The Washington Capitals are getting closer to training camp after a busy offseason of changes that saw them bring in a number of new faces while parting ways with others.
Washington acquired Pierre-Luc Dubois to kick off the summer and then added Andrew Mangiapane, Logan Thompson, Jakob Chychrun, Matt Roy, Brandon Duhaime and Taylor Raddysh while parting ways with Darcy Kuemper, Beck Malenstyn, Nicolas Aube-Kubel, Max Pacioretty and Nick Jensen.
On Thursday, the Capitals made one more addition, reuniting with Jakub Vrana on a professional tryout for training camp.
Considering the changes, what will Washington's lineup look like at the start of the season? The Hockey News provides its projected combinations as D.C. looks to turn into a contender come October.
Capitals Forward Lines
Washington's forward lines will undergo the most change, with Dubois and more joining the mix while Hendrix Lapierre is also expected to graduate full-time to the NHL level.
Lapierre's promotion would lead to an influx of centers, meaning that one would have to move to the wing. Head coach Spencer Carbery said that he believes Connor McMichael would be that likely candidate to play on the wing. On the top-6, it'll be Dubois battling with Dylan Strome for the role of first-line center to work with Alex Ovechkin, who is 42 goals away from breaking Wayne Gretzky's all-time goals record.
All the while, T.J. Oshie's future remains in flux, as it's unclear whether or not the 37-year-old forward will return for one more season amid chronic back issues. Oshie said earlier in the offseason that he wants to play again, but that if he couldn't find a full-time solution to his pain, then he would have to stay away. And, given all the new additions, it seems less likely that No. 77 will be back, though nothing's set in stone.
On the wing, Andrew Mangiapane will compete for the role of first-line center with Tom Wilson, and perhaps Carbery will want to change up the combinations to be different than last year to provide a different look.
That said, here's how we expect the Capitals forward lines to stack up for the opener:
Alex Ovechkin-Dylan Strome-Andrew Mangiapane
Connor McMichael-Pierre-Luc Dubois-Tom Wilson
Aliaksei Protas-Hendrix Lapierre-Sonny Milano
Brandon Duhaime-Nic Dowd-Taylor Raddysh
As for extra forwards, Jakub Vrana will look to earn an NHL roster spot as he tries out for the team that took him 13th overall in 2014. Ivan Miroshnichenko, Ethen Frank, Bogdan Trineyev and Riley Sutter also want NHL ice time and could compete for a role at the highest level, too.
Capitals Defensive Pairings
Washington's defense got a big boost this summer, as the team traded for offensive defenseman Jakob Chychrun and also inked Matt Roy to a six-year contract.
Though Chychrun is also offensive-minded like John Carlson, the two would provide a unique look on the top pairing and be a force to be reckoned with. Of course, Martin Fehervary will also be looking to remain with his longtime defensive partner while showcasing his shutdown game, but it seems as though Carbery could lean toward Chychrun-Carlson to start the year.
Matt Roy, meanwhile, provides D.C. with a definitive top-4 right-handed defenseman, so he will slot in on that second pairing behind Carlson. Next to him will likely be Rasmus Sandin, who brings finesse and puck-moving instincts to the mix and would complement Roy's style well.
That leaves Fehervary and Trevor van Riemsdyk rounding out that second pairing. Don't forget about Alex Alexeyev and Ethan Bear, though. Alexeyev showed that he can play a key role and be a full-time NHL defenseman, and Bear will be looking to compete for ice time after time in the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program held him out for the end of last season.
Here's how the defense stacks up:
Jakob Chychrun-John Carlson
Rasmus Sandin-Matt Roy
Martin Fehervary-Trevor van Riemsdyk
Alex Alexeyev-Ethan Bear
Capitals Goaltending
After last season, it's clear that Charlie Lindgren has earned his chance to start the season as the Capitals' No. 1. He was a huge part in leading Washington to the playoffs, as he boasted a .912 save percentage and started game after game down the stretch to carry D.C.
However, he'll be tested, as Logan Thompson isn't just a No. 2; the 27-year-old comes from the Vegas Golden Knights and, just one season ago, was an NHL All-Star. Injuries and inconsistency have led to a drop in his numbers, but he's expected to compete with Lindgren for starts as the two make up a 1A/1B tandem.
Carbery said Lindgren has earned credibility with the team, but also isn't leaning toward naming a starter right away. Expect both of them to split time and push each other, and for one of the goaltenders to take that job and run with it. Both are also unrestricted free agents at the end of the year, so the pressure is on for an extension.
