Washington Capitals Jersey Guide 2015-2016
Mandatory Credit: Andy Marlin-USA TODAY Sports
September is here and the long, hot summer season is on its way out, meaning the 2015-2016 NHL hockey season is right around the corner! You, sir or madame, need a new Washington Capitals jersey to celebrate. There are so many good choices to choose from – who do you decide on? Hockey jerseys are pretty pricey and you want to select a Washington Capitals player that is going to be with the team for a while – that lets you get some mileage out of your purchase. Picking a jersey of a player that gets traded away overnight can leave you with buyer’s remorse. This happens entirely too often.
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To keep your hard earned bucks Rocking the Red for seasons to come, here’s a quick guide on the Washington Capitals players that will give you the best value for the 2015-2016 season and beyond. I’m factoring in the length of the players’ contracts as they’re less likely to show up next season in another sweater. I’ve also included some story lines to feel good about your purchase and factors that bring some added upside. There’s nothing quite like wearing the jersey of a Washington Capitals player that makes the difference in a game or series and feeling connected to them in a larger “team” sense. Here’s who I think gives you the best bang for your buck heading into this season if you’re looking to add to your Washington Capitals jersey collection. I assume you already own an Alex Ovechkin jersey because that is an absolute MUST.
Whose Washington Capitals Jersey Should You Buy?
1. Braden Holtby – How awesome does it feel to have a goalie in Washington that isn’t going anywhere for a long time? The last time we had that, well, was Olaf Kolzig. He’s one of the elite few in the league and we got him. That’s a big deal. Holtby’s contract goes through the 2019-2020 season and the team has made no mistake in proclaiming Holtby as their guy. You should too. Assuming you already have an Alex Ovechkin jersey, Holtby’s sweater is the next safest bet for a long term investment. And what’s not to love? He’s young, talented and has ice running through his veins. He’ll be an absolutely integral part of our success this year and looks entrenched to stay for the full five years. When those “Holtby! Holtby!” chants flair up in the crowd after a huge save, you can point at the back of your jersey and feel like a rock star.
2. Nicklas Backstrom – An absolutely criminally underrated center in the NHL, period. Nicky Backstrom is just an overall awesome guy and is on the books until 2019-2020. He’s the transmission in the top line vehicle and gets overlooked far too often for the superstar player that he is. Backstrom is 27 and is firmly in his prime years. If you don’t already have it yet, Backstrom’s jersey is going to be classic for a long time to come – likely even after his playing years have past. Incidentally, I wore his jersey through last year’s playoff series against the New York Islanders and refused to wash it as old hockey superstitions warrant. Well, around Game 5 of the Rangers series, I decided it finally needed a bath and threw on another jersey instead. We all saw how that panned out over the next three games. Sorry about that, guys. Pick up yours so that the hockey Gods will be satiated. The hockey Gods are a fickle bunch, you know. We need this.
3. Evgeny Kuznetsov – Who doesn’t want to be wearing the jersey of the emerging Russian super talent and playoff hero for the Washington Capitals from the 2014-2015 season? Evgeny Kuznetsov is going to absolutely light it up this year and wearing his jersey on game days is going to be a fun, fun time. He’s exciting and excitable; a recipe for an instant fan favorite. While he’s currently on a new two-year contract with the team, trust me; this kid isn’t going anywhere. Kuzy and Andre Burakovsky are going to be the brick and mortar of the next Capitals’ foundation for years to come. We’ve waited a long time to get these two in Capitals sweaters, so show them how proud you are by wearing one. Burakovsky is on his Entry Level Contract through next year but is almost certainly a lock for a long term deal after.
4. Matt Niskanen – Not only is Matt Niskanen slated to a Capital through the 2020-2021 season, he’s a perfect fit for our team. Last year, he became acquainted with the Washington Capitals fan base. This year; he becomes a star. Niskanen, statistically speaking, could score a ton of points this year as he did for Pittsburgh for several seasons with his humongous blue line slap shot. He’s poised for a big year and deserves to really feel like a part of the Washington Capitals family. Plus, you know, there is that added benefit of being able to wear his jersey for games against the Pittsburgh Penguins and really rub in in their fans’ noses that they got rid of a wonderful player, leaving us feeling nothing but smug satisfaction. No, wait, we’re above that. No, no…we’re not.
5. T.J. Oshie – The 2015-2016 season could be THE year that the Washington Capitals take home that elusive hardware, the Stanley Cup. If you’re like me in that sentiment, then you gotta get yourself the latest and greatest jersey in the bunch with Oshie’s new #77. While Oshie is only locked in with the Washington Capitals through 2016-2017, there’s a good chance he’s sticking around if he turns out to be the answer at the top line Right Wing spot. All indicators point to ‘yes’. Plus, he’s a big time player scoring goals at big moments and is pretty darn good at that shootout thing we seem to see a lot of. How cool would it be to be wearing his jersey at a game where he notches a game-winning shootout goal? I’m willing to find out.
Honorable mentions: Jay Beagle, John Carlson, and Brooks Orpik because they’re hard working players that often go under appreciated. All have at least three more seasons locked up contractually. Tom Wilson and Michael Latta fall under that category as well. Other players not mentioned are all great players, but have shorter contracts currently, so purchase with caution.
Let’s go Caps!
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