A secured future has Strome playing his best hockey originally appeared on NBC Sports Washington
WASHINGTON — Dylan Strome knows what it feels like to not be wanted.
Strome, the No. 3 overall pick by the Arizona Coyotes in 2015, was traded to the Chicago Blackhawks during his third NHL season after just 47 total games with the Coyotes. After four years with the Blackhawks, including a career-high 22 goals in 2021-22, Strome was non-tendered this past offseason, making him a free agent. The 26-year-old inked a one-year ‘prove-it’ deal with the Capitals this past July, eager to establish himself as a top-six forward at the NHL level.
Strome has done that, and then some, in his first season with the Capitals. He’s already set a career-high in points and after scoring on Saturday night against Florida, the Mississauga native is one goal away from tying his career-high in goals, too. In February, the Capitals inked Strome to a five-year extension, a big, yet earned, commitment to the center.
Speaking with reporters following Saturday’s loss to Florida, Strome admitted that having his long-term future secure in Washington has allowed him to clear his mind and solely focus on hockey, which in turn has led to consistent production.
“I think sometimes when you don’t have that burden of ‘what contract is coming next’ or things like that, it makes it a little bit easier to just go play hockey and not worry about other things that you can’t control,” Strome said. “I think once that happened, you kind of just settle into your comfort zone and know you’re going to be here for a while. I feel like I’m getting a good opportunity to play and try to produce.”
Strome has recorded 25 points in 26 games since signing his extension and is currently on his second three-game goal streak of the season. He’s scored the first goal in each of Washington’s last three games, too.
“He’s been the guy for me that’s consistently producing,” Capitals head coach Peter Laviolette said. “Even though we haven’t been finding the ways that we want to be successful, at the end of the night he’s still finding a way to produce.”
Firmly entrenched as Washington’s top-line center, Strome has been able to contribute both as a goal scorer and as a playmaker, something that’s left a strong impression on his coach as well.
“[His production] is coming in different ways,” Laviolette said. “It’s coming from his shot. It’s coming from his playmaking ability. He’s been a guy that’s contributing a lot for us.”
Strome’s goal on Saturday against the Panthers was a great example of one play that demonstrates multiple aspects of his game. The sequence started with his puck handling, as he swerved in between a trio of Florida defenders without losing control. Then, in full stride, he found Tom Wilson with the puck, who went down to the ice in order to deliver a shot on net.
After dishing the puck to Wilson, Strome skated near the net and found himself in the right place at the right time to clean up Wilson’s shot. Strome then elevated the puck perfectly to get it past Panthers netminder Alex Lyon and into the back of the net.
Strome and Wilson haven’t had the chance to play a ton of minutes together, as Wilson has missed nearly half the season due to various injuries. But the two of them have been plenty productive when they have been able to share the ice, a promising sign for next season and beyond as the duo, alongside Alex Ovechkin, will likely make up the Capitals’ top line to begin 2023-24.
“He’s a smart player. He makes plays,” Wilson said on Strome. “He’s nice to play with so you’re trying to build stuff. We haven’t played that much together. I was out for the majority of the year and he’s a new guy on the team so it’s nice when you can make things click.”
With just three games in the regular season remaining, Strome will have multiple chances to break his career-high of 22 goals. While it would be a strong accomplishment to end an impressive season, he was adamant he isn’t focusing on his individual statistics.
“The last couple of games, everyone wants to win. We’re more excited and it’s a better mood after a win,” he said. “We’ll just try to focus on that. Only three games left, so we’ve just got to go out there and play [well] and build good habits. Obviously, a lot of guys are coming back next year, so it’s never too early to start.”
