Caps Core: 25/26 Season Recap

Reviewing the seasons of key players in the Caps org

Forwards

Marco Kasper, 22

Position: C

Detroit Red Wings, NHL

9-10–19 in 80gp

Analysis: It was the sophomore slump of all sophomore slumps for Marco Kasper, who had 5 points total from October to December. He picked up the pace a bit in 2026, but not enough to squash some of the concerns. That being said, there was still a lot to like about his game. He led the team in hits with 186, ahead of guys who are known for their physical play like Moritz Seider and Ben Chiarot. He also was also top 6 on the team in shots on goal and shot attempts. His shooting percentage was a team low 6.9%, which realistically should only go up. The organization is still very high on Marco Kasper, but there are a lot of areas he will need to improve upon going into next season.

Collin Graf, 23

Position: RW

San Jose Sharks, NHL

21-25–46 in 81gp

Analysis: Graf really established himself not only as a full-time NHLer this year, but also as one of the best penalty killers in the entire league with over 200 minutes of short-handed time on ice. He played up and down the lineup in all situations, and was 3rd on the Sharks roster in goals (21) and 2nd on the team in even strength goals (19). He exceeded every expectation that we had of him in Washington and will likely play a huge role going into next season as the team’s top winger. 

Igor Chernyshov, 20

Position: LW

San Jose Sharks, NHL

9-10–19 in 28gp

Analysis: Chernyshov impressed a lot of people in his rookie year. He lit up the AHL with 33 points in 41 games and then seamlessly made his way to the NHL and did the same playing up and down the lineup, but looking like a perfect fit alongside Macklin Celebrini and Will Smith. His absence was also noticeable, as the Sharks went 6-5-3 without him, including a 5 game losing streak immediately after being sent down before the Olympic break. Chernyshov looks to be a lock for a top 6 spot with the Sharks next season, whether it be alongside Celebrini and Smith or on a line with former Saginaw teammate Michael Misa, with whom he has shown to have great chemistry with both in the OHL and now the NHL. 

Arseny Gritsyuk, 25

Position: RW

New Jersey Devils, NHL

13-18–31 in 66gp

Analysis: One of the older prospects in the Caps system, Gritsyuk looked as advertised in his first North American season. He began his time on the 3rd line and spent most of the season there alongside Cody Glass and Connor Brown, and looked to have developed some chemistry with Lenni Hameenaho once he was called up. He did occasionally play in the top 6, but he was never really able to get settled into that role before the Devils shuffled the lineups. He was then injured and had to undergo surgery, ending his season early. Gritsyuk was highlight for the Devils in what was a very rocky season overall for them and should see a greater role with the team going forward. 

Emmitt Finnie, 20

Position: LW/C

Detroit Red Wings, NHL

13-17–30 in 82gp

Analysis: Even just making the NHL in a 4th line role would have been enough to call this season a success for Finnie, who was a 7th round pick just 3 years ago and was projected to play in Grand Rapids, but he started the season on the top line for a playoff-hopeful team and didn’t look out of place at all. Not only that, but he played all 82 games for the Red Wings in what was a very condensed season, which would be difficult for even seasoned vets. This was a wildly successful season for the rookie, and despite not maintaining the top line role throughout the entire year and having a couple extended scoring droughts throughout, he played hard every single shift and never gave up on plays. If he can improve his shooting and add some strength over this off-season, Finnie has the potential to be an absolute menace on the ice for many years to come thanks to his speed and tenacity. 

Justin Sourdif, 24

Position: C

Washington Capitals, NHL

15-20–35 in 78gp

Analysis: The Capitals (NHL) acquired Sourdif last off-season in what was seen as a bit of an overpay at the time, but they were quickly proven wrong with Sourdif establishing himself as a full-time NHLer this season. His combination of speed, skill, and physical prowess became abundantly clear which led to his acquisition by the DCHL Capitals, though it took a bit of an overpay to pry him away from the Rangers. He spent most of this season playing alongside the Caps’ star rookie Ryan Leonard and they seemed to play well off of each other. If the pair continues to play and grow together, Sourdif’s offensive ceiling could hit levels higher than anyone expected of him. 

Fedor Svechkov, 23

Position: C

Nashville Predators, NHL

4-13–17 in 70gp

Analysis: Svechkov was acquired along with the 15th overall pick in the 2026 draft in exchange for Nate Danielson and a 2nd. Much like Kasper, Svechkov also faced a bit of a sophomore slump that saw him hit the same amount of points as his rookie season but in 18 extra games. He had 10 points in his first 50 games. He was sent down to the AHL before the olympic break, and during that time he scored 8 points in 10 games. He was called back up once the NHL resumed, and he was able to score 7 points in the last 20 games, which is definitely an improvement over the 10 in 50, which unsurprisingly coincided with a late-season surge by the Predators who almost snuck into a playoff spot despite the rocky start. There are concerns with his consistency, but Svechkov is still regarded by the organization as a high end bottom 6 center. 

Andrew Cristall, 21

Position: LW

Hershey Bears, AHL

20-40–60 in 72gp

Analysis: Cristall has lit up every single league he has played in, and that production continued into his pro hockey debut. He ranked 3rd among all rookies in the AHL for scoring, behind only his own linemate Ilya Protas and Bakersfield’s Quinn Hutson, with a 10 point gap between himself and the 4th place Isaac Howard. Caps fans have thought that Cristall could make the team in each of the past 2 seasons and it never quite worked out, but following such an impressive season in the AHL, his NHL debut being this upcoming season should be a foregone conclusion.

Cullen Potter, 19

Position: C

Arizona State University, NCAA

12-14–26 in 24gp

Analysis: One of two 2025 Caps first round picks, Cullen Potter was having a great season with ASU before unfortunately having his season ended following an injury. Following the NCAA season, Potter entered the transfer portal and has found his way back to the team he originally committed to in Michigan State University. “MSU has a great development staff that we feel will give Cullen the tools he needs to grow into the player we see him as. MSU has brought in a significant amount of talent for the next season and we’re excited to see how Potter’s game will translate with such a strong team behind him.” 

Lynden Lakovic, 19

Position: LW

Moose Jaw Warriors, WHL

18-11–29 in 22gp

Analysis: Much like his fellow draft cohort Cullen Potter, Lakovic had his season ended early around January due to an injury, making it the 2nd year in a row where his season was ended to injury. This is concerning, for sure, but his play on the ice is impeccable. He has an amazing shot, he’s a great passer, he skates well, he has improved his physicality which was an early knock on him, and the Caps leadership have raved about him and his behaviour. Lakovic is expected to leave the WHL to begin his professional hockey career with the Hershey Bears next season, though there is a world where he forces his way into the NHL. Time will tell, but as long as his injury history doesn’t become a consistent issue, Lakovic could easily become a high end middle 6 winger for the Caps. 

Brodie Ziemer, 20

Position: RW

University of Minnesota, NCAA

23-13–36 in 36gp

Analysis: The 2024 3rd round pick and 2-time Captain of Team USA, Ziemer had a fantastic season that went really under the radar, tying with James Hagens for 7th league-wide in goals and heavily carrying the offense for Minnesota on a line with LJ Mooney and Brodie Lamb. He is a fantastic leader on the ice, in the locker room, and leaves it all on the ice every single game. He will be returning to Minnesota next season and will be looking to improve yet again. Ziemer projects to be a bottom 6 winger who can play higher in the case of injuries. 

Defensemen

Zeev Buium, 20

Position: LHD

Vancouver Canucks, NHL

6-20–26 in 76gp

Analysis: It was a whirlwind of a season for Zeev, who was the centerpiece of a massive trade from the Wild to the Canucks in exchange for Quinn Hughes, a player Zeev has often been compared to and who he himself has said he models aspects of his game after. Buium put up 14 points in 31 games for Minnesota, and put up 12 points in 45 games after being traded to Vancouver. The Canucks were something of a disaster this year, which hindered Buium’s ability to put up points, but he started to really find his game towards the end of the year as the team worked on building chemistry with one another. If his progression continues into next season, he should, at the very least, be able to hit the 30 point mark, and could even challenge for 40. 26 points for a rookie defenseman is by no means bad unless you’re comparing him to Schaefer and Hutson. “There was a lot to like in his game, and he has a lot to learn, but we feel just as confident in him now as we did after drafting him. He will be a huge part of our team here in Washington.” 

Sam Rinzel, 21

Position: RHD

Chicago Blackhawks, NHL

4-10–14 in 54gp

Analysis: After looking stellar in his 9 game stint the season prior, Rinzel faced a lot of growing pains this year. It’s hard to fault him too much, the Blackhawks are an incredibly young team with many players still trying to find their game at that level. Rinzel was sent down for a stint in Rockford where he put up the same 14 points but in 23 games instead of 54. He still looked good at times, but will need to add some strength over the summer so that he gets knocked off the puck less often. 

Adam Wilsby, 25

Position: LHD

Nashville Predators, NHL

1-15–16 in 58gp

Analysis: Wilsby was a bit of a surprise this season, but was quite good for the Predators. He was able to put up a solid amount of points and was quite sound defensively. In fact, he was the only defenseman on the entire roster that had a positive +/-. This very well may be his ceiling offensively but he plays a very solid 2 way game and could settle in nicely as a bottom pairing shutdown D. 

Goaltenders

Spencer Knight, 25

Chicago Blackhawks, NHL

19-25-11, 0.902, 2.82GAA

Analysis: Knight did about as well as you could hope for given the state of the Blackhawks. He had a rough go of things towards the end of the season, but for much of the season he was spectacular and was a large part of the limited success they did see alongside Connor Bedard. Knight is expected to be the starter for Chicago and has welcomed that challenge with open arms. As the youth develops their game and builds chemistry, Knight’s stats should continue to improve year over year. 

Trey Augustine, 21

Michigan State University, NCAA

24-9-1, 0.929, 2.11GAA

Analysis: Trey was once again a standout in the NCAA, winning the Mike Richter award presented to the player voted as the most outstanding goaltender in the league. MSU was unfortunately eliminated early, through no fault of his own, which led to Augustine signing his ELC with Detroit. He was even able to play a game and a half, though he struggled. It’s to be expected of a goaltender who hasn’t had the opportunity to acclimate to the team or the league. After a full training camp with the organization and more time with the team, he’ll be good to go. With Sebastian Cossa likely on his way up to the NHL next year, Augustine will split the net in Grand Rapids with Michael Postava in what should yet again be a top tandem. 

Petteri Rimpinen, 20

Kiekko-Espoo, Liiga

13-11-11, 0.911, 2.29

Analysis: Rimpinen had a very up-and-down year overall. The start of the season did not go his way but he showed that he was able to recover from that, posting a 0.943 save percentage over his final 12 games, including 4 shutouts. “He has been relied on heavily as a 20 year old netminder in a men’s league, so the shakiness is not surprising, but we’re very impressed with his ability to bounce back after a rocky start.”