Capitals 2026 NHL Draft Targets: Winger Elton Hermansson

The Washington Capitals have quite a bit to consider going into the 2026 NHL Draft, as they can either make use of their No. 16 and No. 18 picks or use their first-round selections as trade chips.

If they do choose to hold onto those selections, though, there are a number of top prospects available, and one name hat the Capitals may go after is right wing Elton Hermansson, who is one of the most skilled forwards in this year’s class.

Hermansson is beyond his years in the fact that he is oozing with talent. The No. 5 ranked international skater by NHL Central Scouting shined playing against grown men in his draft year with MoDo of HockeyAllsvenskan, picking up 11 goals and 21 points in 38 games in the second-highest tier of Swedish hockey.

The 6-foot-1, 174-pound winger is a versatile player and playmaker known for his hockey IQ and vision. He’s a playmaker who can control the tempo and goes hard on the forecheck, and he uses his quick hands, stickhandling ability and impressive skating ability to make quick, elusive plays on the fly. And the best part is, he makes it look easy.

Elton Hermansson just pulled one of the most casual Michigans I’ve ever seen live…. and it was called back for an offside.

womp womp pic.twitter.com/Jv3suOjsnl

— Cam Robinson (@Hockey_Robinson) April 22, 2026

Hermansson is the type of player who can drive play and bring creativity to the table, and he plays with speed and pace to get to the high-danger areas. He also possesses a solid shot. That said, he still has to add some size to his frame, and he could stand to work on his two-way play a bit.

Overall, Hermansson is a player that has top to middle-6 potential, and as someone who is teammates with Capitals prospect Milton Gästrin, could very well be on D.C.’s radar.