Capitals Happy With No. 16 and 18 Picks, But Don't Rule Out Moving Those Selections
· Yahoo Sports
The Washington Capitals have a lot of work to do going into the thick of the offseason, starting with the 2026 NHL Draft. And, when it comes to their two first-round picks, they're happy with their lot — though they haven't ruled out a possible move.
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Assistant general manager Ross Mahoney spoke on Monday ahead of the 2026 NHL Draft later this week, saying that he's excited about the players available in the range that d.C. is picking.
"We're pretty excited," Mahoney said, adding, "I think there's definitely going to be some good players available for us. I don't think it drops off until a little bit after that, where we're picking."
Mahoney also noted the influx of defensemen and left wingers available in the first round at that point, and that having two picks close together is also beneficial for the group.
"It's not like one pick is 16 and one pick is 30," Mahoney said. "They're in a very good range there for us, and I think the draft, it's pretty heavy on defensemen and left wingers."
While Washington is comfortable where it is selecting, Mahoney said the front office didn't rule out the possibility of moving those picks depending on what conversations emerge in the coming days.
"You strategize and (have) those discussions for sure. Do we package (those picks) up and move up, or do you take one of them and move back? That's all kind of the strategy that goes into it before you get to the draft," Mahoney said. "And then as the draft is going along, you're making those decisions as to what you would do or try to do. But right now, we're very happy with 16 and 18, but you always talk about either way trading up or trading back."