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With 58 games officially in the books, final scoring totals are starting to take shape for each of the players on the Capitals team. So what will the final totals look like? We take a look at the final projections, and break-down a few of the numbers.
Here are the latest point and goal projections for each of the Capitals forwards for the 2016-2017 season.
Adjustments:
Andre Burakovsky: Burakovsky will likely miss most of March due to a broken hand. This likely translates to Andre playing 5 to 7 more games in the regular season. This would translate to 3 more points and 1 more goal for a projected season total of 12 goals 32 points.
Assessment:
Alex Oechkin: Ovechkin has not had a season in which he posted less than 50 goals since the 2012-2013 season. However, it should be noted that Ovechkin had a three-season stretch from 2010-2013 where he finished each season with goal totals in the 30’s (32, 38, 32 respectively), before tallying 50+ goals in each of the last three seasons. Also, Ovechkin’s 32 goals in the 2012-2013 season was in a lockout-shortened season, in which Ovechkin played in only 48 games. In other words, in no way is there sufficient data to accurately deduce a predictable continuous decline in goal totals for Ovechkin.
Marcus Johansson: Johansson is easily on pace to break his career-best for goals in a single season (20). Johansson is also on pace to easily break his career high for points (47).
Evgeny Kuznetsov: Kuznetsov is on pace for 17 goals and 64 points this season. Although down from last season (20 goals, 77 points), Kuzy’s surge in the new calendar year has nearly put him on track for last season’s scoring totals.
Nicklas Backstrom: Backstrom is on pace for 24 goals and 86 points this season. This would be his best season since the 2009-2010 season, and his second best scoring season in his career.
Jay Beagle: Jay Beagle’s scoring numbers have already been enough to make his best year in his career. Beagle is on pace for 16 goals and 33 points, far better than his previous career-best of 10 goals and 20 points in the 2014-2015 season. Beagle is definitely on an upward trend.
By Jon Sorensen
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