Best Bet: Capitals to win Metropolitan Division (+350)
Worst Bet: Capitals to win Stanley Cup (+2000)
Washington reach the ultimate goal in the 2017-18 season, as they hoisted the Stanley Cup for the first time in NHL history, but turn to the 2018-19 season and the Capitals couldn’t make a return trip to that stage as they were eliminated in the opening round by the sixth-seeded Carolina Hurricanes in a tough seven-game series. Washington was able to capture the division crown, but nothing good came out of that as the Hurricanes were able to get the better of the Capitals in the playoffs. Washington has been a staple in the playoffs since 2006-07, and since that time they have made the playoffs every season but the 2013-14 season.
Alexander Ovechkin led the way for the Capitals with 51 goals and 89 points. He also pitched in 38 assists. John Carlson was the assist leader for Washington in 2018-19. In total, the Capitals were explosive last season with seven different skaters all scoring 21 or more goals. Branden Holtby continues to be a very impressive goalie as he had a 32 win season.
Washington may have won the Metropolitan division but, their playoff run, was dead after the first round, as they were able to have a strong seven-game series against the Hurricanes, they couldn’t slow Carolina down and were eliminated in the first round. That loss in the first round was the earliest they had been eliminated in the last five seasons. There weren’t very many drastic changes or additions for the Capitals in the offseason but Brooks Orpik did hang the skates up, retiring after 18 NHL seasons. Radko Gudas a defender was the only real addition for the Capitals as he was received in a trade with Philadelphia. That should help give the defense some depth. Gudas will also fill the void left by Orpik’s retirement. The Capitals will need to keep everyone healthy if Washington wants to find its way back to the Conference Finals or even in play for the Stanley Cup.
Capitals Season Points Total: O/U 96.5
Oddsmakers have the Capitals points total set at 96.5 and that seems very reachable for this team as they have finished with 100 points or more in each of the last five seasons. That includes back to back seasons in 2015-16 and 2016-17 in which the Capitals led the league in points finishing with 120 points and 118 points respectively. Washington has also won right around 50 games in each of the last four seasons. The Capitals have also won the Metropolitan Division in each of the last four seasons as well. They should be the favorite to win this division once again.
The Capitals had an equal amount of wins both at home and on the road last season as they won 24 games in both for a total of 48 wins on the season. It was a good year in scoring for Washington as well as they scored 278 goals in 2018-19 while giving up 249 goals. It was a tight race between the Capitals, Islanders, and Penguins last season for the division title and the race for this year’s title should be much of the same. It turns out the Capitals ended up being the third-best team in the points total last season as the top two spots belong to a pair of Atlantic Division teams. Washington finishing with over 96.5 total points is a good play.
Odds to Win the Metropolitan Division: +350
The Washington Capitals have been the kings of the Metropolitan Division as they have won four consecutive division championships. The worst they have finished in this division was in the very first year of its existence which was back in the 2013-14 season as the Capitals not only missed the playoffs but finished 5th in the division. Last season’s division race was a very tight battle as the top three spots were all within four points of each other. That also included a one-point difference between division champion Washington and second-place New York. There doesn’t seem to be anything that could stop this Washington team from winning a fifth consecutive division crown.
The Capitals are the favorite in this division for reason, and they should be hungry to get back to the level they were at only two seasons ago, as they hoisted the Stanley Cup. 2018-19 was quite disappointing by recent standards for the Capitals as they were shocked by what was most likely the second biggest story of the whole 2019 playoffs. Washington has a lot of returning key players and that will be the key for this team to return to the top of the NHL. Back the Capitals to repeat as Division Champs.
Odds to Win Eastern Conference: +900
The Capitals have only reached the Conference Finals three times in their organization’s history. In two of those three Washington was able to reach the Stanley Cup Finals, the first of which was back in the 1997-1998 season, where they fell to the Detroit Red Wings. More recently the Capitals reigned supreme in the Eastern Conference by winning the Championship in the 2018 playoffs in route to their historic Stanley Cup Win. They fell well short in last season’s playoffs as they were eliminated in the first round. With tough competition like the Bruins, Lightning, Penguins among others the Eastern Conference will be a tough gauntlet to run, but if anyone can do it, that team could be the Capitals, behind Alex Ovechkin and company. The Capitals are a team to keep an eye on.
Odds to Win Stanley Cup: +2000
Like already said, the Capitals have made two trips to the Stanley Cup Final, and have seen both ends of the stick, as their first appearance in 1998 wasn’t successful, but their 2018 trip was worth it, as they captured the Cup. Washington marched through tough competition in route to that title, which included beating Columbus, Pittsburgh, Tampa Bay and then ultimately Las Vegas for the Stanley Cup. They fell way short of that level last season, but they shouldn’t be that deferred as they should be able to return to the level they reached in 2018, in the coming 2019-20 season. Their four straight division titles prove they can still win championships. Washington is a value pick for the Cup.
