2024 was a blessed and odd year to be a Washington Capitals fan. At the conclusion of season 49, you saw what was potentially a final run with most of the main core before a new core takes place for season 50.
Despite seeing the end of that said core, the Caps did what they had to do and make the playoffs. Thanks to the comeback of Alex Ovechkin, the heart of T.J. Oshie, the soul of Dylan Strome, and the clutchness of Charlie Lindgren, the Capitals shocked the hockey world. And they did so with a win in Philaelphia over the Flyers to boot.
That final game saw Ovechkin score and Oshie put the game away in the form of an empty netter as teammates mobbed Lindgren to celebrate their ticket punch back to the postseason in year one of the Spencer Carbery head coaching era.
Fast forward to summer and there was more change. This time in the front office for general manager. Brian MacLellan put together a masterclass for his final run to set the stage nicely for the Chris Patrick era. The results speak for themselves several months later.
Some quick good news on the practice front. Alex Ovechkin was out there Friday morning at MedStar Capitals Iceplex taking reps on the top line. Wil he return when the team returns to game action against the Toronto Maple Leafs? The find out soon is coming. Lars Eller was also back. Ovi was paired with Strome and Aliaksei Protas, the latter of which has come into his own this season.
Capitals are back doing skills work before their 10:30 a.m. practice. Maybe we will find out after if Alex Ovechkin is will make his return in Toronto tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/UPClUrPC07
— Tom Gulitti (@TomGulittiNHL) December 27, 2024
Entering Friday's slate of games, the Capitals rank second to the New Jersey Devils in both the Metropolitan Division and the Eastern Conference. If I told you that back in the summer at your family barbeque, you would've done a backflip into the pool.
It's a little bit cold for a polar plunge but a 23-9-2 record with 48 points heading to a back to back beginning in Toronto is a solid spot. The Caps are four points ahead of the Maple Leafs and did so without Alex Ovechkin in the lineup. Now he could possibly be back knock on wood.
The Capitals have three games remaining in the calendar year and have a 46-29-7 record in 82 games played in the year of 2024. That's good for 99 points and a .604 point percentage. Washington's 46 wins in 2024 are tied for the eighth most in the NHL and far exceed the 31 wins they earned in 2023.
The Capitals additionally this season have the third highest point percentage in the NHL at .706. Their current point percentage is a 0.151 point improvement from last season's .555 point percentage, which marks the second largest season over season improvement among all teams behind New Jersey who is at 0.168.