The Capitals finished the preseason with a bang on Sunday night, defeating the Carolina Hurricanes 5-2. Alex Ovechkin, Troy Brouwer, Evgeny Kuznetsov and Jason Chimera all scored, while Brooks Laich finished off the Caps scoring with a shorthanded goal.
Braden Holtby stopped 19 shots as he played the full game, and Carolina's Anton Khudobin saw 38 Capitals shots on goal, surrendering 5.
While the game was a great way to close out a so-so preseason, the big news of the night was that the lineup is pretty close to what fans will see come Thursday night when the Capitals open up the 2014-15 season against the Montreal Canadiens.
“Yeah, you saw the lines today,… Trotz said. “That’s probably how we’ll start. We have one person that may jump in the lineup and that’s Latta. But I think that’s pretty close to the lineup. Maybe one or two tweaks.…
Michael Latta would most likely center the fourth line, a job that was filled by 20-year old, Liam O'Brien who has played exceptionally well capturing a goal and three assists in 5 games - not to mention a few fights that showcased his toughness.
“He’s been as good as anybody, especially in that (fourth-line) role,… Trotz said. “He’s a player that demands to be noticed and because of that, that will be a decision for (General Manager Brian MacLellan] and the whole organization.…
The only other change that Trotz will make is on defense. Mike Green should be ready by Thursday to rejoin the lineup after an upper-body-injury that has sidelined him for the last 4 games. Trotz said he'd know more about Green's condition in a couple days.
The potential lineup for Thursday could look a lot like this:
Offense:
Alex Ovechkin – Nicklas Backstrom – Eric Fehr
Marcus Johansson – Ande Burakovsky – Troy Brouwer
Jason Chimera – Brooks Laich – Joel Ward
Evgeny Kuznetsov – Michael Latta – Chris Brown
Defense:
Brooks Orpik – John Carlson
Karl Alzner – Matt Niskanen
Jack Hillen – Mike Green
Goaltender:
Braden Holtby
It's very interesting to see Eric Fehr on the top line with Ovechkin and Backstrom, but he's a great compliment for the two and provides a big body in front of the net. Fehr has a great set of hands as well, can move the puck well, and if it works out for the rest of the season, he could net over 20 goals.
The other interesting placements are Kuznetsov and rookie Andre Burakovsky. Although it is preseason, Kuznetsov hasn't been the offensive threat we were all expecting. He hasn't been awful, but there were a few games where it seemed as if he wasn't there. It feels as though he is still trying to find his comfort level and perhaps playing back with Latta and Chris Brown can help generate a spark.
Burakovsky has been playing out of his mind however, and he's earned the chance to jump into the second line center role. His confidence with the puck reminds me a little bit of when Ovechkin came to the Caps. It's almost electric. But preseason is also a completely different animal than the regular season, so Kuznetsov and Burakovsky could be trading places after two weeks.
The big question for me is, what happens when Tom Wilson comes back?
Wilson has been out with a fractured fibula, an injury that happened over the summer. Wilson was expected to play big minutes this season and inject himself somewhere in the top-three lines. When he does come back, Wilson will most likely take Chris Brown's spot on the fourth line. He will need to play "catch up" for a bit, but if Kuznetsov is still playing down there, he and Wilson might not be a bad combination.
The other big questions that Trotz and the Caps will have to figure out are what to do when Dmitry Orlov and Aaron Volpatti are ready to go. Orlov is recovering from a broken wrist, and he, along with Tom Wilson, will begin the season on the IR list. Volpatti, who has been skating by himself recently, is recovering from a neck fusion, and says he's feeling much better than he did last season:
“It feels much better,… he said. “You got to be a little careful with (it), make sure it’s fully healed. I've got a little longer here, then hopefully get back at it. The last few years, I didn't really have a full understanding of what the full issue was, and now I do. Playing at not 100 percent for so many years, it’s good to finally get that fixed.…
Volpatti, when he is ready, may or may not crack the lineup. It all depends on how successful the Capitals are in the first few weeks of the season.
As for Orlov, it makes the defense that much more cramped and a change may have to occur if the organization wants to fit him in. Jack Hillen will have to make a strong case to stay in that final spot.
For the most part, the Washington Capitals are ready to go, but whether or not they jump out of the gates or stumble is the question. The first few weeks will be a big eye opener to rest of the year.
More to come... Follow me on Twitter: @_Mellin_