The Capitals might trade Dylan Strome, the former third overall pick and current franchise no. 1 center. He is a durable and consistent scorer since he has been in the league. With the Capitals looking to add help in the form of a difference maker in their forward ranks, Strome is perhaps the most valuable trade piece the Capitals have as they enter a summer of change.
Dylan Strome was a gift from the hockey gods, bestowed upon the Capitals after two franchises gave up on him. Drafted third overall by Arizone in 2015, traded to Chicago in 2019, where he was unceremoniously non-tendered after the 2021-22 season. Washington swooped in and signed him in July of 2022 to a one-year deal for just $3.5 million ** Strome played well to begin that season and in February 2023, Washington resigned him to a five-year, $25 million contract.
Strome has had his best seasons as in Washington playing on the first line with Alex Ovechkin. He scored 65, 67, and 82 points in at least 81 games for three years culminating in a career high 82 points in 82 games in 2024-25. Strome’s point totals in 25-26 dropped to 58, but that had more to do with the injury to Pierre-Luc Dubois and the Capitals giving the young players more playing time. But Strome brings more to the table than goals and assists.
Strome is a great teammate, a leader in the clubhouse, a solid and stable presence on the ice, and makes peanuts compared to other players of his ilk. William Nylander, Mitch Marner, Braydon Point, and Martin Necas all played around the same number of games last year or this year and had similar point totals. All those guys make at $9 million a year or more. Strome isn’t Braydon Point or Mitch Marner, and yes, those players have scored more points in a season than Dylan. But Strome makes far less than those players, which is what makes Strome such a valuable trade piece.
Strome would fit well with a team who wants to upgrade their middle six but don’t have much room under the salary cap. With Ilya Protas perhaps ready to make the jump to the NHL, Strome may have to be included in a trade for a forward. That doesn’t mean that Capitals general manager Chris Patrick will trade him, but Patrick has shown he make the tough decicions in the best interest of the franchise. The John Carlson trade proved that. Patrick could do something similar with Strome to get the most in return. That would give a young players like Ilya Protas, Andrew Cristall, or Bogdan Trniyev a roster spot to battle for in training camp, while lessening the financial blow of acquiring a player who is making closer to $11 million.
Strome would fit well with a team who wants to upgrade their middle six but don’t have much room under the salary cap. With Ilya Protas perhaps ready to make the jump to the NHL, Strome may have to be included in a trade for a forward. That doesn’t mean that Capitals general manager Chris Patrick will trade him, but Patrick has shown he make the tough decisions in the best interest of the franchise. The John Carlson trade proved that. Patrick could do something similar with Strome to get the most in return. That would give young players like Ilya Protas, Andrew Cristall, or Bogdan Trniyev a roster spot to battle for in training camp, while lessening the financial blow of acquiring a player who is making closer to $11 million.
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