The Washington Capitals will have a new face in their lineup against the Philadelphia Flyers on Wednesday night.
Head coach Spencer Carbery confirmed that defenseman Jack St. Ivany will be making his Capitals debut. Washington claimed the 27-year-old defender off waivers from the Winnipeg Jets last weekend, and he’ll make his first appearance since Winnipeg’s 3-2 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes on October 17.
Carbery kept it simple when asked what he’d like to see from St. Ivany in the blueliner’s first test with the Capitals.
“Just solid, reliable minutes,” Carbery said. “Nothing other than that. Just defend well. He’s a big body, good stick. If he gets an opportunity to get on the penalty kill, give us some good minutes there. Move pucks well and defend well.”
St. Ivany will start his Capitals career on the team’s third pairing, alongside rookie defenseman Cole Hutson. The two have spent two practices together ahead of the matchup against Philadelphia.
Capitals defense pairings against Flyers
Hutson has already played with several partners this season, and Carbery spoke about how those players need to adapt to playing with such a highly skilled, often offensively aggressive partner.
“That’s what I talked to Jack St. Ivany about was that exact point,” Carbery said. “He has to know that there’s going to be certain situations where you’re going to have to read off of Cole because Cole has a unique skill set that not a lot of D partners that you’ve played with have. He’s going to do some things that you go, ‘Whoa, I didn’t know he would be there.’
“That’s where it’s different than his maybe left-shot partner that he played with the majority of the year in Pitt, Ryan Shea. Cole’s going to be in some different spots, and he just has to be aware of that. It doesn’t change his game. You just have to be aware and watch for those scenarios where Cole uses his instincts to do something and puts him in a position that is not the norm.”
St. Ivany has played 57 career NHL games, with all but four coming with the Pittsburgh Penguins. Since he debuted with the Penguins on March 22, 2024, he has nine career points, all assists. Despite playing 33 fewer games, Hutson has already outscored his newest partner, recording 15 points (5g, 10a).
Hutson and St. Ivany will both play their second career games against the Flyers, who enter the contest on the heels of two straight losses.
