Capitals Top 20 Prospects

Hockey's Future has updated it's list of the Caps' Top 20 Prospects, complete with a few paragraphs on each player. Not surprisingly, Nicklas Backstrom tops the list, though he's in a dead heat with Alex Semin. Both project to be borderline-elite players who are likely to reach that potential (the key to the numbers and letters that follow a player's name is here). Where do the rest of the kids fall? Here's a quick glance at the Top 20:

1. Nicklas Backstrom, C, 8.5 B
2. Alexander Semin, LW, 8.5 B
3. Mike Green, D, 8 C
4. Eric Fehr, RW, 7.5 B
5. Tomas Fleischmann, LW, 7.5 C
6. Semen Varlamov, G, 7.0 C
7. Chris Bourque, C/LW, 7.0 C
8. Michal Neuvirth, G, 6.5 C
9. Francois Bouchard, C/RW, 7.0 C
10. Joe Finley, D, 6.5 B
11. Patrick McNeill, D, 6.5 B
12. Boyd Gordon, C, 6.5 B
13. Jeff Schultz, D, 6.5 B
14. Sami Lepisto, D, 6.0 B
15. Jakub Klepis, LW, 6.0 C
16. Sasha Pokulok, D, 6.0 C
17. Keith Seabrook, D, 7.0 D
18. Oskar Osala, LW, 6.0 C
19. Oscar Hedman, D, 5.5 B
20. Andrew Gordon, RW, 5.0 C

Personally, I think a couple of the blueliners are a little low and perhaps a forward or two are too high (Semin and Chris Bourque for example), but it's a decent list that offers a lot of hope for the future. As with any list like this, it serves to spawn plenty of conversation, and some of the best of it is taking place over on the Caps' message board and the HF board. Check 'em out if you're so inclined.