The most versatile forward on the Washington Capitals once played defense in youth hockey, until Eric Fehr’s coaches decided he rushed the puck too much, so they moved him up. Over the past two seasons, under then-coach Adam Oates, Fehr became a human pinball for the Capitals, shuttling between all four lines and all three forward positions.

“Kind of changed my game,” Fehr said Tuesday. “I think it was a change for the better. Even when I’m playing wing, I feel more confident on puck battles and when I do have to go down low, I know what I’m doing and I feel strong about going down low.”

Even this preseason, as Coach Barry Trotz tinkers with his forward lines, having a jack-of-all-trades such as Fehr has offered a safety net. Like a utility fielder in baseball, Trotz can slot Fehr onto the penalty kill and the power play, as a first-line winger or a third-line center.

“I think we’re trying to sort that out,” Trotz said. “Each game, I’m trying to put another piece in and take a look at it. We’ve got to lock things down those last four games, just load it up.”

The latest iteration, on Sunday night at Montreal, put Fehr beside Alex Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom on the top line, a move that made Trotz “really happy.” The good folks over at Japers’ Rink broke down the benefits of skating a first-line Fehr, the team’s best puck possession forward in two seasons under Oates, and it’s worth a read. The trio skated together again at practice Tuesday.

“It’s huge,” Trotz said “We’ve got three guys who can do a lot of that. Brooks [Laich] can do that, I think Eric can do that, I think [Joel] Wardo can do that. And I know [Andre] Burakovsky can. He’s a winger, he’s playing center and he’s doing very well. We’ve got a few guys that can do that. In the long haul, that pays dividends.”

This preseason, learning a new system, Fehr has tripled up on video study, pausing and rewinding tape to study each position.

“You have to break it down all three ways,” Fehr said. “I think it makes you better as a player, because when you’re on the ice you’re not always in your same position. Sometimes the rotation switches over and you’re in someone else’s spot and you have to know what you’re doing.”

With just three preseason games left until the Oct. 9 opener versus Montreal, little time remains for Trotz to finalize his lines. Based on Sunday’s 2-0 victory and Tuesday’s practice, the new bench boss seemed content with bumping Fehr to the top line, armed by the comfort

“I feel really confident with them,” Fehr said. “I played with Nickie a little 4-on-4. Ovie, you know what you’re getting. I know how to get the puck over to him. I probably had some really good almost chances in Montreal where our timing was a second or two off, but that’ll come.”