NHL Rumors: 2 Washington Capitals in Tough to Make 2022-23 Roster

The Washington Capitals are looking to get back to glory and compete for the Stanley Cup. The team has been inconsistent of late and captain Alex Ovechkin is looking to right the ship and lead his team to the promised land. The Caps underwent a number of big changes this summer, here's a couple of players who are now hard pressed to make the 2022-23 opening night lineup:

Axel Jonsson-Fjallby

One of the best names in hockey, Axel Jonsson Fjallby will need a stellar training camp to leap frog a couple of proven Capitals to make the team. The former fifth-round pick managed to dress in 23 games last season, recording four points. He went down to the Hershey Bears and recorded 34 points in 44 games, showing with some more responsibility comes more production.

If AJ-F makes the team it's likely in a fourth-line capacity, but at this point he's likely on the outside looking in, thanks to some new additions such as Connor Brown and Dylan Strome.

Matt Irwin

Much like the previous offseason, veteran defenseman Matt Irwin signed a one-year deal with the Capitals and is looking to catch on once again in Washington. The 34-year-old dressed in 17 games for the Caps in 2021-22, recording four points. He's a bottom-pair righty who can help fill in to kill penalties and spot duty on the power play. Irwin's bounced around to six different organizations, but has managed to play 400 NHL games, a very meaningful milestone in the league. Look for Irwin to battle it out with a couple of youngsters for the final spot on the team's blueline.

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