Alex Ovechkin
It wasn't looking very good for Alex Ovechkin early on in the season. If you would have told me Ovechkin would make a list of the best Capitals or most important Capitals, I'm not sure I'd be shocked, but I'd be incredibly intrigued on how dominant the back half of his season was.
How dominant was the back end of his season? How about 23 goals in 37 games. That's good for most people, that's outstanding for a 38 year old. His 23 goals in that time was among the best in the NHL. The only guys with more was Auston Matthews with 30, Kirill Kaprizov with 28, and Filip Forsberg and Zach Hyman had 25. Braydon Point also had 23.
When talking about his own team, Sonny Milano and Connor McMichael had 11 goals in that time. They were the closest on the Capitals.
It seemed like the Capitals were better at scoring goals this season. In reality, they were actually worse. Last season, when it seemed the Caps couldn't score, they scored 253 goals. That was 20th in the NHL. This season it was down. They scored 216 goals, 28th in the NHL.
This team needs goals, anywhere they can get them. They were not getting them from the captain early in the season. But late in the year he proved why he is the greatest goal scorer ever, whether he has the record yet or not.
Without Ovechkin getting hot in the second half of the season I don't think the Capitals are in a playoff race. Seeing him do the things he is doing at his age in a league and game like this are truly incredible. Don't take this for granted hockey and Caps fans.