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Washington Capitals: Two NHL 20 Ratings

By Michael Marzzacco |
UNIONDALE, NEW YORK - MARCH 01: Nicklas Backstrom #19, John Carlson #74 and Braden Holtby #70 of the Washington Capitals celebrate their teams 3-1 win over the New York Islanders at NYCB Live's Nassau Coliseum on March 01, 2019 in Uniondale, New York. (Photo by Mike Stobe/NHLI via Getty Images)
UNIONDALE, NEW YORK - MARCH 01: Nicklas Backstrom #19, John Carlson #74 and Braden Holtby #70 of the Washington Capitals celebrate their teams 3-1 win over the New York Islanders at NYCB Live's Nassau Coliseum on March 01, 2019 in Uniondale, New York. (Photo by Mike Stobe/NHLI via Getty Images)
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WASHINGTON, DC – APRIL 11: John Carlson #74 of the Washington Capitals and Micheal Ferland #79 of the Carolina Hurricanes battle for the puck in the second period 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 and Micheal Ferland #79 of the Carolina Hurricanes battle for the puck in the second period 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) /

Ratings for the upcoming popular video game NHL 20 are coming out and two Washington Capitals players have made it onto the top 50 list.

We are just weeks away from NHL 20 hitting the shelves and we can’t wait to give it a whirl. While NHL 20 hasn’t released the entire top 50 list, we already know which two Capitals players will make the list.

One is a defensemen who was once an all star, who led the Capitals defense and will be counted on to lead even more this season. The other is who the spotlight will shine the brightest on. Each player got an 89 overall rating and they both rightfully deserved it.

These two were the guys who the Capitals counted on to lead them to the Stanley Cup in 2018 and they’ll be counted on once again for the Caps to get back to the promised land.

So far EA Sports has ranked 50-21 with the top 20 still to go. Alex Ovechkin will most likely be on the top 20 and maybe we’ll get a surprise or two.

Let’s take a look now at the two players EA Sports has rated among the Capitals.

#39 John Carlson

RALEIGH, NC – APRIL 18: Carolina Hurricanes left wing Brock McGinn (23) and Washington Capitals defenseman John Carlson (74) chase a puck along the boards during a game between the Carolina Hurricanes and the Washington Capitals on April 18, 2019, at the PNC Arena in Raleigh, NC. (Photo by Greg Thompson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
RALEIGH, NC – APRIL 18: Carolina Hurricanes left wing Brock McGinn (23) and Washington Capitals defenseman John Carlson (74) chase a puck along the boards during a game between the Carolina Hurricanes and the Washington Capitals on April 18, 2019, at the PNC Arena in Raleigh, NC. (Photo by Greg Thompson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

89 OVR

John Carlson is finally getting the league wide recognition he deserves. EA Sports gave him an 89 overall rating and I agree with that rating myself. Carlson possess a physicality at 6-foot-3 and 218 pounds and has a power blast of a slapshot.

Carlson can play a two-way game. As he enters the season, he’ll be counted on to lead the defensive corps with the departures of Brooks Orpik to retirement and Matt Niskanen when he was traded to the Philadelphia Flyers.

Carlson will turn 30 this season and is a top candidate to become an alternate captain and it wouldn’t be a surprise if he did become one. Whether his partner was Karl Alzner or Michal Kempny, Carlson not only played great but made his pairing partners around him better.

LAS VEGAS, NV – JUNE 07: John Carlson #74 of the Washington Capitals carries the Stanley Cup in celebration after his team defeated the Vegas Golden Knights 4-3 in Game Five of the 2018 NHL Stanley Cup Final at the T-Mobile Arena on June 7, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NV – JUNE 07: John Carlson #74 of the Washington Capitals carries the Stanley Cup in celebration after his team defeated the Vegas Golden Knights 4-3 in Game Five of the 2018 NHL Stanley Cup Final at the T-Mobile Arena on June 7, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /

Carlson finished the 2018-19 season with career-highs with 57 assists and 70 points to go along with 13 goals. He tied a career-high in +/- with +21. 10 of Carlson’s goals came on even strength while the other three came on the power play.

Carlson blocked 164 shots and 54 hits and averaged a career-high in ice time with 25:04 minutes per game. Overall this rating makes sense for Carlson as he’s the top ranked Capitals defensemen on the video game.

#38 Braden Holtby

RALEIGH, NC – APRIL 22: Washington Capitals goaltender Braden Holtby (70) expels water during a game between the Carolina Hurricanes and the Washington Capitals on April 22, 2019 at the PNC Arena in Raleigh, NC. (Photo by Greg Thompson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
RALEIGH, NC – APRIL 22: Washington Capitals goaltender Braden Holtby (70) expels water during a game between the Carolina Hurricanes and the Washington Capitals on April 22, 2019 at the PNC Arena in Raleigh, NC. (Photo by Greg Thompson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

89 OVR

Braden Holtby‘s 89 overall rating is exactly the same as Carlson’s but the position Holtby holds is the most vital on the ice. The goaltender gets set for his biggest season as a member of the Washington Capitals and a chance to earn a massive payday this upcoming summer.

Holtby will look to regain his Vezina Trophy winning form and while Washington has tight salary cap space and a top prospect in the AHL who happens to be a goaltender, it would be foolish to trade Holtby now.

WASHINGTON, DC – APRIL 24: Braden Holtby #70 of the Washington Capitals prepares to play 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: Braden Holtby #70 of the Washington Capitals prepares to play 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) /

Holtby finished with a 32-19-5 record and needs room for improvement. He hopes to get to at least 40 wins in the 2019-20 season. Holtby finished his most recent season with a 2.82 goals-against average and a .911 save percentage.

Holtby enters a contract year and he refuses to let that be a distraction. He’s focused on helping the Capitals win the Stanley Cup and fans will be able to utilize the Holtbeast to his maximum potential in gameplay.

Related Story. 2019 expectations for Alex Alexeyev. light

So now that EA sports has released the first 29 players, who will the final 20 be and which ones will make the cut representing the Washington Capitals. We can’t wait to find out! NHL 20 comes out on Friday September 13.

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