Capitals’ Hendrix Lapierre Looking to Make Permanent Jump to NHL
The Washington Capitals’ 23-year-old center Hendrix Lapierre has made the opening night roster out of training camp and is looking to take up permanent residence in the capital city this season. The highly-skilled Gatineau, Quebec native looks to have pushed Connor McMichael from his third-line center role back to the wing on the second line.
Lapierre has a lot to prove this season. Last year, he made the Capitals’ opening night roster, even after an unimpressive training camp, and he followed it up with a disappointing first half of the season. The Capitals kept him on until right before the holiday break in December, when former Capital Lars Eller took his place. This season, Lapierre is playing on a one-year contract and is no longer waiver-exempt. For the time being, it looks like he’s won his spot back on the big club, but now he has to keep it.
A Risky Draft Selection
Lapierre was selected 22nd overall in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft. Prior to his draft year, he was regarded as a “top-ten talent” but slipped in the draft rankings due to three concussions suffered over a 10-month period. After his third concussion sidelined him for the majority of the 2019-20 season, Lapierre was diagnosed with a craniocervical traumatic injury that mirrors concussion symptoms, for which he received treatment in the spring of 2020.
To acquire Lapierre, the Capitals traded their 24th and 80th overall picks to the Calgary Flames to move up in the draft order. Largely considered a risky pick, the Capitals had Lapierre on their radar for some time and were willing to take the chance on the crafty centerman.
“I know he’s had a rough year with injuries,” former Capitals general manager Brian MacLellan told Tarik El-Bashir of The Atlantic. “We’ve had our doctors (and) our trainer check him out as we went through the whole draft process. There probably is a little risk there. But I thought at our pick, where we were at, the upside just made up for it. He’s a skilled player (with the) potential to be a top-six centerman. He has real good character, a real good personality. There are a lot of positives about the player. We’re excited we were able to get him and I guess it is just the upside with the risk just makes sense for us” (from ‘Henrik Lundqvist buzz heats up; Caps first-rounder Hendrix Lapierre’s ‘upside,’
Back and Forth to Hershey
After his first NHL training camp at the start of the 2021-22 season, Lapierre played six games with the Capitals before returning for his final year of junior hockey in the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). The next season, he was assigned to the Capitals’ American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Hershey Bears, at the completion of camp. In his first professional campaign, he recorded 30 points in 60 games and helped the Bears capture their 12th Calder Cup title, scoring the game-tying goal in the seventh game of the Final.
In the 2023-24 season, Lapierre started the season in Hershey but was called up on a number of occasions to join the big club, recording 22 points in 51 games with the Capitals. He was reassigned to Hershey for their playoff run where he collected 22 points in 20 games as the Bears once again hoisted the Calder Cup. Lapierre was named playoff MVP as he led all players in scoring.
In the 2024-25 season, Lapierre appeared in the first 27 games for the Capitals, winning a spot out of training camp, but he only recorded eight assists before being assigned to Hershey for the remainder of the year. The Capitals were not impressed with his lackluster performance and ended up getting Eller to fill his spot. Lapierre was a point-per-game player for the AHL club for the remainder of the season before their quest for a third championship was halted by the Charlotte Checkers in the division finals. In July 2025, he signed a one-year contract with the Capitals for $850,000.
Lapierre spent the summer working on his game at Amped Hockey in Ottawa, and the results seem to be speaking for themselves. He looks quicker, grittier, and more determined to make the team this year. He’s clearly not taking anything for granted. “I put in a lot of work in the summer,” Lapierre told
Preseason Success
Lapierre has come back strong to start the 2025-26 season, racking up seven points in his four preseason games with the Capitals, including two three-point nights.
“He had a good camp. You can tell he looks a little quicker, there’s some jump there,”
Lapierre’s exceptional play has forced the Capitals coaching staff to reconsider Connor McMichael’s presumed place as the team’s third center. McMichael had his breakthrough season in 2024-25, scoring 26 goals and 57 points playing the wing. Lapierre’s success has worked out well for both players, with McMichael playing on the second line with Pierre-Luc Dubois and Tom Wilson (who he had great success with last season) and Lapierre centering Anthony Beauvillier and Ryan Leonard.
Lapierre had tough competition at camp this season, with several players on a mission to prove themselves. Sonny Milano, who missed almost all of last season due to injury, is entering the final year of his three-year contract. He made the team, but was a healthy scratch for the opener against the Boston Bruins. Ivan Miroshnichenko was hoping to crack the lineup this year, but was sent back to Hershey at the end of the preseason. So too did rookie Andrew Cristall, who, despite a strong showing at camp the last two years, failed to make the team.
Lapierre will need to play consistently well to keep his position with the Capitals this season. With a lot of talent in Hershey just waiting for an opportunity, he’ll need to maintain the mental strength and determination he’s demonstrated these last weeks all season long.
QB Graveyard Grows: Garrett Eyes Rodgers for Halloween Hit List
The Pittsburgh Steelers fan base isn’t very fond of Cleveland Browns star pass rusher Myles Garrett. This rivalry has intensified over the years, but it boiled over in the 2023 season when TJ Watt felt he was robbed of the Defensive Player of the Year Award. Garrett reportedly took offense to Watt not supporting him for the honor, adding fuel to an already heated rivalry between the two elite pass rushers.
Now, every time Garrett faces the Steelers, he seems extra motivated to make a statement and quiet the home crowd. Playing Pittsburgh at Acrisure Stadium gives him even more incentive, he claims, and he often plays with a chip on his shoulder during these matchups. Steelers fans have come to expect Garrett to bring his best whenever the Browns roll into Pittsburgh, knowing he thrives on the energy of the rivalry.
Speaking to the Cleveland media on Friday, Garrett made it clear he is already looking forward to the next showdown. He specifically called out Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, saying he is eager to add Rodgers to his graveyard of quarterbacks he has sacked. With Garrett’s intensity and competitive fire, Steelers fans will once again be bracing for a brutal day on the field when Cleveland comes to town. However, they are hopeful their offensive line can quiet the Browns' stout front seven.
"I mean he’s a great one," Garrett said in regards to sacking Aaron Rodgers. "He will probably get propped up a little bit higher than some of the others. It would be an honor to put him in the graveyard and definitely a lot of respect for him and what he has done in his career. He’s special."
This isn’t the first time Garrett has commented about putting the four-time league MVP in his graveyard. It is a fascinating concept, as Garrett actually maintains a graveyard on his lawn. It is an annual Halloween display he created to show off the elite quarterbacks he has sacked. Garrett even mentioned that sacking Ben Roethlisberger remains one of his favorite tombstones among the legendary quarterbacks he has taken down.
Steelers insider Mark Kaboly ripped into Garrett when he made similar comments back in June about putting Rodgers in his graveyard. Kaboly told Garrett to shut up and focus on winning. It was a fair statement, but clearly Garrett does not care. He will be hunting to add the future Hall of Fame quarterback to his resume on Sunday.
Steelers' Offensive Line Will Work Hard To Protect Aaron Rodgers
The Steelers offensive line will be working hard to make sure that does not happen. With Garrett’s competitive fire and his flair for the dramatic, Pittsburgh knows this matchup is going to be about more than just points on the board. It is personal and it is one of the most anticipated defensive showdowns of the season.
Steelers fans will be watching every snap closely, knowing Garrett is likely to bring his most intense pass-rushing game. The battle in the trenches could decide the outcome and set the tone for this heated rivalry.
Ultimately, it is more than just a game. It is a clash of two elite players, pride, and bragging rights. Garrett’s graveyard may be more than a Halloween display, and the Steelers will do everything they can to make sure their quarterback does not end up in it. If the Steelers' offensive line can keep Rodgers clean in this contest, it will give fans a reason for real optimism moving forward.
Do you have confidence that the Steelers' offensive line can slow down Myles Garrett and the Browns' front seven Sunday? Why or why not?
