Obviously Alex Ovechkin is one of the most valuable players in the league, but after the Capitals broke a recent losing streak with the return of Brooks Laich to the lineup, I started wondering. So I took some time to add up the numbers, and I’ve come to a conclusion that you may also consider Laich. (For my purposes, an OTL = a Loss)
- Without Alex Ovechkin this season the Capitals are 7-3 and score 4.6 goals per game.
- Without Brooks Laich this season, the Capitals are 1-3 and score 3 goals per game.
So Brooks Laich is worth 1.6 goals per game more than Ovie, and without him the team wouldn’t make the playoffs. It’s math, you can’t argue it!
