Madison Capitols Draft Preview
The United States Hockey League takes a team-by-team look ahead of the 2023 NHL Draft.
Since 1985 the Madison Capitols have had 22 players selected in the NHL Draft. Their highest selection of all time came when Finland native,
Miko Matikka, was selected in the third round, 67
th overall by the Arizona Coyotes in 2022. Matikka was joined by Capitols forward
Quinn Finley, who was taken by the New York Islanders with the 78
th overall pick, it was the first draft that the Capitols had multiple players selected since 1989.
Top Prospects for 2023
Luke Mittelstadt | Defenseman
Central Scouting Rank: #97
College Commitment: University of Minnesota
Mittelstadt, who played for the Capitols during the 2021-22 season, led his team in scoring with 19 goals and 36 assists for 55 points in 60 games. He earned the title of “USHL Defenseman of the Week” four times throughout that season including during the Clark Cup Finals. Mittelstadt played in the 2022 BioSteel All-American Game and was named to the All-USHL First Team. The defenseman tallied 13 multi-point games that season, with seven two-point games, five three-point games and one four-point game. Mittelstadt helped lead the Capitols to their first-ever playoff berth which culminated in the Capitols advancing to the Club’s first-ever Clark Cup Final.
Mittelstadt had 21 points (5 goals and 16 assists) with the University of Minnesota in 2022-23 where he helped the Gophers advance to the national championship game.
The USHL has had 50-or-more players selected in each of the last five NHL Drafts, with a league-best 57 chosen in 2022 and 2018. In all the USHL has seen 990 of its players selected in total, with at least one player taken in each draft but one dating back to 1981.