The Stanley Cup Playoffs are finally upon us. On Saturday, the NHL begins its postseason tournament to crown a champion. Among the challengers are the Washington Capitals, who have a tough first-round matchup. They take on the Presidents Trophy-winning New York Rangers in the opening round.
For a while, it felt as if the Capitals wouldn't be here. Washington struggled during the first half of the season. In fact, it looked as if franchise icon Alex Ovechkin had finally shown signs of decline. However, once the All-Star Game came and went, Washington figured some things out.
The Capitals didn't exactly light the world on fire. But they also didn't need to. They played hard and picked up wins over teams that had to beat in order to stay alive. As a result, Washington will try to win their second Stanley Cup and the first since defeating the Vegas Golden Knights in 2018.
However, Washington will not have an easy road. Even disregarding their matchup with the Rangers or potential matchups down the line. The Capitals may face a more imposing internal enemy in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. And if they don't solve this issue, their run in these playoffs may not be a long one.
The Capitals enter Stanley Cup Playoffs with obvious flaw
The Washington Capitals can do a lot of things on the ice. They have received strong goaltending from Charlie Lindgren this season. He has emerged as their primary starter as veteran Darcy Kuemper has struggled. Washington can play solid defense, as well, to help out their netminder. What they have issues with is scoring goals.
Much has been said about Washington's goal differential this season. In fact, the Capitals made the Stanley Cup Playoffs with the lowest goal differential of any qualifying team since 1991. Furthermore, they ended the regular season with the league's fifth-worst scoring offense.
Now, Washington has players that can chip in offense. Alex Ovechkin is an obvious name for people to keep an eye on. Beyond him, though, it's a bit lacking. Dylan Strome led the Capitals with 67 points this season. Defenseman John Carlson has rebounded and posted his sixth career 50+ point campaign. Besides these two, though, there isn't much. In fact, no other player reached the 40-point mark for Washington during the regular season.
Matters aren't helped by Washington's decision to sell at the NHL Trade Deadline. The Capitals sent winger Anthony Mantha to the Vegas Golden Knights in the middle of a resurgent year. Veteran center Evgeny Kuznetsov also left town, heading to the Carolina Hurricanes after requesting a trade in the summer.
Washington's decision to make these moves isn't any less understandable now that they made the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Capitals weren't locked into a playoff spot until Game 82, so moving Mantha made sense. And Kuznetsov simply wanted a fresh start, so Washington obliged and traded him.
That said, those moves do take away depth that may have helped Washington score a few more goals. And their inability to score goals will become an issue in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Rangers have questions on their blueline past the top pair of Adam Fox and Ryan Lindgren. However, they have a wealth of defensively responsible forwards who can give Washington nightmares.
Simply put, the Capitals must find a way to solve their scoring woes. They cannot continue to rely on Alex Ovechkin carrying them now that the Stanley Cup Playoffs are here. If they can't score, Washington very well may exit the postseason without any fanfare at the hands of the Rangers.
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