Capitals' Eriks Mateiko: QMJHL winger taken in Round 3

Mateiko was the 90th overall pick by the Capitals in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft on Saturday.

The appeal regarding Mateiko is obvious. He's a touch taller than 6-foot-5, checks in at north of 200 pounds, and possesses above-average offensive ability for a kid his size. He also plays very hard to compensate for his lack of foot speed. Mateiko registered 23 goals and 43 points in 49 games in the QMJHL last season and played well for Latvia at the World Juniors despite managing just one assist in five contests. The hope is that the pace doesn't overwhelm Mateiko at higher levels, so he can still use his size and skill combination to generate offense.