17 Things: How Caps Are Stacking Up So Far, Lineup Questions & Roles, Dubois Update, Ovechkin & Carlson
Here are some thoughts on the Washington Capitals with the first week and change underway.
WASHINGTON — The Washington Capitals are six games into the season, picking up four rather convincing wins while experiencing just two uncharacteristic losses.
At the same time, coach Spencer Carbery is still pondering his lineup, Pierre-Luc Dubois is dealing with injury and Washington still has some questions to answer.
That said, with the return of the season also comes the return of 17 Things.
Pierre-Luc Dubois will miss his fourth straight game on Tuesday against the Seattle Kraken as he deals with what’s being called a lower-body injury. From what I’ve heard, it is not related to him punching the bench during the Oct. 12 game against the New York Rangers. The hope is that he will upgrade to contact later in the week, and that the upcoming break between games should give him extra time to recover.
With Dubois out, Hendrix Lapierre has been at the center, but that’s going to change. Justin Sourdif got a look there in Sunday’s loss to the Vancouver Canucks as Carbery put his lines in a blender, and the Capitals liked what they saw from the 23-year-old rookie and plan to utilize him more down the middle.
He’s a natural centerman. That’s what he grew up playing, that’s what he’s played his whole life,” Carbery said, adding, “We think there’s potentially a centerman there at the NHL level.”
Sourdif ranks third on the team in Corsi-for percentage at 5-on-5 (61.02).
In turn, moving Lapierre to the wing may be for the best. After a stellar training camp, Lapierre’s struggled on the third line to open the season, and when he was moved to the wing on Sunday, it was like a weight was lifted off his shoulders. He was moving more freely and confidently, and broke through with a picture-perfect assist to set up Jakob Chychrun.
To start the year, Lapierre is living with Anthony Beauvillier, just as Ryan Leonard is living with Pierre-Luc Dubois. Lapierre said living with his fellow French-Canadian teammate has been great, “no complaints so far,” and that the food has been the best part.
It’s a good place for Lapierre to be, especially as the 23-year-old finds himself navigating what’s going to be an interesting season as he’s no longer exempt from waivers and finds himself needing to find his game and consistency in the midst of a last-chance, prove it deal with D.C.
Speaking of waivers, losing Vincent Iorio was tough, but necessary. The 22-year-old wasn’t getting the playing time he needed here, and for him, a change of scenery was the best move for his career. Washington lost a good defensive prospect and a great character guy, but with Ryan Chelsey, Cole Hutson and David Gucciardi coming up the pipeline, along with Leon Muggli, the blue line will make out fine.
Speaking of players on the wing, it seems as though Sonny Milano could end up being a healthy scratch. Carbery spoke a bit on Milano on Monday, explaining that it’s been difficult for him to find his game and his role while playing limited minutes.
“Last game, he took a step back,” Carbery said.
He was benched for almost the entirety of the third period on Sunday, and Ethen Frank could get his chance to draw in and show what he can do.
Looking back at Sunday, it, to me, is what John Carlson called the team’s opening night loss: “a crapshoot.” Washington has had a tough time in matinee games over the years, and that pattern continued with the team not being ready and going down big time in the opening frame.
Of course, they recovered, but it was too little, too late, and now, it’ll be about finding that consistency for 60 minutes, which they showed they can do back on Friday with a dominant showing against the Minnesota Wild.
Expect it to be Logan Thompson’s net come Tuesday as the Capitals continue to put trust in him as the full time No. 1 and evaluate how they’ll utilize both him and Charlie Lindgren. Thompson’s enjoyed a strong start to the year with a 3-1 record and .922 save percentage along with 2.9 goals saved above expected (good for 12th in the league).
That said, don’t count out Lindgren. His first start of the season was a dominant shutout against the New York Rangers, and on Sunday, he rebounded from a tough first to stop 11 of the final 12 shots he faced for 21 total saves on 24 shots. Though he may want the first one back, which came just 59 seconds into play, one goal against was a controversial one where he was unable to cover the puck (Washington’s challenge failed), and another came on a tough turnover in front.
Lindgren ranks 16th in the league with 2.4 goals saved above expected and ninth overall in goals saved above expected per 60 (1.224).
All that said, Washington is in a great spot when it comes to its tandem between the pipes.
Aliaksei Protas is the most underrated player in the NHL.
Brandon Duhaime will play in his 300th NHL career game on Tuesday. Carbery took the time to speak on what he brings to the team, and it’s not just his physicality; it’s his positive attitude, his energy in the locker room and his sneaky-good ability to make plays.
One of the best free agent acquisitions Washington’s made, especially with how well he’s fit on that fourth line with Nic Dowd.
Speaking of Nic Dowd, continued credit to him and what he’s come to mean to the organization. A personable player who does it all and really leads by example.
It goes without saying, though, that the MVP through the start of the season has been Tom Wilson. He has six goals and three assists for a team-leading nine points through six games, along with 21 hits.
“He’s just being Tom,” Chychrun said when asked about what he brings to the table. “Just being a heart and soul guy… he does it just about every night for us.”
When things aren’t going the Capitals’ way, as was the case against the Tampa Bay Lightning (where Wilson set up the eventual overtime winner) and Canucks (where Wilson’s power-play goal brought the team within one late), he will throw his weight around and lead the charge, and quickly, his teammates feed off that and follow suit.
It’s why Carbery calls him a unicorn, and why, at this rate, is going to be a shoe-in for the Olympic team.
Dylan Strome’s also picking it up after a bit of a slow start and has eight points through six games so far following a four-point performance against the Wild. Asking Alex Ovechkin about Strome, Ovechkin cited that he’s not only a good playmaker, but an underrated goal scorer as well.
Speaking of Ovechkin, he sits at 898 goals, and though he has just one goal through six games, he’s faring just fine in his 21st NHL season. He’s taking the time to get back in the swing and rhythm of things, and each game, takes a step forward. The 40-year-old’s been getting plenty of chances and still has his trademark shot; it’s just a matter of time before the floodgates open.
All the while, he’s not sweating anything; he’s just focused on having fun, and hasn’t let not finding twine as much to open the year get to him.
Still, he has stressed urgency when it comes to executing, specifically on the power play. Things are starting to pick up a bit, with Washington scoring a power-play goal in each of its last three games, but the percentage is still rather unconvincing.
The Capitals’ man advantage is 3-for-20 to open the season (15 percent), the eighth-worst in the league. Not having Dubois hurts, and the team is also adjusting to trying new things when it comes to entries, plays and possession.
Ovechkin has also taken a backseat when it comes to playing the full two minutes on each opportunity, as Carbery will have him get off early dependent on different scenarios that pop up throughout the game or man advantage.
With Dubois out, Milano got a chance on PP1, but didn’t fit in well there, and now, it looks like that may be Ryan Leonard’s spot to keep as he scored his first career PPG on his first shit on the top unit.
Another interesting situation to look at: John Carlson. The 35-year-old blueliner is still logging significant minutes at this point in his career, and there have been highs and lows to open the final year of his contract. Washington’s in an interesting spot when it comes to the defense corps, and one has to wonder if Carlson leading in ice time each night will continue going down the stretch, and if he does return, how much will it be for?
That said, he’s not thinking about retirement, and is still happy to play whatever role he’s needed. He doesn’t mind, and also doesn’t count how many minutes he skates.
“I always say you’re never too old to learn, and I think with all these young guys I’m still learning so much from (them and) new coaches behind the bench. We got new ideas every year… we have new players and I’m like, ‘Holy, what are you thinking here? What makes you right?’ I think it’s just a constant, constant learning experience,” Carlson said.
“Mentality-wise, you stay the same, but certainly, there’s so much to take from everyone, even some guys that you play against… the minute that I say, ‘Oh, I am who I am, there’s nothing I can do,’ then that’s where you start tanking.”
One last thought — the red alternate jerseys are the way to go, and I imagine it’ll be the basis for a rebrand coming sooner rather than later.
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I’m not sure you can call the Caps losing an early afternoon matinee and looking bad while doing so an “uncharacteristic loss”. It’s kinda their brand, isn’t it?