Forward had 58 points in 47 games with Moose Jaw of WHL last season
Lynden Lakovic, selected by the Washington Capitals in the first round (No. 27) of the 2025 NHL Draft, signed a three-year, $2.925 million entry-level contract Saturday. It has an average annual value of $975,000.
The 18-year-old forward led Moose Jaw of the Western Hockey League with 58 points (27 goals, 31 assists) in 47 games last season. He is expected to be loaned to Moose Jaw for next season.
“Obviously, it’s a huge milestone in the start of my hockey career," Lakovic said Saturday, "but at the end of the day, it’s the first contract I’ve signed, so it’s kind of just the beginning. It doesn’t mean I have to settle down, take a long break, maybe a vacation. I think I’ve just got to get back to work. Obviously, I’m super happy and truly honored and it’s pretty surreal, but like I said, it’s just the beginning.”
Lakovic said that after finding out he was going to sign, his first phone call was to his mother.
"She was very happy," he said. "That’s an understatement.”
Lakovic was No. 14 in NHL Central Scouting's final ranking of North American skaters for the draft.
“I was really impressed by him," Capitals general manager Chris Patrick said. "Bigger than I expected, taller than I expected. It says 6-4 on the sheet, but it looks like he’s eye to eye with me and I’m 6-5. And for a big guy, moves really well, great hands, great shot. Really happy. Looks like, hopefully, another late first-round pick that could be a really good player for us.”
Lakovic is the second of the 32 players chosen in the first round of the 2025 draft to sign an entry-level contract; forward Jake O'Brien, the No. 8 pick, signed a three-year entry level contract with the Seattle Kraken on Thursday.
NHL.com senior writer Tom Gulitti contributed to this report
