Archive for August, 2011

Since the departure of Donald Brashear, two Capitals have led the team in penalty minutes in the past two seasons – Alex Ovechkin (yes, Ovie had 89 in 2009-10, padded by a couple of game misconducts), and Matt Hendricks with 110 last season. However, also last season, John Erskine had 16 fewer minutes in four fewer games than Hendricks, so I’d say Hendricks is not a lock to take this crown again. Without a designated enforcer, other than D.J. King who is unlikely to play much (though he’s still technically on the roster), the Caps may come out with a [...]

It’s a foregone conclusion that Alex Ovechkin will lead the NHL in shots for the coming season, as he has every year since he entered the league. And that’s despite the fact that he had a career low of 367 this past season and 162 fewer than the 2008-09 season. Regardless, Ovie’s shot total isn’t the issue here. We’re only focusing on stats that no one really pays attention to. So for today’s poll, we’ll look at the second most prolific shooter on the Caps from the past few seasons, and then take a guess who it will be this [...]

Alex Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom and Alexander Semin have been the top three scoring leaders on the Capitals for the past three seasons, but that fourth position – which Mike Green owned from 2008-2010 – typically tells a story about a player who ‘steps it up’ and deserves praise (while Ovie, Backie and Jizz are expected to be 1, 2 and 3). Last season, Brooks Laich notched 48 points as Mike Green struggled with injuries. However, Caps fans have unbridled optimism and are likely hoping for the fourth-leading scorer to once again get 70-80 points, which probably won’t happen with Laich. [...]

If George McPhee’s off-season moves are any indication, the Caps look to once again be favorites to win the Eastern Conference. Unfortunately, teams like the Rangers, the Flyers, and the Sabres have made some big moves of their own, and with the return of Evgeni Malkin (and, presumably, Sidney Crosby), the competition will be as fierce as ever. So, who do you think will be the Caps’ biggest competition this year?