Washington Capitals' Top Center Rips Off Bust Label As Ovechkin's Helper

For the first six years of his NHL career, some looked at center Dylan Strome as somewhat of a draft bust.

The 27-year-old was selected third overall by the Arizona Coyotes in 2015, and Strome initially didn’t get out to a great start to his NHL days. His ice time wasn't all that high at times, and the good stretches didn't last as long.

Slowly but surely, however, Strome has developed into a reliable top-six forward and one of the Washington Capitals’ best point producers.

Strome currently has 18 assists and 22 points in just 14 games with Washington this season. His point totals are fifth-best in the entire NHL, and his assist total is third-best in the league.

If he continues at this pace, Strome will easily beat his career-best totals of 42 assists and 67 points, both of which were posted in the last two seasons. Although superstar left winger Alex Ovechkin is still the draw that stirs the drink in D.C., Strome is entering his prime, and better days could be ahead of him.

Sure, there were times nobody was sure what Strome would be. He had a breakout campaign in 2018-19 after the Coyotes traded him to Chicago, getting 51 points in 58 games with the Blackhawks that season. But the scoring slowed in the years that followed.

Things took a positive turn for him in his final year as a Blackhawk in 2021-22, when he generated 22 goals and 48 points in 69 games. That only got him a one-year contract with Washington at first. The following two seasons saw him post at least 22 goals and 65 points, where he established himself on the Capitals.

Strome is now in the second year of a five-year, $25-million contract. His average annual salary of $5 million makes him one of the better bargains in the game.

While Strome’s goal totals have been increasingly impressive, it’s Strome’s skill as an elite facilitator that now stands out. He’s the Capitals’ No. 1 center – and though he’s not a top-10 pivot in the NHL, Strome is doing everything in his power to make the Caps one of the most dangerous squads in the league.

Playing on the same line as Ovechkin certainly helps Strome’s numbers on offense – Strome has assisted on all 10 of Ovechkin's goals – but you have to give Strome credit for continuing to improve his all-around game year in and year out.

Strome is, in essence, taking over the role in Washington long occupied by star centers Nicklas Backstrom and Evegny Kuznetsov. Backstrom, in particular, was long Ovechkin's setup man, with about 74 percent (762) of his 1,033 points coming in the assist column. Strome's relatively young age means he could be in that role for many years to come.

"I've heard 1,000 stories about how great of a teammate (Backstrom) is, and I got to witness that firsthand and how good he was for the Caps and for this team and as Ovi's center," Strome told reporters, including The Hockey News' Sammi Silber.

As his place in the Caps’ organization solidifies, Strome doesn’t have to do all the heavy lifting for Washington. But if he produces at an assist-per-game pace the way he's producing right now, the Capitals will be over the moon with the investment they made in him.

Sometimes it takes moving from one or two teams (or, in this case, three) before an NHLer finds their peak form – and that’s certainly true of Strome's journey. He’s now in his 10th season in hockey’s top league, and Strome looks to have many more solid years ahead of him.

As Washington continues to do notable damage in the Metropolitan Division standings, Strome has done everything asked of him and more. In sum, he's realized his potential, and everything else he does from this point on is gravy.

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