season. The 18 year-old played for Team Russia in the U18 World Junior Championships the last two years and also suited up for the U20 team last year. He is pure skill, a throwback to the Soviet hockey glory days.

Of these three players, Johansson is the only one with even a remote possibility of making the Caps’ roster this season. He and Kuznestov will battle down the road for the center spot behind Backstom on the depth chart, while Eakin will likely be a solid 3rd line player. No matter where these guys play, the Capitals have a deep crop of centers developing and when they do, the rest of the league will be put on notice.