2010 NHL Playoff Predictions: 5 Reasons the Capitals Will Win the Cup

The Washington Capitals enjoyed remarkable regular season success in 2009-10, surprising many by capturing the Presidents’ Trophy with 121 points – the third highest total in over 30 years. Everyone knows all about Caps superstar Alex Ovechkin, who finished with 50 goals and 109 points while playing only 72 games

However, although Ovechkin had four remarkable seasons before this one, the Caps made the playoffs only twice and lost two of the three rounds they played in. As great an individual hockey player as he may be, by himself Ovechkin is not enough to bring a Stanley Cup to Washington.

Fortunately, the Capitals have improved each year since the lockout, and now Ovechkin is surrounded by a team with all the elements in place to make a run for the Stanley Cup.

Here are five reasons why they will go all the way.

Reason 5: Goaltending

Scoring brings in the fans but good goaltending is what wins games. This old hockey adage is even truer in the run to the Stanley Cup. Everyone tightens up their games in the playoffs, and a hot goalie can steal games or win a series.

Jose Theodore’s play in net during the second half of this season has been outstanding. There is no question that he has earned the number one goalie job for the playoffs. He is playing as well as he has ever played.

Since January 13 Theodore has gone 20-0-3 for a franchise record unbeaten streak. His goalie statistics over that period have been excellent: .922 save percentage and 2.58 goals against average. Jose has had only a pair of bad outings over the past three months and, more importantly, he bounced right back with a couple of excellent games in net.

Although Theodore did the best he could to cope, his shaky performance during first half of this season was surely due in part to the emotional trauma of losing his infant son just before training camp. Jose has worked hard to overcome that, and the Capitals recently honored him as the team’s nominee for this year’s Bill Masterson award.

The Capitals are counting on Theodore to continue his sizzling performance right through the playoffs. However, should he hit any unexpected bumps in the road, the team can again look to last year’s playoff phenom, rookie Semyon Varlamov as a more than capable backup.

Theodore won both the Hart and Vezina trophies with the Montreal Canadiens in 2001-02. Now that it seems like he has regained that form again, the Caps may be the most dangerous team in the playoffs.

Reason 4: Depth and Balance

This year’s Capitals are so much more than star goal scorers Alex Ovechkin and Alex Semin. The team had seven 20 goal scorers this year – better offensive depth than anyone else. Mike Green led all NHL blueliners with 19 goals and 67 assists for a career high of 76 points. The Caps third line wingers (Fehr and Fleishman) would play on the first line for many teams in the league.

At the trade deadline, GM George McPhee made key moves that strengthened the Caps roster and provided depth for the playoffs. Center Eric Belanger brought speed and upgraded the penalty kill. With Joe Corvo, they gained another good puck moving defenseman and improved their already excellent power play. Scott Walker brought grit and Stanley Cup experience. And Milan Jurcina will add insurance against injury on defense once he rejoins the team.

The Caps enter this year’s playoffs with 15 forwards and 8 defenseman, only one a rookie. This group is as deep as any NHL team. Each of their lines can score, and Coach Boudreau doesn’t hesitate to roll all four throughout a game. Only three players on the roster have fewer than two years of playoff experience, and overall they average nearly 23 playoff games each.

Losing in the second round of the 2009 Playoffs was disappointing to the Caps. However, they learned many lessons from that experience and are now a deeper and better balanced team than they were a year ago.

Reason 3: “Sarge” Schultz

No one better exemplifies the improvement in the Capitals defensive corps than fourth year blueliner Jeff “Sarge” Schultz. Often the target of fan criticism in prior seasons, 6’6” tall Schultz has steadily developed into one of the leagues best defenders this season. He led the NHL in plus-minus with a +50 and was tops on the Capitals with 129 blocked shots.

While not physically intimidating in the Chris Pronger mold, Schultz makes good use of his size and reach to block up the passing and shooting lanes and force attacking players to the outside. He is rarely caught out of position and almost never takes penalties. His outlet passes are crisp and on target.

Sarge has been the perfect partner for top offensive defenseman Mike Green. His dependability as a stay at home defenseman has enhanced Green’s ability to jump up into the play, knowing his back is covered.

Schultz and Green were both late first round selections in 2004. Today they are one of the elite defensive pairs in the NHL

Reason 2: Nicklas Backstrom

22 year old Swede Nicklas Backstrom has emerged as a premier NHL center in only his third season. He finished third in assists with 68 and fourth in points with 101.

Backstrom is a brilliant passer with outstanding vision. He seemingly finds his linemates no matter where they are on the ice and can thread the puck through the eye of a needle. He is strong on his skates and excellent at protecting the puck.

Besides serving as Ovechkin’s favorite pivot-man, Backstrom developed into a scoring threat on his own in 2009-10. He has increased his goal totals each season since his rookie year, potting 33 goals this year, good for fourth among all centers.

Backstrom plays a solid two-way game. He is responsible defensively, makes few mistakes, and is a good back-checker. He is also the ironman of the Caps roster, not having missed a single game since he entered the league in 2007.

Teamed with Ovechkin, Backstrom gives the Caps a one-two punch on their top line that is better than any other in the NHL

Reason 1: Coach Bruce Boudreau

Since Bruce Boudreau took over as Capitals head coach in late November 2007, life has not been the same in Washington. During that first year, Boudreau took a team mired in last place with a miserable record (6-14-1) and led them to a Southeast Division banner and respectable playoff showing. He won well-deserved NHL coach of the year honors.

Boudreau does one thing exceptionally well: coach winning professional hockey teams. Over 11 seasons in the AHL and ECHL, he made the playoffs 10 times and won two championship cups. His teams had a losing record only once. Over three NHL seasons, his record is 141-56-28 for a .688 points percentage – best among all active coaches. The Capitals have had winning records in 17 of 19 months under his leadership.

As a coach, Boudreau is always well prepared, someone who believes in “working hard [and] outworking the opposition.” He’s a great motivator, a guy who’s faced many of the same challenges in his own career that his players face, and who can get them to take the next step.

For the Washington Capitals in 2010, that next step is winning the Stanley Cup.

A Contender for Years to Come

The Washington Capitals are not flash in the pan pretenders for the Cup. The team has steadily improved in each of the past five seasons. Their core players are all in their 20s with many seasons of playing together ahead of them. This is a contender built for years to come.

Another “5 Reasons” article could easily have highlighted more well known and popular aspects of the Capitals including: Captain Alex Ovechkin, talented sniper Alex Semin, D-man extraordinaire Mike Green, their league leading Power Play, and the ‘Rock the Red’ Verizon Center crowd.

However, the fact that there exist five other equally valid and significant reasons for a Stanley Cup run highlights how strong and deep this Capitals team truly is.

Last but not least, the Caps have an added weapon: their management. Six years ago, Team Owner Ted Leonsis, President Dick Patrick, and General Manager George McPhee crafted a plan to rebuild the Caps into winning hockey organization from the bottom up. They dumped a lot of high priced and underperforming talent, got lucky with Ovechkin, and have stayed true to their plan.

Now the time has come to see their investment bear fruit.