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Capitals Make Five Selections at the 2025 NHL Draft | Washington Capitals

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Capitals Make Five Selections at the 2025 NHL Draft | Washington Capitals


The Washington Capitals made five selections during the 2025 NHL Draft at Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. On Friday, the Capitals selected left wing Lynden Lakovic with the 27th overall pick. During the second day of the draft on Saturday, Washington selected forwards Milton Gastrin (37th overall), Maxim Schafer (96th overall), Jackson Crowder (155th overall) and defenseman Aron Dahlqvist (180th overall).

Lakovic, 18, was ranked second among North American left wings and 14th among all North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting. The 6’4”, 200-pound forward spent the 2024-25 season with the Moose Jaw Warriors of the Western Hockey League (WHL) and established single-season career highs in goals (27), assists (31), points (58) and power-play goals (7) despite appearing in just 47 regular-season games. Lakovic led Moose Jaw in goals, points and shots on goal (183) and ranked second on the team in assists. Lakovic’s 1.23 point-per-game rate led the Warriors and was the fifth highest among draft eligible WHL players. The Kelowna, British Columbia native registered a career-long 13-game point streak (10g-9a–19p) from Nov. 8 – Dec. 27, which marked the 11th-longest point streak by a WHL skater in 2024-25. On Feb. 14, Lakovic was named Moose Jaw’s captain. In addition, Lakovic represented the Canadian Hockey League at the inaugural CHL-USA Prospects Challenge, where he registered two points (1g, 1a) in two games.

During the 2023-24 season, Lakovic registered 39 points (18g, 21a) in 68 regular-season games with Moose Jaw, marking a 32-point improvement from his rookie season in 2022-23 (2g-5a–7p in 37 GP). Lakovic added eight points (5g, 3a) in 20 playoff games, helping Moose Jaw win the WHL championship. Lakovic represented Team Canada Black at the 2022 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, recording three points (1g, 2a) in seven games.

It marked the 20th time in franchise history that the Capitals selected a player from the WHL in the first round and Lakovic became the 10th left wing selected in the opening round by Washington.

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Gastrin, 18, was ranked third among all international skaters by NHL Central Scouting. The 6’1”, 194-pound forward spent the 2024-25 season with MoDo’s junior team (Sweden-Jr.), recording 42 points (18g, 24a) in 40 games played. Gastrin, who served as an alternate captain, led the team in goals and ranked second in assists and points. The Ornskoldsvik, Sweden native also made his professional hockey debut and appeared in eight regular-season games with MoDo of the Swedish Hockey League (SHL). Internationally, Gastrin has captained Sweden at the 2025 IIHF Under-18 World Championship, the 2024 Hlinka Gretzky Cup and the 2022 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge. At the 2025 Under-18 World Championship, Gastrin earned a silver medal after tallying 10 points (3g, 7a) in seven games.

Schafer, 18, recorded three points (1g, 2a) in 31 regular-season games with Eisbären Berlin of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga (Germany-1) in 2024-25. Schafer was one of three teenagers to dress for Eisbären Berlin this past season and the only one to record a point. The 6’3”, 182-pound forward also appeared in six DEL playoff games, helping Eisbären Berlin capture the league championship. In addition, Schafer played 15 games with Eisbären Berlin’s U-20 team, registering 35 points (12g, 23a), and three games with Lausitzer Füchse of DEL2 (Germany-2). Shafer represented Germany at the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship, the 2025 Under-18 World Championship and the 2024 Hlinka Gretzky Cup, amassing seven points (5g, 2a) in 14 games. At the World Junior Championship, Schafer recorded three points (2g, 1a) in five games, which ranked third on his team. Schafer served as an alternate captain for the Germans at the Under-18 World Championship, where he tied for the team lead in goals with three in five games.

Crowder, 18, recorded 24 points (11g, 13a) in 56 games between the Sioux City Musketeers and the Chicago Steel (USHL). The 6’2”, 184-pound forward ranked fourth among USHL rookies in penalty minutes (82), ninth in shots on goal (99) and tied for 17th in points. Crowder, a native of Allen, Texas, spent the 2023-24 season with the Dallas Stars Elite Under-16 team (16U-AAA), where he recorded a team-leading 107 points (48g, 59a) in 62 games. Crowder is committed to Ohio State University for the 2025-26 season.

Dahlqvist, 18, was ranked 17th among European defensemen and 48th among all European skaters by NHL Central Scouting. During the 2024-25 season, the 6’3”, 205-pound blueliner registered 12 points (2g, 10a) in 37 games with Brynäs IF’s U-20 team (Sweden-Jr.). Dahlqvist ranked second among the team’s defensemen in penalty minutes (43) and third in assists and points. The Gävle, Sweden native also appeared in 16 games with Brynäs IF in the Swedish Hockey League (Swedish-1). Internationally, Dahlqvist represented Sweden at the 2024 World Junior A Challenge, earning a silver medal.

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Washington Capitals 2025-26 W Magazine Now Available | Washington Capitals

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Washington Capitals 2025-26 W Magazine Now Available | Washington Capitals


Arlington, Va.W Magazine, a lifestyle publication produced by the Washington Capitals, is now available for purchase online at www.washcaps.com/wmagazine and at the Team Store at Capital One Arena and at the Team Store at MedStar Capitals Iceplex. The fan-favorite magazine, which features content surrounding every Capitals player along with hundreds of personal, never-before-seen family photos, is available for $8 plus shipping. In addition, season ticket members will receive a complimentary issue, with copies for season ticket members available at the Planholder Hub on the 100-level concourse during Capitals home games.

The cover story, written by Capitals senior writer Mike Vogel, goes in-depth with forward Pierre-Luc Dubois. Vogel speaks with Dubois, his teammates and family members for an extensive feature on the phone call that changed Dubois’ life and shaped his future with the Capitals franchise. Spanning more than 200 pages, W offers exclusive photography of Capitals players and their families, along with lifestyle content and interviews with every member of the 2025-26 roster. Highlights include:

  • John Carlson on fishing in Maryland with his sons
  • Brandon Duhaime on spearfishing and his related YouTube channel
  • Ryan Leonard on moving to D.C. and living with the Dubois family
  • Charlie Lindgren on his first offseason as a dad
  • Alex Ovechkin on celebrating back home after becoming the NHL’s all-time leading goal scorer
  • Logan Thompson on his love of dogs
  • Trevor van Riemsdyk on pop-a-shot and pickleball

The magazine also features an in-depth look at the Capital One Arena transformation project, including exclusive photos, insights into future phases and Capitals player reactions to the new Capitals locker room complex. A special interview with Monumental Sports Network’s Joe Beninati and Craig Laughlin reflects on the historic 50th anniversary season, while a day-in-the-life piece with Caps Radio’s John Walton and Katie Florio brings readers behind-the-scenes of a home game radio broadcast.

Additional features include a look at a regular day for former Capitals service dog in training Biscuit – now a facility dog at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center – and a photographic recap of Alex Ovechkin’s historic 2024-25 season. A new “Beyond the Boards” section spotlights community stories, while the fan-favorite “Short Shifts” section returns with Capitals players sharing thoughts on topics such as the best singer on the team, funniest teammate, personal goals beyond hockey, what everyone should try at least once, their ideal entrance theme song and more.

The magazine also profiles members of the Capitals Black Hockey Committee and introduces fans to the team driving the organization’s youth hockey initiatives.

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W design services were provided by Matt Ryan. Player photography was provided by Greg Powers with assistance from Damon Banks. The cover featuring Pierre-Luc Dubois was photographed on the Potomac River in Washington, D.C., with the assistance of captains and crew from City Cruises. Players were photographed for the publication at Origin in Arlington, Va.



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Ginger’s Journey: Walking from Washington State to Washington, D.C.

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Ginger’s Journey: Walking from Washington State to Washington, D.C.


Imagine setting out, on foot, for a journey not knowing how long it would take. Now imagine doing it with two animals as traveling partners from Washington State to Washington, D.C.

“Now I’ve started this leg of the journey in Morton, Washington where I was spiritually requested to go to Washington, D.C. and sing the song ‘Imagine’ by John Lennon on the Capitol steps,” says Jacob Holiday.

Jacob Holiday is on his way across America so he can sing a song he says signifies peace in the hopes, he says, of ending violence everywhere.

“I want so much peace. Cops would no longer carry firearms. We’re going to send the militaries of every country, I don’t care which one you’re talking about but every country, home to go to sleep. I don’t care what they do. But I want all this violence, everything, all this violence to stop.”

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He has two wagons and his traveling companions are a dog and a goat. Holiday started in Washington State in July and he’s not worried about how long his hike across America will take.

His multi-state trek has seen him encounter a lot along the way, including a run-in with a bear.

He carries food for himself and his dog and his goat on carts that he says weigh a couple hundred pounds. Besides necessities, Holiday has one thing he’d greatly appreciate receive being able to buy as he continues his mission.

Holiday says he knows his mission isn’t an easy one, and he uses it as a metaphor for life as a whole.

We caught up with Holiday in the early part of November on a 70-degree day in Cambridge, Nebraska then spoke to him again a few days later in the rain as he headed east on Highways 6 and 34, so no telling how far he’s gotten now.

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After we met with Holiday, we did notify the local sheriff to perform a welfare check, but we’re told Holiday wanted to continue his walk with his Capitol Steps goal still ahead of him. We also offered him food for himself and his animals, which he declined saying he had enough food on his carts.



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Washington state flooding damage profound but unclear, governor warns

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Washington state flooding damage profound but unclear, governor warns


The extent of the damage in Washington state is profound but unclear after more than a week of heavy rains and record flooding, according to the state’s governor, Bob Ferguson.

A barrage of storms from weather systems stretching across the Pacific has dumped close to 2ft (0.6 metres) of rain in parts of the state, swelling rivers far beyond their banks and prompting more than 600 rescues across 10 counties.

More high water, mudslides and power outages were in the forecast. Elevated rivers and flood risk could persist until at least late this month, according to the National Weather Service. Wind and flood watches and warnings are expected in much of the north-west for the next couple of days as storms bring rain, heavy mountain snow and high winds.

As of Tuesday, authorities had recorded one death – of a man who drove past warning signs into a flooded area – but key highways were buried or washed out, entire communities had been inundated, and saturated levees had given way. It could be months before State Route 2, which connects cities in western Washington with the Stevens Pass ski area and the faux Bavarian tourist town of Leavenworth across the mountains, can be reopened, Ferguson said.

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“We’re in for the long haul,” Ferguson said at a news conference. “If you get an evacuation order, for God’s sakes, follow it.”

It won’t be until after waters recede and landslide risk subsides that crews will be able to fully assess the damage, he said. The state and some counties are making several million dollars available to help people pay for hotels, groceries and other necessities, pending more extensive federal assistance that Ferguson and Washington’s congressional delegation expect to see approved.

According to the governor’s office, first responders had conducted at least 629 rescues and 572 assisted evacuations. As many as 100,000 people had been under evacuation orders at times, many of them in the flood plain of the Skagit River north of Seattle.



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