Washington Capitals defenseman Nate Schmidt is used to being a regular part of the team's blueline rotation, but he's been forced to adjust after being listed as a healthy scratch three times over the past four games.
“Obviously, every time we have a game I want to be in the lineup,” he said. “It has helped though, talking to some of the older guys, being able to analyze things from a different perspective, it kind of opens your eyes up. Maybe you missed things in the game, in my game. It has helped so far, but obviously I want to be in the lineup as many times as I can.”
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You have to give Schmidt his due for maintain an air of positivity after following 31 straight games played with some time in the press box.
“I have to get back to where I was before, when I was playing my better hockey at the beginning of the year,” Schmidt said, harkening back to a recent explanation given by Coach Barry Trotz, who blamed “a big miscue” by Schmidt that led to him being cut to less than 12 minutes of ice time in six of seven games and then, eventually, missing games as a healthy scratch.
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