Since coming to the Washington Capitals as a free agent in the 2022 offseason, Dylan Strome has become a staple in the team’s offense. He put up career-high stats in 2022-23 with 65 points, before topping that this past season with 67 (which led his entire team in points as well). It took a couple moves around the NHL to find a team fit for the 27-year-old, but it is paying off for him and the Capitals.
Dylan Strome’s Start in Arizona
The Arizona Coyotes drafted Dylan Strome with the third overall pick in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft. He developed his game in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) with the Erie Otters on a roster that included talents in Connor McDavid, Andre Burakovsky, and Alex DeBrincat. However, Strome was a solid player in his own right and produced the following stats while with the Otters:
- 2013-14: 10 goals and 29 assists for 39 points in 60 games
- 2014-15: 45 goals and 84 assists for 129 points in 68 games
- 2015-16: 37 goals and 74 assists for 111 points in 56 games
- 2016-17: 22 goals and 53 assists for 75 points in 35 games
Strome made his NHL debut with the Coyotes during the 2016-17 campaign. He suited up for seven games and got an assist, before being sent back for one more season in Erie. Strome then played in a total of 21 games for Arizona in 2017-18, scoring four goals and accruing five assists for nine points in that span. He played the rest of that campaign in the AHL with the Coyotes’ affiliate Tucson Roadrunners. In 50 games, he scored 22 goals and tallied 31 assists for 53 points.
Strome’s Stint with the Blackhawks
Then-Coyotes GM John Chayka traded Strome during the 2018-19 season. He was shipped to the Chicago Blackhawks, along with Brendan Perlini, for Nick Schmaltz. In Chicago, his point production increased. He was placed on a line with former-Otters teammate Alex DeBrincat and future Hockey Hall of Fame winger Patrick Kane. The three were solid for the Blackhawks and made a significant difference together whenever they were on the ice.
Dylan Strome was a Blackhawk for parts of four campaigns. During his time with the organization, he produced the following numbers:
- 2018-19: 17 goals and 34 assists for 51 points in 58 games
- 2019-20: 12 goals and 26 assists for 38 points in 58 games
- 2020-21: nine goals and eight assists for 17 points in 40 games
- 2021-22: 22 goals and 26 assists for 48 points in 69 games
Additionally, Strome appeared in the postseason for the Blackhawks during 2019-20. He played in nine playoff games and had two goals and an assist.
Dylan Strome Playing His Best Hockey in Washington
The Blackhawks decided in 2022 that they did not want to tender Dylan Strome a qualifying offer as a restricted free agent. As a result, he became unrestricted, and then-Capitals GM Brian MacLellan signed him to a one-year contract. He joined a Washington locker room full of talent that included Alex Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom, Evgeny Kuznetsov, John Carlson, and T.J. Oshie among others.
Since joining the Capitals, Strome has posted his best individual offensive stats. His first campaign in D.C. saw him finish second on the team in points with 65 (23 goals and 42 assists). Only Ovechkin (75 points) had more. He immediately put himself among the best scorers on the team during his first season there. The result of this was signing a five-year extension with the franchise worth $25 million.
Most recently, in 2023-24, Strome scored 27 goals and 40 assists for 67 points in 82 games. That was good for first on the Capitals in points. The remaining four point-producers in the top five were Ovechkin with 65, John Carlson with 52, Tom Wilson with 35, and Connor McMichael with 33 (Anthony Mantha had 34 points before he was dealt to the Vegas Golden Knights).
Strome’s Point Production for 2024-25
With all of the changes that former GM Brian MacLellan made this offseason, some people are questioning who the top center will be on a line with Ovechkin. Strome would make a lot of sense to be slotted there. However, new forward Pierre-Luc Dubois could also play that role on the top line. Head coach Spencer Carbery will have training camp and the preseason to test certain lines and see who works best together.
One thing that is for sure is that wherever Strome plays in the Capitals lineup, he is going to be an offensive force. MacLellan did a nice job creating center depth and internal competition with the addition of Dubois. Carbery will be working with team centers in Strome, Dubois, McMichael, Aliaksei Protas, Nic Dowd, and Hendrix Lapierre. It will be up to him to figure out the best combinations for them with their respective wingers, but having that amount of depth at the center position deserves credit to management. MacLellan did a good job setting up that position before stepping away from the GM position.
2024-25 will be an interesting season for Dylan Strome. He could potentially produce another career high in points for Washington. I think the last two seasons are what to expect out of him going forward. He is one of the best forwards on the roster and will be dangerous for many seasons to come.
