The Washington Capitals’ on-the-fly rebuild has them dreaming of big things heading into the Stanley Cup Playoffs. It has been an exciting season in the nation’s capital, as the Capitals are battling for the President’s Trophy. At the same time, Alex Ovechkin attempts to become the all-time leading goalscorer in NHL history. With good vibes, Washington will enter the playoffs, but it might be slightly premature.
The Capitals have shown no signs of slowing down. They are 6-3-1 in their last ten games and maintain a significant lead over the Carolina Hurricanes for first in the Metropolitan Division. The good times keep rolling for the Capitals, as top prospect Ryan Leonard recently left Boston College to sign his first professional contract. Washington will have nine games to get him comfortable at the NHL level before the playoffs begin.
Leonard immediately took a spot in the top six, significantly improving Washington’s depth in its forward group. The Capitals hope Leonard can ride the momentum of turning pro to contribute in the playoffs, but it’s difficult to expect him to be a real difference-maker. The issue for the Capitals is that Leonard is far from their most significant concern entering this year’s Stanley Cup Playoffs.
No goal record to chase in the postseason for Capitals
The Capitals have been a great story this season. Ovechkin has nearly caught one of Wayne Gretzky’s unbreakable records, and the vibes are high. Everyone is talking about the aura around this team, and Washington is likely to be the rooting interest of many people who don’t have a favorite team in the postseason. Call it cynicism, but it’s hard to believe this team is for real, regardless of their regular season record.
No one should be surprised if Washington loses in the first two rounds of the playoffs. The roster is largely unproven, and regular-season success doesn’t always carry over to the postseason. Sure, it’s a great story as the team bands together to chase Gretzky’s record, but some of the teams in the Eastern Conference couldn’t care less about what the Capitals have going on.
One could argue that the Capitals getting the first seed in the Eastern Conference sets them up for success against the second wild card team. However, the Montreal Canadiens currently hold the spot, and they aren’t a team the Capitals should want to play. They have some good vibes going themselves, and winning games at the Bell Centre in the playoffs isn’t going to be easy. If the Canadiens steal a win early in a series in Washington, it could be an early exit.
If the Canadiens don’t hold the spot, the Columbus Blue Jackets and New York Rangers are waiting in the wings. Considering how far they’ve come so far this season, the Blue Jackets are another team that could go on a memorable run in the playoffs. Likewise, the Rangers are a great team that has been underperforming.
Washington’s unproven goalie
Charlie Lindgren was a star for the Capitals last season, singlehandedly leading them to a playoff spot they likely shouldn’t have held. The concern for the Capitals’ fans was if Lindgren could perform in the postseason and get them through a round or two. The answer was a resounding “no,” as Lindgren lost all four games in the sweep at the hands of the Rangers. He also posted an abysmal 3.58 goals-against average and a .864 save percentage.
Despite the playoff issues, the Capitals felt Lindgren showed them enough to trade Darcy Kuemper in the offseason. Adding Pierre-Luc Dubois in the deal helped them tremendously, but Lindgren didn’t replicate his 2023-24 breakout. Luckily, the Capitals also acquired Logan Thompson in the offseason, and it has been his turn to break out.
Thompson has a .912 save percentage and a 2.43 goals-against average this season. He earned the starting role and will almost certainly be between the pipes in Game 1 of the playoffs. Thompson is a goaltender with plenty of experience, as he also has a Stanley Cup from his days with the Vegas Golden Knights. However, he has never been a postseason starter, much like Lindgren last season.
Thompson has only four career playoff games and has fallen off since signing a six-year contract extension. He has a 3.05 goals-against average and a .888 save percentage in 15 games since the contract. Thompson also left Wednesday night’s game against the Carolina Hurricanes with an upper-body injury after allowing three goals in the third period. If the Capitals don’t sort out their goaltending situation, the playoffs might not be as happy for the fans or players.
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