Photos by Len Redkoles/NHLI via Getty Images
Travis Boyd received some surprising news Sunday morning at the Capitals’ team meeting held prior to the Capitals contest with the Philadelphia Flyers. With Evgeny Kuznetsov sidelined with an upper-body injury, Boyd found out from head coach Barry Trotz that he would Be filling in for Kuznetsov on the top line with Alex Ovechkin and Tom Wilson. An excellent opportunity for 24-year old center to shine.
With the Capitals trailing 1-0 in the second period, Boyd drove the puck between two defenders and used a spin move to dish a no-look pass right to Alex Ovechkin, who quickly put the puck past Petr Mrazek to tie the game.
NBC Sports Washington color commentator Craig Laughlin pointed out, Boyd will remember this forever, with his first NHL point coming on a highlight reel pass to a future hall-of-famer who recently scored his 600th career goal.
Following the game Boyd spoke to the media about the opportunity of playing on a line with Ovechkin.
Head coach Barry Trotz also talked to the media and mentioned that he might place Boyd with Ovechkin and Wilson on the top line while Kuznetsov is out.
“That was quite an assist on (Ovechkin’s) goal. He played really well. He’s very intelligent. He’s got poise with the puck… He’s been one of the best players in Hershey the last couple of years. He’s grown his game,” noted Trotz.
When asked about why he placed Boyd on the top line, Trotz responded, “He’s got all the attributes to be a very effective player in this league, so I wanted to bump him right up because of his hockey sense and his intelligence. Knowing the leadership that we have with guys like Tom and Ovi, they would embrace that and go from there, because I felt like the other lines were fine.”
There’s no telling when Kuznetsov will be back on the ice, but as we saw Sunday evening, Boyd looks to be up for the challenge of filling in.
By Michael Marzzacco
Follow @marswaggo
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We’ve seen this act before. Connolly scores a couple of goals and despite leading the league in shooting percentage he doesn’t get rewarded for it with more playing time. Chandler Stephenson scores two goals and plays with great rink-sense but he’s rarely heard from again afterwards. Burakovsky plays well and still averages just 11 or 12 minutes per game. See the pattern here? If you’re a youngster on this team you don’t figure to get enough time under Trotz to hone your skills in game situations–which is the only real way to develop.
“You can’t play everybody, you say? Of course you can’t. But the coaches–particularly Trotz– ought to be able to make the hard decisions as to who to keep (and PLAY), who to trade and who to send down to Hershey for more seasoning…
The bottom line, to me, is that the Capitals are never going to get very far in the playoffs unless they take their lumps and DEVELOP their young, skilled players. Trotz can say all the right things like he just did about Travis Boyd–and like he has about Chandler Stephenson, Brett Connolly and Andre Burakovsky before him…But if he isn’t willing to allow any of them to play through their mistakes and GROW, this team will never have enough scoring depth to beat anyone once the regular season is over.
Accordingly, I don’t care how much he loves Ovie, Alex won’t score enough by himself to propel this team past Pittsburgh. I mean, despite everything he’s accomplished during the playoffs he hasn’t YET, has he?? And despite Barry’s love affair with grindaholic Tom Wilson, while you have to love his work ethic he’s no John LeClair, Keith Tzachuk or Cam Neely…He may approximate those guys as an enforcer, but he’s not nearly as proficient as they are as a goal scorer and never will be.
That’s why this team needs more young depth–you know, the way Tampa and Winnipeg do (IN SPADES…) And I refuse to believe those two teams’ youngsters are inherently THAT much more talented than ours are…but I DO think that those clubs’ coaches have been smarter and considerably better in how they’ve developed Braden Point, Tyler Johnson, Yanni Gourde, Patrik Laine, Kyle Connor and Mark Sheifele, et al…
Disgusted, (but hopeful)
Clifford
Santa Monica
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