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Washington Capitals: Top 5 key players for a successful season

By Michael Marzzacco

Evgeny Kuznetsov, Alex Ovechkin, Washington Capitals (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
Evgeny Kuznetsov, Alex Ovechkin, Washington Capitals (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) /
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WASHINGTON, DC – APRIL 20: Alex Ovechkin #8 of the Washington Capitals and Nicklas Backstrom #19 of the Washington Capitals look on against the Carolina Hurricanes in the third period in Game Five of the Eastern Conference First Round during the 2019 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Capital One Arena on April 20, 2019 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC – APRIL 20: Alex Ovechkin #8 of the Washington Capitals and Nicklas Backstrom #19 of the Washington Capitals look on against the Carolina Hurricanes in the third period in Game Five of the Eastern Conference First Round during the 2019 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Capital One Arena on April 20, 2019 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) /

#1 Alex Ovechkin

This sounds as cliche as it gets and maybe it’s overused but it couldn’t be more factual: the Washington Capitals will go as far as Alex Ovechkin can take them. He is now the oldest player on the team but still looks good for someone who’s about to turn 34. If Ovechkin puts up numbers similar to what he did the last two seasons, he’ll defy age once again.

Ovechkin had a 49-goal season in 2017-18 and a 51-goal season last year. He’ll look for his ninth career season scoring 50 or more goals. He’ll embark on his penultimate season of his massive 13-year contract that he signed back in 2008 worth $124-million. At the time some pundits thought it was lucrative. As the city discovered three months later when Ovechkin made the playoffs, it was worth every penny.

Ovechkin will be motivated more than ever to win another Stanley Cup and he looks to continue to lead the locker room. Expect Ovechkin to be on the top line next to Nicklas Backstrom to begin the season, as the duo has proven inseparable. They put on a show in the playoffs and it’ll be up to the rest of the team to follow their lead.

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