By the numbers: How the Capitals became the fastest team to reach 40 wins
Breaking: the 2015-16 Washington Capitals are very good.
So good, in fact, that with Thursday's win in Minnesota, they became the fastest team in NHL history to reach 40 wins.
At this rate, it would take a complete collapse for any team to catch the Capitals in the race for the Presidents' Trophy.
(Courtesy: NHL.com)
Washington has straight up dominated the field this season, ranking at or near the top of the NHL in several important categories:
- Wins - 1st (40)
- Goals For - 2nd (175)
- Goals Against - 1st (120)
- Power Play - 1st (24.2%)
- Penalty Kill - 4th (83.9%)
- Save percentage - 3rd (.922)
And the thing is, the Capitals are no longer a two-man show, with a host of important pieces added to the mix and others stepping up to give head coach Barry Trotz a bevy of options up front.
Player | Goals | Assists | Points |
---|---|---|---|
Evgeny Kuznetsov | 15 | 39 | 54 |
Nicklas Backstrom | 17 | 35 | 52 |
Alex Ovechkin | 34 | 14 | 48 |
Justin Williams | 17 | 20 | 37 |
T.J. Oshie | 16 | 17 | 33 |
Marcus Johansson | 14 | 19 | 33 |
In short, Washington is without question the team to beat, as they have their best shot at winning the Stanley Cup since the dawn of the Alex Ovechkin era.
After a series of playoff disappointments, the number one - as in the first championship season in team history - will be the only one that matters.