Do they look to shore up the roster at the deadline or will they be forced to look to the future due to their struggles?
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28 Comments
Here's what I wrote on Reddit in September, 2025:
IMO, Washington punched above their weight last year.
In 23-24, Washington went 40-31-11 for 91 pts and – like Montreal last year – they squeaked into the post-season. That year, the Caps scored 220 goals and allowed 257. In 24-25, they allowed 232 but they scored 288 – a 68 goal improvement. That fueled a 20 point improvement in the standings.
An improvement of 68 goals year over year? That doesn't happen. 30 goals is fantastic but 68 without a massive roster change? Practically unprecedented.
They added a few players to their 23-24 roster but what really happened last year was that Ovi caught fire chasing Gretzky's record; Tom Wilson, Strome, McMichael, Protas, and Chychrun had career years; and PLD had a bounce-back year. That's every single chip falling in the right direction. No way all of that is repeating again in 25-26.
They haven't done enough in the off-season to really change the fact that this is a club full of aging players a half a dozen of which are coming off career seasons and due to fall back to earth this year.
You could argue that 23-24 was the blip for Washington. Looking at full seasons over the last few years, I would say that the two of the last three years were outliers but in wildly different directions.
My take comes from the belief that last season for the Caps was all about Ovi chasing Gretzky and the team rallied behind that. That's over now, Ovechkin is slowing down and his TOI is seriously declining. This coming year, nobody's chasing any records and Carberry is entering his third year as coach. They have no difference-makers in their prospect pool that are ready to take big steps and they didn't do much in the off-season.
I see Washington returning to their trend line and that was downward before last year. I wouldn't be shocked if this Washington roster makes the playoffs but I'd be shocked if they finish anywhere near 100 points.
Time will tell.
Diabolical thumbnail đ
Ovi had his moment in the sun. He should retire.
Losing Dubois, I believe, has had more of an effect than folks think. Yes, they went on the run after, but it was just a higher energy game they couldn't maintain.
I don't think McMichael has recovered from his experiment at center, and he misses Dubois more than everyone else (except maybe Carbs). The Wilson and Protas injuries were a coffin nail for January.
8 points in the next 8 games is hard but reasonable with the way they're playing. Anything more is a bonus. Maybe the break lets them clear their heads so they can go on a run. Hopefully, it will be with a healthy Dubois for most of it. Perhaps in time to be firing hard on all cylinders come playoff time.
The Caps need to know what Ovechkin's plans are so that they can make their own plans for the future. We could use Pierre Luc Dubois back in the lineup and maybe pick up Alexis LafreniĂšre from the Rangers.
Shannon I appreciate you doing a video on them, but you have completely missed what the Caps problem is right now(all these listed stats don't tell the real problem). PLD has been out injured most of the season. Even though PLD is their 2C, he is the Caps best 2-way center. HL has been playing 4C, but only been given 6 mins a game. Dowd, the normal 4C has been playing 3C. Sourdif, who is showing good promise should be a regular 3C, but playing 2C. Basically their center depth has not been good enough in PLD's absence. There have been injuries to Wilson/Sourdif that had a negative effect on the team. Their reserve players in Milano/McIIrath/Chisholm, have been not so good. HL at age 23, has been a big disappointment, where he hasn't scored a goal in like 80 games and just looks like a 1st round draft pick bust. HL should have been scratched a long time ago, but is kept in the lineup because of the Caps weak center depth. Protas, has for some reason not fully recovered from the skate cut to the top of his foot, from last season. It has been said this past offseason he couldn't go through his normal training and that had increase weight issues before the season started. He has just been very inconsistent this season. CMM, he just hasn't been as effective as a 2LW since PLD has been injured for so long. Also, when CMM was drafted he had center potential as a 3C/2C. The Caps tried him as a center this season, but it hasn't seemed to work out(though I feel his center use wasn't tried for long enough). Now to coach Carbery. In 3rd periods of too many games, he has been cutting down to only 3 forward lines and it has really fatigued the team with heavy NHL schedule every team has. The higher skilled players have been overplayed, while other players playing in positions they normally don't play(due to injuries), have been ineffective or made too many mistakes costing games. Their PP has been awful all season, as OV/Carlson are slow, big liabilities that has led to the Caps giving up the most short-handed goals against. Last, in the offseason Associate Coach/Assistant Coach of the Defense Mitch Love was fired due to some type of sexual assault case that happened years ago. Caps on short noticed promoted an assistant from the Hershey Bears, Patrick Wellar, to take Mitch Love's position. It has not worked as well as Mitch Love had done.
If we had even just âmehâ special teams, weâd be in a much better position. But we donât. So we arenât.
Sigh.
Tom Wilson is only 31…. turns 32 in March…. that's not "mid 30s"… he is creeping up in age tho…
Washington never replaced Backstrom and it shows. Strome isn't a 1C and certainly hasn't played as well this year as last. They need to go get EP40 and hope he turns it around like PLD did.
Ovechkin needs to retire. He can barely skate at an AHL level. There's no reason to believe he's going to be faster next year and Washington needs the cap space.
Washington's GM is the son of the owner of the team. He's never getting fired. Carbery has been the best coach Washington has ever had and was specifically brought in to coach the next generation in Washington. They wanted him for the rebuild/retool post Ovechkin era. GMCP said this past summer "over the next 2 years we're a team in transition trying to get younger as we finish out these contracts. " They knew it was going to be like this. The problem is the prospects aren't ready yet and there was really no free agency and there isn't one this upcoming summer either as every team signed their guys.
Great news .
Caps would have tanked last year but the entire league was busy giving them every break they could for Ovi's goal record.
I was at the game in Denver on Sunday. While I was rooting for the Avs, I was really hoping to see Ovi score a goal in case he hangs it up for good. I didn't get one. đ
So sadâŠ
team defense in own zone five on five
Caps really miss PLD, Protas isnât having that incredible season like he did last year and Lindgren is having a down year. I think theyâll be okay.
Ovi should sign with and unite himself with Crosby for the final year he plays!
Even if its purely a fan service thing just for clout for people who grew up watching those 2 torch eachother they're entire career
Come the end of the season I would love to see a video on the improvement of the sharks.
Compared to even the last 2 seasons. Especially if they somehow manage to out point the last 2 seasons COMBINED đ since they are on pace to come kinda close to that đ
Iâm not sure what people are talking about in regards to the season Ovechkin had last year.
Wasnât he leading the league in goals when he broke his leg, came back a little earlier than expectedâŠ.went on a tear to break the record.
Not suggesting he is the player he once was, just donât agree that last season he looked about done but got on a heater to break record
Caps fan here w/ some analysis: Caps DESPERATELY NEED PLD back- he is such a core part of this team 5v5, PP, and PK. Problem is, the uncertainty of his return keeps the GM from making a move, for cap purposes. My gut feeling is that when PLD is back and cap situation is clear, they make a move for a top 6 scoring winger. I believe Rasmus Sandin will be on his way out in this trade, likely w/ Cristal in Hershey. MAYBE even Sourdif or McMichael, but Iâd be very cautious there. Either way, they are gonna have to give up a significant piece or two in order to bring in some more scoring. I really do believe w/ PLD back and a top 6 winger, caps will right the ship and they will contend this very season
Thank you.
Shannon can you please look at the Blues at some point? I would love to hear your take.
Given that Ovechkin is retiring soon anyway, the rest of the team should eat him, so that they can gain his powers.
As a Caps fan I have to say that Ovi is not the superstar he was. Age for sure is a factor. He needs to be on the second or third line and not on the PP the entire time. He's a liability at times. Also need to trade Lap too. I still have play off hopes though they won't go far.
PLDâs injury really hurt the the as his play allowed many players open ice..
I love how losing to the Canucks warrants a video.
I think you have so much more to give than just go through the stats everytime. You dont get your own potential.