2012 Stanley Cup Playoffs: 7 Game-Changing Players for the Washington Capitals

The seventh-seeded Washington Capitals will travel to Boston to challenge the defending Stanley Cup Champion Bruins in the first game of their round one playoff series.

In the last five years, the Capitals have won the Presidents Trophy once and the Southeast Division Championship four consecutive times, ending that streak this season. However, they have been unable to make it past the Eastern Conference semifinals.

While the Caps have struggled with consistency this season, among other things, they still managed to make it to the postseason. That said, they will still be fighting an uphill battle as far as seeding is concerned.

The Caps should always be regarded as a threat in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, whether they're a top-seeded team. Head coach Dale Hunter has incredible talent in his team. Many of Washington's players could be vital in leading the team deep into the playoffs.

Alexander Ovechkin

Of course the Caps' captain is going to headline the list.

Throughout the season, many have criticized Ovechkin's below-average scoring numbers. He finished the season with 35 goals and 28 assists.

However, 11 of those goals came in the final 13 games of the regular season. The Great Eight has picked a perfect time to vamp up his production. Heading into a series against the Bruins, the Caps are going to need all the scoring power they can get.

While Ovi leads the team in scoring, the Caps won't make it far if he is the only one lighting the lamp. Bruins defenseman and captain Zdeno Chara will be locked onto the Russian phenom. Knowing Ovechkin, that won't stop him from playing a spectacular game and finding twine.

Nicklas Backstrom

Nicklas Backstrom missed almost three months of the season due to a concussion suffered in January. Even though he's only played 42 games this season, he has still recorded 30 assists.

As I mentioned in the last slide, Washington needs all the scoring power it can get. Backstrom is exactly the kind of top tier playmaker that the Caps need to excel in that department.

If Backstrom and Ovechkin can get their highlight-reel chemistry going, Chara and the Bruins defense are going to have a problem on their hands.

Jason Chimera

Jason Chimera is having a career year. In 82 games, he had 20 goals and 19 assists. Chimera helps add depth to the Capitals' offensive production, which is something which will be of great value against the Bruins and in the playoffs in general.

The speedy left winger can not only help set up vital breakaway plays but could also assist in setting up necessary forechecking plays against Boston.

Also, Chimera isn't afraid to get physical. At 6'3" and 213 pounds, he is certainly a hard hitter. I'm sure he will do his part to help keep the Bruins' scorers in check.

Brooks Laich

In this season, Brooks Laich has proven himself to be one of the most versatile and invaluable players on the Caps roster.

Laich has already established himself as a great two-way forward. Back in November when the Caps lost the likes of Mike Green and John Erskine to injuries, Laich was moved back to the blue line to play defense.

Also, I see Laich being a great asset to the Caps' penalty killing unit, a unit especially important in the postseason.

It's also worth mentioning that Laich is tied with Troy Brouwer and Jason Chimera for most game-winning goals this season.

Dmitry Orlov

Caps rookie defenseman Dmitry Orlov was called up from Hershey in late November. With Mike Green injured, Orlov took advantage of the opportunity to prove himself as a talented offensive defenseman.

In the 60 games he's played in, Orlov has posted three goals and 19 assists. He's shown great promise when it comes to setting up game-changing plays.

Orlov's speed and offensive abilities could be of great value to the Caps' blue line squad as they take on Boston.

As of now, it seems that the Caps have opted to put Jeff Schultz on the defensive line, instead of Orlov, for Game 1. There's still plenty of opportunities for Orlov to prove his worth as a big postseason asset. 

Dennis Wideman

As a former Bruins defenseman, Dennis Wideman will be in familiar territory as the Capitals face Boston in the TD Garden Thursday night. I have no doubt that Wideman will make his former team miss his presence on the blue line.

As a matter of fact, Wideman has recently stung the Bruins. In their final confrontation of the season, Wideman scored one of Washington's two regulation goals against the Bruins in a game that the Caps won in a shootout.

Wideman has an amazing combination of offensive production and defensive presence. With 46 points on the season, Wideman was the third-highest scoring Capital.

If he can continue this trend and help the Caps light the lamp while also locking down the Bruins' offense, the Caps will be more than capable of taking this series.

Braden Holtby

Go break out your dictionary and look up "wild card," and you'll see Braden Holtby's picture. Well, not really, but you get the point.

With Tomas Vokoun and Michal Neuvirth both injured, the Capitals have turned to Holtby as their starting goaltender against the Bruins.

When the Caps traded Semyon Varlamov to Colorado, it seemed that Holtby would finally get a spot as a starting goalie. Then the Caps went and picked up Vokoun from the free agency.

In the seven games he's played in this season, Holtby was 4-2-1 and saved 177 of 192 shots, yielding a .922 save percentage.

With all the pressure in the world on his shoulders, Holtby will be making his NHL playoff debut Thursday night in Boston. His performance is probably the biggest deciding factor in whether the Caps will have a good shot at winning the Stanley Cup or if they'll have yet another disappointing postseason run.

Personally, I'm confident that Holtby can handle being a starting playoff goalie.

Conclusion

There is a plethora of other players on the Washington Capitals' roster than will more than likely play a crucial role in the playoffs.

Marcus Johansson, Mathieu Perrault and Troy Brouwer are all forwards who could be important for the Caps' offensive production. More seasoned players like Mike Knuble and Roman Hamrlik may also be vital for the very same reason.

On the defensive side, the young duo of Karl Alzner and John Carlson have proven to be impressive blueliners. Carlson, with 23 assists this season, has been a great playmaking defender. On the other hand, Alzner has played his part in shutting down opposing offensive units, as evidenced by his plus-12 rating. 

The Caps certainly have the talent and ability necessary to eliminate the Stanley Cup Champions in the first round of the playoffs. Based on the season the Caps have had, it's consistency that will prove to be problematic.

Even though they're not a top-seeded team, the Caps are still a threat in the postseason, even to the Bruins. If they can mesh as a team and just play a solid, smart game, they should be able to take this series.

With Ovechkin, Backstrom, Semin and Green all in fine shape for the playoffs, it's only natural that the Capitals would be faced with such poorly timed injuries to their starting goalies.

Because of the goalie situation, Holtby is the real X-factor in how far the Caps will make it. It's difficult to predict how he will play in his first NHL playoff game, but that only adds to the excitement that is the Stanley Cup Playoffs!