Dylan Strome appears to have gone from a top-six player to a healthy scratch in less than a week.
A day after skating on the wing of the fourth line during a short practice, Strome took part in the scratches’ skate after the Capitals’ optional morning skate, Saturday.
The news was reported by The Athletic’s Tarik El-Bashir.
Today’s morning skate was optional so no line rushes. Strome, Alexeyev, NAK and Lindgren are taking the scratches’ skate afterward. #Caps
— Tarik El-Bashir (@Tarik_ElBashir) January 14, 2023
Strome is the Capitals’ third-leading scorer this season, posting 31 points in 44 games. His eight goals rank sixth-best on the team.
“We’ve got to move some guys out of position,” Laviolette said on Friday. “We’re trying some things. I think that happens when you’re starting something. So there’s two guys back from injury — TJ’s been back from injury for a half dozen games now — and Nick and Tom are back. We have to slot these guys in and see what’s working what’s not working. It’s not so much the line somebody’s on has to go score a goal. It’s more about the team and if we’re driving play.”
Strome spent most of the season centering the first line, but has seen his opportunity minimized since Nicklas Backstrom returned from injury. During Backstrom’s first game back, Strome moved over to the wing on the second line. The former Erie Otter was then moved to third-line center against the Flyers before it appears he lost his lineup spot entirely.
Peter Laviolette’s lines for tonight’s Capitals-Flyers game are not certain due to the optional skate, but without Strome and NAK in the lineup, this is how the team may line up based on their skate on Friday.
Ovechkin-Kuznetsov-Sheary
Milano-Backstrom-Wilson
Oshie-Dowd-Mantha
Johansson-Eller-Hathaway
The other players who took part in the scratches’ skate include Alex Alexeyev, Nicolas Aube-Kubel, and Charlie Lindgren.
6:55 pm update: Strome’s scratch is official.
Tonight's scratches against Philadelphia.#CapsFlyers | @ChasenBoscolo pic.twitter.com/nhu6AfIIQk
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) January 14, 2023
Headline photo: Alan Dobbins/RMNB
