Depth Down the Middle
Among the many issues that may cause the Washington Capitals some trouble this season, depth down the middle will finally not be on that list.
Thanks to a draft day acquisition by George McPhee, the burden of carrying the load at center will no longer fall on Nicklas Backstrom's shoulders but will be shared by newcomer (and regular point producer), Mike Ribeiro.
Acquired from the Dallas Stars, Ribeiro brings an added offensive element that may very well set the rest of the roster free. Though many feel the diminutive center is more of a dangler than anything else, the truth is that in the last six seasons with Dallas Ribeiro put up 408 points.
To understand what the Caps are getting, Ribeiro has played at least 66 games per year (or more) while averaging no less than 51 points in his last 8 NHL seasons. At the very least, Nicklas Backstrom should be excited by the knowledge that he will no longer be the sole puck distributor on the team.
Insulating the addition of Mike Ribeiro is the consistent development of Marcus Johansson. Though he was cast into the fire as Washington's second line pivot last season (or, at least, that was the attempt), he did indeed take tremendous strides, bumping his production up from 27 points in his rookie season to 46 in his sophomore campaign. His steady improvement has been necessary as the Caps haven't had much else to rely on down the middle, other than Brooks Laich stepping in when needed.
But as we look ahead, we can plainly see how Ribeiro will insulate Backstrom and improve the team's second line. The newcomer will also relieve pressure on Johansson as #90 will find shelter from responsibilities he may not be ready for by returning to the role of 3rd line pivot.
Interestingly enough, Ribeiro only has one more year left on his contract and though he will be a great help to the Caps this season, his addition and the ability for the Caps to take Johansson's development a bit slower may still wind up with Johansson maturing and assuming the role as Backstrom's backup next season.
Either way, the Caps will undoubtedly benefit from insulating their depth at center.
The ramifications of addressing this issue are still unknown as while most fans and critics aren't so high on the Capitals and their chances this season, the truth is that Washington has been searching high and low for the past few years to find a solution to their problem of second line center. And now they have it.
If both Backstrom and Ribeiro can stay healthy for the duration of the 48 game mini season, the Caps may indeed recapture their offensive dominance of years past. By employing a balanced, more dynamic set of scoring lines, opponents will no longer be tasked with strictly shutting down Backstrom and Ovechkin. And while we still don't whether or not the addition of Wojtek Wolski will pay dividends (in replacement of the departed Alex Semin), Ribeiro will certainly insulate the offense and open up possibilities.
Here's a look at a potential lineup:
Ovechkin-Backstrom-Brouwer
Laich-Ribeiro-Wolski
Chimera-Johansson-Ward
Crabb-Perrerault/Beagle-Hendricks
What do you think, are the Caps top two lines better balanced than in years past?
Or does this lineup offer more questions than answers?
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