Mandatory Credit: Ed Mulholland-USA TODAY Sports
#3: The Washington Capitals Have A Battle-Tested Blue Line
Until last season, the Washington Capitals usually had a questionable blue line that would more often than not fold under pressure. However, last season, Washington Capitals fans got to witness arguably the best blue line group that the Capitals have ever had. John Carlson had a breakout season and was one of the best defenseman in the NHL, as he led all blue liners in even strength points with 33. Free agent signee Brooks Orpik provided the Washington Capitals with a veteran presence that was sorely needed.
Free agent signee Matt Niskanen did a very solid job on the Washington Capitals second pairing, adding 31 points and playing over two minutes a game on the penalty kill. He also played over a minute a game on the power play as he averaged over 21 minutes of ice time per game. Karl Alzner had a career revival while being paired with Niskanen, setting career highs in goals (five) and points (21) while playing two minutes a game on the penalty kill.
While the Washington Capitals did lose productive third pairing defenseman Mike Green, they have two potential replacements for him in Dmitry Orlov and Nate Schmidt. People tend to forget that Orlov is actually pretty experienced and that before his wrist injury that cost him the entire 2014-2015 season, he had a lot of promise. His wrist might be a question, but he is still an extremely talented defenseman.
SEE ALSO: Dmitry Orlov Could Be Caps X-Factor
Schmidt, like Orlov, isn’t proven. However, like Orlov, Schmidt has done quite well in a limited sample size. He drove possession better than any other Washington Capitals defenseman last season. His production, though, did not match up to his possession numbers.
While Orlov and Schmidt aren’t proven, they both have the potential to be something special. They won’t be relied on to do that much. Thanks to a strong top four, they’ll be facing very weak competition and favorable zone starts. That might just be a recipe for success.
Next: Forward Depth