The Washington Capitals had arguably the busiest and most impactful offseason of any NHL team, adding difference-makers through trade or free agency at every position except goaltender.
General manager Chris Patrick and his staff finished their business in early July, coming away with a haul that includes Alex Tuch, Jordan Kyrou, Boone Jenner, Vincent Desharnais, and various other bits and pieces that will make the Capitals one of the deepest organizations in the league.
The new-look roster gives head coach Spencer Carbery a bevy of lineup options and combinations ahead of what the team hopes to be a return to form after missing the playoffs this past year. Earlier this month, on July 3, Carbery spoke with the media for the first time since the moves, explaining how the pickups will fit with the rest of the roster and make the team better.
Alex Tuch and Jordan Kyrou
The Capitals’ two signature additions were both top-six wingers, Alex Tuch and Jordan Kyrou, as the team finally addressed a need they’ve identified for the past few seasons. Both players are tremendous transition scorers and will provide a mix of speed and elite skill that Carbery was already raving about before getting his hands on them.
“Helps a lot, I think especially with Kyrou,” Carbery said. “Because we’re a big team, we’re a physical team, we get to the net, we forecheck, we can hold on to pucks, we’re long, our forward group. A player like him, and [Connor McMichael] was similar; I just think Jordan’s a little bit higher level when it comes to a game breaker with the puck, an ability to break you down with his skating, with his speed, with his puck skills. He is extremely, extremely dynamic.
“To have that on the wing now, someone that can fly. You imagine playing him, let’s just say, with [Aliaksei Protas] and [Pierre-Luc Dubois]. Now you’ve got two guys that are big, physical, get to the inside; Jordan is making plays off of entries, breaking guys down in zone, and you’ve got these two big heavy guys. It’s a good complement.”
He added, “[Tuch], I think he’s a great example of our whole forward group. He’s got all the tools. He’s got his speed, size, physicality, plays power play, penalty kill. He’s an every-situation guy for us.”
Both Tuch and Kyrou have primarily played right wing throughout their careers and are right-shot players. They join a Capitals lineup that often featured Tom Wilson, Ryan Leonard, and Alex Ovechkin all playing on the right side, but Carbery said he is not concerned whatsoever about fitting all of his offensive weapons in.
“You get more worried about moving wingers to the center-ice position if they haven’t played a lot of that,” Carbery said. “But guys playing their offside, like, [Ovechkin], you guys have seen, I know I get a kick out of – they announce him every night at Cap One on the left side. I’m like, ‘He’s playing right wing tonight.’ I think it’s more of a seamless transition. I know Jordan Kyrou’s played his offside. Leno’s played his offside. Alex Tuch’s played his offside. I don’t think it is as significant. I feel comfortable with a lot of different guys playing their offside.”
Boone Jenner
After bringing in some firepower for the top of their lineup, the Capitals also added some grit, leadership, defensive acumen, and an underrated scoring touch in the form of former Columbus Blue Jackets captain Boone Jenner. Carbery focused on Jenner’s versatility — he can play both wing and center up and down the lineup — as well as his likely role as one of the team’s top penalty killers.
“Boone is a perfect fit for our group because of the way he plays and the way he practices every single day,” Carbery said. “He is a true pro in every sense of the word, so he’s going to be a great guy that drives our group from a competitiveness standpoint, physicality, doing everything he can to help the team. He can play any position. He can play bottom six if you need him to play there. He can play top line for you. He can be first over the boards, winning faceoffs on the penalty kill.
“Maybe one night you see him playing fourth line center, fourth line left wing that’s going to play 14, 15 minutes. And then the next night he’s playing with Tom Wilson. And that’s great for a coach and for a staff to be able to have that, where players can move throughout your lineup and different special teams is a huge asset.”
Vincent Desharnais
With the Capitals needing to fill a hole left on the right side of their defense due to John Carlson’s departure and Rasmus Sandin’s injury, they inked the giant Vincent Desharnais to a long-term contract. The 6-foot-7, 227-pound blueliner is a defense-first rearguard, near perfectly suited to pair with Jakob Chychrun or Cole Hutson, which Carbery seems to be already penciling in for the fall.
“I spoke to a lot of people about [Desharnais] and his career path and where he’s come from Providence College,” Carbery said. “He has sort of grinded and gotten every last ounce out of his career thus far, and to earn a four-year deal and feel like he’s got comfortability with, ‘Okay, I’m going to be a Washington Capital for the next four years,’ and I heard him talking about this in his media availability. I think it’s going to be a great thing.
“We know exactly what he is and his identity as an NHL defenseman. I think he has a great understanding of that. I think it’s going to make it a perfect fit. We’ve got two really offensive left-stick defensemen in Jacob Chychrun and [Hutson]. So, to have Matt Roy at the forefront, but also Desharnais, to be able to really give us a reliable, strong, physical, good-defending defender like he is, is a really good fit.”
Jonny Brodzinski, Josh Dunne, and Justin Holl
To finish up their business on the first day of free agency, the Capitals went out and added some depth pieces: forwards Jonny Brodzinski and Josh Dunne and defenseman Justin Holl. While the two forwards are likely to start the season in the AHL with the Hershey Bears, there is a good chance that Holl beats out Dylan McIlrath to serve as an extra defenseman with the Caps.
“I thought they go under the radar because of [Tuch], because of Kyrou, because of Desharnais,” Carbery said. “Jonny Brodsinski, who you think is going to be in the American League in Hartford, and next thing you know, he’s up in New York. He’s playing over regulars every year, it felt like, over the last couple of years. I really appreciate his game. I think he’s going to be a good depth player for us. For opening night, not sure. It depends on injuries, depends on where we’re at, depends on his camp and that, but a really, really good player to provide depth.
“Josh Dunne, you saw him in Buffalo. We played against him last year; he played two Stanley Cup playoff games last year for Buffalo. Another example of a bigger, physical guy. Justin Holl, I worked with him in Toronto for a couple years. He’s a very, very reliable veteran, penalty killer, right shot. I think we’re in a really good spot from a depth standpoint.”
