Here Come The Capitals

To open the season, the Washington Capitals hovered around the middle of the pack as they played .500 hockey. A mixture of lack of production from key players and the injuries to Nicklas Backstrom and Tom Wilson left the team without two of their best players. All that started to change back in December as the Capitals hit their stride; they went 11-2-2 in the month. Luckily for them, as they found their footing, the New Jersey Devils lost theirs, allowing the Caps to make up ground fast.

The Capitals now find themselves within striking distance of both the Devils and New York Rangers for the second or third spots in the Metro Division. The Capitals have an overall record of 22-14-6, good for 50 points. Even if they can’t secure one of the three division spots, they have control of the top spot in the wild card.

What makes the Capitals even more dangerous is the fact that they have been able to rebound without Backstrom and Wilson in the lineup. They got great news, though, as both players will return to the lineup tonight to make their season debuts. Backstrom had had offseason left hip resurfacing surgery on a nagging injury that had hampered his ability to skate. Wilson, on the other hand, underwent surgery to repair a torn ACL in his left knee. He was injured in Game 1 of the Capitals’ first-round series against the Florida Panthers on May 3.

The return of both players is a big win for the Capitals, as both players are capable of putting up 20-plus goals and 50-plus points in a season. Backstrom can be seen as the most important player as he will slide back into his first-line center role alongside long-time teammate Alex Ovechkin.

Ovechkin already has 29 goals and 48 points on the season, and with the return of Backstrom, we could see those already impressive numbers skyrocket even more.

While Wilson brings scoring to this lineup, he also brings a level of toughness that is impossible to replace. Wilson is known as a dirty player, but when he is on your team, he’s the guy you want skating beside you.

Now that the Capitals are halfway through the season, they are getting reinforcements at a crucial time, as the Metro is up for grabs.

While the Capitals are gaining two stars, they are still without top defenseman John Carlson who they placed on long-term injured reserve to gain the necessary salary cap space to activate both players. Carlson has been out since Dec 23rd after taking a puck to the face. There is no timeframe for Carlson to come back.

The Capitals will need every win they can get as the Metro has become crowded with the Devils taking the next step and the pesky New York Islanders hanging around for now. They will have the opportunity to have a strong second half of the season now that they are as healthy as ever, even if they are still missing John Carlson.

Stanley Cup Aspirations Cue’ the Duck Boats Pod

The boys are back after a long break but have plenty to talk about as the playoffs are in full swing. We go series by series, looking at how teams have fared so far and who will come out on top. Thanks for listening! Please rate and review our show on your favorite listening platform. Check out our partner's website at www.insidetherink.com for all your latest hockey news.
  1. Stanley Cup Aspirations
  2. The Final Countdown
  3. Here Come the Playoffs
  4. Home Stretch
  5. Kevy Cooks

Kevin Santangelo

Co Host of Cue' the Duck Boats Podcast Writer for Inside the Rink

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Bruins Struggle to Pull Through, Losing 3-1 vs. Tampa Bay Lightning | 3/27/2024

The Bruins have been struggling to stay strong and capitalize in games recently. On Tuesday, they pulled through to avoid a three-game losing streak when they defeated the Florida Panthers. It was a relieving victory for them as they moved into first on the Atlantic Division standings. Boston went on to play against the Tampa […]

Read More

Florida Panthers vs. Boston Bruins Recap: 03/26/2024

The Atlantic Division showdown for first place didn’t disappoint Tuesday night. Florida took on the Boston Bruins at home in what could be a preview of a Playoff Series in a month’s time. It’s no secret that there’s no love lost between these teams, especially after how the playoffs ended last season for Boston. Florida […]

Read More
Nick DeSimone defends against Auston Matthews

Devils Stay Alive with Massive Victory over Toronto Maple Leafs | 03/26/2024

The New Jersey Devils defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs 6-3 on Tuesday night at Scotiabank Arena in a high-scoring, back-and-forth contest. Jake Allen came up huge for the Devils, and their offense was opportunistic, earning an essential two points in their playoff push. With the win, the Devils improved to 36-33-4, while the Maple Leafs […]

Read More