From the “did you know?” file…
If Alex Ovechkin sat out the last 3 seasons, he’d still have as many goals (339) as next highest scorer since he came into NHL in 2005-2006 (Jarome Iginla: 339).
Ovechkin could have sat out his last 235 regular season games, dating back to the 2011-2012 season, and still had as many shots on goal (2,710) as the next highest player in shots on goal since Ovechkin came into the league in 2005-2006 (Eric Staal: 2,710).
Ovechkin could have sat out his last 181 regular season contests and still had as many power play goals since the first year he played in the NHL as Thomas Vanek (118) over the same span of games.
With Mike Green having moved on to Detroit, taking his 113 career goals with him, John Carlson assumes the top spot among current Capitals defensemen in career goals scored (45). No other current Capital has as many as 15 with the club. Only Karl Alzner has more than ten with the club (12).
Among players in the first-year class of 2007-2008, one that includes Patrick Kane and Claude Giroux, no player has as many total assists as Nicklas Backstrom. And, it’s not close. Backstrom has 427 helpers in eight seasons, Kane is second with 352, and Giroux is third with 306 (yes, Giroux played in only two games in 2007-2008).
Of the Caps’ 237 goals scored last season, 69 of them were scored by four players no longer with the team – Troy Brouwer (21), Joel Ward (19), Eric Fehr (19), and Mike Green (10). That’s 29.1 percent of the total. Just sayin’.
Ovechkin is currently tied with Bernie Nichols for 50th place all-time in goals scored. Once he breaks that tie, next up in the rankings in 49th place? Former teammate Sergei Fedorov (483).
Backstrom is 13th all-time in assists-per-game (0.74), and he and Sidney Crosby are the only two players in the top-15 currently active (minimum 250 games played).
Madison Bowey is 20 years old. How unusual would it be for him to get significant time with the Caps this season as a defenseman? Only 18 defensemen in franchise history have dressed for 20 or more games in a season at that age or younger for the Caps. On the other hand, one defensemen at that age or younger has appeared in 20 or more games six times in the ten seasons since the 2004-2005 lockout: Mike Green, Jeff Schultz, Karl Alzner, John Carlson, Dmitry Orlov, and Connor Carrick.
Not since the inaugural season in the history of the franchise have the Capitals dressed a skater over the age of 40 (Doug Mohns was 41 when he last dressed for the Caps in that season). Won’t happen this year, either, unless the Caps make a trade or sign someone not currently with the team.
Hooray for geezers!