The Washington Capitals are no strangers to significant roster changes. Blockbuster trades have been a staple of the team for years, and they acquired multiple big names and new faces at the 2024 trade deadline and throughout the offseason. While Washington was once a team of mediocrity, “mediocre” is not even in their vocabulary as of late. This season, many players, even those once considered “washed up” by their former teams and fanbases, have found their places within the Capitals organization and have begun to perform at their best once again. A respectable head coach, a culture of winning, and a team that is truly a team–not just a hockey club– have created an environment where NHL careers thrive.
Pierre-Luc Dubois
A prime example of a player finding their niche on the Capitals is forward Pierre-Luc Dubois. Dubois exemplifies the fact that not every team works for every player. Players need to find the lineup, culture, and system where they fit best in order to shine. In the 2023-2024 season, PLD was with the Los Angeles Kings. His performance was mediocre at best, with just 40 points in 82 games with the club and an average of 15:42 TOI– the second lowest in his career. Adding a player like Pierre-Luc Dubois was a risk for the Capitals, but one that was ultimately successful. Dubois plays in the top six and is clutch on the assist. The left winger has 27 assists on the season already and has totaled 34 points through 44 games. With those numbers, he is on pace to surpass last season’s point total shortly, with just under half of the season remaining. Lines perform better with Dubois, and his performance is a huge factor in Washington’s successes so far.
Jakob Chychrun
Jakob Chychrun was a defensive staple on the Arizona Coyotes for seven seasons. Unfortunately, his career has been plagued by injury, and in the games he did play, he found himself in the middle of the pack talent-wise. His first full NHL season came last year with the Ottawa Senators, where he tallied 41 points in 82 games. It’s not a bad record by any means, but it’s nothing close to how he has performed with the Capitals. At six-foot-two and 205 pounds, he has a big body and a strong physical presence on the ice, and he has helped the Capitals’ blue line tremendously. He has proven himself to be an offensive defenseman, totaling 30 points in just 39 games with the team. He scores when it matters and fires up his teammates. He is an important presence on the ice whether or not he’s finding the back of the net– his +17 plus-minus is the highest in his career so far and he spends an average of around twenty minutes on ice a night. He was a fantastic defensive pickup for the team.
Brandon Duhaime
While Brandon Duhaime may not be the first player that crosses your mind when you think “superstar”, his play certainly is at its best now that he has joined the Washington Capitals. The right winger has, historically, fallen short offensively, with his career-high point total being just 17 in 80 games during his rookie season. Duhaime is a solid fourth-liner and has found his place alongside Capitals veteran Nic Dowd and newcomer Andrew Mangiapane. He is on track to surpass his career points record, with 12 points so far through 44 games played.
Taylor Raddysh
Another bottom-six forward to take note of is Taylor Raddysh. He arrived in Washington off a very poor season with the Chicago Blackhawks– just 14 points in 73 games. This season in DC, he has already surpassed last season’s performance, adding 18 points to his stats sheet. He is a staple on the Capitals’ ever-changing third and fourth lines, often finding himself alongside Lars Eller and either Jakub Vrana, Ivan Miroshnichenko, or, most recently, rookie Ethen Frank. He did, however, take the second line with superstars Alex Ovechkin and Dylan Strome on January 6th. He plays fast and seems to be finding his footing on the ice in Washington.
Logan Thompson
Goaltender Logan Thompson has been an absolute game-changer for the Washington Capitals. He previously spent four seasons as part of Vegas’ goalie tandem, primarily serving as their backup. The trade was surprising, as Thompson was the team’s starting goalie for most of the 2023-2024 season, playing 46 games. He was also a huge factor in their success, boasting a 25-14-5 record and a .908 save percentage. However, the Capitals’ general manager knew what he was doing with the pickup, and Logan Thompson is a large part of why Washington has achieved the level of success they’ve had this season. Thompson has played 24 games this season and has a 19-2-3 record. He became the only goalie in franchise history to win his first seven games. He is a brick wall in the net and has helped Washington’s goalie tandem to become one of the strongest in team history.
Dylan Strome
We could not talk about a career thriving in Washington, D.C., without mentioning Dylan Strome. He was drafted third overall in 2015 and was supposed to be a phenom; however, he fell short of expectations in his career with both the Coyotes and the Blackhawks. While he improved over time in Chicago, they were ready to part ways with Strome, and he joined the Washington Capitals in the 2022-2023 season. Dylan Strome immediately found his groove with the team, boasting a career-high 65 points in 81 games. He was playing fast, finding open lanes, and acting as a solid playmaker for the team. This season, he has found himself right alongside Alexander Ovechkin on the first or second lines night after night. In the absence of Ovi’s partner-in-crime, Nicklas Backstrom, Dylan Strome has assisted on nearly every one of Ovechkin’s 20 goals this year. He has found the back of the net 12 times and averages over a point per game (46 in 44). His home is Washington, D.C., and should he keep up this kind of offensive performance, he will find himself there for a long, long time.
With nearly every player on the ice playing at their best, the Washington Capitals have had incredible success this season. They currently sit at first overall in the NHL with 63 points and are a shoo-in for the Stanley Cup playoffs. They know what they’re doing–and careers are thriving.
ITR 35: Round One – Inside The Rink
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