Silbsy's Corner: Chychrun's Hot Streak, Leonard On Adulting, My Night Writing Through Injury

The latest Capitals news and notes, plus a personal update from Silbsy.

It’s been a hectic past 24 hours and change.

On the way to Capital One Arena to cover the Washington Capitals’ tilt against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Monday, I misstepped on the escalator up from Gallery Place - Chinatown station. I put my hands out to catch my fall, when my left palm got caught in the escalator step and the motor.

I managed to get up and make it to the arena right before warmups. Thankfully, the Capitals, the staff at Capital One Arena and EMTs on site were fantastic (and a special shoutout to Dylan Strome, who checked on me postgame), and I was taken care of and sent on my way right before warmups.

Covering for The Hockey News, DC Backcheck and Associated Press, I couldn’t just leave, and I’m a hockey player. So I toughed it out, covered the game as usual and singlehandedly — quite literally, I had to type with one hand — wrote two game stories while some other pieces had to wait until later today.

I always want to deliver the best content and coverage possible, but at the same time, health had to come first, which is why there was no Live From The Locker Room video last night on DC Backcheck. That coverage was still available, though, on my TikTok @silbsy.

The Capitals had off today, so I spent the day finishing some stories I didn’t get to last night, and then went off for my X-Rays. Luckily, no fractures, but the swelling in my hand has not gone down, so I need to keep it wrapped and wait for the injury and trauma to subside.

I’m on the injured reserve for at least a week and will be off the ice, but the coverage isn’t stopping. I do apologize, though, for the lack of postgame content here after the game.

That said, there is time for a Silbsy’s corner to just share some of my thoughts on the Capitals and some fun tidbits.

• The Capitals have won four of the last five games, and a lot of it has to do with them finally finding the back of the net. It took a while, but the team is finally executing on its chances at 5-on-5. A huge part of that is the defense contributing, as the team’s 19 goals from the blue line rank first in the entire NHL.

• All the while, the power play appears to be trending in the right direction, though it’s early. Coach Spencer Carbery shook up the lines big time, separating Jakob Chychrun and John Carlson and having them lead their own five-man units. Ryan Leonard and Ethen Frank also remain on the man advantage, and Alex Ovechkin is still interchanging on both. That said, there’s no longer a set PP1 or PP2; instead, whoever goes out depends on different situations — Carbery wanted to make that exceptionally clear.

• All of that goes back to Chychrun, though. He’s on an eight-game point streak, and his eight goals rank second among all NHL defensemen. He’s not that big into the numbers, though, and remained modest when it was brought up.

  “I honestly think if guys weren’t telling me I was on a point streak, I wouldn’t even know,” Chychrun said postgame. I’m not big on stats, I don’t check the stat sheets like Stromer… I just show up and try to do my best to help the team win.”

  It’s not just his offensive prowess that makes him a force; he’s a beast to go up against and a competitor, and off the ice, he’s a leader and a beloved piece of the locker room. Having him long term is going to be huge for Washington as he continues to grow into a No. 1 defenseman, and a guy who could get Norris votes and attention this season if he keeps it going.

  He’s currently on pace for 75 points.

• Also, props to Carlson; say what you will about No. 74, who’s in the final year of his contract, but he’s also on pace for a 75-point season and has been finding his scoring touch and generating so much offense for the Capitals, while continuing to serve as a key leader.

• Another key factor in the team’s success of late has been Justin Sourdif, who has fit in perfectly as the team’s second-line center with Pierre-Luc Dubois on long-term injured reserve. It’s not an easy role, but he’s embraced it and run with that opportunity.

  While he’s starting to see the results pay off on the scoresheet with four points in his last four games, his impact goes beyond that.

  Since the start of November, Sourdif leads all Capitals skaters in expected goals-for percentage at 5-on-5 (62.05) and ranks third in scoring-chances for percentage (60.56) and high-danger Corsi-for percentage (64.06). He’s also playing against other team’s top lines and shutting them down with ease, as he showed when he went up against Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl and refused to back off either one.

  He’s still just 23 and is less than 30 games into his career, but the rookie is certainly making his mark and showing why he cost a second-round pick, and then some. It was well worth the price.

• Speaking of young centers, Hendrix Lapierre is back down the middle and playing the fourth-line center role with Nic Dowd out. He’s starting to find some chemistry alongside Sonny Milano and Frank, who’s not returning to the AHL any time soon, even when players come back from injury, but he’s still struggling to find the back of the net.

  For Lapierre, though, he’s staying patient and continuing to try and do the right things as he looks to continue proving he belongs at the highest level. Getting frustrated can be easy, but he knows that’s not going to help the puck start going in for him. Still, three assists in his last three games should provide a confidence boost, as well as the fact that the scoring chances are there.

• Speaking of Frank, he provides that speed that the Capitals have been and continue to look for. Carbery didn’t hide behind the fact that skating isn’t one of Washington’s strong suits, and the 27-year-old happily provides just that. That said, D.C. is keeping its eyes open for where it can add more speed, especially with the end goal being a deeper playoff run this time around.

• Dowd has missed the last four games with an upper-body injury, but is certainly a possibility to return on Wednesday. Getting him back would provide a big boost with the team also missing another top defensive centerman in Dubois, though there’s no point in rushing his return.

• With Dowd out, Brandon Duhaime has been playing on a third line with Connor McMichael, who’s found his game again, and rookie Ryan Leonard. Duhaime has been one of the players that has taken Leonard under his wing — we’ll have more on that angle on Wednesday — but Carbery separating Duhaime and Dowd was a risky move that paid off. Having Duhaime’s energy and physicality on that line has provided a jolt, and the move that the team was hesitant to make with that duo having been together for so long ignited that much-needed spark on offense.

• Speaking of Leonard, me and him sat down to discuss the biggest “Welcome to the NHL” moment he’s had yet: living on his own for the first time. A 20-year-old navigating life on his own is far from easy, and it’s even harder when you’re playing in the best league in the world and have a lot of down time away from the rink and no family to go home to.

• His Capitals teammates are being supportive, though; Duhaime took him to Costco for pots and pans, though Leonard left with Doritos and samples. He’s not doing a lot of cooking yet, and his grocery list is far from impressive, but it’s all about progress.

• The full read is here at The Hockey News.