Washington Capitals select Leon Muggli No. 52 overall in 2024 NHL Draft

Leon Muggli isn’t necessarily a draft pick people will remember in the early days and weeks after the Capitals selected him. But he’s the type of player who may inspire people to ask years from now, “Where’d they find this guy?”

On Saturday at The Sphere in Las Vegas, the Washington Capitals selected select Muggli in the second round, No. 52 overall.

On the surface, nothing about the statistical side of Muggli’s game pops. His offensive totals this year with Zug in the Swiss NL were modest, including 12 points in 42 regular-season games and two points across 11 postseason contests. At six-foot and 176 pounds, he’s not a pint-sized dynamo nor is he a bruising intimidator.

But Muggli’s game is more about what doesn’t happen than what does happen when he’s on the ice. Known for his intelligence and agility, he epitomizes what it means to be a modern defender. His excellent skating ability in all directions helps him thwart opposing attackers, whether they’re trying to blow past him or beat him wide. He’s quick getting to loose pucks in the defensive zone and, while he still needs to fill out, he is willing to throw his weight around when the situation calls for it.

He projects to be much more of a shutdown option and play killer in his own end than a play driver on the offensive zone. The latter part of his game could use some improvement. But Muggli has all the makings of a third-pair “coach’s pet” who does everything the right way in his own zone and kills penalties. He has also cut his teeth playing against grown men in Switzerland and thus could be ready to make an impact in North America relatively soon, though there certainly isn’t a rush for a player who doesn’t turn 18 until July.

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