On July 14, 2026, 18th-overall 2026 draft pick Oliver Suvanto signed a three-year entry-level contract with Washington, carrying cap hit of $1.075 million. Suvanto’s contract also contains a performance bonus of $250,000 this coming season, $500,000 for 2027-28 & $750,000 in 2028-29. The 17-year-old Finnish forward prospect is expected to be loaned to Tappara of Liiga in Finland for the 2026-27 season.
Suvanto’s draft selection deepens one of the more promising prospect pools in the league, hovering right around the 10th spot in numerous rankings. Suvanto joins elite prospects such as forwards Ilya Protas and Andrew Cristall, who are projected to soon break into a Caps’ lineup featuring fellow young players in d-man Cole Hutson and forward Ryan Leonard. The firepower does not end there, as the Caps re-signed Alex Ovechkin and added veteran forward Alex Tuch this off-season.
The next several seasons are shaping up to be very interesting in the nation’s capital.
