Connor McMichael

February 2024 – Despite having just 15 points in 45 games, McMichael has been a lot better than his numbers would indicate considering he is in a third line role. Especially since he has not had top minutes. McMichael is currently averaging 15:07 of ice time, with that he averages 55 seconds of power play time and 58 seconds of short handed ice time. He has done enough to make sure he will never be sent down to the AHL again, and with hos he is looking, if he can get more ice time he could be more productive. That is likely the plan in the future. Pat Quinn

October 2023 – McMichael was finally given a legitimate shot to make the Capitals roster and stick. He absolutely earned his spot on the roster this season with his play in training camp / exhibition play, and it was easy to see that there was no way he will go to the AHL any time soon. McMichael is currently lined up on line two and has been one of the lone standouts for Washington in the teams’ 1-2 play so far. He only has one point in three games, but points may be tough to come by if he continues to get zero (!!!) powerplay time. Surprisingly, he has been getting over two minutes of penalty killing time in the last two games. The coaching staff clearly trust him. Pat Quinn

July 2023 – The Hershey Bears won the Calder Cup which will be great development-wise for McMichael. He had 10 points in 20 games, including a big goal in game seven of the finals. McMichael is always a threat to shoot on the ice and more than showed that in the playoffs. For the first time in a long time, the Capitals have some forward spots open for competition at camp for the upcoming season as GMBM stressed the need to introduce younger players in to the line up. Add in a new coach that is not against most young players and there is a high chance that McMichael should finally stick in the NHL going forward. Pat Quinn

April 2023 – McMichael wrapped up his AHL season finishing fifth on the team in points, with 39 points in 57 games. The Bears had a top line that clicked which saw McMichael get a lot of second line, and 2PP, duty. He did not put up a better points, or shots, per game numbers that he had in 2020-21, but played in 24 more games with added ice time and defensive responsibility. McMichael was not expected to score but to work on his game and help the team, which is exactly what he did. He should see the same type of role as the Bears move in to the playoffs. Pat Quinn

January 2022 – McMichael has not taken the AHL by storm, and has a lower pointer per game than his 2020-21 season (0.82 to 0.55), but the Bears are never a high scoring team and prefer to spread out their offense. He has 12 points in 22 games, and seems to not have had a really hot run as the points are always spread out over a few games. His shoots per game is slightly down too, from 3.85 to 3.14, but it still being over three is great. McMichael may get another few games to end the season, but the Capitals really need to give him a legitimate chance in the NHL to see what he can become. If he gets a chance he really should become a top six forward, he just needs patience. Pat Quinn

November 2022 – After just playing in just six NHL games, mainly seeing under eight minutes of ice time, the Capitals have sent McMichael to Hershey to get top line minutes and more of a chance to play. It is disappointing he oculd not carve out a role in the NHL yet, but it was out of his hands as the coach gave him zero opportunity. Pat Quinn

October 2022 – -McMichael has made the Capitals, but there is a worry about his usage and ice time. The Capitals are without Wilson and Backstrom but have added a few more forwards. Hopefully, McMichael does not see the press box all season. Pat Quinn

September 2022 – McMichael played well last season with limit minutes, bottom-six linemates, and minimal confidence from coach Laviolette. the minimal confidence is from Laviolette’s tendancy to always select veterans over rookies, which was evident once the Capitals because fully healthy and McMichael was scratched more, and McMichael only played in four of the six playoff games, where Washington could have used additional scoring. McMichael now has more competition in the NHL for 2022-23 with the Capitals re-signing Johansson, trading for Connor Brown, and signing Dylan Strome. With Backstrom and Wilson out until at least December there could be room for McMichael to stay in the line up, just do not expect lost of points. With Hagelin possibly fully healthy to start next season, and McMichael still waivers exempt, he could be playing a majority of this coming season in the AHL. His upside is still sky high but the development path he is on will see him take a while to get there. Pat Quinn

January 2022 – McMichael has been in the NHL for the entire season but his recent usage points to someone who the coach wants to send to the AHL yet cannot because the line up is not healthy. McMichael has had fluctuating ice time ranging from six minutes in a game to just under 15, but really does not get a chance to be in a scoring spot unless absolutely necessary. On one hand he is not getting much of a shot to show he should have more ice time, but on the other he is not afforded the ice time consistency the NHL regular players the Capitals have. That is a Laviolette staple as a bottom six player like Nic Dowd is routinely given more ice time consistency than McMichael. Next season should open more of a top nine spot for McMichael but he really needs to start producing down the stretch, whether that be in the NHL or AHL. Pat Quinn

October 2021 – The injuries for the Capitals have kept McMichael in the line up for five straight NHL games, as Washington cannot rotate Lapierre and McMichael with more players hurt. Coach Laviolette obviously trusts him more than Lapierre, but still not enough to play more than 11 to 13 minutes a game. McMichael is looking more comfortable but will pop more when he finally scores a goal. Pat Quinn

September 2021 – McMichael was not as great as everyone had hoped during exhibition play, but he is still the Capitals top prospect and most dangerous offensive weapon they can call up. The injury to Backstrom opens up a spot for McMichael to play in the NHL, but maybe not as much as hoped since the Capitals are also keeping Lapierre up as well. The plan is likely to still have both prospects in the affiliated minor teams in the long-term. Pat Quinn

March 2021 – The Hershey Bears are one of the better teams in the AHL this season, but that unfortunately is not due to McMichael posting a ridiculous number of points. The Bears have a spread out offense and that has put McMichael in a middle six role. For a middle six player he is playing quite well with seven points in 11 games, but he has only posted points in five of those games. He is shooting around 2.73 shots per game, leading the team in shots with 30, and has played in every game so far. The Bears are not asking him to do too much as they have a rosters with a very spread out offense, with only two players having more than seven points and three other players having exactly seven points. Pat Quinn

January 2021 – McMichael finished the tournament with eight points in seven games, and he could have easily had more points. He was the top centremen for team Canada, on the 1PP and a penalty killer. He hit around five to 10 posts all tournament and was routinely a threat on the ice. Now he will head to the Capitals training camp where it will be next to impossible to become a roster regular. He may stay on the taxi squad and play a couple games, while practicing full time with the team. Hopefully, he can get some playing time to finish the 2020-2021 season. Pat Quinn

December 2020 – As a stand out among the Red vs White Canadian scrimmages, McMichael easily made the Canada World Junior squad. He was routinely on the best line, with that line containing McMichael, Cozens (at centre) and Dach. With the roster complete McMichael has been practicing on the fourth line, at centre, between Perfetti and Krebs. In reality all four lines for Canada are top lines but it is unknown which lines will get more ice time. The Perfetti-McMichael-Krebs line has also been noted as a second line as well. McMichael should be on the top PP for Canada, but with all of the firepower up front it is up to the coaches to select who they want. Pat Quinn

December 2020 – With both the NHL and OHL seasons not starting until 2021, McMichael is in no mans land for playing time. Thankfully he was invited to the World Junior Championship squad for Canada. He will likely be sent back to the OHL after the tournament as there is no real room on the Capitals roster. For Canada McMichael should be one of the top goal scorers for the team. Pat Quinn

August 2020 – McMichael was invited to Capitals training camp and was part of the phase four roster brought to Toronto. If the Capitals need a scoring punch they should add McMichael to the line up. Reports have the Capitals preferring to put veteran centres in the line up with Backstrom currently hurt, with Travis Boyd and Brain Pinho slotted ahead. The Capitals are not a deep offensive team but have come at these playoffs (and current season) preferring two-way low scoring players as seen by the three to four year contracts handed out to perennial low scoring players. Hopefully, McMichael can get in a game or two on the wing as he has the skill to help the Capitals score goals. Pat Quinn

May 2020 – McMichael could possibly be a call up / black ace for the Capitals when the NHL season resumes for the possible 24-team playoff. If he can get in to a good spot in the line up he may never leave.  It does not sound like the Capitals are making room on the roster for 2020-2021 but a lot of moving parts are still in motion, and McMichael could possibly make the NHL in 2020-2021 with the cap likely staying flat. Pat Quinn

March 2020 – It really stinks that the CHL season was cut off as McMichael was having an astounding season and watching what he could do in the playoffs (and perhaps the Memorial Cup) would have been fantastic. He finished the London season with 52 games and in that he posted 47 goals and 55 assists, good for third in total OHL points and he was also third in shots. He is looking like top-line talent for the NHL but fantasy GMs should hope for second-line scoring and then take everything extra as gravy. Pat Quinn

January 2020 – McMichael has been placed all over Team Canada’s line up for the round robin portion of the World Juniors. In the first two games (With a healthy Lafreniere) he was on the fourth line and not getting much ice time. In the past two games with no Lafreniere, McMichael was promoted to the top six and top powerplay. Unfortunately in both scenarios he has only scored two goals, one on opening night and the other on the powerplay in the Czech team blow out. His ice time has clawed up each game but with Lafreniere coming back for the playoffs it is unknown where McMichael will slot. He should be scoring much more and being more noticeable on his shifts but he is not. It has not been a great tournament for McMichael from a “currently destroying the OHL” point of view, yet he can be slightly forgiven as Canada is deep and it appears as though coach Hunter (his OHL team coach) is trying to keep him fresh for when the tournament ends. Pat Quinn

December 2019 – McMichael was held without a point against the Peterborough Petes December 5, 2019. He is a bust now. Amazingly in that game he registered 13 of the 34 total London shots, only 40% of the teams shots. That game also ended his streak at 42 points in 17 games. McMichael was also named to the World Junior 2020 roster for team Canada as he looks to be a top nine forward for the team. Pat Quinn

November 2019 – McMichael has been one of the best OHL players and is exceeding his draft slot. He is currently tied for first in scoring with 46 points, but the caveat is that he has done that in 19 games opposed to 24 games by Arthur Kaliyev. He also has 20 goals as he is producing just over a goal per game. He has a streak dating back to October 18, 2019, of 32 points in 12 straight games, which was picked up after his beginning season streak of 14 points in six games. This kid has rocketed his way up the prospect charts, and is comfortably in the top two of Capitals prospects. Pat Quinn

September 2019 – McMichael has been returned to the London Knights of the OHL with a week remaining in exhibition play. McMichael may have registered just one assist in two games but he played very well; earning praise from Capitals management and leading many to believe he would get a nine game trail if Eller was to be out for the start of the season. It was not meant to be and now McMichael will go back to the OHL in an offensive role for the Knights. Pat Quinn

July 2019 – McMichael is not the flashiest or highest skilled forward but he is a forward that gets the job done. His true potential was not able to shine through on a stacked London Knights team but he still posted great production (72 points in 67 games) in a limited role due to the amount of older players o the roster. He can shoot, score and play an excellent two-way game. The centre ice position on the Capitals is locked up for years so they have the ability to be patient with McMichael. Pat Quinn

June 2019 – McMichael has been drafted 25th overall by the Capitals.  Jokke Nevalainen

June 2019 – McMichael played a sizable role on a good but not great London Knights squad this season. The pivot brings across-the-board skills without really excelling in any one skill. His 36 goals trailed only Arthur Kaliyev’s 51 for first-time draft-eligible skaters in the OHL. His 72 points ranked third. The all-around pivot is not the biggest or fastest player, but he’s effective at finding seams and distributing the puck. He owns a quick and accurate release and can finish at a high rate. He’s not afraid to work into the high-traffic areas. He projects to be a safe floor NHLer with some top-six upside. Cam Robinson