The Capitals forward is thriving in his new role as the second-line center and has taken a big step to open the 2024-25 regular season.
The Washington Capitals have been enjoying a red-hot start to the 2024-25 season, with the new additions and tenured players working in sync to win some tough games. And one player in particular that deserves a lot of credit is Connor McMichael.
McMichael was tasked with settling into a new role this season, as head coach Spencer Carbery put him on the second-line left wing alongside Pierre-Luc Dubois and Tom Wilson to bolster the chemistry on the top-6 after years in his natural center position.
While it can be difficult to transition from being a natural center, McMichael has fit in seamlessly, and his impact hasn't gone away from moving away from the pivot position; if anything, he's gotten stronger.
"You can tell he's just way more fluid in his reads and reading off of Willy and the communication," Carbery said, adding, "He's one of the smartest players we have, and that's why he players center, wing. You can put him in any situation."
Through five games this season, McMichael has a goal and five assists for six points, producing at over a point-per-game pace while finding the scoresheet in all but one game so far. He's also averaging 16:01 minutes, the highest average ice time of his career so far.
Watching the 23-year-old, it's easy to see that he's gotten stronger and faster. His skating is a step better than it was last year. He's playing with more speed and confidence, and he's not afraid to win puck battles and use his stickhandling and hockey IQ to his advantage. When he doesn't have the puck, he's getting in prime positions to be a major threat on offense.
