The Caps have officially signed Jake Hauswirth of the USHL's Omaha Lancers to a three-year entry-level contract. He was slated to attend Michigan Tech in the fall, but it looks like his plans have changed. Hauswirth fits into the recent Caps trend of drafting and signing big-bodied players. He is listed at 6'5" and 210 lbs., up from 180 lbs only a few seasons ago. What was once an inconsistent game and a finesse style that resembled what you might see in a smaller player has become a more physical and productive game.
Hauswirth attended the Caps development camp last summer, and will be in attendance yet again this summer. Last season he turned a lot of heads, and, as J.P. notes, was the unofficial 2nd star of the camp. Since then he has only gotten better, and his skill level is shown in the Capitals' desire to sign him and have him progress within the organization instead of waiting and improving his game in college.
Hauswirth could be another big guy with the scoring touch the Caps could use, someone along the lines of Brooks Laich. With the exception of Laich, the Caps have not had an abundance of guys who were willing to crash the net, especially in the playoffs. If he can finish developing his game enough in Hershey, he could be a big help in Washington one day.
