Heading into to this season, the Capitals had somewhat of a logjam on their fourth-line with a number of players vying for regular playing time. Over the course of the season, the team has often rotated several players on the line on a nightly basis, making cumulative productivity on the season somewhat difficult for many. Travis Boyd, however, is proving himself capable of being an impact player for the Capitals when he has his name called.

At first glance, Boyd’s 19 points (four goals, 15 assists) in 42 games played (and average nightly ice time of 10:10) may not seem overly impressive, but when one looks at the underlying numbers, Boyd’s overall numbers are quite something. Boyd’s assist in the Capitals’ 3-0 win over the New Jersey Devils on Friday night was his third straight game in which he recorded a point (all three, assists) and his fourth point in his last six games played. But Boyd’s underlying numbers are what truly shows how effective he has been in the playing time he’s received this season.

Boyd ranks 14th on the Capitals with 17 total 5-on-5 points, and eighth on the team with eight primary assists at 5-on-5. Boyd has scored an average of 0.625 goals per 60 minutes of even-strength play (9:08 minutes at even-strength) and his 2.657 average points per 60 minutes of even-strength ice time are a remarkable total considering how relatively low his ice time has been this season in limited appearances for Head Coach Todd Reirden. With one season left on his current deal, Boyd has another season to try and establish himself as a full-time player for the Caps. With his current performance, however, he may just force his way into such a position by the end of this season and into the playoffs.

By Michael Fleetwood