The Washington Capitals are just three days into Training Camp, but their eventual forward lines to open the 2024-25 season already appear to be taking shape. Head coach Spencer Carbery has his squad separated into three groups at camp, but some themes are forming even if the main group is not all together yet.
Three of the four lines Carbery seems to be assembling are brand new, skating together as a unit for the first time. Washington made several acquisitions over the summer and saw several players leave via trade or free agency.
On the top line, Alex Ovechkin and Dylan Strome are pretty familiar with one another, playing just over 1,072 minutes together at five-on-five over the past two seasons. Carbery is choosing to go back with the combination based on what worked about it last season.
“Strome and O, overall, we went to it, away from it – but they, overall sample, were productive last year,” Carbery said. “Even though it didn’t always end up in the back of the net, they usually were on the right side of the ledger.”
With the two on the ice last season, the Capitals were above water in shot attempts (50.9%), expected goals (51.7%), scoring chances (51.6%), and high-danger chances (53.5%). However, as Carbery points out, they were outscored 33 to 25. The hope is that adding Andrew Mangiapane to the line will boost the trio in all three zones.
The 28-year-old Mangiapane is just a few seasons removed from scoring a career-high 35 goals for the Calgary Flames. He has been an elite play driver in the past, and Carbery hopes to unlock some of that again, comparing his potential fit from an intelligence standpoint to TJ Oshie.
“First couple practices, extremely intelligent player,” Carbery said. “All the things that we’ve talked about and instilled – first couple reps, and he’s got it. He’s in the right spot, makes the right read. So that I noticed in the first two days and then I like that he’s got a little bit of a dog on a bone.
“He is in on pucks around the net, able to slip his way out of 1-on-1 situations, and spin so all of a sudden he has a little space. From a puck recovery, forecheck, keeping pucks alive in the offensive zone, I think he’ll be able to help that line.”
Pierre-Luc Dubois looks set to start his Capitals career on the team’s second line with Connor McMichael and Tom Wilson. Dubois has combined successfully with a winger like Wilson before, skating over 663 five-on-five minutes with Josh Anderson while the two were with the Columbus Blue Jackets.
“To start, Tom Wilson can help Dubois integrate,” Carbery said. “Willy, as the type of player that he is and the style of play, I think will help Dubois seamlessly integrate into the group.”
With Hendrix Lapierre likely graduating from the AHL after a playoff MVP performance and McMichael’s prior success playing wing, the latter could be the odd man out among the five natural centers on the roster.
That leaves Lapierre, Sonny Milano, and Aliaksei Protas as the lone roster players returning from last season without concrete spots so far.
The three had some success playing together in a small 25-minute sample size last season. Washington scored 3 goals with them on the ice at five-on-five and only allowed 1. However, they haven’t been matched up yet through three days of line rushes, which could indicate where the open competition is with names like Jakub Vrana, Ivan Miroshnichenko, and Ethen Frank.
Nic Dowd has retained his typical spot on the club’s fourth line, where he has resided for all six of his prior campaigns in Washington. Dowd’s two most common wingers last year, Beck Malenstyn and Nicolas Aube-Kubel, departed to the Buffalo Sabres over the summer. Free agency acquisitions Brandon Duhaime and Taylor Raddysh have replaced them.
Washington has six preseason games to help build chemistry and clarify any questions Carbery may still have. Their game is on Sunday afternoon at 3 pm against the Philadelphia Flyers.
