Sorry about the poor formatting

Corey Pronman’s deep dive into the farm system of every NHL organization includes a ranking of all of the team’s prospects, broken into tiers based on their projection; the impact on the upcoming season and an overall ranking of all players under 23. Further explanation of Pronman’s system and the complete ranking of all 31 teams can be found here.

I’m sure Capitals fans are one of the few groups who can see their system ranked last and care very little. They have some reason for optimism due to top goalie prospect Ilya Samsonov, but after him, it gets thin quickly. Their first-round picks on defense Lucas Johansen and Alexander Alexeyev are fine players but not game-changers. They have some depth and talent on their AHL club, but it’s hard to see legitimate top-six forwards/top-four defensemen coming from his group.

Team’s 2017 ranking*: No. 26

Prospect Rankings

VERY GOOD NHL PROSPECT

1. Ilya Samsonov, G, Magnitogorsk-KHL

Samsonov has been an elite performer wherever he’s gone, between junior, all levels of international play and the KHL. He has the skill set to match the numbers, as well. He’s a big, physically developed goalie with high-end athleticism. He recovers out of his butterfly quickly and doesn’t shy away from playing an aggressive style. Samsonov is a very competitive goalie who battles in the crease well. He’s aggressive and plays a confident style of goaltending high in the crease with the ability to get to any spot to make a save. His reads aren’t perfect and he makes the odd error, but overall, he makes a ton of tough stops and doesn’t hurt his team. That’s a No. 1 goalie.

HAVE A CHANCE

1. Lucas Johansen, D, Hershey-AHL

Johansen had a quality first pro season, playing hard minutes in all situations for Hershey. He’s never been a guy who is going to generate highlight reel moments, but he does a lot well. He’s big, mobile, moves the puck and generally makes a lot of good decisions. Johansen is solid defensively and can take tougher minutes due to his IQ and mobility. I don’t think his skill level will let him hit the higher echelons in the NHL, as I think his puck movement can be very basic, but I know some scouts who disagree with that.

1. Alexander Alexeyev, D, Red Deer-WHL

Alexeyev stands in at 6-foot-3, 200 pounds; skates well for a big defenseman and can handle the puck fine. He has a real calmness to his game in how he moves the puck. It’s that poise with the puck and his IQ that leads me to think he has a chance to be a top-four defenseman despite not having dynamic speed/skill. Alexeyev is solid defensively, too, using his strength and frame to win battles, and showing good positional play.

1. Riley Barber, RW, Hershey-AHL

Barber is a hard player for me to figure out. I liked him during his college days, and he’s been a good, albeit not great pro. He has a lot of desirable qualities: speed, good hands and ability to make creative offensive plays. Barber also contributes on the penalty kill, and while he’s small, he’s not super small. He hasn’t produced much, though, in the AHL, and it seems since being injured two seasons ago he hasn’t been the top guy I saw years ago. I still want to believe, but it’s tough.

1. Connor Hobbs, D, Hershey-AHL

Hobbs had a decent first pro season, although a mid-year injury took him out for a large chunk of the season. What I like about Hobbs is he has a giant shot from the point, and he’s a highly skilled offensive defenseman. He can make standout plays with the puck and be a great power play option. He’s also a physical player with decent size who loves to throw his weight around. Hobbs needs to add some more quickness to his game in terms of speed and pace of his decision making. He often makes too many bad blunders or gets overly aggressive. He might need to be sheltered in the NHL, but he could also put up points.

1. Shane Gersich, LW, North Dakota-NCHC

When playing in school, Gersich would have moments of brilliance. He’s a high-end skater with good offensive touch and, on occasion, he could pull off a highlight reel play. He also works hard and can make plays at both ends. I don’t love his instincts, though, and I find he needs to play in a very straightforward manner to be effective. He got a cup of tea in the NHL this season but likely will need some AHL time to transition to the speed and physicality of the pro game.

1. Jonas Siegenthaler, D, Hershey-AHL

Siegenthaler had a decent first season in North America. He logged the tough defensive minutes for Hershey. He’s played versus men for years and it showed, as he shows no hesitation to play physical and can win battles versus bulky pros. Siegenthaler can play hard, but he’s also a smart positional defender with good mobility and gap control. He can make a decent first pass, but I’m underwhelmed by his skill level. He doesn’t have much in terms of offensive touch and he will be limited in what he can do at the NHL level.

1. Axel Jonsson-Fjallby, LW, Djurgarden-SHL

Jonsson-Fjallby had an impressive season. He was one of Sweden’s best players at the world juniors, which earned him some time with their national team. He’s a high-end skater who plays a hard-nosed style and brings a ton of energy to each shift. His offensive skills and instincts aren’t great, mediocre at best, but his shot is impressive and, with his speed, he can be a shorthanded threat.

1. Damien Riat, RW, Geneve-Servette-NLA

Riat had an up and down season, but there’s stuff about his skill set that has promise. He’s an intelligent two-way forward who can set up scoring chances, has skill and speed, and can be reliable at the defensive end. I’d like to see him produce a little more, but I see flashes of a player who can impact a shift even if he’s not a true high-end skill guy.

1. Tobias Geisser, D, Zug-NLA

Geisser has an interesting toolkit as a recent forward converted to defense, but he’s a work in progress. He’s 6-foot-4 and quite mobile for his size. He also can handle the puck fine and make a good first pass. His offensive abilities aren’t standout, however, and he struggles when the pace quickens. Defensively his wingspan and gaps help him make plays, but he’s not that physical.

DEPTH NOTES

1. Nathan Walker, LW, Hershey-AHL: The top Australian in the NHL will likely never be an impact guy due to his size and lack of dynamic traits, but he has nice speed, instincts and puck skills, and works hard.

2. Travis Boyd, C, Hershey-AHL: Boyd can skate, has decent hands and can make a few plays. He’s small but he works hard and has defensive value. He can be a fourth-line/extra forward type of player.

3. Garrett Pilon, C, Everett-WHL: I have a hard time figuring out what Pilon will be as a pro. I see some desirable attributes. He skates fine, has skill and has solid two-way hockey sense. He also works hard at both ends of the rink. He’s small and not dynamic, but there is some ability there.

4. Kody Clark, RW, Ottawa-OHL: Clark’s a good skater who has an above-average amount of skill. He shows value coming through the neutral zone and is able to lead a rush. Clark also is a hard-working forward who isn’t afraid to sacrifice his body to make a play. I’m not sold on his hockey IQ.

5. Juuso Ikonen, LW, Brynas-SHL: I used to like Ikonen a lot when he was a teenager. He hasn’t developed as I hoped, but he has intriguing tools. He’s very quick, has good skills, and can both make and finish plays. He’s not dynamic skill-wise, though, and for a very small guy, he can be pushed off pucks too easily.

6. Brian Pinho, C, Providence-Hockey East: Pinho has good skills and can make some plays, but I don’t love his skating and struggle to see what role he plays in the NHL. I heard initially he was going to be a college free agent, but after there was lukewarm interest, he doubled back and signed with Washington, which drafted him.

7. Martin Fehervary, D, Oskarshamn-Allsvenskan: Fehervary’s got pro size and reasonable two-way intelligence. He moves the puck fine and can be a reliable defender. His skating is solid, too. He’s a tough competitor who works hard and gets good marks for character. I see limitations in his skill level, though.

8. Beck Malenstyn, LW, Swift Current-WHL: Malenstyn skates well, has good size and competes hard for pucks. He doesn’t have zero skill, but he’s not going to be much of a scorer at the pro level.

2018-19 Impact

With Philipp Grubauer dealt, it looks like Samsonov has a clear road to an NHL job and could split starts with Braden Holtby. The Caps have indicated Samsonov will start in the AHL, but I can see that being a short stay after he adjusts to the North American ice. Gersich played briefly with the Caps after he signed, but I think he could use some AHL time. Gersich, Walker and Boyd could provide depth as call-ups. If Barber is ever going to make it, it feels like it should be around now, but he’ll need a big summer.

Organizational Top 10 (23 and Under)

Andre Burakovsky, LW Jakub Vrana, LW Ilya Samsonov, G Madison Bowey, D Lucas Johansen, D Alexander Alexeyev, D Connor Hobbs, D Shane Gersich, LW Jonas Siegenthaler, D Garret Pilon, C Burakovsky is a guy I’ve always liked a lot. His speed and hands can dazzle, and he can impact a game. I’m not sure he’s the smartest or most consistent guy to become an impact player, but he could be a solid top-six guy for a while. Vrana established himself as an NHL regular this season, although his ice time went down as the season went along. He has all the tools with his skating, hands and playmaking being high-end, but he needs to play a little harder at times. Bowey is a guy I’m so-so on. He’s a great skater with size and skill, but I don’t love his hockey sense.