Dispelling 3 myths about the Washington Capitals

Some of the narratives surrounding the Washington Capitals this season are not exactly accurate. Here is an analytical explanation.

The Washington Capitals are in the midst of an up-and-down season. After playing mostly average hockey for much of the first month, they proceeded on a stretch where they mostly dominated their opposition.

As the calendar turned to 2019, however, the team began to struggle, including a 7-game losing streak entering the All-Star Game. They seem to have turned things around a bit since the start of February and are still within striking distance of the top spot in the Metropolitan Division.

However, since they are the defending Stanley Cup champions, it is difficult to let go of the idea that the season has been a disappointment so far. Although they are statistically no worse this year than they were at this point last season, expectations have increased for the team.

As a result, certain narratives seem to have grown popular amongst the fanbase and analysts. One of these has been the notion that Washington’s penalty kill has regressed significantly, which is not true. Instead, the key issue has been the number of penalties taken, as I discussed recently.

That penalty example is just one of many myths surrounding the Washington Capitals and their level of play this season. In this article, I will examine three more popular theories and analyze why, statistically, they are inaccurate. Let’s get going!