Connor McMichael earns graduation from prospect to NHL

We are now in the homestretch of Washington Capitals player predictions. We hope to knock these off today. Connor McMichael is up next. After this we’ll have three more forwards and one more defenseman left to predict.

McMichael had a strong preseason and earned his spot on the opening night roster. One game he even had 10 shots on goal. Some people thought he got sent to Hershey on Monday but it was just a paper transaction to get under the salary cap.

He never even headed to Chocolatetown. The team was off Tuesday, he was with his girlfriend in his Arlington apartment waiting for the team to call him right back up on Wednesday. Well actually I think he was with the rest of his teammates on the golf course at the team bonding activity in Easton, Maryland.

They would have practice over at a local rink there yesterday before boarding a bus back to the hustle and bustle of Arlington which is right across the pond from D.C.

On the eve of opening night which is tomorrow, McMichael skated on the second line alongside Evgeny Kuznetsov and Tom Wilson. That will 100 percent most likely be his spot in the lineup tomorrow night when the Caps finally take the ice to open the season against the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Honestly, McMichael should’ve graduated from prospect status a year ago but we all know why he didn’t and it was not his fault at all. Now with a new bench boss looking to keep players engaged from top to bottom, McMichael gets an opportunity he deserves.

The Caps are loaded on centers like they were last year so McMichael will be on the left wing. In his first full season in 2021-22 he had nine goals and nine assists for 18 points. Look for McMichael to hit 16 goals this season along with 12 assists for 28 points.