Change is afoot within the Capitals lineup.

Connor McMichael looks set to enter the forward ranks for the first time this season. McMichael, who was beaten out in Training Camp by Hendrix Lapierre for the third line center spot, took rushes on that line between Conor Sheary and TJ Oshie at practice Monday.

The full lines are via the Washington Post’s Samantha Pell.

Capitals lines during Monday’s practice:

Ovechkin-Kuznetsov-Wilson
Mantha-Eller-Sprong
Sheary-McMichael-Oshie
Hagelin-Dowd-Hathaway

Fehervary-Carlson
Orlov-Jensen
TvR-Schultz

*Lapierre looked like the extra, Cholowski-Irwin as the extra D pair

— Samantha Pell (@SamanthaJPell) October 18, 2021

Lapierre is coming off a game against the Lightning that saw him benched for large portions of the second and third period. He skated a team-low 7:25 at five-on-five, a full three minutes less than the next Capitals skater.

The third line has been a spot of bother for the Capitals at even strength even with Lapierre’s debut goal against the Rangers. According to Natural Stat Trick, the Sheary-Lapierre-Oshie line has seen only 20-percent of the shot attempts and has been out-chanced 6-2 while getting pretty favorable zone starts.

McMichael, who made his NHL debut last season, has been working as the extra forward at practice. It looks as if that will change.

More evidence of that potential move could be seen as the Capitals’ power play units got to work. Daniel Sprong has jumped into the spot Lapierre held for the first two games on the second unit.

Capitals power play units:

PP1: Ovechkin, Carlson, Kuznetsov, Oshie, Mantha

PP2: Orlov, Schultz, Wilson, Eller, Sprong

*Lapierre has been on PP2 in the first two games. Sprong now in.

— Samantha Pell (@SamanthaJPell) October 18, 2021

Tuesday night, the Capitals play the Colorado Avalanche in DC.

Headline photo: Elizabeth Kong/RMNB