At the 2008 NHL Entry Draft in Ottawa, the Washington Capitals added another young prospect to their growing stable of talent, selecting Swedish center Anton Gustafsson with the 21st pick of the first round.
Washington entered the first round owning the 23rd-overall selection, but when Gustafsson was still on the board at No. 21, the Capitals worked a deal with the New Jersey Devils to move up two spots to draft the Swedish center iceman.
The Central Scouting Bureau rated the 18-year-old Gustafsson as the fifth-best European skater in the Draft. The 6-foot-2, 194-pound pivot produced 15 goals and 32 points in 33 games with Frolunda of the Swedish junior league. Unfortunately, a partially herniated disc in his back cut his season short and forced him to miss the 2008 Under-18 World Championship. The injury caused Gustafsson to slide in the Draft, but it did little to scare off the Caps.
Gustaffson is said to be a hard worker with good size, decent mobility, and an accurate shot. He's also known for having excellent hockey instincts. But that should come as no surprise. It runs in the family.
All true Caps fans remember the name Bengt Gustafsson, who still ranks fifth on the franchise's all-time scoring list with 196 goals and 555 points in 629 career games. Washington is hoping Anton proves to be a chip off the old block.
Of course, the young Gustafsson came with a price. In order to move up to No. 21, the Caps had to give the Devils their first-round pick (23rd overall) and a second-round pick (54th overall).
