Nashville, TN – The Caps are in Nashville on Thursday night, facing the Predators in the back half of a set of back-to-backs. The game is Washington’s first road game against a Western Conference foe this season, and it concludes the team’s dozen-game October slate.
Boonetown – When the Caps signed veteran NHL forward Boone Jenner to a five-year contract as an unrestricted free agent on July 1, they knew they were getting a reliable veteran player and leader who had spent 13 seasons with the Columbus Blue Jackets, the last five of which he served as the team’s captain.
Capable of playing left wing or center, killing penalties or working on the power play, playing a bottom six or top six style game, Jenner has proven to be a highly valued and valuable addition to Washington’s lineup this season. Now that Jenner is nearly four months past his signing date, we wondered how his time with the Caps and in the DC area has been compared to his expectations and hopes back on July 1.
“This summer was interesting,” says Jenner. “It doesn’t really kick in until you get to a new city, and this summer I didn’t know what to expect, and I was trying not to guess how it was going to go. I just wanted things to happen eventually and organically, and I think that’s what I’ve let happen.
“I just come in, be myself, be part of the group, and the group is so welcoming and a fun group to be a part of. So, it has definitely exceeded my expectations and my excitement continues to grow, so it’s been awesome being a part of it.”
Jenner’s early season play in Washington has likely exceeded – or at least met – expectations of what the 33-year-old Dorchester, Ont. native would bring to the group. Eleven games into his first season with the Caps, he is tied for second on the team with four goals and his average of 16 minutes of nightly ice time ranks sixth among Washington forwards. And his 57.5 percent success rate on faceoffs is tops on the team and 11th in the NHL (140 or more face-offs).
Jenner has played up and down the lineup and has played the middle and on the wing. He is also second among Washington forwards in shorthanded ice time. The varied role has allowed him to play with several of his new teammates, which may have helped to accelerate his assimilation.
“It definitely helps,” says Jenner. “And with the shorter training camp, we've been skating before camp for a while too. I think it's just that stuff is going to happen. You're going to move around linemates early in the year. I think everyone's pretty comfortable playing with each other.
“And for myself, I think the main thing is not changing your game. You're going to bring what you've always brought to make yourself a good player and help your line out and help the team out. So, I think for myself, no matter who I've been playing with – and I’ve been going between wing and center – I've been comfortable with that in the past, too. I think it's good to be able to play up and down the lineup.”
As is almost always the case when a veteran player switches teams, there are some familiar faces in the new room. Jenner was teammates with Pierre-Luc Dubois and he worked with Caps assistant coach (skills) Kenny McCudden during the latter’s lengthy tenure in the same role in Columbus.
“It's been awesome,” says Jenner. “I played with Dubie six years ago, and now seeing him here, it's funny that hockey is a small world that way, and it kind of comes full circle. And same with Kenny. I think we've had eight to 10 years of our careers together, and it's pretty special to be back with him; we've had a lot of good times in the past together.
“So, to be reunited with both of those guys have been a lot of fun. It's a new excitement for myself where I didn't even know I could feel this way, and I’m almost feeling like it's my first year in the League again, and it’s just a fresh perspective. But obviously, coming in with all the knowledge, you know, experience I have, compared to when I was in my first year.
“It’s hard to explain, but it’s a jolt of energy. It’s a new perspective or a new experience, not only in hockey, but in life, and living somewhere else, picking up and moving the family and being part of a different organization. But I’ve had a blast ever since I got into town here and been a part of this group. They just let me be myself and let it happen, and it’s been a lot of fun.”
500 Miles – Caps winger Jordan Kyrou is expected to skate in the 500th game of his NHL career tonight in Nashville. A second-round pick (35th overall) of the St. Louis Blues in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft, the 28-year-old Toronto native debuted with the Blues on Oct. 4, 2018 in the team’s 2018-19 season opener.
In his first season with the Capitals, Kyrou has piled up four goals and six assists for 10 points in his first 11 games, and he carries a five-game point streak (three goals, five assists) into tonight’s contest.
Kyrou ranks eighth among his Draft class with 172 career goals and ranks 10th with 388 points. Kyrou also ranks 18th in games played among his Draft class; the Rangers’ Adam Fox is just ahead of him, having played his 500th game Monday against Los Angeles.
In The Nets – Charlie Lindgren gets the start for Washington tonight, his fourth of the season. He is aiming to record his third straight win after notching victories over Montreal and Buffalo on Washington’s recently completed five-game homestand.
Lindgren is seeking his first career victory over the Predators tonight. Lifetime against Nashville, he is 0-3-0 in three appearances and starts, with a 3.10 GAA and an .862 save pct.
For the Preds, Juuse Saros is tonight’s starter. On the season, Saros is 3-2-4 with a 2.81 GAA and a .906 save pct. Lifetime against Washington, Saros has split his 10 starts/appearances, going 5-5-0 with a 2.74 GAA and a .907 save pct.
All Down The Line – Here’s how the Caps might look and how we expect the Predators to line up in Nashville on Thursday:
WASHINGTON
Forwards
89-Tuch, 17-Strome, 25-Kyrou
21-A. Protas, 80-Dubois, 43-Wilson
8-Ovechkin, 62-I. Protas, 72-Beauvillier
22-Jenner, 34-Sourdif, 9-Leonard
Defense
6-Chychrun, 3-Roy
42-Fehervary, 27-Liljegren
44-Hutson, 29-St. Ivany
Goaltenders
79-Lindgren
48-Thompson
Injured/Out
38-Sandin (lower body)
73-Desharnais (appendectomy)
Healthy Extras
52-McIlrath
53-Frank
63-Miroshnichenko
NASHVILLE
Forwards
91-Stamkos, 90-O’Reilly, 22-Bourque
9-Forsberg, 14-Kerfoot, 51-Pinchuk
21-Hoglander, 71-Wood, 81-Marchessault
79-Colton, 18-Drury, 84-Edstrom
Defense
59-Josi-2-Wilsby
41-Hague, 3-Struble
76-Skjei, 48-Perbix
Goaltenders
74-Saros
29-Annunen
Injured/out
85-Trudeau (upper body)
Healthy Extras
46-Lyubushkin
49-Schaefer
52-Hunt
