Capitals To Select Eighth at 2023 NHL Draft in Nashville

The Washington Capitals received the eighth overall selection in the 2023 NHL Draft following the results of Monday's Draft Lottery. The 2023 NHL Draft will be held at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville from June 28-29.

The drawing, a weighted lottery involving the 16 clubs that did not qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs or teams that obtained those respective clubs' first-round draft pick, used a probability system offering all participating teams a certain percentage of odds for receiving the first pick overall. Ten teams with the fewest points in the league this season (or teams that obtained those respective clubs' first-round selection) could have won the draft drawing, as the club selected may not have moved up more than 10 positions in the draft order.

The Capitals, who entered the Draft Lottery with the eighth-highest odds to win the first overall pick at 6.0 percent, will select eighth overall for the first time in franchise history. Washington owns a pick in the top 10 for the first time since 2007, when they selected defenseman Karl Alzner fifth overall. Prior to 2007, the last two times the Capitals picked in the top 10 they selected Nicklas Backstrom (fourth overall in 2006) and Alex Ovechkin (first overall in 2004).

The Capitals own five total picks in the 2023 NHL Draft. In addition to the eighth overall pick, Washington owns their second, fourth, fifth and seventh-round picks. The order for the remaining picks outside of the top 16 will be determined by the results of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.