The Washington Capitals are 5-2-1 since November 19th. Why is that significant? Well, one, that is a good record. That puts them towards the top of the National Hockey League in that time frame. Their eleven points in that time is behind only the Minnesota Wild and Vegas Golden Knights, both have 15 points in that time. The Boston Bruins and New Jersey Devils have 12 points since then. The St. Louis Blues and Vancouver Canucks also have 11 points in that time frame.
It's also worth noting that this is the Capitals record since captain Alex Ovechkin went down with his serious knee injury. Ovechkin has been missing since the 18th when he got hurt in Utah. A game the Capitals won.
Goal scoring for the Capitals is down since the injury, but only somewhat slightly. From the start of the season until Ovechkin's injury Washington was scoring about 3.9 goals a game. From the 19th on they have been scoring 3.3 goals per game. Down? Yes. Are they having issues scoring? No.
The biggest reason goal scoring is down, at least in my opinion, is something that should have been expected and something I had been talking about a lot. Shooting percentage.
Before Ovechkin's injury, the Caps were shooting a very high 13.52%. In the eight games without the captain they're shooting a still very good 11.74%.
I won't go into too much detail here, we've done that before. But at seasons end, the top team in shooting percentage has been around the 10.5% area. The shooting percentage was always going to fall. It's not that much to do with missing Ovechkin. Again, my opinion anyways.
The Capitals great record and still very good shooting percentage should be a sign to everyone. The Capitals do not "need" the best goal scorer in history. At least right now. This is a team that can win without him. Something they could not have done in years past and definitely not last year when he was one of the few dragging the team into the playoffs kicking and screaming.
The Capitals and Ovechkin should wait as long as possible to get back into the lineup. Against everyone's wishes for obvious reasons. The reason people want him back is obvious, they want him chasing the goal scoring record.
The record is going to fall and go to "The Gr8", it's inevitable, it's going to happen, it's a guarantee, whatever phrasing you want to use. Who really cares when it happens?
Well actually, the answer to that is impatient people. People who see something and want it now, or as soon as possible.
People who read a lot of what I write are likely tired of what I keep saying, but it is worth saying again and again because it is relevant. Ovechkin is 39-years-old. Now he is 39 coming off a somewhat serious knee injury. If you are in that situation you give him every single second you can without him playing.
We already said why. This is a good team with or without him. They can continue to get wins. They can pile up the points without him. Let them keep doing it. This is a team that I think can do some damage in the playoffs and that is when you might need Ovechkin the most.
I think this is also important to say. I am not in favor of salary cap shenanigans. I am also very, very much against the NBA and their pathetic "load management" thing they have going on in that league. If you're healthy you play, that's my opinion.
Coming back from a legitimate injury is another case however.
What I'm saying is you don't bring back Ovechkin until he is no doubt 100% healthy and ready to go. You don't bring him back at 80%, 85%, 90% or anything in-between.
This is a good team and they could potentially have a chance at a Stanley Cup. The goal scoring record or chase to me in this discussion is irrelevant.
I think some personal records are more important than the championships. Usually I would be on the side of people rooting for the record to fall, and I am. But you know what would be even cooler than the goal scoring record? Winning the Stanley Cup in the same calendar year.
Even if you did hold him out as long as possible it's still not out of the question that he could break the record before the playoffs this year. It is still Ovechkin after all. If you count him out you haven't been paying attention to what this guy can do for the last twenty years.
I think what I am saying and what I am arguing here is common sense. You have an older player, coming off a pretty big injury, on a very good team with or without him, a team that has Cup potential. Let the older guy rest as long as possible. Maybe along with the goal scoring record either late this season or very early next season you'll also be celebrating a Stanley Cup win.
A healthy and fresh Ovechkin could be massive for this team and even League in multiple ways. Don't bring him back even 1 day too early.