One note about LaPierre: As a 19 year old, if he dresses for 10 or more games he triggers the commitment to the first year of his entry-level contract and must be kept on the NHL roster. Given the players and contract dollars that will have to be shed when Backstrom comes off LTIR and the Caps must get into compliance with the salary cap, I have to believe that the Caps will send him down. He's played 5 games, so he can play in at most 4 more. I suspect that McMichael will be sent down to Hershey as well, but it may be, because of his versatility and relatively inexpensive contract, that he will be kept up. I know the Caps are hard up against the salary cap, so the last few dollars of cap room are important.
