ARLINGTON, V.A. — As the Washington Capitals enter free agency, they remain in the mix for another top forward.
General manager Chris Patrick spoke on Washington's to-do list going into free agency, and noted that there's a desire to add more scoring to the mix.
When it comes down to it, though, Connor McMichael is the key piece of the puzzle when it comes to bringing in another name, as his versatility gives the Capitals the opportunity to go in multiple directions.
"I think McMichael gives us options. We can put up a lineup that has him in the middle and try to fill in the wings. But if we miss on wings, maybe we bump Mikey over to the wing, right?" Patrick explained, adding, "We can move the puzzle pieces around more with Mikey's ability to do that, which is very helpful and we obviously know what he can do in the top-6."
McMichael is coming off a career year with Washington, where he put up 26 goals and 31 assists for a career-high 57 points, along with a plus/minus rating of plus-19 while mainly playing on the second line wing alongside Pierre-Luc Dubois and Tom Wilson. He added six points in 10 playoff games and ended the year playing the third-line center role.
For McMichael, he wants to be a center going forward, given that's his natural position, though he's willing to play wherever he's needed.
“I thought I took a pretty big jump… really solidified myself as a good player in this league. Just fine-tuning all the things I did work on to bring to my spot, but also looking to find areas to improve and always wanting to get better to elevate my game,” McMichael said, adding, "I love it here. I want to be here for a very long time – as long as possible — and help this team win.”
Free agency opens on Tuesday, and with McMichael able to play multiple roles, it should be easier for Patrick to pursue a name.