At long last, the Washington Capitals’ 2022-23 season has arrived, with the team set to walk the Red Carpet ahead of their season-opening matchup against the Boston Bruins. Captain Alex Ovechkin says the team must start the campaign strong.
The Capitals’ captain is entering what promises to be a personally historic 18th season, within distance of tying and surpassing NHL legend Gordie Howe for second-most Goals in the history of the league. However, the 37-year old former first overall pick says the start of the season could be crucial down the final stretch of the regular season.
“Yeah, obviously we missing some [of] our leaders”, referring to the absences of Nicklas Backstrom, Tom Wilson, and Carl Hagelin resulting from procedures to address injuries, “But, uh, that’s hockey you know. Everybody can get hurt and everybody have to be ready for it and take their spots’” said Ovechkin.
“Obviously I think Mac [General Manager Brian MacLellan] do his thing, bring new faces, experienced guys, Darcy [goaltender Darcy Kuemper] won the Cup and you know it’s gonna help us.”
Emphasis on starting the regular season strong is important to the team, adding, “Like I’m always saying, the beginning, those points, it’s very important. You have to have a good start, you have to have…points as much as we can. Because at the end of the year, those points are maybe gonna be missing by one points or two points.”
In addition to Kuemper, the Caps added forwards Dylan Strome and Connor Brown in free agency, both of whom look to be key players in the absences of Backstrom and Wilson in the top six forwards.
“Yeah, I think our line produce lots of chances”, said Ovechkin, when asked about the developing chemistry with Brown, “Obviously we…practice maybe like five or six times, play a couple games but yeah, I think we produced lots of chances, and I hope we gonna get better and better.”
On the power play, Strome appears to be a potentially valuable addition to a unit that struggled last season. “You know it’s always fun to see new faces on a team because they can bring something…yeah, very skilled player, can shoot the puck, pass the puck, so it’s going to be fun.”
Capitals forward prospect Aliaksei Protas impressed during the Caps’ training camp and will be in the lineup tonight against the Bruins. The 21-year old spent 33 games with the team last season, but after working on conditioning over the summer, earned his spot in Washington as the new campaign kicks off.
“I think he’s mature enough for, to have that kind of role”, Ovechkin complimented, “He worked hard all summer, good for him. He used the opportunity to be on the team, and it’s good.”
“It’s always fun to get past training camp and get ready for opening night. Obviously, lots of new faces on our team. I think it’s going to be an exciting day, it’s going to be an exciting night for us.”
Alex Ovechkin at morning skate.#CapsBruins | @MedStarHealth pic.twitter.com/3yUhA5dDVo
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) October 12, 2022
By Michael Fleetwood
Darn right. By the end of the year the AARP Caps might not have enough in the tank to outplay the younger hungry teams on a playoff push.
Oh boy. AARP Caps… it’s gonna be a long season. 😁
Pass me the Geritol, Jon.
Washington Times headline: The Capitals are one of the oldest teams in the NHL. Has Father Time passed them by?
Stock up that Geritol.
Give ‘em heck, Ovi! Take no prisoners!