The world saw what he could do in the playoffs last year and after a slow start this season, Washington Capitals fourth line center David Steckel has finally started to settle into his game.
During the team’s playoff run last year, Washington saw Steckel notch two assists in a pivotal Game 6 to force a Game 7 in the first round against the New York Rangers. Then, he scored three goals in the second round against the Pittsburgh Penguins, including one in overtime to force a Game 7. Many thought the reason for his increased production was because he finally realized his size and how to use it to his advantage.
With that in mind, his relatively quiet first half of the season can be credited to the fact that he might have forgotten how to use his size on offense. His play is consistent with diving into the corners and digging out the puck, but Steckel rarely made guys move out of his way. After he scored his first goal in December, Steckel has begun to use his six-foot-five-inch frame to push defenders out of the crease and the puck into the net.
“I had the chances and they just weren’t going in,” Steckel said after the team’s home win over the New Jersey Devils. “[Head] Coach [Bruce Boudreau] has really helped me out, and coach has really helped me out. It wasn’t about scoring, it was about creating energy for the line.”
Regardless of whether he is showing up on the points sheet, Steckel is always dominant in the faceoff circle. This season, he has won 62 percent of his faceoffs, good enough for second place in the NHL.
It took more than two months, but Steckel finally scored his first goal of the year on Dec. 5, in an 8-2 rout of the Philadelphia Flyers. Since then, he has two goals, two assists and four points. He has also emerged as the focal point of a fourth line that has controlled the tempo of games. Steckel is flanked by veteran wingers Boyd Gordon and Matt Bradley. They make up the team’s checking line and are often looked to when the team is slumping.
“[The pucks] seem to be going in whether it is for me or my line-mates,” Steckel said. “We just want to make sure we are providing that spark for the team.”
Despite the offensive mediocrity, the Caps have seen his potential and signed him to a three-year $3.3 million extension. While the Caps have a logjam at the center position, Steckel has the opportunity to move up to the third line with some of the more skilled players. Boudreau has recognized several times that, while he may lack the ability to show up on the score sheet, he does not lack the talent to help the team.
“If you know [Steckel} when it is a big game he shows up,” Boudreau said. “He has done that his entire career even back to his time in the minors.”
After the Capitals were embarrassed in a 3-2 shootout loss to the Devils in October, Boudreau chastised the team for pressing too hard when they were ahead. The Caps had jumped out to a 2-0 lead and ended up blowing it in the third. Boudreau said it was because the team didn’t know how to win 2-0 because they are trying to win 6-0. Steckel showed his intelligence when describing how that mentality changed.
“I think we need to play smarter,” Steckel said. “We aren’t dumb guys but we were playing like we were.”
Even at 27 years old, the former first round pick of the Los Angeles Kings has real promise and has the ability to flourish into a top player. The Caps signed him in free agency, and overtime he has shown he is worth every penny. His hockey smarts alone — not to mention his success in the faceoff circle — has made him a valuable part of the team. If he can get on an offensive roll and confident on the attack, Steckel could be a very dangerous player come playoff time.
You can reach this staff writer at atomlinson@theeagleonline.com.
