3 Bears who could be in the Capitals lineup next season
The Hershey Bears are a successful AHL affiliate and the Washington Capitals are fortunate to have them. Not only do they have a storied history but a not to shabby present as they’re in the Eastern Conference Final. So which future Caps could be in the lineup next season? Glad you asked!
#3 Aliaksei Protas
Aliaksei Protas played in 58 games for the Caps this season but was sent down later in the stretch so he could be on the Hershey roster during the Calder Cup playoffs. Boy has it paid dividends.
During the playoffs Protas is tied for the team lead in points with seven with three goals and four assists. In the NHL, Protas had four goals and 11 assists for 15 points in 58 games.
Protas only played in nine regular season games in the AHL and spent the rest of his time in the Caps press box. In those nine AHL games he had two goals and three assists for five points.
Protas can be good in the bottom six and he’s in his lower 20s which is exactly what the Caps need to get faster. In fact I think he can take advantage of his physical play better than Anthony Mantha.
#2 Joe Snively
Another Caps player who we all know that’s young who’s making a big impact with the Hershey Bears is Joe Snively. In 32 AHL regular season games he had nine goals and 18 assists for 27 points.
In seven Calder Cup playoff games he has one goal and six assists in a three way tie for the team lead in points with seven.
In 12 games with the Caps this season he has four points with two goals and two assists including a goal in the season finale against the New Jersey Devils.
Like Protas, Snively can be big on the bottom six and be a good in house youth option. Unlike Protas, Snively provides the speed. But Protas ain’t too far behind.
Snively’s six assists lead the team this postseason. It should be interesting to see how this spring fuels him for training camp.
#1 Connor McMichael
Connor McMichael only played in six games this season and had nada. He averaged just 8:52 minutes of ice time. Ouch.
He’s looking forward to training camp this year for one particular reason: there will be a new coach in town. We don’t know who it is but it won’t be Peter Laviolette.
McMichael scored 16 goals and added 23 assists for 39 points in 57 regular season games for the Bears. In the playoffs he added four points in seven games with three goals and one assists, each goal being bigger than the other.
I think McMichael should be the third line center and now that Lars Eller and Laviolette are gone it’s basically his job to lose. Of course that could change if GMBM spends big this summer.
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The Bears begin the Eastern Conference Finals on Tuesday night.