The Capitals made some major shakeups to their lines on Monday.
The Capitals made some major shakeups to their lines on Monday.
The Washington Capitals are shaking things up after a rough go in the season opener, and the biggest move sees captain Alex Ovechkin move from the left wing to the right.
Ovechkin last played on the right side over a decade ago, and will now revert back to that position as head coach Spencer Carbery makes tweaks with the hopes of further sparking the Capitals' offense.
"We just mix it up," Ovechkin told reporters Monday, via the AP's Steve Whyno. "We still have options to find out the right combinations. It's the beginning of the year, new faces on the team, so we have to find the right combinations, right chemistry."
This isn't a new idea for the Capitals, as Carbery had Ovechkin take some reps on the right side during training camp and mentioned it as a possibility for this season. But ultimately, his move to the other side offers multiple benefits for D.C.
For Washington, it gives the team an opportunity to use Ovechkin in a different spot and could potentially throw off opponents.
Aliaksei Protas will also jump to the top line with Ovechkin, and the move to Ovechkin on the right wing and Protas' promotion also allows Carbery to bolster the third line by adding Andrew Mangiapane to the mix alongside Hendrix Lapierre and Jakub Vrana.
Ovechkin has also found success on the right side in the past, and with 42 goals to go, he could certainly use a boost as Washington continues to start the season.
The Capitals will likely see Ovechkin on the right wing for Tuesday's game against the Vegas Golden Knights.
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