Washington Capitals: Top 5 easiest games of 2021
The Washington Capitals will be back on an 82 game schedule in 2021-22. In case you missed it, we looked ahead to the top 5 toughest games of the season. Here are the games that should be easy pesey lemon squeezey.
Looking at and dissecting the schedule, things should hopefully be back to normal next season. The Caps will be competing in the Metropolitan Division and they’ll see everyone next season including the brand new Seattle Kraken and plenty of old faces. Faces like Jakub Vrana, but that game against the Detroit Red Wings did not make the list. That’s not a tough game either but I fear it’s the Vrana revenge game.
Anyway, here are the easiest of the 82 games.
#5 Oct. 13 vs. New York Rangers
The Caps open up the season against their Metropolitan Division rivals from the Big Apple. That particular city’s mayor resigned so now Tom Wilson has the ultimate chance to be the mayor of New York. The Rangers certainly acted like he was with all their offseason moves.
First the Rangers acquired Barclay Goodrow. Then they made the ultimate splash by acquiring Game 5 Stanley Cup 2018 healthy scratch Ryan Reaves. He apparently told the team that he’s the solution to their Tom Wilson problem. Folks, nothing gets easier than living rent free in your opponent’s head and that’s why opening night is number five on the list.
#4 March 3 vs. Carolina Hurricanes
The Washington Capitals will also see the Carolina Hurricanes in late November on the 28th in Raleigh. The Hurricanes proved they truly are a bunch of jerks when they signed Tony DeAngelo. They also let Dougie Hamilton walk, an elite defenseman who cashed in with the New Jersey Devils and will have different faces in goal.
This is the same Hurricanes team that gave us all fits in 2019 yet there’s different faces. What was once a challenge will now be an opponent the Caps circle on the calendar as a team to mess with proudly. And a team like the Hurricanes deserve it for how they dunked on the Caps on social media back in that first round playoff series. They act like they’re our biggest rivals. They aren’t. The Penguins are.
I don’t have to get into what DeAngelo has done in his past because one I hate politics and two every hockey fan pretty much knows about it. If not and you want a more detailed look at it and what kind of creature the Hurricanes are bringing into their locker room, check out Sara Civian’s piece on it from The Athletic (subscription required).
#3 Nov. 16 at Anaheim Ducks
The Caps have a unique stretch in the month of November. After they host the Pittsburgh Penguins on November 14, the team will head out west for a four game road trip beginning two nights later in Anaheim against the Ducks. The game against the Ducks is the first of a back to back with the second game the next night at the Los Angeles Kings. The Caps will also see the San Jose Sharks and the brand new Seattle Kraken.
The Ducks finished dead last in the Honda West last season with a 17-30-9 record which equals 43 points. It was also the second worst finish in the league in front of just the Buffalo Sabres.
So far this offseason they have re-signed Max Comtois who is coming off a 16 goal and 17 assist season for 33 points. They also re-signed defenseman Josh Mahura, both players to two year deals. In addition they extended Max Jones to a three year deal. He’s coming off a seven goal and four assist season for 11 points.
During the 2019-20 season, the Caps won both games against the Anaheim Ducks. The home contest featured a 5-2 win and an infamous spit from Garnet Hathaway on Erik Gudbranson. The Caps would win the rematch on the road 3-2 just under a month later.
#2 Jan. 16 vs. Vancouver Canucks
I honestly have no idea what’s going on with the Vancouver Canucks. In last year’s crazy pandemic season, they became the new Caps west with the addition of Braden Holtby along with Jay Beagle and Nate Schmidt. Now none of them are on the Canucks.
Schmidt went to the Winnipeg Jets via trade (hello Brenden Dillon). Beagle also got involved in a trade and is now on the Arizona Coyotes. Holtby signed with the Dallas Stars as a free agent.
Last season the Canucks finished dead last in the Scotia North division aka the Canadien division. Their record finished up at 23-29-4 for 50 points. Their additions this season include Jason Dickinson, Spencer Martin, Conor Garland, and Oliver Ekman-Larsson.
The Caps split the season series with the Canucks in 2019-20 but had one of their most thrilling wins of that season in Vancouver. Trailing 5-1, the Caps mounted a comeback. Evgeny Kuznetsov added his second goal of the game and the Caps also got a goal from Lars Eller and two from Michal Kempny to tie it. The Caps would go on to win in the shootout 6-5.
It is a shame that the Canucks let go all of those former Caps. It was fun being on their bandwagon while it lasted.
#1 Nov. 8 vs. Buffalo Sabres
Just like last season, expect the Washington Capitals to dominate the Buffalo Sabres beginning on Nov. 8 at Capital One Arena when the two teams first meet. Right now there is drama up north surrounding their star player Jack Eichel as he’s been the top subject of trade rumors after the team mishandled his injury. It’s a sticky situation.
Whether Eichel is still with the Sabres or not, heck he might even be on the Caps (I’m kidding but GMBM could have something up his sleeve), the Caps are miles ahead of the Sabres and will continue their success against them. Maybe their second meeting is more of a trap game, but the former division rivals at least go toe to toe again just not eight times.
Instead the two teams will see each other twice next season, once at home and the other on the road in mid December. Last season the Caps went 6-1-1 against the Sabres and simply dominated them until the series finale which came in Nicklas Backstrom’s 1,000th game and was dubbed a trap game from the start.
More. Washington Capitals loan Damien Riat. light
Those are our top 5 easiest games of the 2021-22 season. Which matchups do you consider easy that we missed?