Alex Ovechkin continues to fill the net as he chases Wayne Gretzky’s all-time goals record. Can he lead an aging Washington Capitals core on another long playoff run?
2021-2022 Season Performance
Regular Season
The Capitals started the 21/22 season strong and gradually faded to a 4th place finish in the Metropolitan Division. Led by Ovechkin, they had strong finishing and were otherwise average or better in key metrics. Alex Ovechkin continue to lead the team offensively, while Anthony Mantha also had a strong season.
Playoffs
The Capitals drew the powerhouse Florida Panthers in the first round of the playoffs. Washington took them to six games on the strength of their special teams and a defensive effort that slowed the Panthers attack. Finishing and goaltending were big trouble spots in the series, as the Caps struggled to finish and had trouble keeping the puck out of their own net.
Looking Ahead to 2022-2023
Offseason Moves
The Capitals made offseason additions both via free agency and via the trade market this summer. Their biggest addition was UFA signing Darcy Kuemper, hot off his Stanley Cup win with the Colorado Avalanche. Keumper had a good season backstopping the Avs, however, the model projection is less confident in his ability to sustain it.
Another significant addition was Dylan Strome, who the Capitals signed after the Blackhawks chose not to extend him a qualifying offer. It looks like a good move by the Capitals, as Strome’s projected impact is a top six forward and Washington signed him to a team friendly deal.
According to CapFriendly, the Capitals are over the cap by more than $6M. However, with Nick Backstrom looking like he’ll start the season on LTIR they should be able to manage the cap.
22/23 Roster
The Capitals have a well rounded roster heading into the 22/23 season. They score above average across the board, although they don’t have any elite rankings. Their forward group is a strength, led by Alex Ovechkin and Anthony Mantha, along with team defense. If there’s an area of concern, it’s either even strength offense where they’ll need some supporting players to chip in or their defense corps.
Metropolitan Division Landscape
The Metropolitan may be the toughest division and is certainly the most crowded. The Capitals sit 3rd in the current projections, making them a favorite for a playoff spot. There isn’t much room for error though as there are a handful of teams nipping at their heels.
Long Term Outlook
The Capitals core is getting older, but there’s reason to think they can retool and remain competitive. They’ve brought in players at the front end of their prime in recent seasons, like Anthony Mantha, who are poised to take on bigger roles. They have plenty of expiring contracts in the near term as well, giving them flexibility in how they shape the roster over the next few seasons.
Want to check out more projections for the 22/23 season? Sign up for an annual membership to get access to all 22/23 team and player projection plots and peruse the full set of free agent player cards. Plots will be updated through the offseason as the 22/23 rosters take shape and updated to track progress through the season.
Historical player data from Natural Stat Trick. Contract data from CapFriendly.
