They're in. They avoided a first round bout with the Rangers. They drew the defending champs. Why not?
For the non-bandwagoners, throw your minds back in time about 14 years or so. The Caps were just starting their improbable run to their first and only Stanley Cup Finals appearance. They lost their number one goalie early in the season, leaving the reigns to be seized by the relatively unknown Olaf Kolzig. This year's Caps have lost their "top two" goalies in Tomas Vokoun and Michael Neuvirth, leaving the crease to rookie Braden Holtby. Both year's teams drew the Boston Bruins in the first round. Anyone see a similarity here?
Olie Kolzig scraps with Byron Dafoe of the Boston Bruins. The two were both the "best man" at one another's weddings.
Sure, the '98 Caps were a four-seed with home ice advantage while this year's Caps are seeded seventh, going against the league's 2010 playoff MVP in goaltender Tim Thomas, along with he and the Bruins' very shiny Stanley Cup rings. But the Caps also have reasons to believe that this upset can very well happen.
The Caps took the year's season series with a record of 3-1-0, including two wins in Boston. Of course the Bruins team the Caps saw during the regular season will be completely different than the playoff version. Here are the big questions that will determine this series:
Can Braden Holtby keep up with Tim Thomas?
In his last start against the powerhouse New York Rangers, Holtby recorded a 35 save effort, including several big stops against several of the Rangers' big stars. Holtby also recorded a stinker against Buffalo days earlier, allowing 3 of 18. Can Holtby get the job done? Absolutely, but he needs to avoid having one of his "off" games. Holtby's game is very similar to former goalie Olaf Kolzig's. He keeps himself big in his stance, square to the shooter and likes to aggressively cut off the angle. When Holtby keeps his game simple and avoids over-handling the puck outside of his crease, he is a very difficult goaltender to get one past, partly due to his size, and partly due to his stellar lateral movement. The Bruins are a team that score a lot of "ugly" playoff goals. Holtby's style of play, in theory, should be the perfect answer to the Bruins' offense.
Which Tim Thomas shows up to play?:
Every goal scored on Thomas will have to be earned in the coming days.
In nine of his last sixteen appearances, Thomas has recorded a save percentage of less than .900 on the night. However, when Thomas is on his game, he is among the toughest goaltenders in the league to slip one by. Thomas stands at only 5'11", but compensates for his lack of size with his quick movements and his will to keep the puck out of his net at all costs. Last spring, the hockey world caught a glimpse at what the 37 year old goalie is capable of doing when he's on. Caps fans, and players, will have their fingers crossed that he fails to duplicate such a performance again this spring.
What does Dale Hunter do about Boston's desire to match Chara and Seidenberg against Ovechkin and Backstrom?:
Last game in Boston, the Bruins lacked Dennis Seidenberg on the blue line but still used the home ice advantage to match Zdeno Chara against Alex Ovechkin. To counter this, Dale Hunter could split his top two players apart, leaving the Bruins to chose putting Chara against Ovechkin and Johansson, or Backstrom and Semin. Claude Julien would have a much more difficult time getting line match ups that he was comfortable with, especially if Backstrom continues to improve his game as the series progresses. Ovechkin cannot be ignored either though, as through his 23 games against the Bruins since they acquired Chara in 2006-'07, he has put up 10 goals and 15 assists. Will the Caps continue this trend throughout the series? Maybe only during games in Boston where they don't have the last change? It worked against teams before before, maybe it will work again.
How do MoJo, Perreault, and Aucoin players perform against Boston's bigger lineup?
Mathieu Perreault caps off his hat trick against the Bruins earlier this year.
Marcus Johansson notched the Caps lone goal and Mathieu Perreault stepped up in the absence of Alex Ovechkin in the Capitals' 5-3 victory over Boston on January 24, 2012, netting three goals against Tukka Rask, with Johansson contributing an assist. Perreault would return the favor, assisting on Johansson's lone goal in a 4-1 Caps loss on February 5th. Johansson picked up another goal and assist in the Caps' 3-2 shootout victory in Boston on March 29th, earning him first star accolades for the night. For the Caps to pull off the upset, there will need to be more performances like this from the little guys up front.
How will the series play out in the coming days? We must wait to find out, but next to the Penguins/Flyers matchup, Caps v Bruins could potentially be the most exciting first round series of the 2012 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Alex Ovechkin has the Caps flying high going into Tuesday's game against Buffalo.
Buffalo, Boston, Montreal, Tampa Bay, Florida, New York Rangers. Six games, twelve available points, and one playoff birth. This is what is left of the 2011-2012 regular season for the Washington Capitals. As of right now, Buffalo sits behind eighth place Washington tied with 84 points, but six less non-shootout wins to their credit for the first tie breaker (30 to Washington's 36). The Ottawa Senators and Florida Panthers are within striking distance at 86 and 87 points respectively. So what will be the outcome when all is said and done with just six games from now? That would seem to be up to the Caps themselves.
Ryan Miller and the Buffalo Sabres will bring their four game win streak into DC on Tuesday night, in what is a bit more than a critical game for both teams. A win for Buffalo would put their playoff destiny in their own hands, while a win in DC would allow for a bit of breathing room in the eighth seed. Miller will be the key player on the ice for Buffalo, while the red hot Alex Ovechkin will look to puncture the seemingly brick wall in the opposing net.
The other huge game down the stretch will be the home finale on April 5th when the Caps host the Florida Panthers. With a strong showing in the four games preceding it, the cinco de April matchup in DC could very well end up determining this years Southeast division champion. Of course, that matchup is a ways away. With a poor showing or two the Caps could potentially end their season before the game even arrives. So what determines the chances of a playoff run for DC's hockey squad?
1. Goaltending - The Caps will potentially be facing several elite goaltenders down the stretch, including Olympic hero Ryan Miller, last year's playoff MVP Tim Thomas, All-Star Carey Price, former Cap Jose Theodore, and the inevitable Vezina trophy winner for this year and possible league MVP, Henrik Lundqvist. If the Caps' goaltenders were to have an off night, throw in the towel. Third stringer Braden Holtby looks to be a definite to get the start in Tuesday's showdown against Buffalo, while Tomas Vokoun continues to work on a return from a nagging groin injury. What should be interesting is seeing how head coach Dale Hunter handles Michael Neuvirth upon Vokoun's return. Will we see another case of the unhappy goaltender in Washington come playoff time a la Brent Johnson, Olie Kolzig, Seymon Varlamov?
Despite the hot play of Holtby as of late, Hunter needs to remember that George McPhee brought Vokoun into the District to get the Capitals over the playoff hump. Vokoun is one of the league's elite goaltenders, and has to be the go-to guy down the stretch. Once Vokoun returns to game form, it probably will be time for Holtby to go fetch his car out of the airport parking lot.
2. Alex Ovechkin - Ovi is on a tear of late, scoring ten goals in his last ten games, with nine of them coming in the last seven. The question is, however, how long can the captain keep up the pace? Ovechkin had already hit the 18 minute mark by the end of Sunday's second period against Minnesota, which is clearly not an ice time that can be kept up without risking a "burnout." Ovechkin has carried this team on his back before. Now he is looking to do it again.
3. Nicklas Backstrom - Backstrom (concussion) has been symptom free for nearly two weeks, and skated for eleven out of twelve days, having recently been cleared to practice with no restrictions. Despite having only played 38 games this season, Backstrom remains the teams' fourth highest scorer (13 goals, 29 assists). While Ovechkin may be the team's leader both on the stat sheet and on the ice, Backstrom is the guy who can bring the Caps to an entire different level. If and when the Caps get the young Swede back, both Ovechkin and the power play unit will benefit greatly.
What is happening with the Washington Capitals of late? Is this a breakthrough, or just one big tease for an epic fall out of the playoffs for the first time in five years? Whatever the case, I must admit, I am some kind of pleased with what I have seen with this team for the last four games now, and not solely because they have resulted in an unheard of four game win streak. No, it's the little things that are going the Caps way all of a sudden, the intangibles, that make playoff teams and playoff runs, such as the following:
Tonight the Caps feel behind by three goals on the road, while in the midst of a three game win streak. They could have easily shipped it in, thinking "three of the last four is still pretty good," but they didn't. Alex Ovechkin put the Caps within two goals during the final minute of the second period, crashing the net and getting a dirty rebound goal, or a "playoff" type of goal. Young blue-liner Dmitri Orlov picked up his third goal of his rookie campaign, charging the net when an open passing lane presented itself early in the third, much as Mike Green has made a name for himself doing. Ovechkin got the tying goal in the third, getting a third wack in tight on Islanders' goalie Evgeni Nabokov, yet another "ugly" goal, though it was about as pretty as an ugly goal gets. Put Matt Hendrick's and his one move on the ice in a game-set-match shootout attempt, there's your fourth win in a row. Brilliant comeback, or better yet, a "vintage Caps" comeback.
Before that, the Caps shut out a desperate team on the outside looking in with the Toronto Maple Leafs in town. Michael Neuvirth was forced to make only 23 saves during his 60 minutes in net, and no more than a couple of them were legitimate scoring threats.
Mike Knuble finally got the very large monkey off his back, netting his second goal since December 5th, or 35 games. Believe it or not, Knuble's tally came in typical Knuble fashion: get to the net and see what happens.
Keith Aucoin, once a small plug-in when the Caps were in need of a little help (no pun intended), had a three point night and has averaged a point a night in his last five contests.
Jeff Schultz doesn't look like a defensive liability when he's on the ice of late, and has been able to contribute his fair share of puck movement in the offensive zone when called upon.
Michael Neuvirth has looked uncomfortable in the net, struggling to control rebounds and minimize his movements that have made his career thus far, but is still finding a way to win. Tomas Vokoun has picked up his play since two rough outings against Carolina and Ottawa, and figures to deserve a start in Winnipeg in the wake of Neuvirth's rough night.
Of course the Caps still have their struggles. John Carlson has largely been invisible of late, unless seen standing in front of his own net after a puck has gone in it. The Caps still are having to find ways to climb their way out of holes, trailing the Islanders by three tallies tonight and staging late comebacks against Tampa Bay and the Islanders during their last visit to DC. But even problems come with perks, such as seeing the Captain score two clutch overtime goals. And this serves as a sweet reminder of what could come in April if Washington's finest russian returns to top form for a playoff run.
Mike Knuble said after tonight's game that certain "leaders" stepped up vocally during the second intermission on the island, willing their teammates to find a way to win against the odds. Well, there's something we haven't heard much of this year. Having Knuble back in the locker room is a true asset to a young team in need of leadership and direction if anything is going to get done after game 82. With Nicklas Backstrom clearly not coming back anytime this year, everyone in the locker room will have to step up if there is to be any hope of playoff run in DC this spring.
Dale Hunter needs to let his veteran net-minder take his place between the pipes for the foreseeable future and prepare him for a playoff run, the one he was brought in to excel and lead. It will be a tough climb to chase down the red-hot Florida Panthers for this year's Southeast division crown. The Caps have quietly put together a three-game road winning streak, while the upcoming four road games in Winnipeg, Chicago, Detroit, and Philadelphia will determine if anything is to come of this season.
Just remember, it was the fourth seeded Capitals that made a run to the finals in 1998, not the division champion New Jersey Devils. Your move, Caps. Make it happen.
Undeniably, the Washington Capitals are in need of a shake up if they are hoping to make some noise in this years playoffs, or even reach the playoffs at all. As of Tuesday morning, the Caps sit in 9th in the Eastern Conference, 1 point behind 8th place Toronto and 4 points behind the Southeast division leading Florida Panthers, while Florida also has one game in hand. Looking at the team's roster, via CapGeek.com, the Caps are able to add a maximum total of $5,876,365 to their cap hit at the trade deadline, factoring in the long-term absences of Mike Green and Nicklas Backstrom from their roster.
Clearly the Caps are in need of a top-six center at the deadline, as well as possibly adding another defenseman. With the league standings so close just a couple of weeks before the deadline, it is still tough to determine which teams could be sellers. However, let's assume that general manager George McPhee can make deals happen for any of the possibly available at the deadline players; Who should the Caps go after? For now, let's take a look at some of the possibilities on the front end of the ice.
Wingers:
Shane Doan, Phoenix Coyotes - Cap hit $4.55M, pending UFA
Why he would fit: Shane Doan is everything you could ever want in a captain and more. Both on and off the ice, Doan leads his Coyotes teammates by example, both as a person and as a hockey player. Doan's leaderships skills go unquestioned, and his willingness to step up against the toughest of opponents to defend his teammates is unparalleled. Making this such a great fit is how over the years, this group of Capitals' mental toughness has been questioned on a consistent basis. The ability to bring in a mentor for the Caps' captain Alex Ovechkin and the rest of the team is something that has paid heavy dividends in the past (e.g. Sergei Fedorov), and McPhee could be well off to try it again.
Doan has also been a strong performer over his brief playoff stints with the Coyotes, registering 10 goals and 9 assists in 39 career games, along with 44 penalty minutes. Bringing in Doan could relieve a guy like Brooks Laich from some of his heavy power play expectations, as he could play in front of the net with his 6'1'', 223 pound frame. With the decline in Mike Knuble's production in 2012, this could be an invaluable asset going forward.
Jarome Iginla, Calgary Flames, Cap hit $7M, signed through 2012-'13
A bit of a stretch? Probably. But the versatile Iginla could address several of the Caps same issues as a guy like Shane Doan would. Iginla brings the highest levels of leadership, toughness, and skill into every game he plays. Along with his obvious skill and ability to teach the younger Caps players about what it takes to be successful, Iginla would bring the Caps a top-notch leadership role into the locker room that could take a struggling Caps team for a deep playoff run (think Calgary 2004). His impressive playoff numbers (28 goals and 21 assists in 54 career games) make him an excellent candidate to help bolster the Washington lineup when it comes time to play a playoff style of hockey. Plus, who wouldn't want to have a captain who is willing to drop 'em against the opposing team's leader in the Finals?
Centers:
Unfortunately, Marcus Johansson has not proven himself to be ready to be a top line pivot between the talents of Alex Ovechkin and Alexander Semin/Troy Brouwer, and time in running short to find a replacement. With Nicklas Backstrom, who has skated just a few minutes in no pads since suffering a concussion on an elbow from then Calgary's Rene Bourque, the Caps are running short on time to find a replacement for the young Swede. Fortunately, there may be a couple of good fits available at the trade deadline for the right price.
Sam Gagner, Edmonton Oilers, cap hit $2.275M, pending UFA
It's not often that such a young talent is available on the trade market, but with their stockpile of young talent and what is sure to be an early first round pick on the way again this season, the 22 year old Ontario native may be the exception to the rule. Gagner has recently experienced a huge break out season, totaling 15 points in his last 5 games. With the absence of Nicklas Backstrom, the Capitals' biggest problem remains their lack of talent and size down the middle. At just 5'11' 195 lbs., Gagner would not necessarily help on the size aspect of things, but his elusive skating and vision abilities make him well worth the risk of bringing him in to center Alex Ovechkin on the top line. The former first round pick also has never experienced the intensity of playoff hockey in his NHL career, making him an unknown in the lineup come April. The Oilers will likely have many suitors calling for Gagner's services over the next two weeks, which could drive up the asking price for his talents a bit too high for George McPhee's liking.
Jeff Carter, Columbus Blue Jackets, cap hit $5.273M through 2021-'22
Another unlikely scenario, but one worth looking into. The 27 year old Carter has made it abundantly clear that he is not happy with his present situation in Columbus, and there will be no shortage of teams willing to take him into their lineups. While the length of Carter's contract will likely scare the Capitals' away from dealing for him, Carter does bring with him experience of what it takes to make it to the Stanley Cup Finals, having gone to a game 6 in 2010 before being knocked out by Patrick Kane and the Chicago Blackhawks.
Another intangible danger of welcoming in Carter to the Washington locker room would be his known tendency to party a little too much, one of the reasons for his break up with the Flyers and Mike Richards this past summer. And as all Caps fans know, there are a certain couple of Russians who are not all that hard to find on stage anytime there's a good late night show in town.
Putting that aside, Carter is a hard to find talent in the NHL. The Capitals are fortunate to have two elite left-shot centers in Backstrom and Marcus Johansson, but adding a right-hander to the line up could prove valuable in certain situations going forward. Carter and Johansson could make for a tough one-two punch down the middle, with Brooks Laich and Jeff Halpern anchoring the third and fourth lines. Carter's grittier style of play in comparison to Backstrom and Johansson could make for a strong top line when paired with the toughness of Troy Brouwer and the skill of Ovechkin. Again, this is certainly a long shot to happen, but could also be one of the more intriguing ideas moving forward were the asking price to be right.
Derek Roy, Buffalo Sabres, cap hit $4M through 2012-'13
Roy is a pesky little center who has been a reliable presence in the Buffalo Sabres' organization since they drafted him in 2001 (2nd round, 32nd overall). Roy's numbers have dipped over the past two seasons, but has always been a guy on the ice who does not go unnoticed. His ability to use his speed in a transitional situation is something that could benefit the Caps top line, especially their slumping captain's offensive production. While Roy's cap hit is only $4M, his actual salary next season is $5.5M, so the Caps might look elsewhere for a cheaper option with the pending return of Backstrom.
However, Roy has also been a steady player throughout his playoff career, putting away 7 goals and 18 assists in 41 playoff games. Playoff hockey is something that has stumped this group of Capitals thus far in their careers, so perhaps the risk of chasing a guy like Roy could be worth it, as George McPhee did with former Nashville Predator Joel Ward. And there is no doubt that Derek Roy would contribute to the Capitals' off-season partying abilities with this beauty of a summerhouse:
Derick Brassard, Columbus Blue Jackets, cap hit $3.2M through 2013-'14
With the Blue Jackets looking to possibly reload their roster, the intriguing idea of shipping out the former first round pick from Columbus possibly becomes a reality Brassard carries a very manageable cap hit, along with a solid skill set at the young age of 24. Perhaps the Caps will be more intrigued of bringing in a veteran center with some playoff experience, much like they did last season with the addition of Jason Arnott from New Jersey, but Brassard could be well worth the risk.
With Brassard being signed for two more seasons beyond this year, he would also be afforded the opportunity to be developed under gritty coach Dale Hunter, who could mold the young center into a solid second or third line guy for the Caps down the middle, allowing Brooks Laich to get more playing time at wing. Brassard is a solid player both offensively and defensively, and still possesses the raw skill that could make him into a top player for the Caps in the future. Former Columbus scout Don Boyd referred to Brassard as a future Joe Sakic when scouting him during his QMJHL playing days. Brassard totaled 218 points in 151 career games in the Q, and while he has yet to reach such numbers in the NHL, there is certainly the ability to still help Brassard find his full potential in this league. The question though ultimately has to be if he would help Washington in this year's playoff race, despite his young age and never experiencing the intensity of playoff hockey since junior. For that, George McPhee may elect to look elsewhere.
Antoine Vermette, Columbus Blue Jackets, cap hit $3.75M through 2014-'15
Vermette presents the Caps with yet another versatile option at center with the pending wholesale of the Jackets looking to reload their roster with young talent. At 6'1'', 198 lb.., and 29 years of age, Vermette could be a more reliable option for the Caps than Brassard would offer down the stretch. Vermette wouldn't offer the Caps the first line center that they would be seeking to play with Ovechkin, but could play a similar role to that of Eric Belanger during his time in Washington, able to serve on as a center on the third or even second line when needed.
One point of concern could be Vermette's lack of point production throughout his playoff career, totaling only 8 points (4 goals, 4 assists) during his 42 games of playoff experience with the Senators and Blue Jackets. What Vermette could bring, however, is a reliable two-way center capable of skating anywhere from 15 to 20 minutes a night, and a bit more of a veteran presence with a lot of playoff experience to a team which lacks just that. Bringing in Vermette could be a nice fit with the physical presence of Jason Chimera and Joel Ward on the third line, bringing a bit more of an offensive presence to the trio, while also allowing for Brooks Laich to serve as the second line center in Nicklas Backstrom's absence.
On Monday evening, Yahoo's PuckDaddy blog reported the following:
"The Washington Capitals had two scouts at the Jackets/Ducks game on Sunday, as did Dallas, Detroit and Pittsburgh. Portzline reports that Columbus assistant GM Chris MacFarland and pro scout Pete Dineen watched the Capitals and Sharks on Monday night in D.C."
As the next two weeks progress, more options will certainly become available to the Capitals as teams continue to rise and fall in the standings. The Caps will almost certainly need to make a couple of moves to battle in this years playoffs, and majority owner Ted Leonsis certainly acknowledged that on his blog, Ted's Take. George McPhee will have the green light from his owner to do what he feels is needed to make this team competitive come April. The question is, where will the Caps get the help from, and how much of the future are they willing to compromise in order to get their wish list?
Defensemen, as well as the potential cost of making some of these moves, to come later.
