Centers of Attention

For years, it seemed, the Capitals went through centermen like reporters go through notebooks. While Nicklas Backstrom emerged as the long-term No.1, a revolving door of pivots made their way to D.C. as the Capitals tried to solidify their depth chart at one of the game's most critical positions.

From free agents Brendan Morrison, Mikhail Grabovski and Mike Richards to trade acquisitions Eric Belanger, Jason Arnott and Mike Ribeiro, center depth has frequently topped the Capitals' shopping list.

Adding a center was again a priority in June 2016, when General Manager Brian MacLellan sent a pair of second-round draft picks to the Montreal Canadiens for Lars Eller.
The match has worked tremendously well in Washington with Eller emerging as a fixture as the Capitals' third-line center and helping round out a formidable depth chart which also includes Backstrom, Evgeny Kuznetsov and Jay Beagle.
While the Capitals lost six regulars last offseason via trade, free agency and the expansion draft, all four centers returned, providing stability on a roster that underwent much change.

"I think it's really important," says head coach Barry Trotz of the center depth. "Around the league, teams are dying for centermen. And we have a lot of them… I think every good team, no matter the sport, if you're strong up the middle, you have a chance. We're strong at the center position and we're strong in goal. I think we're in a good position."
The Capitals have also enjoyed plenty of consistency down the middle. Although Kuznetsov recently missed three games with an upper-body injury, his return Saturday in Montreal gave the Capitals a familiar look. Since the start of the 2016-17 season, the Capitals have deployed the same four centers 163 times in their last 170 games (playoffs included).

A case can be made that this is the Capitals' deepest and most consistent group of centers in the Alex Ovechkin era.
"It hasn't always been this way, that's for sure," says Backstrom. "But it's been real good for us. I think you look around the league and it's not always easy to find four centers like we have."
While Backstrom and Kuznetsov have been interchangeable as the Capitals first and second-line centers, Eller has found a home centering the third line, while Beagle pivots the fourth.
They each have their appropriate roles and collectively they've come to work for the past two seasons with an understanding of where and how they will be deployed.

This is a significant change for Eller, who has embraced his position as Washington's third-line center, after moving up and down the depth chart in Montreal for years without a consistent role.
"It means a lot to me," says Eller. "It's one of the big strengths of this team- having strong center depth with defined roles and guys that can thrive in their roles. It's something I wasn't used to before I got here.
"In Montreal, there were a lot of changes and we maybe weren't as lucky to have the same talent that we have here with two All-Star caliber centers in Backy and Kuzy. It's a luxury that a lot of teams don't have, but we're lucky to have it here. It's the foundation of every line."

Between Kuznetsov (23 goals), Backstrom (18 goals) and Eller (17 goals), the Capitals boast three centers with at least 15 goals each in the same season for the first time in 25 years. Centers Mike Ridley (26 goals), Michal Pivonka (21 goals) and Dale Hunter (20 goals) all hit the mark with the 1992-93 Capitals.
A quick glance at past Stanley Cup champions shows center depth is among the key ingredients for a deep postseason run. The Pittsburgh Penguins, for example, won back-to-back titles with Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Nick Bonino and Matt Cullen providing tremendous center depth.

Along with the Penguins, whose center depth now includes Crosby, Malkin, Derick Brassard and Riley Sheehan, the Capitals may boast the best quartet of centers in the Eastern Conference.
"You have to give [MacLellan] credit," says Tom Wilson. "Nowadays in the NHL, that's what you build your team around- you build your team around your centers we're fortunate to have four pretty solid ones here.
"As a winger, you know no matter what line you're playing on, you know you'll be playing with a pretty solid centerman. That's important, it's fun and it's a privilege. Right up through the four lines, every center brings a lot to the table."

While Backstrom and Kuznetsov are among two of the game's most creative playmakers, Eller has established career-highs with 17 goals and 37 points (through March 25) while playing on both special teams units. Beagle remains as reliable as they come, called upon for critical faceoffs and tasked with helping protect late-game leads.
"Those guys are all counted on for different things," says defenseman Brooks Orpik. "They're all a little bit different in terms of how they play the game, but they know what's expected of them from their teammates and the from the coaching staff and all of them do a really good job on a consistent basis."

Orpik also says that while it's easy to identify centers around the league that have "a little bit of cheat in their game offensively," the Capitals four centers have proven themselves reliable in all three zones.
Fellow defenseman Matt Niskanen is also appreciative of Washington's center depth.
"The center ice position is so important," Niskanen says. "If you have good centers, you can go a long way in this league. If they can carry the puck with consistency and make plays and distribute from the center of the ice it just opens up so many options. Those guys have done a good job for us over the last two years and quite frankly we need them to."

Last month, the Capitals took a significant step in ensuring center depth for years to come by signing Eller to a five-year, $17.5 million extension. With Backstrom signed through 2019-2020, and Kuznetsov having signed an eight-year extension last summer, acquiring high-end centers no longer needs to be on that offseason to-do list as it was in years past.
"I think it's huge," MacLellan says. "Depth down the middle is a priority for us. We're comfortable with the four guys we have right now. It adds depth down throughout our lineup. When you're strong down the middle, you're going to have a better team."