The number 56 is an interesting one and one with a peculiar relationship to the Washington Capitals. For instance, it is the sum of the sum of the divisors of the first eight integers. “Eight”…get it? The Greek essayist Plutarch claimed that the Pythagoreans associated a polygon of 56 sides with Typhon, a monstrous giant and the deadliest creature in Greek mythology (Wikipedia is a charm in finding this stuff). At the moment, the Caps are the NHL’s version of a monstrous giant and perhaps the deadliest team in the league.
The number 56 also happens to be the number of games played by the Caps as they work their way through the bye week, roughly two-thirds of the regular season. As they enter the home stretch of their regular season, it is a chance to take stock and look back to compare it to the team that they most resemble, that being last season’s club.
A few general particulars about the records:
These two teams and the 2009-10 team are the only Caps teams in franchise history to top 80 standings points in their first 56 games. That is, no doubt, in part a product of the change in the rules in 2005-06 that allowed a team to get an extra point after five minutes of overtime of a tie game via the shootout, but still, these are the teams that dominate Caps history. This team is eclipsed only by last year’s team in wins (42 to 39) and standings points (88 to 84). It is the 2015-16 team that serves as the benchmark against which this year’s team can be compared.
That bonus point in the freestyle competition is half the difference between the two teams. Through 56 games last season, the Caps were 3-1 in the shootout. This season, Washington is just 1-4 in the shootout, one of seven teams with just one win, and ahead of only the Dallas Stars and Colorado Avalanche, who have yet to win in the freestyle competition.
In that phase of the game, it has been a problem shared on both ends of the ice. On offense, the Caps were 6-for-12 shooting in the four shootout instances through 56 games. This season, they have six goals once more, but on 16 shots in the five shootouts to date.
The odd part of the two seasons in the shootout has been that the Caps do have a certain order – T.J. Oshie first, Evgeny Kuznetsov second, and Nicklas Backstrom third. And those three have been at least as successful this year as last. Oshie was 3-for-4 through 56 games last season, a mark he duplicated so far this season. Kuznetsov was 1-for-4 at this point last season, 2-for-5 so far this season. Backstrom was 0-for-2 last season at this point, 1-for-3 so far this year.
The difference has been in the next wave. Through 56 games last season, Alex Ovechkin was 2-for-2. This season, he is 0-for-2. Neither Marcus Johansson nor Justin Williams had a shootout attempt at this point last season, but each has had one attempt so far this season, each of them unsuccessful.
Then there is the goaltending. Through 56 games and four shootouts last season the Caps were 9-for-12 stopping opponents, a .750 save percentage. This season it is a rather ugly 7-for-16 in saves, a .438 save percentage. Only Dallas (.400) and the Buffalo Sabres (.286) have a worse save percentage. The dropoff has been that of Braden Holtby. Last season he had all the shootout attempts to defend and stopped 9 of 12. This season he is just 5-for-14, a .357 save percentage (Philipp Grubauer is 2-for-2). Of 41 goalies to have faced at least five shootout attempts, Holtby’s save percentage ranks 40th, ahead of only Robin Lehner of the Sabres, who did not stop any of the six shots he faced so far.
At this level of success, it is natural that the team is streaky, but in a consistent way. Both the 2015-16 and 2016-17 teams have been just that. Last year’s team had five streaks of five wins or more over their first 56 games with a high of nine games in Games 28-37. This season, the Caps have had four such streaks with a high of nine games in Games 35-43.
Then there is the streakiness at home. Both teams had 12-game winning streaks on home ice. Last year’s club did it form November 21 through January 17, outscoring opponents by a 50-21 margin. This year’s club accomplished the feat from January 1 through last Saturday, a streak that is still active and one that has been more dominant on the offensive end of the ice, with the Caps outscoring opponents by a 62-19 margin. The last 11 of those wins came with the club scoring five or more goals in each victory, tying the 1970-71 Boston Bruins for the longest such streak in NHL history.
Those long streaks on home ice contributed to dominating records in both seasons, the difference between them being the Caps of this season have had a bit more home cooking. Last year’s squad went 21-4-2 in 27 home games through Game 56 of their schedule, while this year’s team is 24-5-1 through 30 games of the home schedule. The 24 wins and 49 standings points earned so far this season are both tops in the league. Compare that to last season when the Caps’ win total was tied with the New York Rangers for second (the Chicago Blackhawks had 22 wins), and their 44 standings points was third, behind the Rangers (45) and the Blackhawks (46).
At the highest level of comparison – their records – last year’s Capitals and this year’s edition, arguably the best teams in the history of the franchise, are comparable, the difference almost coming down to the odd appendage tacked to the end of tied games.
Are there differences between these teams as one drills down through their numbers? Perhaps. It will be something to look at as the bye week goes on.