Capitals Draft Milton Gästrin 37 Overall

With the 37th pick of the 2025 NHL Entry Draft, the Washington Capitals have selected Milton Gästrin from MODO of the SHL

About Milton Gästrin

In any draft, in any sport, there are only so many players who can be considered truly elite. Even finding individual elite traits in players can be a difficult task, especially when evaluating hockey players who historically develop at very different rates from player to player. In Gästrin, it’s hard to find any elite traits, but his responsible two-way ability makes him a very intriguing prospect.

While some players enter the NHL with high-end skills but question marks regarding how their game will translate at the next level, it’s hard to find those same concerns with Gästrin. If anything, Gästrin has some of the best translateable talent in this entire draft class and that’s what has made him so interesting as a prospect throughout the draft process. His reliable play, willingness to compete for loose pucks and battle in the corners and in front of the net make him a player worth keeping an eye on as he continues to develop his offensive game.

THW Prospect Profile Excerpt

“Milton Gästrin is the next in a long line of talented hockey players to come out of the small town of Örnsköldsvik, Sweden, a town whose history includes players like the Sedin twins, Peter Forsberg, Victor Hedman, and many more. 

Gästrin is a reliable two-way center who has been excellent offensively against his peers in Sweden, while still showing the defensive commitment to earn a handful of games in the SHL already early on in his career. He is a hard worker who skates well and has no clear weaknesses in his game.

The only limiting factor for him in the draft process will be the questions surrounding his ultimate offensive potential. If he doesn’t take much of a step forward offensively in the coming years, Gästrin would still likely become a long-time NHL contributor. However, some growth in his shot or skill with the puck could raise his ceiling considerably.

Gästrin has been the captain of his age group at the U16 and U17 levels, so it’s fair to predict he’ll be in a leadership role once again when he laces up for Sweden at the upcoming U18 World Championships. This tournament will give him a great chance to show off his offensive game against some more well-known players rather than in Sweden’s top junior league.