The Washington Capitals announced on Thursday they have re-assigned forward Joe Snively, a native of Herndon, Va., from the Hershey Bears of the American Hockey League (AHL) to the taxi squad and re-assigned Michael Sgarbossa from the taxi squad to Hershey.
Snively trained at MedStar Capitals Iceplex during his youth and was a participant in Washington’s Little Caps program.
Snively, 26, recorded an assist in his NHL debut on Dec. 19, 2021 against the Los Angeles Kings and became the first player in franchise history to play for the team as a native of Virginia.
The 5’9″, 176-pound forward has recorded 38 points (15g, 23a) in 35 games with Hershey this season and leads the team in points and goals. He also leads the team and is second in the AHL in shorthanded goals with 3.
Joe Snively drops the hammer! 14th goal of the season is another shorty. He continues his point streak at home. #HBH #ALLCAPS pic.twitter.com/aQAZPi8xMI
— Jon Sorensen (@jon_m_sorensen) January 26, 2022
During the 2020-21 season, Snively recorded 17 points (6g, 11a) in 30 games for the Bears. In 119 career games with Hershey, Snively has recorded 86 points (35g, 51a).
Prior to joining Hershey, Snively recorded 36 points (15g, 21a) in 33 games with Yale University in the 2018-19 season and set a collegiate career high with five power play goals. Snively led Yale in points in all four years of his attendance and recorded 139 points (58g, 81a) in 129 career NCAA games.
Snively was named as a Hobey Baker Award nominee in the 2018-19 season. In 2017-18, following a 36-point season (19g, 17a), Snively was named to the NCAA All-Ivy League First Team and the NCAA (New England) All-Stars. Additionally, during his freshman year in 2015-16, Snively was named the NCAA Ivy-League Rookie of the Year, to the NCAA (ECAC) All-Rookie Team and was a NCAA All-Ivy League Team honorable mention following a 28-point (10g, 18a) season.
Joe Snively ties it up, 1-1. It’s Snively’s 13th goal of the season which is tied for team lead with Axel Jonsson_Fjallby. #HBH #ALLCAPS pic.twitter.com/DVJTkfHiB4
— Jon Sorensen (@jon_m_sorensen) January 23, 2022
Prior to Yale, Snively was drafted by the Sioux City Musketeers (USHL), 57th overall, in the 2012 USHL Futures Draft. Snively played three seasons in the USHL and recorded 125 points (50g, 75a) in 159 games with Sioux City.
Snively has twice represented Team USA, winning a silver medal in the 2013 Ivan Hlinka Tournament at the U-18 level and a gold medal at the 2014 World Junior A Championship.
Joe Snively tucks one home to make it 3-0. #HBH #ALLCAPS pic.twitter.com/G8McLsvqU6
— Jon Sorensen (@jon_m_sorensen) January 23, 2022
Sgarbossa, 29, has recorded four points (2g, 2a) in eight games with the Capitals this season and 14 points (8g, 6a) in 15 games with the Bears.
The Campbellville, Ontario, native appeared in five games with Washington during the 2020-21 season, recording two assists. During the 2019-20 season, the 6’0″, 179-pound center played two games with Washington, making his Capitals debut on Nov. 20, 2019, against the New York Rangers. Sgarbossa also recorded 40 points (13g, 27a) in 39 games with Hershey, which ranked third on the team. Additionally, Sgarbossa led Hershey in points per game (1.03), tied for the team lead in game-winning goals (4) and ranked tied for second in power play goals (5).
In 63 career NHL games with the Capitals, Colorado Avalanche, Anaheim Ducks and Florida Panthers, Sgarbossa has recorded 16 points (4g, 12a).
It don’t matter because once they get up to the caps they all forget how to shoot. Especially if they play on ovis line.
Snively’s good on the PK, so maybe he can gin-up a tally shorthanded.
Understand that Ovie is The Man on the PP but have they evr thought about not starting the PP with him but instead bringing him off the bench at say the 30 second mark? Anything to shake up the PP and get more players involved rather than just passing the puck and setting Ovie up in his office. Or maybe having at least 3 other players take a shot before Ovie does tha would surprise the other team. I think that they have had the same setup for so long and with the injury to Oshie; the combination of the two have turned what was once a powerul PP into a poor one. I think that is the #1 problem with this team on the ice besides age and speed.