Days after winning silver with Team Canada at the 2021 World Junior Championship, Connor McMichael will make his way to Washington DC this weekend to begin quarantine ahead of training camp. It’s unclear when the Capitals’ top prospect will complete protocol, but he could begin skating with the team as soon as next week.
The news was first reported by The Athletic’s Tarik El-Bashir.
The Canadians are advancing to the gold-medal game of the 2021 World Junior Championship after defeating Team Russia 5-0 on Monday.
Capitals’ top prospect Connor McMichael scored Canada’s second goal of the game. It was his fourth of the tournament.
Connor McMichael had another multi-point game in Canada’s 3-0 quarterfinal win against the Czech Republic.
McMichael authored the primary assist on Canada’s first goal of the game – a Dylan Cozens breakaway goal – and tallied the empty netter late in the third period to clinch the game for Canada.
Just like Paw Patrol, Connor McMichael’s on a roll.
The Capitals’ top prospect scored his second goal of the 2021 World Junior Championship in Canada’s 10-0 blowout of Switzerland, Tuesday. McMichael also chipped in an assist on a Dylan Cozen’s goal for his second multiple-point outing of the tourney.
McMichael has five points in three games after scoring seven in all of last year’s tournament.
Not only is Connor McMichael good at hockey, but he’s also a fancypants.
A day after scoring a goal and tallying three points against Germany, the Capitals’ top prospect utilized the skill stick on a semi breakaway against Team Slovakia.
Team Germany, who was playing their second game in consecutive nights and had only 14 skaters due to an outbreak of COVID-19, got destroyed by defending champion Team Canada on Saturday. Germany lost 16-2 and was outshot 44-15.
Canada got goals from 10 different players, including Capitals’ 2019 first-round pick Connor McMichael. McMichael scored Canada’s 16th goal of the game and assisted on two other tallies to post three points in his debut game of the tournament.
Canada was led by Dylan Cozens’s three goals and three assists. During the second period, they set the IIHF WJC record for most goals in one period (8).
Connor McMichael is a Connor McCaptain.
On Saturday, before the team’s first game of the 2021 World Junior Championship against Germany, Canada named the Capitals’ top prospect an alternate captain.
“Per @IIHFHockey rules, @BowenByram and @Dylan_Cozens will take turns wearing the “C”, and @con91mcmichael will serve as a full-time alternate. Despite being unable to play, @kdach77 will remain Team Canada captain.”
Kirby Dach’s injury will ultimately be Connor McMichael’s gain.
A day after announcing that Dach would miss the entire 2021 World Junior Championship due to a fractured wrist, Team Canada moved McMichael out of their bottom six and will have the Capitals’ blue-chipper center the first line.
Canada plays Germany at 4 PM on Saturday – their first game of the WJC. Canada is trying to repeat as champions.
During the 2020-21 season, the NHL will introduce “taxi squads” to rosters as insurance if there’s an outbreak of COVID-19. The taxi squad will feature four to six players who will make an AHL salary.
“We haven’t made any decisions on [who will be on it],” Capitals general manager Brian MacLellan said Wednesday. “We’re going to have training camp. Obviously, we have a couple new coaches. They’ll come in, evaluate our needs on the taxi squad, make some decisions after training camp on who will be there, and then go from there.”
While MacLellan was unsure who exactly the team will pick beyond a third goaltender like Pheonix Copley, there’s one high-profile prospect he admits is “a possibility”: 2019 first-round pick Connor McMichael. The Capitals’ top prospect is currently playing for Team Canada in the 2021 World Junior Championship and is on the cusp of being an NHL player.
Washington Capitals’ 2019 first-round pick, Connor McMichael, has made Canada’s World Junior Championship team for a second consecutive year and will look to defend his gold medal from a year ago.
The 19-year-old center will go from a fourth-line depth forward to a top-line winger and a leader on the new team.
McMichael will wear number 17 in the tournament.
