On Frozen Blog

If it is Morning in America, it is also mourning in HockeyWashington. Consider:

• The Capitals, a chic selection for Stanley Cup contender status a month ago, are currently 18th in the league’s standings, trailing the likes of the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Vancouver Canucks, and the Chicago Blackhawks (on their second coach in the new season). Capitals’ fans know from just a season ago that November can be a month of big-time turnarounds, but this season wasn’t expected to require one.
• To find Alexander Ovechkin in the NHL’s scroll of scoring leaders, one must navigate through 12 pages, to the 232nd ranking, to land upon the league’s reigning MVP. Imagine.
• The Capitals’ first line, so much a catalyst of its attack a season ago, has been thoroughly non-productive thus far this season. Dynamic talents Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom, night in and night out, have conspicuously little impact in the attack.
• Where would the team be in the standings absent the breakout season of Alexander Semin?
• The Capitals’ no. 1 netminder, Jose Theodore, ranks 29th in the league in save percentage (.877). He ranks 32nd in goals-against (3.44). He is signed, lucratively, for an additional season in D.C.
• The team hasn’t played inspired, accountable, cohesive hockey since the third period in Pittsburgh on October 16.
• A season ago the Capitals’ blueline appeared to have been comprised of a contender’s core and gelled into a distinctly effective unit. Deep into autumn this season, who other than Mike Green and Tom Poti do you imagine is a mortal lock for inclusion in the opening night lineup next season? Oh yeah, John Erskine.
• It’s a deeply disconcerting point to ponder, but numerous sweaters comprising the actual Capitals’ contending blueline may not yet be in Washington. If blueline upgrades are to include stay-at-home big bodies, names of candidates include Karl Alzner and Joe Finley. And perhaps others.
• The Capitals’ blueline and netminding are uniquely and inextricably linked — that’s just Gabby’s system. A weakness in one is a weakness in both. Both are weak right now. 
• Help is hardly on the way — not with a $58.5 million cap hit in place.  

It bears reminding — it’s early November, and the NHL regular season is a marathon, not a 5k. But if the Caps truly want to be regarded as an elite team, they need to play inspired hockey on Tuesday nights in autumn. We’re not there yet, and more importantly, with each passing week core questions about the assembly of this Capitals’ team invite disquieting assessments.