Washington Capitals: New Fan Guide to 2015-2016 (Part 1)
Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-USA TODAY Sports
Breaking down the Washington Capitals roster for Caps fans, both new and old.
The Washington Capitals 2015-2016 season is almost here with their October 10 match against the New Jersey Devils now only days away. Plenty of pundits around the NHL have the Washington Capitals picked to go the distance in their pursuit of the Stanley Cup this year. Before we set off on another new season, let’s get acquainted with the Washington Capitals. They’re an extremely likable bunch.
For many, this season will be their first time following the Washington Capitals or the sport of ice hockey on the whole. It doesn’t matter if you’ve been rocking the red for 25 years or if you’re just a DC sports fan who desperately wants a championship. Worry not! Not only is it perfectly fine for you to catch up on the cliff notes version of the team, but we’re glad to have you on board! This season looks like it could be the brightest and most exciting we’ve had in years. Expectations are sky high. You’ve picked a good team and a good time to start following.
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Maybe you’ve only just caught the hockey bug and are looking to feed the fix. Don’t worry. We’re breaking down the Washington Capitals from coaches to players, so you can get to know them a little better and maybe pick a favorite player or two. I know I’ve certainly got a few favorites of my own. Knowing who they are and what makes them special has definitely enhanced my team experience.
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So, let’s dig in. We’ll break down the Washington Capitals by how much they play (time on ice) and what position they play. We’re also grouping them together with similar players on the team so they’re easier to remember. I’m going to keep the recitation of statistics to a minimum so we can look at what type of players they are, how they help the team, where they’ve struggled and what they enjoy when they’re not playing hockey.
If you find a player that you think you really like, try using the search feature for their name on Stars and Sticks and I’m certain you’ll find more to read about them. Here’s a quick summary of last season and how the Washington Capitals did.
Next: The Prequel
Washington Capitals’ Head Coach Barry Trotz. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
The Washington Capitals’ 2014-2015 Season
The Caps got a new set of coaches and a new general manager to start off the year. Barry Trotz (the current head coach of the Capitals) left the Nashville Predators after 15 years with them. He was majorly sought after by other teams in the off-season, but the Washington Capitals secured him. Sweet. He brought with him a philosophy of coaching that preaches defense first and smart play from all players. Another cool tidbit: he got his coaching start with the now defunct Baltimore Skipjacks, so he has ties to the city of Baltimore.
General Manager Brian MacLellan was the former assistant general manager. He was promoted within the team to the top spot. He looks more in sync with the coaching staff in terms of picking up new players than the old general manager did. Both on the same page, Trotz and MacLellan gave the Capitals a new identity.
MacLellan made a big splash before the season started and paid big bucks for two defensive players (Matt Niskanen and Brooks Orpik) that came from the Pittsburgh Penguins (the Caps biggest rival). Although many think that Orpik’s contract is way too long, the Washington Capitals really needed to improve defensively. The short-term trade off has been worth it thus far. The defense was and is much improved.
RELATED ARTICLE: A New Ideology for the Capitals
The Washington Capitals missed the playoffs the season prior (2013-2014), so the overhaul on defense was priority number one for new GM MacLellan. With the new system under Trotz in place and a more solid defense, the Caps returned to the playoffs last year. They were one disallowed goal away from going back to the penultimate series of the championship for the first time since 1998. It was pretty epic despite the disappointment.
Fast forward to this summer and the Capitals have rounded out the roster even more. This time on offense. They picked up two players (Justin Williams and T.J. Oshie) that will help them keep the puck going into the other team’s net. They also signed goaltender Braden Holtby to a long-term contract after he put up a record-setting season with the team. Building momentum for year two under the team’s new identity, the Capitals are ready to aim for something that has never happened in the 40-year history of the franchise:
Win the Stanley Cup for Washington Capitals fans around the globe.
Without further ado, let’s jump into the roster and get to know some players.
Next: The Rockstar
Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports
Alex Ovechkin – #8
Position: Left Wing/Right Wing
One of the greatest players to ever play the game, Alex Ovechkin is difficult to summarize other than to say that he’s absolutely incredible. With six 50+ goal seasons and a cabinet full of awards, he’s our ace and team captain. He’s easy to pick out on the ice with his distinctive skating style and bright yellow skate laces. There are a lot of good reasons that he’s simply known as the “Great Eight”.
SEE ALSO: Ovechkin 2014-2015 Season Review
Ovi is a highlight reel producing machine. Extremely durable and amazingly tough, Ovechkin plays a hard, fast and physical game that’s hard not to be enamored by instantly. He recently turned 30 years old and is more determined than ever to bring the Stanley Cup to Washington.
Away from the ice, he’s charismatic and larger-than-life in every aspect. His Twitter account (@ovi8) is absolutely ridiculous (in a good way) and last season we got a pretty good look at his soft side, where he worked with local special needs charities and participated in a slew of fan appreciation events. He’s been repeatedly painted as a “villain type” by the major media outlets, but Caps fans know this all to be hogwash. Ovechkin is an amazing hockey player. It’s telling that he might be an even more amazing person.
Next: The Unsung Hero
Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports
Nicklas Backstrom – #19
Position: Center
Nicklas Backstrom doesn’t get recognized for the superstar that he is nearly enough. He’s one of the best playmakers in the NHL, but seems to prefer to stay out of the spotlight. He led the league in assists last year. Many of his passes landed on Ovechkin’s stick, which is part of what makes them such incredible partners. He has tremendous vision and is something of an under-sung hero for the Capitals.
SEE ALSO: Backstrom is the Most Underrated Player in the NHL
The 27-year-old center is pretty reserved and selfless both on and off the ice. When he’s opened up, we’ve found out that he’s also a bit of a car enthusiast and takes extra precaution on his appearance. He recently became a father to a little baby girl named Haley and already has her out on the ice. He’s also jokingly referred to as “Papa” by teammates Tom Wilson and Michael Latta. Backstrom had minor orthoscopic hip surgery in the off-season and will likely miss roughly half of October. The team will surely miss him, but he looks on track to play soon enough. I can’t wait to see how he’ll play with our next player.
Next: The American Hero
Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
T.J. Oshie – #77
Position: Right Wing
One of the newest members of the Washington Capitals came to us from the St. Louis Blues this past summer. T.J. Oshie is known by many as being the “hero” for Team USA during the Sochi Olympics when he went to the overtime shootout line FIVE TIMES and put up the game-deciding goal against Russia. While he’s still certainly very effective on the shootout, fans are hoping to finally find a player who will be a good fit playing alongside Backstrom and Ovechkin.
Oshie previously wore #74. He will wear #77 with the Capitals. Originally from Mount Vernon, Washington, Oshie is one of the few USA-born players on the team. Oshie is a Native American who belongs to the Ojibwe Nation.
SEE ALSO: Why Oshie Is A Perfect Fit For The Caps
Oshie had been a very talented forward with his former team. He is most noted for his ability to work free into open ice and maneuver the puck with his superb coordination. He looks to help make our top line more balanced and probably frees up his teammates some from defensive coverage. He’s also a very effective hitter, another reason I think he’ll do well under Trotz.
Oshie got married over the summer and has a little girl named Lyla. When he was traded away from the Blues, many fans in St. Louis were saddened by the news of his departure, but none appeared more distraught than 5-year old fan Libby Lu. T.J. reached out to the little girl’s family via ESPN’s Sportscenter and made her day. The surprise was adorable. While Libby Lu might not be ready to embrace the Washington Capitals just yet, the rest of us are.
Next: The Young Guns: The Caps' Emerging Stars
Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
Andre Burakovsky – #65
Position: Left Wing/Center
20-year-old Andre Burakovsky is approaching a major intersection in his NHL career. Last season, Andre had to prove to coaches that he was ready for jump to the pro game and he didn’t disappoint. He made the roster out of camp for opening night. This season, he’s a regular and the motivations for him to show his skillsets are higher than ever. Whether that means playing Center or Left Wing for the team is still to be determined. It looks like he may play in the middle per recent comments from Coach Trotz.
RELATED: Andre Burakovsky 2015-2016 Predictions
Off the ice, Burakovsky looks to be a pretty jovial guy. He spent last season living in the team hotel playing soccer video games in his free time before moving in with fellow young teammates Tom Wilson and Michael Latta. He’s since moved out to his own place. His chemistry with his teammates remain. Even if they bust his chops a little over social media.
I’ve also noticed that Andre is really into American food. While he was playing with the OHL Erie Otters, he remarked about how he liked being next to the restaurants in the local mall and he’s told RMNB about his enjoyment of mac-n-cheese, peanut butter and cinnamon rolls. This has clearly all been a very fun time adjusting for the Austrian-born Swede. I can only imagine the bro time he’s shared with our next player.
Next: The Class Clown
Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports
Tom Wilson – #43
Position: Right Wing
Only a year older than Burakovsky at 21 years of age, Tom Wilson is also at a similar intersection in his hockey career. At 6’4″ and 210 lbs, Wilson has the build of the type of player that uses his strength and size to make plays happen.
He has mostly utilized it to settle on-ice confrontations so far in his career. If you’re like my wife and love seeing hockey fights, Tom Wilson is your guy. When the players on the ice are swarming angrily away from the puck, it’s usually Tom Wilson in the epicenter of the hornet’s nest.
SEE ALSO: Tom Wilson Must Tone it Down
Wilson gets kind of a bum rap around the league because he loves to throw his weight around. That looks to be changing this year where Tom will need prove his value on the third line by scoring more goals. Tom has shown flashes of being a player who can be of serious value offensively and will need to do so more consistently this year.
We recently got to see what his daily life is like away from the rink with teammate and buddy Michael Latta. Also, despite how big and bad Tom can be on the ice, absolutely nobody can look tough while holding a puppy. The Capitals again chose to participate in the team’s annual Caps Canine Calendar photo shoot benefiting an area animal rescue shelter Homeward Trails.
Next: The Rising Star
Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
Evgeny Kuznetsov – #92
Position: Center
Evgeny Kuznetsov, or “Kuzy” by his fans and teammates, has been a long time coming for the Washington Capitals. Originally picked up by the Capitals back in 2010, he spent the majority of his time developing in the Kontinental Hockey League in Russia before arriving in D.C.
He opened up about his hesitations and struggle migrating to America with Mike Vogel of Monumental Network and really pulled the curtain back for fans.
Kuzy had a relatively quiet start to his season last year, but really turned it on in the postseason. He picked up 5 goals for the team in the playoffs, including this goal which elevated the team past divisional rival New York Islanders in game seven of their series. Evgeny Kuznetsov is going to be a star in the NHL and we could really see him take off this season.
Kuzy also became a Dad over the this past summer to his own baby girl named Ecenia. The 23-year-old looks to be planting his families roots in Washington and we’re definitely happy to have them. He signed a two-year contract with the team over the summer. He will likely be here for much, much longer than that once his contract is ready to be renewed.
Stick around on Stars and Sticks as we continue to highlight the players that make the Washington Capitals such a fun team to root for. Next time, we’re checking out the rest of the forwards including some of the team’s veteran iron men.