Resolutions, promises, a fresh start: What better time than New Year's Eve to take a look at some of the players on the Capitals who look like they're going to (and need to) turn a corner in the very near future?
Without further ado, here are a half-dozen Caps players who will be looking to elevate their game start January 1st against the Senators:
Tomas Fleischmann - Flash has nothing left to prove at the AHL level, where he's scored 114 points in 102 games since 2005, but he hasn't been able to consistently contribute offensively in Washington. I think Flash stands a pretty good chance at getting on the scoresheet on a regular basis now that he's becoming aware that he is not skilled enough to get by on skill alone and has hence started working harder without the puck and driving to the net. I'm still not completely sold on Fleischmann though and time is starting to run out for him, although you'd have to think that if he's ever going to show he can play at the NHL level it would be under another relatively slight winger who showed a ton of skill in the minors but couldn't stick in the NHL.
Viktor Kozlov - Kozlov hasn't been as bad as some Caps fans seem to think (a number of people have recently advocated his benching in the comments on Capitals Insider). He's second on the team in assists and shots and is getting his chances - he just needs to start converting them. And he will.
Olaf Kolzig - After allowing six goals on 22 shots against Ottawa (despite not playing all that poorly) Kolzig's save percentage is down to .888 and his GAA up to 3.02. His numbers haven't been stellar and he's let in a number of soft goals, but he has been playing better recently, even if the numbers don't show it. With Johnson out 2-4 weeks and with the team playing well and gaining ground in the playoff race the Capitals need Kolzig to be a solid presence in net.
Matt Pettinger - In a season that has been disappointing thus far for Capitals fans perhaps no single player has been as disappointing as Pettinger, who has only five points in 37 games and was a healthy scratch against Ottawa. But the numbers look worse than Pettinger's play has been - while Pettinger has only two goals he is getting his chances and his shots per game average (1.86) is about the same as what it's been the last couple years (1.81), and you don't go from being a guy who shoots better than 14% to a guy who shoots under 3% without some bad luck in there. Although Pettinger has only three assists he has played much of the year with Boyd Gordon and David Steckel, neither of whom is finding the net on a regular basis. At this point I think Pettinger's problem is largely mental - he looked like he was on his game early in the year and I think the lack of success he's had playing his game started to get to him, he started to doubt himself, got off his game and has looked a little lost. Hopefully sitting out a game or two helps him get his head back together and boosts his on-ice performance.
Jeff Schultz - Schultz is a defensive defenseman, so unlike Kolzig or Kozlov it might not be as obvious when he turns a corner and is able to elevate his game. Rather than flashy goals or saves, Schultz is at his best when he plays positionally, frustrates opponents and avoids mistakes. Not especially jaw-dropping stuff, but it's an important role nonetheless. Sarge has been looking smarter and more comfortable almost by the game and is close to becoming a very solid backline presence. Schultz has also taken some heat for not being physical enough given his size (6'5'', 215) and the nature of his game. I don't think it's that Schultz won't initiate contact, I think it's that he doesn't want to draw himself out of position trying to deliver a big hit. As he become more aware and more confident in his own end watch for his physical game to improve as well.
David Steckel - I conceived this post a couple weeks ago, but the holidays make me lazy (you know it happens to you too) and I wish that I'd written it up before before Steckel three-point performance against Tampa Bay, but here it goes anyway: Steckel has received praise from Caps management and fans for doing jobs that are all too often underappreciated (playing a defensive role, faceoffs, penalty kills) and so it's become easy to forget that he put up 61 points (30+31) in 71 games for Hershey last year. While Steckel will never be a great scorer at the NHL level he has enough talent to chip in offensively on a consistent basis. Lately he's looked more comfortable in the offensive end, going to the net more often, being more assertive and showing better vision, so I'd expect some points to follow.
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Team as a Whole: B-; meeting expectations
outset the most reasonable expectation for the Capitals was that they were a team that could contend for a playoff spot but could also easily fall just short. Thus being in playoff contention is, to me, meeting expectations.
defensemen - or rushing the puck 175 feet on a regular basis.
That might seem like a surprisingly high grade given how much distress Capitals fans have been forced to endure this year but I think it's appropriate. If you go back to the season's
But if you were to go back to the beginning of the season and wonder what would happen if, through the first 41 games, Alexander Semin was going to play only 23 (and be less than 100% much of the time when playing), Chris Clark only 17, Tom Poti only 34 and Boyd Gordon only 26, with two or more often overlapping and then assess what could expected of the Capitals performance I think you'd have to say they'd be lucky not to be dead in the water. And that's where the team is now - at six points out of playoff spot and ten points out of the division lead they've performed quite well given the injuries they've had.
Forwards - B-
The forward corps hasn't been nearly as explosive as people hoped, as a number of players have underachieved in some facet (Fleischmann, Kozlov, Pettinger) and others have struggled with injuries (Semin, Clark). They have played pretty well defensively however, and with scoring down around the NHL the difference between expected output and actual output can be chalked up (somewhat) to a league-wide drop in scoring.
Exceeding Expectations
Nicklas Backstrom - on the year maybe his numbers aren't any higher than expected (29 points in 41 games), but that's changing fast - Backstrom put up 14 points in 13 games in December and was named rookie of the month. Even if his numbers aren't to the point where just looking at them will indicate he has surpassed what people expected him to do, he has shown far more poise and defensive acumen than could be expected of any player his age.
Brooks Laich - has been a versatile member of the team, competing hard in every game and is on pace for a career-high in points, despite not playing as important a role as in years past.
Quintin Laing - the fact that he's in the NHL at all means he's exceeded expectations. The fact that he's been a solid contributer in his own end and on the penalty kill means he's exceeded them by far.
Alexander Ovechkin - a little surprising maybe, given how high expectations were after his first two season. But The Great Eight is on pace for 60 goals and is tied for the team lead in plus/minus (after being the worst in that category last season). I don't think anyone expected him to be this good.
Meeting Expectations
Matt Bradley - Bradley is generally playing a tough, physical game and is avoiding making crucial mistakes. Just what you'd want from a fourth line grinder.
Donald Brashear - Brash is still one of the best fighters in the league, plays smart and knows his role. His lack of speed is an obvious and exploitable problem though.
Boyd Gordon - I had hopes Gordon would get his offensive game to click and provide some offensive in addition to his checking prowess but, truthfully, I didn't expect it. Has done a great job on faceoffs and in his own end.
Viktor Kozlov - some people have criticized Kozlov for having only four goals at this point and while he should be finishing more effectively, he is tied for second on the team in assists, tied for first in plus/minus and is second in shots.
Michael Nylander - Nylander in borderline between meeting expectations and falling short of them. He is producing fairly well (33 points in 37 games) and serving as a mentor to Backstrom, but he has also failed to click with Alexander Ovechkin and his -16 rating is not only worst on the team - it's one of the worst in the league.
Dave Steckel - in camp Caps fans heard a lot about how Steckel had been working at the craft of winning draws and was a solid defensive player but I don't think anyone expected him to be as useful as he has been shorthanded on in the faceoff circle. Still, for a guy who put up 30 goals and 61 points in Hershey last year, Steckel has shown little in the offensive end.
Playing Below Expectations
Matt Pettinger - put up 68 points in 135 games over the last two season, while shooting 14.69%. This season has 5 points in 39 games and is shooting 2.74%. His -11 is the second worst rating on the team.
Tomas Fleischmann - has put up big numbers in the AHL (114 points in 102 games since 2005) but has only 12 points in 37 games this season, far too few for a skilled forward expected to play a top six role.
Incomplete
Chris Clark - has played in only 17 games due to injuries during which he's looked solid but unspectacular.
Alexander Semin - has missed 18 games due to injury and often not played when completely healthy. Has looked dominant at times and invisible at others, probably due to his ankle injury.
Defense - B+
Expected to be the weak point of the team, the Caps defense has been much better than expected, contributing quite a bit offensively (Green, Poti, Pothier) and being much better at limiting the kinds of growing pains in their own end that you'd expect from the league's youngest defense.
Exceeding Expectations
Mike Green (pictured) - Green flashed his talent at times last year but not too many people expected him to be competing for the lead in goals among NHL
Brian Pothier - on pace for the same number of points as last year but is also seeing much less ice time, especially on the powerplay. Tied for the team leader in plus/minus.
Jeff Schultz - already has five goals and eight points, more goals and the same number of points I expected for him on the season. While Schultz is still somewhat inconsistent in his own end his is doing a better job than I expected he would, and a very good job for his age.
Meeting Expectations
John Erskine - not playing every night, but he knew that would be the case. Is tough in front of his own net when he does play. Had a couple big defensive mistakes but his six points in 19 games are more than you'd expect.
Shaone Morrisonn - started the season poorly in terms of plus/minus but seemed to get back on track once he was no longer paired with Jurcina, and is now back in the positive (+1). Playing good defense but not showing improvement in the offensive end.
Tom Poti - no goals, but playing the point well on the powerplay, leading the team in ice time and has been a solidifying presence on the back line.
Playing Below Expectations
Milan Jurcina - going into the season there was hope he could be a quality physical shut-down defender. Has looked like a borderline NHL'er.
Incomplete
Steve Eminger - he's only seen action in two games. What other category could he be in?
Goaltenders (there's only two, so I won't break them into categories)
Olaf Kolzig - below expectations. The numbers (3.02 GAA, .889 save percentage) have been painful; the abundance of soft goals even more so. Seems to be coming out of his funk right now, but most certainly has not been as good as expected.
Brent Johnson - met expectations. Been able to come in off the bench and give his team a chance to win most of the time.
Best in Class: Alex Ovechkin. C'mon, it's not even close
Most Improved: Mike Green. He's gone from being a talented kid with great skating stride to one of the best and most exciting offensive defenseman in the entire league...in less than a year.
Most Studious: Dave Steckel, for his attention to detail in the faceoff circle and penalty kill and attention to his diet which requires him to take in 8,000 calories daily.
All photos AP/Getty