McMichael embraced role in Hershey after ‘tough’ early demotion originally appeared on NBC Sports Washington
HERSHEY, Pa. — Connor McMichael’s season didn’t get off to the start he envisioned. After spending most of the 2021-22 campaign up in the NHL with the Capitals, the talented 22-year-old was among the team’s final cuts out of training camp. He made a few appearances in DC early on but wound up back in the AHL for good by mid-November.
Drafted 25th overall in 2019, McMichael hoped to establish himself as an NHL regular in 2022-23. Instead, he was back with the AHL’s Hershey Bears nearly a year removed from the last time he suited up in the chocolate and white. The demotion wasn’t easy to process at first, but once he came to terms with his situation he decided to embrace the turn his career had taken.
“Coming down here at the start was a little bit tough, obviously coming from the NHL and coming down here, but I think I made the most of it,” McMichael said following the Bears’ practice Tuesday. “I’ve been working on the little things I need to work on and obviously we got a really good team down here. So, that helps and I’ve been having a lot of fun.”
The Bears have been one of the best teams in the AHL this season. After earning a first-round bye, Hershey came out hot in the Calder Cup Playoffs by jumping out to a 2-0 lead in its best-of-five Atlantic Division semifinal series against the Charlotte Checkers. One of its strongest contributors has been McMichael, who strung together a career-high 10-game point streak in March and scored a point in each of the Bears’ first two playoff games.
McMichael’s primary focus in his own development has been improving his play at the finer points of the center position: faceoff techniques, winning puck battles down low and making smarter plays. He’s also worked in the weight room to improve his strength so he can be more physical when attacking the puck.
“I think he’s getting more and more comfortable there,” linemate Joe Snively said of his progress at center. “I think we’re starting to see that he’s a great goal-scorer. So, I think he’s finally finishing and it’s been great to play with him. We’re good friends off the ice and we have good chemistry on the ice as well.”
Perhaps the area of his game that has improved the most, however, has been the mental side. Bears head coach Todd Nelson has seen the young center, who played in the Capitals’ Stanley Cup playoff series against the Florida Panthers in 2022, take on a greater leadership role both on the bench during games and on the ice.
“I think it’s just been maturity and he’s invested in our hockey club right now,” Nelson said. “He’s really matured into somewhat of a leader on our hockey team. He says all the right things on the bench. When they scored to make it 2-1 [in Game 2], he was even-keel on the bench, helping the guys out. Then he goes out and performs and that’s a sign of him just growing as a player and he’s getting better and better every day.”
McMichael will look to crack the Capitals’ roster again next season and resume his pursuit of his NHL dream. With the Bears poised to make a deep postseason run, he will get an extended chance to show Washington just how much his game has developed. But training camp isn’t for another four months. Right now, he’s focused on adding a Calder Cup trophy to his resume.
“The biggest thing for me is just our team winning, honestly,” McMichael said. “I think with me being such a big part of the team, whenever the team is winning I think I’m able to contribute in different ways that might not just be the scoresheet. So, I think it’s just as long as our team keeps winning, we go on a good run, I think I’ll be able to showcase what I can do.”