The Washington Capitals have taken two games from the New York Rangers this season, and Connor McMichael played a significant part in both wins. After scoring in Washington’s 5-3 win over New York on October 29, McMichael added another against the Rangers in a 7-4 victory on Saturday afternoon.
McMichael’s goal in this most recent game restored Washington’s two-goal lead before they headed in for the second intermission. After Ryan Lindgren flipped a puck over the glass, Dylan Strome found a wide-open McMichael in the slot for a power-play marker with just 1:47 remaining in the second period.
In the two games against New York this season, McMichael has recorded two goals, 11 shots on goal, 18 individual shot attempts, 14 individual scoring chances, and nine individual high-danger chances. He is up to 31 points (17g, 14a) in 39 games this season, leaving him on pace to record a career-best 65-point year.
McMichael was moved back to center for the first time this season before Saturday’s contest and immediately provided a jolt to a third line that has struggled to produce the entire year. They combined for two goals in the win and were not on the ice for any of New York’s four tallies.
“Tonight, I thought I got a little bit back on track and felt good,” McMichael said postgame. “I felt a lot more comfortable [at center] than I was expecting. Yesterday, got a practice in, but it’s not always easy switching positions in the middle of the year like that, especially when we’re 40 or so games in. Felt really comfortable, felt natural.”
The 23-year-old forward does not need to look far for motivation to produce against the Rangers. Despite New York’s terrible first half (17-20-1), Peter Laviolette is still behind New York’s bench as their head coach. Laviolette was the bench boss in DC when McMichael first broke through to the NHL but refused to give the former first-round pick consistent ice time.
In fact, during Laviolette’s last year in charge of the Capitals, he essentially forced McMichael to the AHL’s Hershey Bears in November 2022 after stapling him to the press box despite McMichael making Washington’s Opening Night roster and needing consistent game time for development purposes. When McMichael did get a rare sweater during that NHL stint, he averaged just 8:52 TOI in six games.
“This job, for me, was to try and get this group of guys that had experienced success in the past and, in any way that I can try to help influence them to get back to that while integrating some of the young players,” Laviolette said after the Capitals dismissed him.
“But, the young players have to come up and take and earn those minutes and outplay somebody,” he added. “So there’s gotta be an accountability with that. You can’t just throw players in there and start sitting the veteran players that you’re here to coach.”
McMichael admitted that he may have held hard feelings toward Laviolette in the past but is more motivated now by his desire to see the Capitals succeed.
“Maybe if it was two years ago but now it’s in the past,” McMichael said. “Anytime I can help the team win, it’s huge.”
Laviolette’s words came after he led the Capitals to their worst full, 82-game season in 16 years. Now, in his second season with the Rangers, he is seeing some of the same issues. Coming into the year with Stanley Cup aspirations, New York is tied with the New York Islanders for last in the Metropolitan Division.
To find answers to the team’s downfall, general manager Chris Drury has traded away several players, including former second-overall draft selection Kaapo Kakko. Just days before being traded, Kakko, 23, was critical of Laviolette healthy scratching him. Kakko indicated his belief that the scratch was purely age-related.
Since Laviolette’s departure, McMichael has blossomed with the Capitals and restored his confidence. Under Spencer Carbery last year, McMichael recorded 33 points in 80 games, his new single-season career high.
The Ontario native has earned increasing responsibility from Carbery this season, most recently tasked with rescuing the team’s struggling third line. The first steps of that process have been successful. Not only did McMichael have personal success in Saturday’s game, but the Capitals were also positive with his line on the ice at five-on-five. They did not give up a single New York high-danger chance.
