Connor McMichael

McMichael enjoyed a breakout campaign in 2024-25, scoring 26 goals and 31 assists, and was one of the biggest reasons why the Capitals turned into one of the season’s biggest surprises. The depth of the Capitals was one of their biggest strengths, but for McMichael's sake, it was rather unfortunate. The 24-year-old’s role fluctuated throughout the season, and he finished the year centering Washington’s third line behind fellow centers Dylan Strome and Pierre-Luc Dubois. Elevating himself past either of those two may prove to be a tough task, potentially limiting his production potential at even strength. He did finish the year on the Capitals’ top power play unit. There’s still a ton of room to grow for the young center, and there’s no reason to suggest McMichael can’t force his way into the Capitals' top-six and perhaps become a 30-40 type of player if he continues on this trajectory.