Madison kicks off the 2023-24 season on Tuesday as the first leg of the USHL Draft is scheduled for 4 pm. The Capitols will select ten players in the draft including one with the first overall selection. The 2023 USHL Phase I Draft will be the first duty for Head Coach and General Manager Andy Brandt after taking the reins of the position on Monday.
The Phase I portion of the draft is designated for 16-year-old birth year players. This season, players born in 2007 will be selected as part of day one of the draft. Madison owns ten picks in this year's draft. The Capitols will select players at:
1st Round-1st Overall
2nd Round-8th Overall
3rd Round-22nd Overall
4th Round-46th Overall(Originally Tri-City's selection)
5th Round-52nd Overall
6th Round-67th Overall
7th Round-82nd Overall
8th Round-97th Overall
9th Round-112th Overall
10th Round-127th Overall
When the Capitols select a player at number one overall on Tuesday, it will be the second time that Madison will do so in the Phase I Draft since returning to the league in 2014. The Caps only other time selecting first was in 2020 when the team selected Quinn Finley. Besides Finley, the rest of the team's first round picks in the team's Phase I Draft history are: 2021-Nicholas Fascia, 2019-Luke Mittelstadt, 2018-Ryan Kirwan, 2017-Cade Webber, 2016-Ryan O'Reilly, 2015-Mick Messner, and 2014-Simon Butala.
Last season, the Capitols did not take a player in the first round due to the fact the team tendered defenseman Will Felicio. The first pick that Madison made last season was Ryker Lee at pick number 17. He along with the other nine players drafted in Phase I last season stayed on the teams affiliated list this season.
The Phase I Draft is scheduled to begin at 4 pm on Tuesday, May 2, with the Phase II Draft scheduled to start at 11 am on Wednesday, May 3. Follow along with draft coverage on the Capitols social media pages @madcapshockey for both the Phase I and Phase II Drafts.
Media inquiries about this morning's release should go to the email inbox of Director of Media Relations Drew Steele, drew@madcapshockey.com.
