We’re just a few days into the new year, which still gives us time to take one last look back at 2023 and pin some hopes on the year ahead for the boys in red, white, and blue.
Q1. Assign a new year’s resolution to a player or the team as a whole.
J.P.: I’d beg Spencer Carbery to resolve to not play Evgeny Kuznetsov and Alex Ovechkin together. (Really, I could’ve ended that sentence four words earlier and been fine with it). It simply does not work:
… but there’s a line combo for Ovechkin that absolutely does:
[via MoneyPuck]
I know I sound like a broken record on this point, but it couldn’t be more obvious or important (to the extent that any of this is actually important). Just… no more.
Luke: As long as we’re begging Carbery for stuff, I’d beg him to stop giving the “fourth line” so many minutes. For a team that has a hard time scoring, Nicolas Aube-Kubel should not be playing more 5v5 minutes than guys like Oshie, McMichael, Mantha, Milano, and Protas. That Dowd line is essentially playing second-line minutes every night or close to it. That can’t be happening when this team needs way more goals. You love their hard work and they are buried in the defensive zone but they aren’t scorers and that’s what this team needs.
Rob: I am begging Kuznetsov to find some professionalism. We get it: you’re a supremely talented Diva who isn’t happy right now, but virtually every single person rooting for and against you is asked to suck up a lot worse shit for a lot less pay every single day at work.
It doesn’t matter how much he makes, he’s Samsonov-level of unplayable if he can’t find the most basic work ethic.
Andrew: A New Year’s resolution I would like for the team is for everyone to get healthy, even though I know that’s not how sports works, and someone is always injured…some more than others. Specifically I would like the goalies to stay healthy. Heal up Charlie.
Becca: I’d like the Caps to resolve to find their offense again. Sure, Alex Ovechkin getting going again would help (and he’s trending in the right direction), but they absolutely need to be getting more from just about everyone in the lineup. Hell, if Charlie Lindgren wanted to pot a few, I wouldn’t complain (he’s got a goal song and everything).
What was your favorite hockey moment of 2023?
J.P.: It’s a 23-way tie… every Ovi goal. I’m by no means an “all I care about at this point is The Gr8 Chase™” guy, but it’s still such a thrill to see Ovechkin score, be it from his office on the power play, into an empty net, on a goal-mouth scramble… whatever. Gimme gimme gimme.
Luke: Caps hockey was not kind to start the year between the Carlson injury, even more roster injuries, then the sell off, missing the playoffs, missing Michkov by a pick, Backstrom basically retiring, etc. you get the point, it hasn’t been great. But there are few bright spots and one of them is Anthony Mantha finally finding his form this season. The dude has gone through a lot since he came to the District, so for him to find his love for the game and put up some points is great to see.
Rob: The Stanley Cup parade was hands down my favorite hockey moment. But as far as the Caps, I’m here for the Ovi goals and looking for the next generation. Until recently, there had been a lot of the former and little of the latter. Recently things seemed to have flipped, but given the looks he’s still getting I think Ovi will be back on track soon enough. The last six weeks or so the kids have looked promising as well, in the NHL and lower leagues, so the future of the top six forwards looks a whole lot brighter than it did a year ago.
Andrew: I enjoyed the Stanley Cup Playoffs sans Capitals. While I always want the Caps in the playoffs, watching the brutality of the playoffs without an emotional interest (well partially) was a wild ride. Watching the Tampa Bay Lightning lose to the Toronto Maple Leafs in the first round, then turn around and watch the Leafs lose to the Florida Panthers, was quite fun. The final itself was a little bit of a let down. I did like that Jack Eichel got his cup before Connor McDavid, but that’s just the kind of person I am.
As far as the Caps go, it was rough…but I like how the team is rebuilding/retooling on the fly, and that includes the head coach. I like some of the pieces they have. And as much as it sucked to see the trades happen, it was for the best. Overall I like the direction of the team.
Becca: I’m kind of with Rob on this one. It feels like this last 12 months has given us something of a glimpse at the future, and that’s been fun to experience – fun to get excited about the years ahead when this team is going to look drastically different.
Seeing guys like Dylan Strome and Aliaksei Protas and Connor McMichael really step up and make their mark with this team, watching the prospect-laden Bears capture the Calder Cup over the summer, even drafting a couple of kids who could end up being real stars in this league in Ryan Leonard and Andrew Cristall. For so long this team has been dominated by the same core players, and while 2023 held one of the worst moments in that regard when it comes to Nicklas Backstrom’s situation, it’s a reminder that one era is ending but there are potentially good times ahead. We hope.