Washington Capitals: Chandler Stephenson gets his shot
Washington Capitals versatile forward Chandler Stephenson went from a training camp disappointment to playoff starter in just one season and shows no signs of slowing down.
The Washington Capitals lucked out on Chandler Stephenson.
The Capitals drafted Stephenson in 2012 as a center and he made his NHL debut in the 2015-16 season with nine games and registering no points. 2016-17 was not an improvement as he played only four games, again with no points.
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At 6 feet 203 lbs. Stephenson developed in the AHL with Capitals affiliate, Hershey Bears, where he served a unique role. He played center, winger, and at one point, defender.
Entering the 2017-18 season, Stephenson looked to excel at training camp but came up short. The Capitals waived him, and fortunately, all 30 other NHL teams passed on him, allowing Washington to keep him in the system.
The Caps reassigned him to the Bears, but after an early season injury to Andre Burakovsky, he got a call-up and never looked back.
He finished the season with six goals and 12 assists in 67 games played. His versatility allowed the Caps to play him up and down the lineup. Occasional third or fourth line center/winger, some stints playing with Alex Ovechkin, and some penalty kill work.
His most obvious physical attribute is his speed and that was front and center in the playoffs. With a breakaway goal against the Columbus Blue Jackets and negating an icing to set up a goal against the Tampa Bay Lightning, he proved he can produce.
In the Stanley Cup Final, he stepped up when Evgeny Kuznetsov left a game and filled the second line role.
So what lies ahead for Stephenson? Hopefully some consistency.
Not just in his play, but in where he plays in the lineup. He has proven that he’s a capable NHL player. As the Caps roster is now constructed he’ll find a home in the bottom six as a winger.
Giving him some time to click with a regular line should see his production up considerably. His combination of speed and puck handling make him a threat to break away at any time.
He could also thrive in a second line penalty killing role. Speed is never going to hurt on the penalty kill and anyone can learn to love blocking shots for the team.
The ability to take faceoffs if the primary center gets booted from the dot is nothing to scoff at either considering current NHL rules.
The Capitals do have some lineup decisions to make in training camp so it’s possible Stephenson will find a third-line role, but the fourth line looks most likely.
The fourth line is nothing to worry about. He’ll get valuable opportunities to contribute and he’s already demonstrated he has more to offer. Development and a solid, long season are the best things for him now.
Next. Replacing Beagle on faceoffs a challenge. dark
If Chandler Stephenson can continue his growth he could become an incredibly exciting player in just a few seasons. A great guy to keep an eye on for Washington Capitals fans.