Why the Capitals Took a Chance on Jack St. Ivany

Championships aren’t won by stars alone. Sometimes, it’s the guys willing to do the dirty work who make all the difference.

The Washington Capitals know that. Their 2018 Stanley Cup run took big performances from Alex Ovechkin and the team’s other stars, but it also took contributions from players like Brett Connolly and Lars Eller. They weren’t the faces of the franchise, but they stepped up when Washington needed them.

Now, the Capitals are taking a chance on Jack St. Ivany, a 27-year-old defenseman who knows exactly how much this opportunity means.

“It’s wild … You’ve got to uproot your life and change cities. I’m really grateful for the opportunity at the end of the day. I would do anything to play in the NHL.”

St. Ivany was claimed off waivers Saturday after the Winnipeg Jets made him available. Just like that, he had a new team, a new city, and another chance to make a name for himself in the NHL.

For a player who’s willing to do whatever it takes to stay in the league, that’s an opportunity worth chasing.

And it’s the kind of move that makes sense for Washington.

Look back at the Capitals’ Cup run. Connolly scored 15 goals during the 2017-18 regular season, then added six more in the playoffs. Eller went from 18 goals in 81 regular-season games to seven in 24 postseason appearances.

Those contributions mattered. Washington didn’t win the Cup because of its stars alone. It won because players throughout the lineup found ways to help.

St. Ivany probably won’t be asked to produce those kinds of numbers. That’s not his game. He describes himself as a physical defenseman with a good stick, and he’s played 57 NHL games in his career, including four with Winnipeg this season.

What he can bring is a willingness to compete, play a physical game, and make life difficult for opposing forwards. With injuries affecting the Capitals’ blue line, there’s a chance for him to earn minutes and show he can be a dependable NHL defenseman.

Of course, making the most of that chance is up to him. A waiver claim gets him through the door. What happens next depends on how he plays.

There’s also the question of fit. The Capitals have built a close-knit locker room, and anyone who has followed this team knows how much that bond means. Players don’t have to be stars to become valued teammates. Sometimes, being willing to put the team first goes a long way.

St. Ivany’s attitude certainly sounds like a good place to start.

And getting to share a locker room with Alex Ovechkin isn’t a bad bonus, either. Having already played alongside Sidney Crosby in Pittsburgh, St. Ivany now gets the chance to learn from another future Hall of Famer. He called the opportunity “kind of a dream.”

For Washington, this is a chance to add some size, physicality, and depth without asking St. Ivany to be something he’s not.

The Capitals already know what their stars can do. Now they need the rest of the roster to do its part, too. If St. Ivany can carve out a role and give them solid minutes, this could turn into a worthwhile pickup.

Because come playoff time, it’s not always the biggest names who make the difference. Sometimes, it’s the guys who are simply willing to do whatever it takes to be there.