WIth all the recent discussion here of Hunter's Time on Ice allocation for the Caps forwards, I have compiled a chart of the TOI forwards, gathering the data since March 8 and computing the Average Ice Time of each.

Continue reading this post »

With the assumption that the Caps are looking for offensive help during the off season, I figured they will look at the players who are becoming Unrestricted Free Agents this summer as a way to possibly fill any vacancies. I have compiled a list of UFA forwards, which includes the player's name, age, current team, goals, assists, and points over the last two years, and current salary. I did not include any of the Free Agents that are currently on the Capitals (Knuble, Semin, etc). Statistics are up-to-date through the weekend.

<See list after the Jump>

Continue reading this post »

Given the news that Pekka Rinne has signed a long term contract for over $7 Million and given the fact that the Washington Capitals had just faced him, I decided to examine goalie statistics.  I gathered the statistics for goalie performance for this year and the immediate 3 seasons past, for all the regular goaltenders and the frequently played backups from NHL.com.  This included the Goals Against Percentage and the Save Percentage.  I calculated the Mean and Standard Deviation for both of those figures.  Figuring that Save Percentage was a more accurate evaluation of a goalie’s effectiveness, I examined those figures further.  I calculated the difference between each goalie’s Save Percentage and the Mean Save Percentage.  After that, I divided that difference by the Standard Deviation to determine how many standard deviations the goalie’s Save Percentage differed from the Average. 

For purposes of this analysis, I’ll consider any goalie whose Save Percentage is more than one Standard Deviation above the Average to be elite and any goalie whose Save Percentage between ½-1 Standard Deviations above the Average to be Above Average and any goalie whose performance is within ½ Standard Deviation of the Average to be average.  Granted these may not be the criteria that statisticians will use but will be the criteria I am using.

Continue reading this post »

Given that no recap has taken place, I figured it was time to do so.  Caps won the contest 7-2 in spite of a VERY ugly start. 

The lines for the Capitals started with a very different look than from recent games, with a shakeup from top to bottom.  Alex Semin was moved up to the top line with Ovechkin and Backstrom.  Knuble sent down to the second line with Fleischmann and Laich, with Laich centering the line.  The third line featured Boyd Gordon, returning after nearly an absence of nearly a week for mysterious reasons, being flanked by Chimera and Bradley.  The fourth line included Steckel, Hendricks, and DJ King, who had been a scratch for the last three games, at least.  Eric Fehr and Matt Perreault were  healthy scratches.

Calgary wasted no time in scoring the first goal.  A shot by Jokinen with an assist by Bouwmeester less than a minute into the contest, with the Caps' top line on the ice.  Not the way to start.

First period miseries continued, with the Caps looking VERY bad on a power play and giving the Flames not one but two short handed opportunities.  Luckily, the Flames didn't score but it was scary.  Then, nearly half way through the period, Glencross scored on a slap shot, putting the visitors down by 2 and most Caps fans at home resigned to it being a very long night.

But wait.....all was not lost:

Continue reading this post »

Here is the recapitulation of the activities done by the Washington Capitals during the Summer of 2010.  Or as they say in Sweden "Mitt summarlov".   The guys were involved with a lot of endeavors, including charity.  I'll admit this list does not include every Capital but it's an attempt to recapitulate many of their activities.  The list is after the jump.  Feel free to include people (and activities) I left off.

Continue reading this post »

Loss 1 -- Philthy

Were leading 5-4 in 3rd period when Hartnall scored a PP goal to tie.

BG in box

Loss 2 -- Rangers

Were leading 3-2 in third when Rangers scored 2 goals.

BG in box for Ranger's final goal

Loss 3 -- Detroit

They initially had the lead in 1st period

Were tied 2-2 in 3rd period when Detroit scored 3rd goal

Green in box for Detroit's final goal. 

(Green and Semin each took 2 penalties)

Loss 4 -- Devils

Caps initially had 2-0 lead after 1.  Still were leading 2-1 in third when Devils tied it.  Then lost in a shootout.

Devils scored short handed goal.

Loss 5 -- Islanders

Caps were leading 3-2 in second when Islanders scored to tie up game.  Lost in overtime.

Isles scored short handed goal

Loss 6 -- Columbus

Caps were leading 4-3 in third when Blue Jackets scored to tie up game.  Goal came right after Knuble came out of the penalty box.  Blue Jackets' winning OT goal came when Pothier was in the box.

Loss 7 -- Devils

Caps led 1-0 after 1st period.  Devils tied it in 2nd.  Devils scored 2 consecutive goals in 3rd.  Caps scored 1 more.

Semin in box for Devil's 2nd goal.  B. Morrison in box for Devil's 3rd goal which proved to be the winner.

Semin in box 3 times total. 

Loss 8 -- Devils

Caps led 2-0 during 1st period.  Then the wheels fell off and the Devils scored 5 unanswered goals.

Devils tied up game on power play goal when Green was in box

Loss 9 -- Montreal

Caps led 1-0 after 1st period.  Montreal scored 2 in 2nd period and 1 in 3rd period.  Caps scored 1 more.

Laich in box for Hab's 3rd goal which proved to be the winner

Loss 10 -- Toronto

Caps led 1-0 after 1st period.  Toronto tied it up in 2nd period.  Caps lost in shootout.

Loss 11 -- Ottawa

Caps led 3-1 after 2nd period.  Senators tie game in 3rd and win in overtime

Ovi was in box when Senators tied game on power play.