Caps Mid Season Grades

[JayBeagleFanAccount]

Dmitry Orlov: A+
Orlov is having a Norris level season and has by far been the Caps best skater with: 54.85 cf%, 54.65 ff%, 55.82 xGF%, 0.351 xG+/-/60 (4th best in the NHL, best for defensemen), 8.4 corsi+/-/60 (2nd best in the nhl, best for defensemen), and 6 GAR

Lars Eller: A+
56.92 cf%, 57.05 ff%, 54.49 xGF%, 0.212 xG+/-/60, 9.59 corsi+/-/60(best in the nhl), and 2,5 GAR. Eller has been playing at a 1C level this season.

Jakub Vrana: A+
51.91 cf%, 52.72 ff%, 53.75 xGF%, 0.242 xG+/-/60, 0.279 xGF/60 (9th in the NHL), 3.17 corsi+/-/60, 10.4 GAR (leads the team). Vrana is a high end scoring winger.

Nic Dowd: A+
A very solid season so far by the Caps 4C. 55.40 cf%, 58.03 ff%, 59.72 xGF%, and a 5.5 GAR. You can't really ask for much more from your 4th line center.

Travis Boyd: A
Boyd is having an underrated breakout year, despite playing only 29 games, he leads the Caps in cf% with a 56.96 cf% and is 2nd in the league in GAR/60 (!!!!) among skaters with 200 minutes played with a 1.525 GAR/60

Jonas Siegenthaler: A

A breakout that is continuing from last season, Siegenthaler is quickly becoming a high-end DFD. His stats so far are a 50.79 cf%, 51.57 ff%, 51.83 xGF%, 0.164 xG+/-/60, 0.31 corsi+/-/60, and 5.7 GAR.

Brendan Leipsic: A

He has been great in the 4LW spot: 53.50 cf%, 54.66 ff%, 56.10 xGF%, 0.152 xG+/-/60, 3.16 corsi+/-/60, 5.1 GAR.

Garnet Hathaway: A

Another wonderful off-season acquisition, Hathaway has done nothing but impress during his time in Washington with a 53.40 cf%, 54.73 ff%, 57.72 xGF%, 0.135 xG+/-/60, 0.71 corsi+/-/60, and 4.3 GAR.

Ilya Samsonov: A

Posting a 2.01 GSAx, 4.88 GSAA, 94.08 FSv% in your rookie year and only 2nd year on North American ice is extremely impressive and goes to show that Samsonov is the real deal.

Nicklas Backstrom: B+

After a slow start, Backstrom is on pace to have one of his best seasons in recent memory with a 51.85 cf%, 51.49 ff%, 52.82 xGF%, 0.067 xG+/-/60, 2.26 corsi+/-/60, and 1.8 GAR.


Richard Panik: B-

Despite not getting many points, Panik has been a great corsi driver for the 3rd line with a 55.50 cf% and 54.47 ff%. Expect him to keep getting better this season.

John Carlson: C+

After a monstrous start, Carlson has cooled off a bit. He has been playing well but dont let the point totals distract you, Carlson has been a disaster in his own zone with a 31.26 xGA (worst on the team). The rest of his stats have been pretty pedestrian: 50.23 cf%, 50.22 ff%, 50.38 xGF%, -0.015 xG+/-/60, 1.29 corsi+/-/60, and 6.1 GAR.

Carl Hagelin: C

A clunky start with injuries, it seems hagelin has found his groove in the lineup with a 54.39 cf%, 53.42 ff%, 49.89 xGF%, -0.053 xG+/-/60, 2.1 corsi+/-/60, and 2.9 GAR.

Radko Gudas: C

51.85 cf%, 50.60 ff%, 48.80 xGF%, -0.08 xG+/-/60, 0.4 corsi+/-/60, 5.2 GAR. Nothing special at 5v5, Gudas has been strong on the PK.

TJ Oshie: D

48.53 cf%, 49.34 ff%, 48.93 xGF%, -0.106 xG+/-/60, -2.34 corsi+/-/60, 5.7 GAR. So far, this has been Oshie's worst season in Washington.


Tom Wilson: D

50.73 cf%, 49.33 ff%, 49.53 xGF%, 0.031 xG+/-/60, 3.06 corsi+/-/60, and 0 GAR. Wilson has looked totally dominant for a game and then will slide for 5, would like to see some consistency.

Nick Jensen: D-

50.84 cf%, 50.98 ff%, 50.84 xGF%, -0.065 xG+/-/60, -1.76 corsi+/-/60, 0.9 GAR. Jensen cant seem to find his footing this season, although a 0.973 PDO surely isnt helping. Look for some positive regression at the 2nd half of the season.

Alex Ovechkin: D-

Seems like father time is catching up to Ovi, he has posted a 50.16 cf%, 48.82 ff%, 48.93 xGF%, -0.033 xG+/-/60, 1.11 corsi+/-/60, -1.5 GAR.

Braden Holtby: F

-5.78 GSAx, -6.14 GSAA, 92,85 FSv%. Nothing really else to say, Holtby is having a terrible year and should no longer be the starter.

Michal Kempny: F

Coming off of groin surgery seems to have massively set Kempny back, he looks like a shell of his former self on the ice this season with a 47.58 cf%, 49.34 ff%, 45.88 xGF%, -0.23 xG+/-/60, -3.03 corsi+/-/60, and 2.6 GAR.

Evegeny Kuznetsov: F-

I came into this season with high hope for Kuzy. He's being paid 7.8M and center our high powered 2nd line along with playing on the top line PP. Instead of high end play, Kuzy has been the Capital's worst forward. He simply can not produce without being paired with Vrana and when he is with Vrana, he makes Vrana play worse. It's to the point where something has to be done whether it is play him on the wing or even healthy scratch him for a few games to get the point across. Do not be decieved by his point totals for they do not show the real story, Kuznetsov has posted a 44.23 cf%, 43.65 ff%, 44.06 xGF%, -0.288 xG+/-/60, -8.55 corsi+/-/60, and a 2.2 GAR.

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[hb12xchamps]

This should go over well.....

 

[AlexBrovechkin8]

This should go over well.....

 

[Silky mitts]

I don’t see how Kuzy hasn’t been their 2nd best player this year

 

[AussieCapsFan]

The thread title should actually be: "Which Caps player has the most favorable advanced stats so far this season?"

 

[AlexBrovechkin8]

In seriousness, Orlov has been fantastic. As have Carlson, Oshie, and Samsonov.

 

[AussieCapsFan]

I don’t see how Kuzy hasn’t been their 2nd best player this year

He can be where ever you want him to be. Don't be fooled by the thread title

 

[Midnight Judges]

Running away w/ Norris = C+

Huh.

 

[Midnight Judges]

Didn't we learn that the importance of corsi was overstated back when the Caps were 24th in the NHL the year they won the cup?

Or did I take the wrong lesson from that?

 

[AussieCapsFan]

Running away w/ Norris = C+

Huh.

Err, apparently "Dmitry Orlov: A+ Orlov is having a Norris level season and has by far been the Caps best skater"

So I guess Carlson isn't in the running anymore

 

[Silky mitts]

He can be where ever you want him to be. Don't be fooled by the thread title

The difference between the thread title and the poll title plus the ridiculous OP and Ovy being -13 just made my takeaway from this thread be Kuzy’s probably the 2nd best player on the best team in the league and half the board wants him fired into the sun

 

[Hivemind]

Didn't we learn that the importance of corsi was overstated back when the Caps were 24th in the NHL the year they won the cup?

Or did I take the wrong lesson from that?

Look at their performance down the stretch that season (particularly after they added Kempny).

 

[AussieCapsFan]

The difference between the thread title and the poll title plus the ridiculous OP and Ovy being -13 just made my takeaway from this thread be Kuzy’s probably the 2nd best player on the best team in the league and half the board wants him fired into the sun

I deliberately voted for Kuzy just to be an asshole

Won't even get started on what determines the 'best' player. MVP is probably a better description.
I guess it's Carlson, but Kuzy is at PPG pace and there is nothing wrong with that. Can't win games without players putting up points. Well, unless you're the Isles

 

[max21]

Kuznetsov and Oshie have been good this year, what is this a magic show?

 

[Midnight Judges]

Look at their performance down the stretch that season (particularly after they added Kempny).

They were low ranked in the playoffs as well IIRC.

 

[Brucelenok]

Ovechkin is definitely not a D-, you are too harsh considering he is 34 years old. However I agree, that he lost a step compare to his previous 2-3 seasons when he was in high 80s. Once in awhile he tried to dangle through few defenders and he scored, and had a handful of games where he simply dominated. This season I cannot really recall even 1. C+ would be more appropriate considering his age, what player he is and other factors

 

[tenken00]

No one has really stood out except for Carlson's hot start. The team wins because of everyone contributing a little here and there. They've been winning as a team really moreso than any individuals having a standout season.

 

[Hivemind]

They were low ranked in the playoffs as well IIRC.

Nope. 4th best CF% in the post-season at 51.8%

 

[Midnight Judges]

Ovechkin is definitely not a D-, you are too harsh considering he is 34 years old. However I agree, that he lost a step compare to his previous 2-3 seasons when he was in high 80s. Once in awhile he tried to dangle through few defenders and he scored, and had a handful of games where he simply dominated. This season I cannot really recall even 1. C+ would be more appropriate considering his age, what player he is and other factors

Eh Ovie started the season well enough - similar to the past few seasons. It's really been these past 15 games or so that have been bad.

 

[Brucelenok]

Eh Ovie started the season well enough - similar to the past few seasons. It's really been these past 15 games or so that have been bad.

Well thats why I am saying no way it is a D- for him. But at the same time 15 or so games is a big enough sample to give him more than C+

 

[twabby]

In which no one gets lower than a C-.

As always grades are relative to expectations, salary, etc. and not an absolute measure of their quality. Backstrom is not worse than Panik, for instance, even if I graded him lower.

Ovechkin: B-
He's kind of the same player as always: defensively lacking and somewhat weak with the puck on his stick, but he still is shooting a ton except isn't getting the bounces this year.

Backstrom: C
Has seemed a bit off all season. Still seems fine defensively but isn't quite as strong on the PP or creating chances at ES.

Wilson: B+
Glad to see he's still scoring like he did last season, though he hasn't been quite as impactful at possessing the puck as I'd expect. Still, hard to argue with his numbers.

Vrana: A
Vrana is only behind Mathews and Eichel in terms of ES goals. Hard to find much wrong with his game right now.

Kuznetsov: B
His possession numbers stink but he's so dangerous creating chances that he can be expected to outscore the opposition. Still, his defensive game needs improvement to reach an A.

Oshie: A-
He's probably been the most surprising player IMO. I really thought his on-ice performance would start to suffer given his injury and concussion history but he's been rock solid on both sides of the rink.

Hagelin: B
Despite his lack of goal-scoring he is still driving play and the Capitals are outscoring the opposition pretty handily when he is on the ice. Also, hard to ignore the PK results.

Eller: A-
All-situations player who has had one of his best seasons at ES so far. When Kuznetsov was out he was able to anchor the second line as he has in the past.

Panik: B-
Goal-scoring and general play is coming around. Need to see more before he gets a higher grade, but the trend is a positive one.

Leipsic: A-
Dowd: A-
Hathaway: A-
I find it hard to differentiate these 3. The 4th line has been fantastic. Dowd and Hathaway have also been great on the penalty kill. Hard to ask for too much more.

Boyd: B
Fine as a 13th forward, not much to say.

Kempny: C-
He's been bad since his scoring dried up. It's a bit concerning but hopefully it's just a byproduct of his injury and he will get better as the season goes along.

Carlson: A
Cooled off a bit since his hot start but still provides a ton of value in all situations. His defensive underlyings aren't great but I think if you were able to isolate his impact from Kempny and the forwards he plays with he'd still rate pretty solidly in his own zone.

Orlov: A
Incredibly good season so far. He's shown capable of playing the point on PP2 despite being left-handed and he, moreso than any other defenseman on the team, can handle a tough forecheck.

Jensen: C
He's been good on the PK but otherwise he's been disappointing. I don't know how much longer of a leash he will get. I feel like moreso than any other player on the team he needs to simplify his game. For example he doesn't need to try to rush the puck up the ice when he has a perfectly capable partner in Orlov who is, frankly, much better than him at it.

Siegenthaler: B+
Great 3LD and PKer, he'd get an A if he stopped taking penalties and improved his skating a bit.

Gudas: B
Similar grade to Siegenthaler except I was hoping he'd be a little more impactful at ES.

Holtby: C-
He needs to improve if he wants to keep the starter's spot. The SJ game was a good start but he'll need more games like that before he should be considered the #1 IMO.

Samsonov: A
Excellent start to his career. Stylistically I'm sure he could improve but when it comes to goalies I feel like cold-hard numbers are the way to judge.

Reirden: B+
I think he's done a much better job this year than last. The only reason it's not an A is because of the penalties, which he should have some control over as coach. Penalties can kill this team in the playoffs.

 

[tenken00]

Here is ESPN's Midseason Grades:

https://www.espn.com/nhl/story/_/id/28428054/midseason-grades-all-31-nhl-teams

Washington Capitals

Preseason over/under: 98
Current points pace: 120

Players: A- The Caps have been cruising for nearly the entire first half, though historically they have tended to slump right about now. Nonetheless, this Alex Ovechkin-led team looks dangerous as ever. T.J. Oshie (16 goals) is still producing despite playing hard minutes, and Jakub Vrana (16 goals, 34 assists) is finally getting his breakout. We rarely talk about his offensive production, but Tom Wilson is on a career pace as well (13 goals, 27 assists so far). The revamped bottom six features a third line that has struggled to produce and a fourth line that has been very effective.

On defense, John Carlson gets a lot of attention, rightfully so, but 22-year-old Jonas Siegenthaler has quietly been progressing quite nicely and looks as if he could be a future mainstay on the blue line. Radko Gudas isn't an upgrade over Matt Niskanen, but he was never expected to be, in a trade that was made for salary-cap purposes. Washington is hovering around the league average in goaltending statistics, though 22-year-old Ilya Samsonov is showing a ton of promise.
Watch on ESPN+

Coach: B+ Todd Reirden, in his second full season, is back coaching the Metro Division at the All-Star Game, so it's hard to find too much to critique here. It would be great if he could get his third line going, though.

GM: B+ Overall, Brian MacLellan has done a good job preserving his roster after winning the Cup but also making necessary tweaks this summer, when he needed to shave down his budget. It's not easy seeing a guy like Andre Burakovsky flourish with a new team, but the Caps did give the winger ample opportunity in Washington. McLellan specifically did an excellent job building one of the best fourth lines in hockey, bringing in Nic Dowd, Garnet Hathaway and Brendan Leipsic over the past two years.

Class president: John Carlson. The 29-year-old has been the toast of the NHL pretty much since the season began and the defenseman began scoring at a historic pace. He's the front-runner for the Norris Trophy and should get plenty of "he's due" votes.

In danger of failing: Braden Holtby. Not for this season, though; the 30-year-old goaltender still firmly holds the No. 1 spot. But Samsonov has exceeded expectations, and he has better stats (albeit in far fewer starts). Given that Holtby is an unrestricted free agent this summer, it feels as if the Caps might be ready to move on from the goaltender, who will likely cost a lot in a new deal.

Overall team grade: A- The Caps look like a dangerous team and are one of the favorites to win the Stanley Cup.

 

[francaisvolantsparis]

What a great thread! I agree with everything except Eller. I would give him F instead.

 

[um]

threads like this are why I hesitate to take advanced stats too seriously. Anyways here's mine:

Ovechkin: B-
Kuznetsov: B+
Backstrom: B-
Vrana: A
Oshie: B+
Wilson: B
Eller: A
Hagelin: C
Panik: C-
Leipsic: B-
Dowd: B
Hathaway: B
Boyd: C+

Carlson: A++
Orlov: A
Kempny: B-
Gudas: B
Sieigenthaler: B-
Jensen: C-

Holtby - D+
Samsonov - A

 

[peterthegreat12]

This should be fun:

Given their role on the team, here are my non-scientific grades.

Ovechkin: B

Backstrom: B

Wilson: B+

Vrana: A

Kuznetsov: B+

Oshie: A-

Hagelin: B-

Eller: B+

Panik: D+

Leipsic: B

Dowd: B+

Hathaway: A (Plays his role perfectly)

Kempny: B-

Carlson: A+ (Norris).

Orlov: B

Jensen: D+

Siegenthaler: B+ (Fantastic rookie season, especially on the PK)

Gudas: B

Boyd: B

Holtby: C+

Samsonov: A