Reviewing The Washington Capitals’ Training Camp Battles: Who Has Capitalized On Opportunity?

A month ago, NoVa Caps highlighted potential position battles for the Washington Capitals with training camp three weeks away. Now, with one preseason game remaining and the roster trimmed to 29 players, additional names have emerged as contenders despite the arrival of seven, potentially eight, new players in the District this offseason. With just a week left before the NHL’s opening night, we revisit these battles to see who is coming out on top:

• 2LW
  • Original Candidates: Andrew Mangiapane, Hendrix Lapierre, Connor McMichael, Jakub Vrana
  • Emerging Candidates: N/A
  • Leading: McMichael
    • Head coach Spencer Carbery has preferred starting with a line of McMichael, Pierre-Luc Dubois, and Tom Wilson, which has performed well so far, being on the ice for two goals for and one against at five-on-five. However, their five-on-five expected goals percentage over 16:28 in two games is .4587, and their scoring chances-for percentage is just .2727. Dubois, who is expected to play a big role on the team and joined in June, may still be finding his footing. Additionally, Carbery appears committed to starting the season with Mangiapane on the top line alongside Alex Ovechkin and Dylan Strome.

• 3LW
  • Candidates: Mangiapane, Lapierre, McMichael, Vrana
  • Emerging Candidates: Sonny Milano, Ivan Miroshnichenko, Andrew Cristall
  • Leading: Miroshnichenko
    • The expectation was that at least two of the players who lost the battle for a top-six spot would form the third line with Milano, who has a .5137 expected goals percentage and a .4762 scoring chances-for percentage at five-on-five. However, Milano has had an underwhelming camp, which has opened the door for other players. With McMichael likely to start the season on the second line, Miroshnichenko (.5325 Corsi-for percentage, .4175 expected goals-for percentage, .5897 scoring chances-for percentage at five-on-five) has taken charge, contributing a goal and an assist in four games. While Cristall has had a strong camp (two goals; .55 Corsi-for percentage, .4236 expected goals-for percentage, .4667 scoring chances-for percentage at five-on-five in three games), he does not require waivers to be sent down, and the competition may be too intense for him to make the NHL roster.

• 3RW
  • Candidates: Vrana, Milano
  • Emerging Candidates: N/A
  • Leading: Vrana
    • The 28-year-old, who won the Stanley Cup with Washington in 2018 and joined the team on a PTO agreement, has recorded a goal and an assist in four games. He has also posted a .5955 Corsi-for percentage, .6001 expected goals-for percentage, and .625 scoring chances-for percentage at five-on-five. With neither Milano nor Lapierre (no points, .5 Corsi-for percentage, .4336 expected goals-for percentage, and .4583 scoring chances-for percentage at five-on-five in three games) capitalizing on their opportunities, the door has opened for a few others, including Vrana.

• We initially thought that if Vrana made the Capitals, it would push either Taylor Raddysh or Brandon Duhaime out of the lineup. However, the two have thrived on the fourth line with Nic Dowd, as the trio has combined for a .5106 Corsi-for percentage, .7514 expected goals-for percentage, and .5417 scoring chances-for percentage at five-on-five when playing together.
• 3RHD
  • Candidates: Ethan Bear, Trevor Van Riemsdyk, Alexander Alexeyev
  • Emerging Candidates: N/A
  • Leading: Van Riemsdyk
    • The 33-year-old has recorded one assist, along with a .5258 Corsi-for percentage, .5827 expected goals-for percentage, and .5827 scoring chances-for percentage at five-on-five over three games. Meanwhile, Bear has tallied a helper with a .5714 Corsi-for percentage, .4876 expected goals-for percentage, and .5 scoring chances-for percentage at five-on-five in three appearances. Alexeyev has posted two assists, as well as a .5 Corsi-for percentage, .4082 expected goals-for percentage, and .4828 scoring chances-for percentage at five-on-five in four games.
• 1G
  • Candidates: Logan Thompson, Charlie Lindgren
  • Emerging Candidates: N/A
  • Leading: Thompson
    • Thompson is the only goaltender with a save percentage above .79 and a positive goals-saved above average. He has posted a .907 save percentage (.902 at five-on-five, 1.000 on the penalty kill), along with a 2.50 goals-against average and four goals-saved above average (2.91 at five-on-five, 1.17 on the penalty kill) in two full games. Lindgren, despite playing just 59:13, recorded a .760 save percentage (.762 at five-on-five, .750 on the penalty kill), a 6.08 goals-against average, and 1.83 goals-saved below average (1.46 at five-on-five, 0.33 on the penalty kill) during that time.

With the final preseason game set for Saturday evening, Washington will likely use it as a test run for their opening night lineup, as they do not start the regular season for another week. While these appear to be the current position battles and frontrunners, the team may take a different approach depending on the elements they want to incorporate into their playing style.

The team has until 5 PM ET on Monday to submit their final 23-man roster for opening night.

By Harrison Brown