How Lucky Do The Capitals Need To Get To Win The Stanley Cup This Season?
By CJ Witt
Center Depth
This one question is really a bunch of questions crammed into one big one. Looking at the Capitals lineup the center position looks to be good. Kuznetsov, Strome, Eller and Dowd. A solid lineup no doubt. But if you think this lineup doesn’t have questions in it I then have questions for you.
Evgeny Kuznetsov has proven to be a streaky player game to game let alone season to season. He had a good year last year, can he do it again? The Capitals probably need him this season maybe more than they did heading into last season. If he doesn’t play well then what?
What will Dylan Strome look like in Washington? This looks like a terrific signing. But most of Strome’s best hockey, at least in terms of point production, came when he was playing on a line that included Patrick Kane and Alex DeBrincat. We all know the greatness of Kane on the ice and DeBrincat quietly goes out there every year and gets close to scoring forty goals. Strome won’t play with players like that on the Capitals.
Lars Eller had a rough season last season. A late season surge helped his stats look better at the end. He scored 8 points in 14 games in April.
Eller had to face some COVID struggles last season. He tested positive for the virus twice and both of those times on the road leaving him stranded in that city.
Was last season a fluke? Or have we seen the start of his decline?
Nic Dowd is really the only center we don’t have questions about. He is solid, we know how he is going to play, there are not questions here.
Your fourth line center being the only non question concerns me. Can this end up all OK? Absolutely. Kuznetsov could continue his good play from last year, or maybe be even better. Strome could finally find a place in the NHL and start a very successful NHL career. Eller could rebound and be one of the best third line centers again. Or maybe someone else jumps in a center spot and thrives, like a Connor McMichael.
Again, on paper this all looks somewhat good. But one domino falling could lead to a chain reaction. Until the centers prove that they are in fact a strength on this Capitals team I think we have to go into this season with an eye on it.