Dylan Strome is taking on a bigger leadership role for the Capitals down the stretch.
ARLINGTON, V.A. — There's no one who hates to lose more than Dylan Strome.
The Washington Capitals center is known for his compete, and that fire and hunger to win resonate deeply with the rest of his team, especially in trying times like this down the stretch.
So, when it came time to select a new alternate captain following the departure of John Carlson and Nic Dowd, it was an easy choice.
"When I said (he leads) by example, you can just see it," Hendrix Lapierre said. "He hates losing more than he loves winning, and hates when bad things happen when he's on the ice. He always tries to do whatever it takes so that these mistakes won't happen again... he's a competitor and it shows."
Strome's worn the "A" on a handful of occasions for the Capitals, and will now wear it at home for the remainder of the 2025-26 campaign.
"He's sort of morphed into and grown into that role through his experience, through him becoming so comfortable in Washington, in our locker room," coach Spencer Carbery said. "He's got a wealth of knowledge. You guys all know how smart of a hockey guy he is, but (it's) also the little individual tendencies."
It's a role he's earned not just through that aforementioned compete, but also because of his own individual journey.
The 28-year-old has been through several ups and downs as he's navigated his career, from going third overall to the Arizona Coyotes in the 2015 NHL Draft to being traded to the Chicago Blackhawks to unexpectedly hitting free agency after not receiving a qualifying offer.
That's what eventually led him to Washington, where he turned a one-year, "prove it" deal into a longer-term stay while experiencing a resurgence as a top center and point producer.
At the same time, he's become a key member of the team's core and beloved part of the room, and, when he speaks, his team listens.
"He's such a supportive teammate. He's got a great relationship with every guy. I think he's just a guy that you love having around," alternate captain Tom Wilson said. "He's just such a good dude, and obviously a big part of this team. What we've been able to accomplish the last couple of years, he's a huge part of it. So I think it's only fitting that he just continues to grow as a leader."
When it comes to his leadership style, Strome doesn't put too much weight on being the loudest voice in the room, but leads i the way that he carries himself and composes himself on and off the ice.
"He's just very dialed in with what he does and takes a very serious approach to the game and knows a lot about the game, too," Lapierre said, adding, "Not (the) most vocal guy, but just showing the example every day with the way he plays and stuff. His passion and the way he talks about the game, it's fun to hear."
That has helped Strome set the example for young players like Lapierre to follow as they try and navigate the speed and intensity of the NHL.
And for Carbery, having that presence in the room is huge for a team that's getting younger and seeing the Alex Ovechkin era start to wind down.
"A lot of it, what it is, isn't necessarily X's and O's all the time. That's just a small part of it. I think it's their experiences through their career," Carbery explained. "So Dylan Strome, someone that was drafted third overall on his third or had some struggles early in his career of finding his footing and finding his identity as an NHL player. So think about that for Lappy, who can bounce ideas and ask him, 'What were you going through?' And Stromer being able to share some things that helped him along the way. That's so valuable.'"
Strome has been more than happy to take on a bigger leadership role, and while it hasn't added any additional pressure, it's something he takes seriously.
That said, Strome is just trying to do his part however he can.
"When you realize two important guys get traded away, other guys have to step up and other guys have to be loud voices and make the appropriate comments at the right times... we've tried to do that as best we can," Strome said.
"I'm just trying to be myself. I enjoy being around the guys, it's a really, really fun group to be a part of, and I just try to add to that as best I can," he added. "Everyone knows how we're super close in here, and when you lose guys like (Carlson and Dowd), it's tough to replace."
Matt Roy is serving as the team's other alternate on the road, and Washington will reevaluate where things stand going into next season.
For now, though, Strome will keep his letter, much to the joy of his teammates, who have had him as a top pick for the past few years.
"You talk to any guy in this room, they love having him as a teammate, and you know, he leads in his own way," Wilson said. "He's a big part of this group."