Spencer Carbery already has the answer to one of the biggest questions surrounding the Washington Capitals heading into this year\u2019s training camp.<\/p>\n
Carbery, the 2025 winner of the Jack Adams Award as NHL Coach of the Year, is going to start camp with Connor McMichael lined up as his third-line center. McMichael will make the move back down the middle after recording a career high 57 points (26g, 31a) in 82 games, almost exclusively as a top-six winger.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou probably look at it and go, \u2018Well, he\u2019s the third-line center. Doesn\u2019t he deserve a little bit more opportunity than that?\u2019 I look at it as trying to balance out those top three lines,\u201d Carbery told NHL.com\u2019s Tom Gulitti<\/a>. \u201cLast year we felt like our top six was [locked] in and we were always trying to find a combination on that third line to give us some good, reliable minutes and also be productive.\u201d<\/p>\n While the new setup is already planned for the preseason, Carbery did admit a variety of factors could impact whether McMichael actually stays at center to begin the regular season.<\/p>\n \u201cCould it change partway through camp, based on injuries, based on needing or utilizing him in the top six? It definitely could, but the plan right now is for \u2018Mikey\u2019 to start in the middle,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n McMichael\u2019s path back to center was freed up this summer when Lars Eller departed the team as an unrestricted free agent. Instead of replacing him, the Capitals\u2019 offseason moves were more focused on acquiring depth on the backend<\/a> and on the wings<\/a>.<\/p>\n Dylan Strome and Pierre-Luc Dubois are expected to retain their spots as the centers on the club\u2019s top two lines. Both players had career-best years playing in the roles last season.<\/p>\n