Washington Capitals: The Capitals Will Remain a Physical Force

Dmitry Orlov is going to have a breakout season offensively for the Capitals but Orlov really doesn’t get enough credit for his hitting abilities. Orlov will likely be on the Washington Capitals’ top pairing alongside John Carlson all season long and the DC faithful should expect to see at least a couple of highlight-reel hits from the Russian defender. Orlov is widely-regarded as one of the best open-ice hitters in the NHL and there’s good reason for that. Just take a look at a couple of these incredible hits that Orlov has delivered in his career.

The Capitals’ color commentator, Craig Laughlin described the hit as one of the best he’s ever seen.

"“What a hip-check, you rarely see them anymore,” Laughlin exclaimed. “That might be the best one I’ve seen in the last 10 seasons plus.”"

Orlov has shown the ability to lock-in on puck carriers and deliver crunching blows throughout his career. Recording at least 100 hits from the 2015-2016 season until the 2019-2020 season and adding another 87 in last season’s shortened schedule, the powerful Orlov will provide plenty of physicality to the back-end in DC.