When Dylan Strome talks about his future, he is careful to not move too far ahead. The newcomer to Washington isn’t naive; he knows this season offers a chance for him to establish himself with a new franchise and set roots in the District. But if there’s anything Strome learned from growing up in a competitive hockey family, it’s that success not only requires skill and hard work but also the right situation.
Dylan Strome wants ‘to feel wanted.’ The Caps are giving him that chance.
As much as Strome, 25, believes he is a good fit in Washington, there is still a long season ahead — and plenty to prove. He signed a one-year deal during the offseason, becoming a key piece of the team’s forward corps. Chicago, where he played the past four seasons, decided to let him hit free agency instead of offering him another deal to spearhead the organization’s rebuild.
Strome, who scored a career-best 22 goals and recorded 26 assists in Chicago last year, has let that decision fuel him in Washington.
“I just want to feel wanted, ” Strome said. “ … You got to work your way up and show the team that they want to sign you for long term, not that you are forcing their hand. I want to just enjoy it and have fun. You don’t get to play this game forever so I’m just having fun, living in the moment.”
He’s learned that lesson in part from his older brother, Ryan, a 10-year NHL veteran who also changed teams in the offseason and now plays for the Anaheim Ducks. Dylan and his younger brother Matt have had front row seats as Ryan navigated his own difficulties and successes in the league.
“My message to them is, ‘Don’t get too high and don’t get too low,’” said Ryan, 29. “I think through our minor hockey careers and junior careers, we didn’t face adversity. Then I got to pro hockey and I had some ups and down and faced some challenges and some roadblocks. I think them seeing me go through it and them seeing firsthand the challenges that pro hockey has and stuff like that, they’ve learned from it.”
The brothers talk to each other every day, a task made easier when Matt and Dylan both participated in Capitals training camp. Matt, 23, signed an American League Hockey contract for the 2022-2023 season with the Capitals’ AHL affiliate in Hershey, Pa.
That training camp was the first time any of the Strome brothers were on the ice together in a team environment since they were young. Ryan said that while it “sounds cheesy,” it was something their parents were “over the moon” about.
“We are just a normal hockey family and trying to squeeze every bit of this life we can,” Ryan said.
During Washington’s camp, Matt lived for two-and-a-half weeks in Dylan’s house in Arlington, becoming a live-in roommate in an already-crowded household. Matt got to be around his sister-in-law, Tayler, in addition to the couple’s young daughter, Weslie, and their energetic golden retriever, Benny.
Matt said he loved being around his niece, always willing to lend a hand after long days at the rink. Weslie, who is 1½, loves all the attention she can get. She is already running around, blurting out words here and there. Dylan said she’s taken to her mother more than her father, though there might be some controversy over her first word.
“There are some question marks around that, but I think her first word might have been ‘dada’ — but when she knew what ‘mama’ and ‘dada’ meant, it was ‘mama,’” Strome said with a chuckle.
The couple, who got married this summer then spent their honeymoon in Hawaii, also have a house in Oakville, a town in Halton Region, located in Southern Ontario. Their home is 20 minutes away from Dylan’s parents’ house, as well as Ryan’s house in Mississauga. In the summers, Matt and Dylan work out daily at Ryan’s house. When they aren’t in the gym or on the ice, they’re likely golfing.
Ryan and Matt agree that Ryan is the best golfer out of the brothers. They also agree that Matt, if he hasn’t already surpassed Dylan on the links, is challenging him for the No. 2 spot.
“For some reason, Dylan’s game gets worse the more he plays,” Ryan quipped.
Said Matt: “I think I’m better than Dylan, but he would not be happy if he heard that.”
Jokes aside, Ryan and Matt are thrilled about Dylan’s opportunity in Washington. They see it as a fresh start for their brother, and hope he can have a breakout season with the Capitals.
“This is a good challenge for him, because in his career and his life, he really hasn’t had too, too much adversity, so I think in order to grow it is a great challenge,” Ryan said. “To have a chip on your shoulder is a good attitude to have, so I think he’s in a great place to do that and I think it will be a great fit for both sides.”
Dylan, who was a healthy scratch for stretches under two different head coaches in Chicago, said he is ready to prove he can be a contributing force on a contender. As a member of the Capitals, Strome could get a chance to not only solidify his place in the league, but help an aging core make a run at another championship.
“For him to get to play with those [Capitals veterans], it is unbelievable,” Matt Strome said. Dylan had “a smile on his face every day when I [got] home from the rink. He’s happy to be here and this is a big shot for him, and he is going to make the most of his opportunity.”
Source: WP
