Capitals Draft of 2004 was a Real Winner

Looking back at the 2004 draft, the Capitals did an amazing job of selecting just the right kind of talent -- and specifically, the right players -- to the team. And, indeed, one of the picks of that draft was winger Alex Ovechkin -- who has turned out to be not only a top performer, but one of the greatest talents in all of the NHL.

A featured article by Dan Watkins for Hockey's Future provides the following information on Ovechkin:

Alexander Ovechkin, LW
1st round, 1st
overall - Moscow Dynamo (Russia)
NHL Games Played: 324
Status: NHL
Player

Taken with the first overall selection, Ovechkin has lived up to
the hype surrounding him in 2004. Already with 219 goals and 420 points in his
first four seasons, Ovechkin could be one of the highest scoring wingers
in NHL history.

Ovechkin has all the tools to be one of the best in
the world. Not only is he a speed demon on skates, but he is also one of the
best hitters in the game. Combine that with solid passing abilities, great
awareness, deadly slap and wrist shots, and personality to spare, and you have
yourself a franchise winger with a unique skill set that had never been seen in
the Capitals organization.

At the beginning of the 2008-09 season, Ovechkin was locked into a
13-year deal with the Capitals, so he is obviously expected to be the face of
the franchise for the next decade and beyond.

In that draft were Jeff Schultz, Mike Green, Chris Bourque, Mikhail Yunkov, Sami Lepisto, Clayton Barthel and Oscar Hedman. Also included were Pasi Salonen, Peter Guggisberg, Andrew Gordon, Justin Mrazek and Travis Morin.

To read Watkins' entire article: To read this article Sphere: Related Content