What Needs To Go Right For The Capitals To Compete Next Season

Goaltending

This is another one that I think most teams need a good answer on if they have any hope. Last season for the Capitals I would say the goaltending was fine. That was about it. It was an upgrade from previous seasons. But after going and probably getting the best free agent goalie on the market last season in Darcy Kuemper I think you would have liked to see better.

The position and play wasn’t bad. I’m not sure I would ever call it a weakness. But, again, it was just fine. Which when you tried really hard to upgrade that position and it turns out just fine. Kind of disappointing no?

Kuemper’s stats weren’t awful. Last season he posted a 2.87 GAA with a save percentage of .909%. The save percentage is actually pretty good considering his higher GAA. That average needs to come down though. 2.87 is just too high. Especially for a team that had and might continue to have some offensive questions.

Charlie Lindgren was up and down. He started the season well. In his first 17 games he had a 2.60 GAA with a .913 save percentage. Then for the rest of the season, or his last 14 games, he had a 3.05 average with a save percentage just under .900 at 899%.

I’ve heard some hockey people out there call the Capitals goaltending a weakness. I just think that is wrong. But I think what I said earlier is the correct way to look at it. The Caps tried so hard to make that position a strength, and it just simply wasn’t. It was fine. And for the Capitals to jump back into contender status they need the goalies to be better than fine.