The Washington Capitals' Quest for Lord Stanley's Cup Begins with Defense

For the past two years, the Washington Capitals have set their sights on the Stanley Cup.

Led by an owner who understands the game, a dedicated fanbase, a sold-out arena—hands down the best in-game entertainment in the NHL—and the most dynamic offensive player of this generation, the Capitals seem poised for a Stanley Cup title. 

Yet with all those high expectations, the Caps were unable to reach the finals of the Stanley Cup playoffs last year, despite a team-record 108 points in the regular season.

Going into the offseason after another heart-wrenching exit from the playoffs, this time at the sticks of the Pittsburgh Penguins, the Caps have relatively few corrections to make. 

A tough decision at the goalie position may be the most vexing problem for head coach Bruce Boudreau. Some adjustments on the lines for defense and some players to replace on offense, and that’s it, really. 

We all know the Capitals can score goals. 

Last year, the team was ranked in the top three in nearly every offensive category, trailing only Detroit or Boston and better in nearly every category than the Pittsburgh Penguins. 

With three players in the top 20 in offensive categories—Alexander Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom, and Alexander Semin—and the top scorer among defensemen in Mike Green, the Caps should have no problem scoring goals when it counts. 

While the loss of Sergei Federov and Victor Kozlov will leave a void in the veteran leadership of the team, the offseason addition of Mike Knuble will provide more depth and scoring punch. 

But again, that’s not the problem with this team.

The Capitals need to shore up some spots on defense to provide some additional cover for the starting goalie this year.

The re-signing of defensemen Milan Jurcina and Shaone Morrisonn should help Tom Poti, Brian Pothier, and John Erskine control the ice in front of the pipes this year. 

Last year, the massive number of injuries plagued the defensive lines. With the constant shuffling in of new players, the Caps had to get familiar with different playing styles. 

Everyone is back and healthy this year, which means a numbers problem. A few cuts will have to be made to get under the maximum by the start of the season. 

The new defensive adjustments should help the Caps cut down on the number of goals they cede to opposing teams.  

The Caps gave up on average 2.93 goals a game last year, ranked 19th in the league and below average for good defensive teams. 

Some of that had to do with the injuries, but most of the responsibility rested on the shoulder pads of the men between the pipes.

Who finishes (not starts) the year as the starting goalie will be the toughest decision for Boudreau.

He has three goalies—two of whom could start for any other team in this league—battling it out for playing time. 

He made the right move by naming Jose Theodore the starter going into training camp, but that might not last long (give it till January, at the latest).

Theodore, who struggled to gain his form in the early months of last year, needs to make a quick start. Just behind him is second-year man Semyon Varlamov, who played courageously in the playoffs against the Rangers and Penguins. Also in the mix is the young minor leaguer Michal Neuvirth, who led the Hershey Bears to their second AHL title in the last four years.

Theodore, in the final year of his two-year contract and slated to earn $4.5 million this year, needs to convince the coaching staff he should be kept around. That will be tough to do since the Caps named Arturs Irbe the new goaltending coach.

Irbe, a former goalie in the league, speaks several languages, including Russian, which will be helpful when communicating with Varlamov. 

So what can we expect from the Caps this year?

Ovechkin and Backstrom will certainly challenge the Penguins duo of Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby for tops in the league in scoring. 

Erskine and Green will provide the leadership for a healthy and stable crop of defensemen. 

Varlamov will solidify his dominance between the pipes and provide some electrifying saves this year. 

And the Caps will reach the Stanley Cup Finals.

Building off the success—and disappointment—of the last two playoff runs, the Caps have gained the know-how and mental fortitude to handle the pressure in big games. 

The play in front of the net and the man responsible for protecting the pipes will ultimately determine how successful the team will be in reaching its goal—the Stanley Cup Finals.