Year One under Barry Trotz saw the Capitals play some of their best hockey of the Alex Ovechkin era. They were defensively sound without sacrificing much of that offensive explosiveness led by the Great 8.
Unfortunately, an old nemesis wiped out the Capitals’ season in the second round of the playoffs. Washington couldn’t conquer Game 7 versus the New York Rangers for the third time since 2012.
The Capitals solidified their top six forward unit with the additions of T.J. Oshie and Justin Williams, while allowing defenceman Mike Green to leave via free agency. The core, for the most part, remains intact. Is this the year we finally see Ovechkin play for the Stanley Cup?
Head coach: Barry Trotz
GM: Brian MacLellan
Team payroll: $71.3 million against $71.4 million salary cap
Last season record: 45-26-11 (101 points, 4th in Metropolitan)
Goals for: 242 (7th in NHL)
Goals against: 203 (6th in NHL)
PP: 25.3 per cent (1st in NHL)
PK: 81.2 per cent (14th in NHL)
Corsi for per 60: 55.7 (12th in NHL)
Key acquisitions: T.J. Oshie, Justin Williams
Key departures: Mike Green, Troy Brouwer, Joel Ward, Eric Fehr, John Erskine
Rookies to Watch:
Stanislav Galiev: The 23-year-old Russian appears to be in line for a good look this season. He totalled 25 goals and 45 points in 63 games with the AHL Hershey Bears in 2014-15.
Jakub Vrana: The Capitals’ 2014 first-round pick (13th overall) will begin the season in the AHL. Vrana will see a lot of power play time in Hershey and he’s certain to be a candidate for consideration to help the big club once he has some seasoning under his belt.
Highlight of 2014-15:
Ovehckin scored a lot of goals in 2014-15, 53 of them to be exact. They don’t get much prettier than this…
Pre-season letter grades
FORWARDS
The Capitals responded to their continued Game 7 woes by signing none other than Mr. Game 7 himself, Justin Williams. Williams joins T.J. Oshie as the new arrivals up front in Washington. There are few combinations as deadly as Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom, who are supported by rising talents like Evgeny Kuznetsov and Marcus Johansson. An already dangerous offence might be even better heading into 2015-16. GRADE A-
DEFENCE
Green’s power play presence will be missed. The Capitals will look to John Carlson to take a step forward. The 25-year-old set career-highs in both goals and assists last season while playing nearly a minute and half less per night than he did in 2013-14. He’s fit well into Trotz’s plan. Matt Niskanen and Karl Alzner are two solid defencemen who keep the puck moving in the right direction. Brooks Orpik is 35 years old and on the downside of his career. There’s opportunity for guys like Nate Schmidt and Dmitry Orlov to find more ice time. GRADE: B-
GOALTENDING
Braden Holtby finished fourth in Vezina Trophy voting a season ago thanks to a tremendous breakout campaign that saw him lead the league in games played and deliver a 2.22 goals-against average and a .923 save percentage. While personal hardware may have eluded the 26-year-old, financial gain did not. Holtby inked a five-year, $30.5-million contract on July 24. The Capitals appear to have themselves a near-elite goaltender. GRADE: A-
The Capitals will have a successful season if… Holtby maintains the level of play he displayed in 2014-15, Carlson steps seamlessly into Green’s spot in the power play, and Ovechkin continues to be the most dangerous offensive weapon in the world. You can bank on Ovechkin, but Trotz will need more from youth like Kuznetsov, Johansson, et al if the Capitals are to fend off post-season disappointment.
The Capitals will have a disappointing season if… Holtby joins a list of Capitals goaltenders who flash brilliance and quickly fade away, Oshie can’t find comfort away from St. Louis, and the defence corp proves to be too thin beyond Carlson, Alzner, and Niskanen.