AP Photo/ Alex Brandon
The Washington Capitals failed to win their division for the first time since the 2014-2015 season in 2021. Followed by a first round exit in the playoffs, in five games to the Boston Bruins. With virtually no changes to their roster, all eyes will be on Peter Laviolette in his second behind the Caps bench.
The Lines
According to Daily Faceoff, these are their current lines for the 2021-2022 season.
First line – Alex Ovechkin, Evgeny Kuznetsov, Tom Wilson
Second line – Anthony Mantha, Nicklas Backstrom, T.j Oshie
Third line – Conor Sheary, Lars Eller, Daniel Sprong
Fourth line – Carl Hagelin, Nic Dowd, Garnet Hathaway
The Caps aren’t getting any younger. To recapture their division title reign, players must find their legs. Captain Alex Ovechkin inked a five year deal in the off season. Consequently, he Looking to surpass the NHL goal record and lead his team to another cup. Anthony Mantha notched 8 points in 14 games after being acquired by the Caps in the latter part of the season. Kuznetsov looks to elevate his game alongside Ovi and Wilson after bouncing around all four lines last year.
The Defense
Zendo Chara did not re-sign. Brenden Dillon traded to the Winnipeg Jets for a second round draft pick due to cap space.
Dmitri Orlov and John Carlson
Micheal Kempny and Justin Schultz
Trevor van Riemsdyk and Nick Jensen
Goalies: Vitek Vanecek and Ilya Samsonov
Vanecek, selected by the Seattle Kraken in the expansion draft. Utimately he was traded back to the Capitals for a second round draft pick in 2023. Samsonov is still getting his feet wet struggling to find consistency. Vanecek is between the pipes for his sophomore season. The number one d-pair pose the biggest threat. Orlov’s versatility and Carlson’s veteran presence.
The oldest team in the Metropolitan division, with an average age of 29.5. The seasoned team looks to find their way to the top of a stacked metro division one again.
Follow our Twitter
Check out our Shop
