Capitals’ future looks bright after prospects shine at World Juniors

Hockey fans everywhere are laser-focused on Alex Ovechkin’s quest for the NHL’s all-time goals record, but the Capitals great’s pursuit of history isn’t the only buzz the franchise is generating this season.

A handful of standout performances by Washington prospects at the World Junior Championship have fans talking about how bright the future is for the Capitals, even post-Ovechkin.

Forward Ryan Leonard and defenseman Cole Hutson won gold with the U.S. — leading the Americans to their first-ever back-to-back titles in the event for teenage players. Center Petr Sikora took home a bronze medal with Czechia. Winger Eriks Mateiko led his native Latvia with five goals in five games.

It was a banner event for the Capitals’ youngsters.

“It’s a fun tournament to watch all the time, but this one was fun with our guys in it,” Capitals defenseman John Carlson told the team’s website. “[They] put on a great show and came home with gold — was enormous, and was exciting staying up last night to watch it.”

Capitals coach Spencer Carbery watched, too, as Leonard was named MVP and the tournament’s best forward. The performance cemented the 2023 first-rounder’s spot as one of the league’s top prospects.

“He’s a gamer, man,” Carbery said after Leonard notched two assists in the gold-medal match. “And that’s why we’re excited about his future in this organization. He is such a competitor, and you see it come out on such a big stage, at the Worlds, representing your country.”

The Boston College sophomore is widely considered one of the top players at the NCAA level and could immediately jump to the NHL level with the Capitals after his college career ends.

Carbery is already excited about that possibility.

“You can just feel how passionate he is and how bad he wants to win and how much he lays it on the line,” Washington’s second-year coach said. “And Caps fans are going to get used to that for a long time to come.”

Hutson joined Leonard with his own coming-out party during the 10-day tournament. The 18-year-old became the first defenseman to lead the event in points, adding another flash of potential for Washington’s prospect pipeline.

“It shows how good of a spot USA Hockey is in,” Carlson said after the Americans’ second-straight title. “It absolutely was fun.”

The Capitals’ European youths didn’t disappoint either. Mateiko led Latvia out of the group stage with a pair of clutch performances — a power-play goal and shootout clincher against Canada followed by a two-goal game against Germany.

“He just put the team on his back,” Latvian goaltender Linards Feldbergs told NHL.com. “He’s the leader of the team, and he’s showing the other guys, the younger ones, how to do those things, how to be the leader.”

Sikora, a 2024 sixth-rounder, scored five goals with a team-best plus-10 plus-minus in Czechia’s bronze medal run. Last year’s second-round defenseman Leon Muggli notched three assists for Switzerland while seventh-round pick Miroslav Satan Jr. appeared in three games for Slovakia.

With a combination of veterans and free-agent acquisitions, this year’s Capitals lead the Eastern Conference with a 26-10-4 record. With a healed Ovechkin back on a career-best scoring pace, Washington has jumped into the top five of power rankings from ESPN, The Hockey Writers and NHL.com.

The Capitals look like a Stanley Cup contender this season, and their prospects’ performances at the World Junior Championships make the future look just as rosy.

“It’s extremely exciting,” Carlson said. “I think it was a great showing from all of our guys, and that makes you excited as a player, knowing that these are the guys that are coming. It’s a pretty good spot to be in.”