Three things we’re talking about today when we’re talking about the Caps…
1. Chuckie for Vezina
Stating the obvious, the Caps do not make the playoffs this season if not for Charlie Lindgren’s heroics in net.
With a few stragglers still wrapping up their seasons (remind us why the Caps had to play back-to-backs?), Lindgren stands 13th in the League in wins, seventh in save percentage (minimum 50 appearances), eighth in goals against average, and first in shutouts, all despite starting the season as the team’s putative backup before seizing the number one spot. Put another way, he gave the Eastern Conference’s lowest-scoring team a chance to garner enough standings points to make the playoffs, and his 4-1-0/.949/1.41 run to close out the season (including stopping 43 of 44 on the season’s last two nights) did just that. He may not have been the best netminder on the circuit this year, but no goalie was more important to his team’s fortunes than Lindgren this year.
2. Carbs for Adams
Why, yes, Washington Capitals Legend Peter Bondra, Spencer Carbery does deserve recognition for the job he’s done in his first season behind an NHL bench, and some Jack Adams votes for Coach of the Year would make sense.
Consider that Carbery took a worse roster than Peter Laviolette had a season ago and earned 11 more points and a playoff berth. (What ever happened to Lavi, anyway?) With due respect to the players that are about to be listed, Beck Malenstyn was fifth among forwards in total ice time and their playoff-clinching three-game win streak featured Alex Alexeyev playing more than 21 minutes per night. Carbery lost the two most skilled centers in franchise history and made it to the playoffs with Dylan Strome, Connor McMichael and vibes. He trusted the process until regression finally arrived for Alex Ovechkin and the power play, but also adjusted tactics and mentality when it became clear that this team would need to be able to play and win low-scoring games.
In projecting the Caps to fall short of 82 points and giving them a seven percent chance of making the playoffs prior to opening night (HockeyViz had them at 28%), The Athletic put it this way:
“Between the Capitals’ weak center depth and aging core, the team just looks uninspiring both at forward and defense. So it’s hard to see how this is a playoff team, unless the coaching is that much of a difference-maker.”
Maybe it was.
Carbery won’t win the award (fellow follically challenged bench boss Rick Tochett has that all but locked up). But he’s done a tremendous job, deserves some votes, and looks like the real deal going forward.
3. Johnny for Norris
No, not really. But John Carlson has been an absolute rock for the Caps on the blueline.
Consider that Carlson led the League in average ice time while playing all 82 games at 34 years old (since January 10), and notched 10 goals (including a pair of game winners in the last week) and 42 assists. He played the toughest minutes and took only 15 minor penalties (while drawing 15), roughly one every five-and-a-half games.
And for the last little while, he’s taken on an even bigger role…
… and thrived:
Carlson has been the Caps’ most important skater for years (yes, including you-know-who), never moreso than in 2023-24.