The Washington Capitals’ most scrumptious cinnamon roll, Andre Burakovsky, proved he can perform in a big role this season. There’s a bright future ahead for the kid they call Dale.
By The Numbers
| 64 | games played |
| 13:16 | time on ice per game |
| 12 | goals |
| 23 | assists |
| 57.2 | 5-on-5 shot-attempt percentage, adjusted |
| 62.4 | 5-on-5 goal percentage, adjusted |
Visualization by HockeyViz
About this visualization: This series of charts made by Micah Blake McCurdy of hockeyviz.com shows various metrics for the player over the course of the 2016-17 season. A short description of each chart:
- Most common teammates during 5-on-5
- Ice time per game, split up by game state
- 5-on-5 adjusted shot attempts by the team (black) and opponents (red)
- 5-on-5 adjusted shooting percentage by the team (black) and opponents (red)
- Individual scoring events by the player
- 5-on-5 adjusted offensive (black) and defensive (red) zone starts
Peter’s Take
What a tumultuous year for Yung Dre.
Kicking off his third NHL season at age 21, Burakovsky first enjoyed time on the Tre Kronor line, immediately producing with fellow Swedes Nick Backstrom and Marcus Johansson. But then goals left him and did not return until Burakovsky broke through on another powerful line with Lars Eller and Brett Connolly in December. That third line had excellent returns but did not often rack up points commensurate to their dominance.
Things took a turn for the worse in February when Burakovsky broke his hand blocking a shot, missing time until the final month of the season. The reconstituted third line played stout in the playoffs but couldn’t score – then Burakovsky finally broke out late in the Pittsburgh series after enjoying a timely promotion to the ersatz top line.
That’s a rollercoaster, but I think 2016-17 has demonstrated Burakovsky’s viability as a core offensive talent for the Washington Capitals. Though he suffered a miserable slump and an unfortunate injury, Burakovsky’s play with Tre Kronor, then Eller and Connolly, then Backstrom and Oshie all points to a bright future.
After his injury, Burakovsky’s game somehow grew even more physical, as seen in his marquee performances in games five and six of the second round (though his suspicious lack of production before that certainly hurt the team) . Andre doesn’t have the creativity of Evgeny Kuznetsov, but Burakovsky is probably harder to push off the puck – that’s why he and Nick Backstrom were so deadly when together at the very beginning and ending of the season.
And that’s why I’m enthused for 2017-18. Unlike the big names at the top of the Caps roster and payroll, Andre is just now entering his scoring peak. He’s already shown competence in the fundamentals that inform strong possession play. He’s a sure thing for the top six next season, and I’d wager he’s about to become a bona fide hockey star.
Cool.
Yung Dre on RMNB
- The tongue GIF was important, probably.
- The Kino beat as bookends on the season.
- Lush.
- Kicking off the season right. The Tre Kronor line was scary dominant early on.
- And then, by December, he was scratched. It didn’t last long, and the scoring returned.
- Breakoutkovsky season: the right mental attitude, getting a spot on the PP.
- Did we all know that Andre was a shampoo model?
- Alex and Andre:
- Andre’s physical game took a big step forward this season. Here’s him wrecking Pierre-Edouard Bellemare. That did not come without a cost.
- He’s supposed to be off limits, guys. Why is he even blocking shots anyway? He should be on soft cushions in a glass case. Anyway, he missed quite a bit of time between February 9 and March 18. Brooks Orpik revealed it was a broken hand.
- Upon returning, Andre was immediately impactful.
- The “this is not an Uber” incident. Late capitalism hijinx, y’all.
- They’re 13 years apart in age, but Dre and Justin Williams seem to have a lot in common. This, by the way, was when we learned that Andre’s nickname is Dale.
- Bwahaha playoff beard, as if.
- Burakovsky took a while to get going in the postseason, but he certainly contributed in the Pittsburgh series after the line shakeup, scoring big goals in the first two elimination games.
- I’ll leave you with this rare, haunted image: angry Andre.
Your Turn
Is Andre the best or what? Is he a sure thing for the top six next season? What do you make of his slump mid-season and before elimination games in the playoffs?
Read more: Japers’ Rink, Stars and Sticks
Headline photo: Justin Williams
