We're back with another 2024 Washington Capitals wrap up article. Today we'll talk about the best of the best and the worst of the worst of the year 2024. Let's start with the bad stuff.
What was bad was the sweep to the New York Rangers after making the playoffs. But it also could've been a blessing in disguise based on the offseason additions and the new general manager in town in Chris Patrick. But a sweep to the Rangers was expected in the spring. There's also the injuries.
In particular the Nicklas Backstrom injury as well as T.J. Oshie was heartbreaking as a fan. Then you had Alex Ovechkin dealing with a lower body injury since mid November but there's hope on the horizon coming from Friday's practice. Per Tarik El-Bashir of Monumental Sports Network, Capitals coach Spencer Carbery provided the following update on the Great Eight's status heading into Saturday's game against the Toronto Maple Leafs:
"We will see. Things are trending in the right direction. Cannot say he is in the lineup tomorrow. We'll have to see how he responds to practice today. We'll know tomorrow morning. "Spencer Carbery
#Caps Coach Spencer Carbery on Alex Ovechkin’s availability for TOR tomorrow: “We will see. Things are trending in the right direction. Cannot say he is in the lineup tomorrow. We’ll have to see how he responds to practice today. We’ll know tomorrow morning.”
— Tarik El-Bashir (@Tarik_ElBashir) December 27, 2024
The good has been the hot start and we further touched on that earlier. What's also a big plus is that the Caps resonded well without their captain in the lineup, going 10-5-1 which is a pretty respectable record in today's competitive game.
Charlie Lindgren was stellar all year. He easily gets MVP from yours truly for how he guided the Caps to the playoffs at the end of last season. He went 25-16-7 with a 2.67 goals against average and a .911 save percentage in 2023-24. This season he's 10-7-0 wih a .900 save percentage and a 2.61 goals against average.
And it's not just Lindgren this season either as the Caps got an upgrade at goalie in Logan Thompson. The former Vegas Golden Knight that was acquired over draft weekend is 13-2-2 with a 2.40 goals against average and a .914 save percentage.
Ovechkin, whenever he's ready to return, needs 26 goals to catch Wayne Gretzky for the all time goals record. Dylan Strome continues to come into his own as the center has 38 points which leads the team with 11 goals and a whooping 27 assists. Aliaksei Protas and Connor McMichael, two 2019 draftees, each have 29 points.
McMichael has 16 goals and 13 assists and Protas has 14 goals and 15 assists further establishing themselves into full time NHLers. Tom Wilson has 13 goals and 11 assists for 24 points.
And the defensive upgrades like Jakob Chychrun and Matt Roy speak volumes about the stellar play of the team overall. They complement the likes of Trevor van Riemsdyk, Martin Fehervary and John Carlson well.