Oliver Suvanto didn’t hide what kind of player he wants to be after the Washington Capitals took him 18th overall in the 2026 NHL Draft: a force opponents hate seeing across from them.
When asked about the physical side of the game, Suvanto lit right into the identity he wants to build. “Yeah, (it makes me) really happy,” Suvanto replied.
“I think I noticed it a few years back that I’m a big, strong guy, and I can use it as a strength. All of you know that playing hockey against the big guy who (plays physically), it makes you feel uncomfortable.
So, I want to be that guy. I want to be big and mean."
He said he has studied Tom Wilson, one of the NHL’s most punishing players, but also admitted there’s a line there. “He's a great player, but he's maybe too tough for me."
Suvanto’s own view is straightforward: his size is supposed to matter. “I'm one of the biggest guys my age, so usually that's a strength that can make the difference in my style of hockey,” he said. “Just started using that and then noticed that the players don’t like to play against me sometimes.”
That kind of profile is part of why the Capitals are so interested. Assistant general manager Ross Mahoney said they see Suvanto “being a second-line center for us in the near future.”
The numbers from his recent seasons back up the upside. Last season with Tappara Tampere in the Finnish Liiga, Suvanto had two goals and nine assists for 11 points in 48 games, and those 11 points were the most by a player 17 or younger in the league.
He was even more productive with Tappara’s U18 team in the 2024-25 season, putting up 11 goals and 31 assists for 42 points in 42 games.
He also made his mark in limited action with the U20 team last season, scoring three goals in three games. At the U20 World Junior Championship with Finland, Suvanto added two goals in seven games.
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Boone Jenner Gives Capitals Young Forwards Exactly What They Needed
Boone Jenner arrives in Washington with the kind of resume that tends to matter even more once the games get grinding. After 13 seasons with the Blue Jackets, the veteran forward signed a four-year contract with the Capitals, bringing the type of leadership and steady two-way presence that can help steady a roster leaning on a younger wave of forwards. He is expected to fit into multiple roles, including penalty killing, which only adds to the value of a player who has already spent years handling heavy responsibilities.
For a Capitals group built around familiar names such as Tom Wilson, Alex Ovechkin and Dylan Strome, Jenners addition gives the room another experienced voice to lean on. He has already made clear he is ready to help however he can, and for a team trying to balance development with immediate expectations, that kind of flexibility can be just as important as scoring touch. The next question is how quickly his presence changes the way Washington can deploy its forward lines when the season starts to take shape. [Read more 🡒]