Washington Capitals May Be Adding Star Defenseman Unexpectedly Before the Playoffs

The Washington Capitals have been the story of the 2024/25 campaign in the NHL, and with great players at every position and the entire team rolling, the Stanley Cup Playoffs can't come quick enough for Washington.

Things could be about to get better however, as reports have now revealed that the team could be adding University of Minnesota defenseman Ryan Chesley ahead of the post-season, as the team were knocked out of the NCAA Tournament by U-Mass recently.

As a result, two of his teammates signed with the Chicago Blackhawks, and after reposting the report on Instagram, speculation has begun that he could be on the way to the NHL too.

The 21-year old Minnesota native was a second-round pick of the Capitals back in 2022, and just finished his third season at Minnesota, tallying 8 goals and 20 points in 40 games, developing as one of the best all-round blue liners in college hockey in that time.

On top of two teammates going to Chicago, both Jimmy Snuggerud (St. Louis) and Matthew Wood (Nashville) are out too, and with that being four of his favourite teammates as well as the chance to join the Capitals ahead of the post-season, it's hard to see him not signing in the next few days.

Only time will tell if Chesley has the ability to be a difference maker immediately in the NHL, but right now he's on track to be a key piece for the Capitals for years to come, and with the team loaded on the blue line, getting him games in the league right now could be the best move for the organization and for Chesley himself.