The Washington Capitals have their sights set on returning as contenders in 2026-27 following a productive offseason. But, beyond their newcomers, also expect a bigger year for some of their longer-tenured names, notably Dylan Strome.
Strome is coming off a bit of a down season with Washington, where, after posting 82 points in 82 games a year before, he had 19 goals and 39 assists for 58 points in 80 games.
At season's end, the 29-year-old noted there was some inconsistency, and though it was a year of growth, he noted in his exit interview the need to get back to that production going forward.
"Obviously my numbers were down this year, which is never a good thing... my job on this team is to help score and get points and help the team win games, and ultimately, didn't do as well as last year," Strome said, adding, "I want to try to get back to the pace I was on last year."
Since joining the Capitals in 2023, Strome has embraced the role as the team's top center, skating mainly alongside Alex Ovechkin and Anthony Beauvillier. While they've had undeniable chemistry, at times, it appeared to fade.
Beyond 5-on-5 play, Strome also struggled along with the entire top power-play unit, as the team finished with the eighth-worst PP percentage in the league. That in itself also heavily impacted his numbers.
"That's where I feel like I help the team most is by producing and scoring and helping the team on the power play," Strome noted. "When the power play struggles, and you're the guy that's on the power play the whole year, you take it personally and you want to be better."
Now, with Alex Tuch and Jordan Kyrou joining the mix, and new power play coach Ray Bennett at the helm, there are more options to experiment with, and more speed up front to complement Strome's play.
Not only that, but there were areas where Strome excelled this past season, including in the dot as he posted a career-high 58.2 face-off win percentage. He also took on a bigger role as a vocal leader and tried to improve his defensive play.
That being said, Strome feels he's in a good spot to bounce back and show that he's still a top center option for a D.C. team in prime position to make serious noise.
"I'm still happy with a lot of parts of my game... I feel like someone that can be relied upon," Strome said, adding, "Since I signed with the Caps, I just try to get a little bit better each year. They were the ones that, you know, took a chance on me to sign me with a one-year deal and then reward me with a five-year extension, so I'm just trying to get better each year and prove that I want to be here for a long time."
