Brian McFadden is the youngest player at Washington's rookie camp this weekend, and the Capitals aren't in any rush with him.
The 18-year-old defenseman turns 19 on January 2, and he's one of 17 Washington draft picks from the last five years among the 21 players in Annapolis.
McFadden is also a rare pick for this organization. He's the first player Washington has taken out of high school since center Brian Pinho back in 2013.
He skated for Thayer Academy in Massachusetts last season before Washington called his name on June 25.
"All my family was at my grandparents' house and my aunt just screamed," McFadden said, recalling the moment he heard his name.
At 6-foot-5 and 196 pounds, McFadden stands out physically, and assistant GM Ross Mahoney says patience is the whole approach with a player this raw.
"There's nothing worse than rushing somebody and putting them in a position they're not capable of being in yet," Mahoney said.
Why Washington sees a future shutdown defenseman here
Mahoney compared McFadden to the type of player every Stanley Cup roster needs, not the flashy names but the size that clogs the middle of the ice.
"You've always got your Cole Hutsons on the power play," Mahoney said. "But usually those champions have three or four other players that are taller, longer space eaters."
McFadden shared the ice this weekend with Cole Hutson and Ilya Protas, two players who already finished last season in the NHL.
He's headed to the USHL's Chicago Steel this year under head coach Scott Gomez, with a commitment to Northeastern University still ahead of him down the road.
That timeline alone tells you how far away McFadden actually is from an NHL lineup right now.
Growing up a Bruins fan, McFadden lists Zdeno Chara, Charlie McAvoy, and Brandon Carlo as the defensemen he modeled his own game after.
Washington drafted this profile knowing full well the wait could stretch several years. For a franchise built on developing size and reach on the back end, that patience is exactly the plan.
Will Brian McFadden develop into an NHL regular for the Capitals?
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