Top 3 key Capitals to watch against Canadiens

Tonight the Washington Capitals take on the Montreal Canadiens in the first of five games left to close out the regular season including the second to last home game.

The Capitals have failed to qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since the 2013-14 season. It snaps an eight season playoff streak. Their eight year streak was tied for the second longest active playoff streak in the NHL with the Nashville Predators. The Pittsburgh Penguins lead with 16 currently but that could snap too.

From 2014-15 to 2021-22, the Capitals held a record of 374-176-67 with 815 points and a .660 points percentage.

#3 Rasmus Sandin

Rasmus Sandin has recorded 13 points in 14 games with the Capitals since making his debut on March 4 with the team after they traded for him by sending Erik Gustafsson to the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Via NHL Stats, Sandin’s 11 assists in his first nine games with Washington marked the most by any Capitals player through their first 10 games with the club, surpassing Randy Burridge and Chris Valentine.

Sandin has recored a point in eight of his 14 games with the Capitals. Four of his 12 assists with the Caps have come on the power play. He required the fewest games for a defenseman to reach 10 points in franchise history with seven games played which bested the previous mark set by Kevin Shattenkirk in 2016-17 where it took him 13 games.