Washington Capitals: 2022-23 Season Recap

A record of the Washington Capitals' 2022-23 season

Record: 50-26-6 (T-7th)

Record against each team:

• ANA: 0-2-0
• ARI 1-1-0
• BOS 1-2-0
• BUF 2-0-1
• CGY 1-1-0
• CAR 1-2-0
• CHI 0-1-1
• COL 2-0-0
• CBJ 3-1-0
• DAL 1-0-1
• DET 2-1-0
• EDM 2-0-0
• FLA 2-1-0
• LAK 1-1-0
• MIN 1-0-1
• MTL 3-0-0
• NSH 1-1-0
• NJD 2-2-0
• NYI 3-1-0
• NYR 4-0-0
• OTT 3-0-0
• PHI 2-2-0
• PIT 2-1-0
• SJS 2-0-0
• SEA 1-1-0
• STL 1-1-0
• TBL 3-0-0
• TOR 2-1-0
• VAN1-0-1
• VGK 0-2-0
• WPG 0-1-1

Stats:

Shots for: 2678 (2nd)

Shots against: 2118 (3rd)

Shot differential: 560 (3rd)

Goals for: 274 (2nd) 

Goals against: 218 (11th) 

Goal differential: 59 (6th)

Shooting percentage: 10.23% (12th)

Save percentage: 89.85 (18th) 

PDO: 100% (15th)

PIMs: 532 (29th) 

Powerplay percentage: 10.23% (6th)

Penalty kill percentage: 82.11 (15th)

Free agency:

Jared Spurgeon: Spurgeon has been the x-factor of this team and the biggest reason for the team's turnaround this season. 

Darren Helm/Paul Stastny: Both players who served their role during their stay, however were traded for pieces that have made a much bigger difference. 

Trades:

Sam Reinhart: Reinhart was acquired from New Jersey in a trade that saw Patrik Laine go the other way. Both players were struggling prior to this trade, with Reinhart having 6 goals and 13 assists for 19 points in 34 games. Since the trade, Reinhart has tripled his goal total in 11 more games, putting up 18 goals and 15 assists in 45 games. He has been especially effective alongside Schenn and Palat since their arrival, which we will get to next. Needless to say, this trade has been a win/win for both sides. 

Brayden Schenn/Ondrej Palat/Jeff Petry: I've lumped these three players together as they were players that were acquired at the deadline and made an immediate impact. Schenn with 3 goals and 13 assists for 16 points in 19 games, Palat with 9 goals and 9 assists for 18 points in 19 games, and Petry with 5 goals and 13 assists for 18 points in 19 games. Schenn and Palat have slotted in nicely on the 2nd line and 2nd pp with Reinhart and have been a force to be reckoned with, while Petry has also been 2nd pairing and 2nd pp and has put up similar production. All three were seen as overpayments, but it's hard to deny just how effective they have been since being acquired. 

Nic Dowd/Dylan DeMelo/Pierre-Edouard Bellemare: These 3 are being put together because they have been very effective players for us who will also be signed for next year. Though Dowd has been benched lately, he is number 1 when injuries come up and will be a core piece of our bottom 6 for next year alongside Bellemare. As for Bellemare, he plays quite similarly to Dowd and fit in nicely when he was injured. As for DeMelo, I was very upset when Seattle took him in the expansion draft, so to have him back now has been a delight. He has played a great role on our PK and stepped up when Pesce was out with injury. Though none of these players are necessarily the flashiest, they have been essential to the success of the Capitals and will look to be key pieces come time for the playoffs. 

Expectations for next season:

Obviously, the playoffs have yet to start, so what our expectations are may very well change by the time all is said and done. However, next year is looking to be an extremely exciting year for the Caps. Many players took big steps in improving this year: Verhaeghe, Zegras, Zub, Swayman, Pesce, Dowd, Tavares, DeMelo. All of these players had big seasons and are looking to be much improved for the 2023-24 DCHL season. Not to mention players who should also see increases such as Kreider, Forsberg, Spurgeon, Cirelli, Kerfoot, Reinhart, and Holl (according to showtimehockey.ca's rating predictions for next season at least). With 4 of our players going into UFA this season, and 5 players going to UFA the following season, look for the Caps to go all in next year.