The Washington Capitals will return to home ice on Friday to take on the Columbus Blue Jackets at Capital One Arena. The Caps are coming off their first preseason victory — a 5-3 win over the New Jersey Devils — after dressing their most veteran roster of the exhibition season.
Capitals head coach Spencer Carbery is making one major change to his lines that could have ramifications for the team’s Opening Night roster. Connor McMichael is moving off the wing and will return to center.
The 23-year-old forward is a natural centerman who primarily played the position during a career-best 2023-24 season, where he notched 33 points (18g, 15a).
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Before today, McMichael spent all of camp as the left wing on what figured to be Washington’s second line for Opening Night, skating with Pierre-Luc Dubois and Tom Wilson.
“I want Mikey to be able to stay fresh with playing in the middle, and he’s played every day at camp thus far for two weeks he’s been on the wing,” Carbery said. “I’ve really liked him there. I’ve felt like it’s been seamless. I feel like his speed isn’t affected there. Like sometimes you get a little bit worried about, because he’s such a great skater, you move him to the wall, and sometimes centermen, when they play the wing, you don’t notice their speed as much, and I’ve noticed him every day, even playing the wing.
“He’s done a great job playing the wing early in camp. I’ve liked his camp thus far. I just want him to still be involved playing center, so that’s the objective tonight for him playing the middle.”
While Carbery gives a more innocent reason for the switch-up, McMichael may be getting reps at center due to Hendrix Lapierre struggling to make a mark in his first opportunities in the lineup. Lapierre has played in two games to this point, and with him on the ice at five-on-five, Washington has been scored on three times and has no goals of their own. Lapierre is the Capitals’ only projected NHL center to hold a negative goal differential.
Lapierre earned AHL playoff MVP honors at the end of last season, leading the Hershey Bears to a second consecutive Calder Cup. The 22-year-old pivot centered Hershey’s top line and their top power-play unit, posting 22 points (7g, 15a) in 20 postseason games to lead both the champion Bears and the league overall in playoff scoring.
Lapierre’s inability to repeat some of that success this fall may be due to fatigue. He has played 176 games over the past two seasons across the NHL and AHL, seeing those years extend into late June due to Hershey’s back-to-back playoff success.
Washington’s 2020 first-round draft pick is waivers exempt and could freely return to Hershey this season if the Capitals deem that necessary. Former general manager Brian MacLellan indicated in July that Lapierre’s spot on this year’s roster was never guaranteed.
“I’m anticipating Lappy in the lineup, but he still has to have a good camp,” MacLellan said.
Whatever the actual reason, McMichael is ready for anything his head coach directs him to do.
“I just want to keep being that guy that Carbs can rely on in all situations, play a lot whether it’s wing or center,” McMichael said. “I’m easygoing, so I can play anywhere.
“I think it would be harder for me to go to wing from center, but going wing to center is pretty natural for me. Should be good.”
Besides getting his first look at McMichael at center this preseason, Carbery is also icing his new look first line and top defense pairing again. Alex Ovechkin, Dylan Strome, and Andrew Mangiapane combined for three points (2g, 1a) against New Jersey, while Jakob Chychrun and John Carlson combined for two points (1g, 1a) from the backend.
Washington’s lineup will also feature every forward assumed to be involved in the battle for the team’s last roster spots. That group includes Jakub Vrana, Mike Sgarbossa, Andrew Cristall, Ethen Frank, Henrik Rybinski, Ivan Miroshnichenko, and Pierrick Dubé.
Additionally, Carbery confirmed that number one netminder Charlie Lindgren will get his first start and play the entire game.
Puck drop is set for 7 pm.
