Photo: Capitals Twitter

The Washington Capitals selected defenseman St. Petersburg native Alexandar Alexeyev from the Red Deer Rebels of the WHL with their first-round pick in 2018. The Capitals selected 31st overall after winning the Stanley Cup two weeks ago. 

Alexeyev, 18, recorded seven goals and 37 points in 45 games for them in 2017-18, leading Rebels defenseman in goals, assists, and points. He was a -3 for his team. In the playoffs this year, Alexeyev tallied two goals and five points in three games. He represented Russia in the 2018 IIHF World Junior Championships but recorded no points with six penalty minutes in three games. The 6’3” 200-pound left-handed defenseman recorded four goals and 21 points in 41 games in 2016-17. He was a +7 two years ago.

NBC Sports Network said Alexeyev’s strength is that he is a top-four, two-way defenseman but his room for improvement is raising his level of intensity during the NHL Draft. They also said that he’s most likely two years away from making any noise on the NHL roster.

WSH draft pick Alexeyev rush and pass pic.twitter.com/fiZjRt70ZD

— Corey Pronman (@coreypronman) June 23, 2018

In his first two seasons with the Rebels, he has missed 58 games, many due to injury but others due to his participation in the World Junior Championship and the death of his mother.

With pick No. 31, the #Caps have chosen big (6-3, 200-pound) Russian defenseman Alexander Alexeyev, who has played for WHL Red Deer for the last two seasons. He’s a mobile puckmover in the mold of the modern NHL defenders.

— Mike Vogel (@VogsCaps) June 23, 2018

He has represented Russia at the World U-17 Challenge and the U-18 Worlds.

Get to know @Alexeyev04 as he talks with the media for the first time after being drafted 31st overall at the 2018 #NHLDraft. #CapsDraft #ALLCAPS pic.twitter.com/kHx1pq9OEw

— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) June 23, 2018

The Capitals did not have a first-round pick in the draft last year. Washington sent the pick, along with forwards Zach Sanford and Brad Malone and a conditional 2019 second round pick (which was not triggered) to the St. Louis Blues in exchange for defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk and goaltender Pheonix Copley. Shattenkirk signed a four-year contract worth $26.6 million ($6.65 million AAV) with the New York Rangers last July 1 as an unrestricted free agent. Copley re-signed with the Capitals for two years with the second year (2018-2019) a one-way contract.

The Capitals used their 2016 First Round pick to selected defenseman Lucas Johansen from the Kelowna Rockets. Johansen, the brother of Nashville Predators center Ryan Johansen, recorded six goals and 27 points in 74 games during his first season with the American Hockey League’s Hershey Bears this past season. The 20-year-old was a -13 in his first season in Hershey.

Sixteen players from Washington’s roster in 2017-18 (Andre Burakovsky, Nicklas Backstrom, Madison Bowey, Christian Djoos, Alex Ovechkin, Braden Holtby, Philipp Grubauer, Chandler Stephenson, John Carlson, Braden Holtby, Dmitry Orlov, Jakub Vrana, Travis Boyd, Shane Gersich, Nathan Walker, and Tom Wilson) were selected by the Capitals in the draft. They made up 66.8% of the team’s goals, 69.4% of the team’s assists, and 68.4% of the team’s points last season.

The Capitals own selections No. 46 in Round 2 from the New Jersey Devils via the Florida Panthers (obtained in the Marcus Johansson trade last summer), No. 47 in Round 2 from the Colorado Avalanche (obtained earlier this evening in exchange for Philipp Grubauer and Brooks Orpik), No. 93 in Round 3, No. 124 in Round 4, No. 186 in Round 6, and No. 217 in Round 7. The Capitals traded pick No. 155 in Round 5 to the Minnesota Wild in exchange for center Tyler Graovac last summer. The Capitals can make trades to move up or to acquire more players between now and by the time those picks are being made.

Rounds 2-7 will be televised on NHL Network starting at 11:00 AM tomorrow.

The Capitals will begin development camp on Tuesday.

Welcome to D.C. Alexander Alexeyev! #CapsDraft #ALLCAPS pic.twitter.com/RVHKI5P7kn

— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) June 23, 2018

By Harrison Brown