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Washington Capitals: Upcoming milestones

By CJ Witt

BUFFALO, NY - FEBRUARY 19: Nicklas Backstrom #19 and Alex Ovechkin #8 of the Washington Capitals chat on the bench during an NHL game against the Buffalo Sabres on February 19, 2018 at KeyBank Center in Buffalo, New York. (Photo by Bill Wippert/NHLI via Getty Images)
BUFFALO, NY - FEBRUARY 19: Nicklas Backstrom #19 and Alex Ovechkin #8 of the Washington Capitals chat on the bench during an NHL game against the Buffalo Sabres on February 19, 2018 at KeyBank Center in Buffalo, New York. (Photo by Bill Wippert/NHLI via Getty Images) /
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Goals

WASHINGTON, DC – APRIL 24: (L-R) Tom Wilson #43, Alex Ovechkin #8 and Nicklas Backstrom #19 of the Washington Capitals celebrate Wilson’s goal at 6:23 of the first period against the Carolina Hurricanes in Game Seven of the Eastern Conference First Round during the 2019 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Capital One Arena on April 24, 2019 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC – APRIL 24: (L-R) Tom Wilson #43, Alex Ovechkin #8 and Nicklas Backstrom #19 of the Washington Capitals celebrate Wilson’s goal at 6:23 of the first period against the Carolina Hurricanes in Game Seven of the Eastern Conference First Round during the 2019 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Capital One Arena on April 24, 2019 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) /

Alex Ovechkin can hit 700 career goals

The current number is 658, that puts him just forty-two goals away from a huge number. You should notice I put “can”. There’s no guarantee he will. Ovechkin could have a down season by his standards or maybe a big injury will finally hit the Russian machine.

However, based on how he’s performed in his career and recently, forty-two goals is very doable and towards the end of next season we could be celebrating yet another milestone for the captain.

John Carlson can hit 100 career goals

WASHINGTON, DC – APRIL 11: John Carlson #74 of the Washington Capitals skates with the puck in the second period against the Carolina Hurricanes in Game One of the Eastern Conference First Round during the 2019 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Capital One Arena on April 11, 2019 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/NHLI via Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC – APRIL 11: John Carlson #74 of the Washington Capitals skates with the puck in the second period against the Carolina Hurricanes in Game One of the Eastern Conference First Round during the 2019 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Capital One Arena on April 11, 2019 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/NHLI via Getty Images) /

Sounds lame when comparing it to the man above doesn’t it? The now veteran defenseman will no doubt be taking on more responsibility this coming season being the de facto leader of the D corps. I think he’ll do just fine and continue to rack up the points and goals.

Going into the season Carlson has 90 career goals. In his eight full NHL seasons he’s gone over ten goals four times. That pretty much makes this fifty-fifty Carlson gets to one hundred this season but I’d bet you a lot he gets there and we’re celebrating a pretty good milestone for a defensemen mid to late next season.

Carl Hagelin will hit 100 career goals

WASHINGTON, DC – APRIL 06: Washington Capitals left wing Carl Hagelin (62) intensely waits for a face-off during the New York Islanders vs. the Washington Capitals NHL game April 6, 2019 at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.. (Photo by Randy Litzinger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC – APRIL 06: Washington Capitals left wing Carl Hagelin (62) intensely waits for a face-off during the New York Islanders vs. the Washington Capitals NHL game April 6, 2019 at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.. (Photo by Randy Litzinger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

He will get 100 career goals. Notice the difference there. Sure again, we never know with injuries but the way Hagelin played with the Capitals last season he will likely get there. He sits on 93 goals right now and he’s never been a huge goal scorer but seven goals should be very doable for him.

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