Washington Capitals: Unsung Heroes Doing Their Part
The Washington Capitals have been getting solid production from some secondary scorers this season.
Over the past few seasons one of the knock on the Washington Capitals has been that there isn’t much scoring outside of the superstars on the team. However, that trend has started to turn around this season.
The Capitals have enjoyed production from stars like Nicklas Backstrom and Alex Ovechkin over the past few seasons, but it’s never been enough to get them over the hump in the playoffs. The team has needed other players to step up and provide reliable production.
With last year’s breakout player, Evgeny Kuznetsov, and star defenseman John Carlson struggling to start the 2016-17 season, it’s been even more important to find scoring and solid play elsewhere.
Washington as a whole is struggling to score, especially compared to seasons past. Currently, the Capitals have scored just 90 goals this season and are ranked 20th in the league. That’s not something that fans in DC have been used to recently.
Despite the scoring woes, there is a bright side. A few unsung heroes have quickly become an important part of the Washington game plan.
Forward Daniel Winnik, acquired from a trade with Toronto last season, is now shining as a role player with the Caps. He has five goals, three assists, and a plus-8 rating. In the most recent game against New Jersey he scored a beautiful short-handed goal that tied the game in the third period.
Winnik’s gritty play has been a welcomed addition for the Caps.
Joining Winnik as a key role player is center Lars Eller. He was picked up in a trade from Montreal this summer and has fit well into a bottom-six role. With three goals and three assists, Eller has been able to provide a spark to the team while on the ice. He’s also been productive in the face-off circle, winning 46.7 percent of his draws.
Another player stepping into a huge role this season is Marcus Johansson. Once considered to be a future star, Johansson saw his production start to fall the last few seasons and was just an afterthought when considering key Washington players. However, Johansson has settled into a top-six role this year and is second on the team with 13 goals and third with 24 total points.
The final player that’s been a big hero for the Capitals this season is center Jay Beagle. He’s got 13 points with five goals and eight assists and boasts a rating of plus-10. While those numbers are good, Beagle’s importance to the team lies in his ability to win face-offs. He ranks as one of the better centermen in the league with a win percentage of 60 percent.
Columbus, Pittsburgh, and New York, currently sit atop the Metropolitan division. If the Capitals hope to rise to the top of the division they are going to have to start scoring more goals overall.
Fortunately, there’s a base of secondary players who are playing some great hockey. If they keep progressing, Washington will be on track to make a run in the playoffs later this season.
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