Home / News / Connor McMichael will play over Hendrix Lapierre tonight but Peter Laviolette ‘wouldn’t say’ he’s leading the competition for the 3C spot

Connor McMichael will play over Hendrix Lapierre tonight but Peter Laviolette ‘wouldn’t say’ he’s leading the competition for the 3C spot

By Ian Oland

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October 6, 2021 2:24 pm

The Washington Capitals will play their fifth game of the preseason against the Boston Bruins on Wednesday.

The biggest competition to emerge in camp is between Connor McMichael and Hendrix Lapierre who are vying for the open third-center spot if Nicklas Backstrom is unable to start the season due to a nagging hip injury.

Both first-round picks have impressive credentials. McMichael led the Hershey Bears in scoring last season as a rookie while Lapierre has been mighty impressive during camp, leading all Capitals in scoring during the preseason.

During Wednesday’s pregame skate, McMichael centered Conor Sheary and TJ Oshie on the third line while Lapierre was an extra, meaning the 2020 first-round pick will not play against the Bruins.

Does that mean that Connor McMichael is the favorite to land the 3C spot?

“I’m going to answer this and you’re going to take it right from my mouth,” Capitals head coach Peter Laviolette said. “I wouldn’t say that. That’s not saying that he is or he isn’t. I’m just saying, we have two games left. (Connor and Hendrix) played the same amount of games. We want to make sure that the young players are rested as well so they go into games and give themselves the best chance to show what they can do.

“I’ve gone into (past) training camps (as a coach), like an eight-game training camp before, and you wanna see the young players,” he continued. “So you play them in seven out of eight games and by the seventh game they’re gassed. So what we’re trying to do is put them in a position where they’re fresh and they have good energy and good pop so that they can show exactly what they want to do.”

Laviolette hedged that Lapierre will draw back into the Capitals’ final preseason game of the year on Friday at home against the Philadelphia Flyers. That likely means these final two games will be the prospects’ final auditions before they’re judged by Capitals management and a decision is made.

“There will be changes to the lineup come Game Six,” Laviolette said. “Lappy will be back in there. He’ll get another opportunity to show what he can do. I don’t like the wording of that, but I’m nervous how I’m answering it because you’re going to write it. We’re still at Training Camp and they’re both still fighting for that position. They’re both still fighting to be in the lineup.”

Lapierre has five assists in three games while McMichael has one goal (Monday’s game against NJD), but leads all Capitals with seven shots.

Regardless of who ends up getting the prized opportunity, McMichael and Lapierre will be set up to succeed with two veteran wingers in Conor Sheary and TJ Oshie.

“They’re both really smart players,” Laviolette said. “They’re players that can communicate well. They bring a lot of experience, a lot of knowledge to a young player that can help them in practices… before a game, during a game, and after a game.”

Headline photo: Elizabeth Kong/RMNB