Where do the Washington Capitals Rank in the Metropolitan Division?

When the 2022-2023 NHL season commences, the Washington Capitals will once again be in the middle of the action.

Last season, the Caps went 44-26-12, finishing fourth in the Metropolitan Division and earning the second wild card spot in the Eastern Conference.

Captain Alex Ovechkin led the charge offensively, as he recorded 50 goals and 90 points. It was his first time reaching the 90-point mark since the 2009-2010 season.

Washington relied heavily upon Ovi’s bounce-back campaign, because defensively, the goaltending was unreliable. Fast forward to the offseason, and the Capitals signed Darcy Kuemper to fix their issues in goal after he won the Stanley Cup with the Colorado Avalanche.

Where do the Capitals rank in the Metro?

So, with Washington’s biggest weakness addressed, where does this group stand in its division?

Let’s start by taking the Philadelphia Flyers and New York Islanders out of contention for a playoff spot. I would also be hesitant to get too excited about the New Jersey Devils.

At the other end of the division, the Carolina Hurricanes, who won the Metro last season, seem poised to do so again. At the very least, they’ll slide comfortably into the top three in the division.

That leaves the Caps with the New York Rangers, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Columbus Blue Jackets as teams that slot into positions two through five.

All three clubs have strengths and weaknesses that could be the difference between hosting a first-round playoff series and not making the playoffs at all.

The Rangers finished second in the Metro last year but lost several key players over the summer, which will be difficult to overcome. With that said, New York has elite players at the top of the lineup, plus Igor Shesterkin in goal, to keep them relevant.

Pittsburgh’s strength and weakness might be the same thing: the return of its core. After bringing back Kris Letang, Evgeni Malkin, and more, the Penguins will once again be led by a proven, talented group. However, that group has not won a playoff series since 2018.

Finally, the Columbus Blue Jackets made some big moves this offseason by signing Johnny Gaudreau and re-signing Patrik Laine. While that will make this team exciting, it’s unclear whether or not the roster as a whole will be good enough to make the playoffs.

That brings us back to the Capitals. Their success this season could be decided by injuries. Nicklas Backstrom and Tom Wilson both appear to be unavailable to start the season, and they will leave gigantic gaps for other players to fill. Can the Caps survive their absences?

To me, Washington falls in the three to five range in the Metro. I don’t see this club as a playoff team, but expect them to be on the fringe of a playoff position for most, if not all of the season.