The Washington Capitals will add 2019 first-round pick Connor McMichael to their expanded postseason roster if the NHL permits them to do so, reports Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman.

Friedman says that the Capitals will also add defenseman Martin Fehervary, who has been training with Tomas Tatar back home in Slovakia, to their playoff roster as well. The 20-year-old rookie defenseman looked impressive in six NHL games as an injury recall.

Friedman shared the news in his latest 31 Thoughts article:

5. Over the last week or so, the NHL has asked its teams to submit the names of AHLers/prospects that could be added to their rosters for the proposed Phase 3 (training camps) and Phase 4 (games).

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Washington will have defenceman Martin Fehervary, and, if permitted, 2019 first rounder Connor McMichael — although that would be for development, not play.

The NHL’s remaining 24 playoff teams will be allowed to have 28 skaters on their rosters and unlimited goaltenders during the postseason. Two other players revealed to be on the roster include Beck Malenstyn and Pheonix Copley.

As for McMichael, who won gold with Canada’s World Junior Championship team and had an insane six hat tricks during the OHL season for Dale Hunter’s London Knights, the postseason opportunity would allow him to continue to grow during the most successful season of his career.

“I think it’d be a great learning experience for Connor,” Capitals general manager Brian MacLellan said in late May to reporters. “He seems to be a guy that can pick up things from good players, from watching them and being around them. The feedback from him from last training camp was that he was engaged. He learned a lot from Nick [Backstrom]. He learned a lot from our veteran players. I think he would take a big leap in his development just from being in that environment – to see how guys work, see how guys practice, off-ice workouts, nutrition stuff. To see our main guys doing it on a daily basis in a competitive environment I think would be invaluable for him.”

McMichael scored 47 goals and tallied 102 points in 52 games and was named to the OHL’s Second All-Star Team at the end of the season.

Headline photo courtesy of @connor91mcmichael