2024-25 Washington Capitals Regular Season MVP

[Felidae]

A few candidates on the team. Let me know if I should add anyone..

Alex Ovechkin
-4th in goals leaguewide (42) 10 more than next highest on team
-2nd in GPG leaguewide
- highest PPG on team, 14th leaguewide
-2nd in points on team (69)


Dylan Strome
- 25th in points and leading point producer on team (76)


Aleksei Protas
- 2nd highest +/- leaguewide (40), +11 more than next highest on team
-10th in EVP (60) leaguewide, 8 more than next highest on team
-3rd most points on team (66)


Tom Wilson
-highest ATOI among forwards on team (18:47) a minute more than next highest forward
-16th most hits leaguewide, and highest on team (219) 68 more than next highest on team
-24th in goals leaguewide (32), 2nd most on team
-5th most points on team (62)


Logan Thompson
-12th highest sv% leaguewide (.912)
-10th highest GSAA leaguewide (12)
-3rd in Goals saved above expected


John Carlson
-14th in points leaguewide among dmen (50)
-leads team in ATOI and is 23rd leaguewide (23:35)
-11th in Short handed TOI leaguewide (2:52)
-11th in EVP among dmen (36)


Jakob Chychrun
-2nd in goals among defenseman (20)
-16th in points among defenseman (47)
20th in EVP among dmen (32)



HM to PLD..

 

[Felidae]

I am curious how would capitals fans or anyone that has watched them enough, rank the top forwards.

Obviously Ovechkin's goalscoring immediately jumps out, but all of Strome, Wilson, Proitas and PLD are close in production.

In particular, Wilson's offense has skyrocketed, and he was already one of the better power forwards in the league before this season.. Proitas has also matched the production of the others while playing a minute less.. which in guessing is no PP time based on his incredible EVP.

Also, I'm assuming it's Carlson>Chychrun based on Carlson having the higher ATOI. But perhaps not

 

[centipede2233]

capitals were 10-5-1 with Ovechkin injured. Make that of you will.

I think this is a combination of everything.

- a new coach looking to make his mark in the nhl and life changing money (ie. highlymotived)
- 2 youngish goalies in a contract year looking for life changing money (highly motivated).
- Chycrun in a contract year
- Dubois refocused with an excellent coach and communicator
- a savvy vet in wilson just comes to work with his lunch bucket
- protas a star is born
- Carlson, ditto above
- d.strome a solid 1st line center wanting to prove he is worth his draft pedigree

 

[Ignatius]

capitals were 10-5-1 with Ovechkin injured. Make that of you will.

No disrespect but I think this is irrelevant and beside the point. Forgive the hypothetical speculation but if Ovechkin retired last year would the Caps org have built the team that they built this year to help Ovechkin break the goal record?

This team has been built around Ovechkin for the past 20 years and not only that but it has been dependent upon him during that period as well. Every motive this organization has runs through him as does their success in this season.

 

[bobholly39]

I voted Ovechkin.

Obviously it takes more than one player to be the top team in the league, but he stands out for obvious reasons. On-ice ability and goal-scoring, but even leadership as captain, etc.

 

[Random schmoe]

I am curious how would capitals fans or anyone that has watched them enough, rank the top forwards.

I'm a Caps fan, I'll give this a shot, just my own opinion...

Firstly, I'd agree with you on Carlson over Chychrun. The latter has played an important role on offense from the back end, he's allowed the team to better manage Carlson's minutes and deployments. But John C is more balanced, valuable, offensively and defensively. (Carlson has had I think 5 goals called back for various reasons too, including some mystery goaltender interference, so his official goal totals understate what he could have.) Chychrun rarely plays the PK.

For offense, I'd rank them as such. I'm trying not to award any virtual madeup points based on 'breaking out' or 'surprise' performances. Completely disregarding anything from prior seasons or teams.
Ovechkin
Wilson
Protas (virtual tie with Wilson)
PLD
Strome

Adding my own HM: McMichael
McMichael

Ovechkin: Ranked #1 based on pure offensive contributions per game or per 60. To have the numbers he does while having missed X games with the broken leg is outstanding. He's one of the top offensive players in the league still.

Wilson: Big goal scoring and points production years for him, while also being a physical presence and leader for the team. Plays in all 3 zones, is one of their top PKers (the team is ranked 7th in the NHL in PK%) and on the first unit PP.

Protas: Obviously a big breakout year for him, without being a regular on any Power Play Unit. I haven't looked in awhile, but a month or so ago he was 3rd in PK time on ice for the team (in a near tie with Wilson). His goal scoring is almost all even strength with a few shorthanded goals thrown in.
Wilson gets the extra points for the physical play and PP minutes, Protas gets (a lot of) extra points for the even strength production. Wilson might also be a better passer. To me, these two guys are a toss up, I'll give the slight edge to Tommy Boy.

PLD: Very strong in defensive matchups, has consistently held opposing scorers to below their season averages. Great big body in front of the net, can make it easier for others to score. He's been great with McMichael and whoever the other wing is on any given day (usually Wilson or Protas). 4th on the team in points, his 19 goals are 7th, and his 16 non-PP goals are 4th on the team. (Which says a lot about their overall scoring depth.) His performance this year would warrant team MVP in other years or on other teams, but with the forward corps just being ridiculous this season, I think he ends up around here.

Strome: Top line center, tops in assists and points on the team, tied for 4th in goals. But with guys like him the question is always how would his numbers be with lower quality wingers. Still a great player, extremely valuable, just maybe not as much so as the guys he plays with. I maybe don't give him enough credit for his own goal scoring ability. I put him just below PLD based on the latter's defensive play and non PP point production.

Carlson might rank here.
Then Chychrun.
And maybe Logan Thompson here.

HM to McMichael: Goal scoring, good defensive play. His 21 non-PP goals are tied for 3rd on the team.

 

[Midnight Judges]

IMO you could make a case for a bunch of these guys including PLD. Some fans claim he’s lazy or disinterested or whatever - that ain’t the version we got. The Capitals PLD is angry, vengeful, stubborn, hard to knock off the puck, a solid goal scorer, a good playmaker, and a very strong defensive player.

There is a gaggle of top players on the team that are all top line/top D pairing worthy. Even in the Caps forum I bet it would be a contested debate.

Good poll.

 

[trick9]

Ovechkin.

HM: Protas.

Few other good candidates too.

 

[Midnight Judges]

capitals were 10-5-1 with Ovechkin injured. Make that of you will.

…and they had an even better record with him - or at least they did prior to clinching (when the games actually mattered).

 

[Three On Zero]

Bias vote but saying Ovechkin.


That’s right, I said bias instead of biased!

 

[Nice]

It's hard to give the MVP nod to one guy. Been a collective group effort but if I had to choose I'll give it to Ovi. Sitting top 5 in scoring at age 39, the same year he broke his leg is insane

 

[um]

I'd say Ovie, because he's our most consistent player. Even when he's not playing great, he can still produce.

 

[Dr John Carlson]

In order, as a Caps fan who's watched almost every game:

Dubois
Protas
Wilson
Ovechkin
Carlson
Thompson

Then the rest.

 

[Hippasus]

That +40 of Protas' is kind of hard to ignore. Good forechecking and almost no power-play time. He encapsulates the team player mentality that had led to such surprising success for the Capitals this year. Ovechkin is more the feel-good story, and rightly so. If Ovechkin didn't break his leg I might've voted for him. He was crushing it before the injury. Strome was really good prior to Ovechkin's injury as well.

 

[SeanMoneyHands]

Their coach and very likely the coach of the year, Carbery.

 

[The Gr8 Dane]

Protas line

 

[Connor McConnor]

I actually think the "Ovi Watch" has benefitted the team's other players, keeping the spotlight on the guy who can handle the spotlight. Not really a tangible benefit but I think it matters for team MVP. Scoring 40+ doesn't hurt either. He'd be leading the team in points if he didn't get hurt.

 

[Michael Farkas]

In order, as a Caps fan who's watched almost every game:

Dubois
Protas
Wilson
Ovechkin
Carlson
Thompson

Then the rest.

From the games I've watched, this is probably about the order I'd have as well - which is reassuring. I'd consider swapping Carlson up as high as the 3 hole. I'd entertain McMichael and Sandin competing for the 4 or 5 slots as well.

It's tough because there really wasn't a runaway standout wire to wire. It's a deep, well balanced team that took the structure they installed last year and now have turned it into more transition offense.

This poll is certainly not going to represent the on ice play very well...

 

[biturbo19]

It's hard for me not to think that, along with the obvious coaching influence, shoring up the defence corps as a whole, and having some young players take big steps...it really just feels like PLD being brought in and playing good, motivated hockey again, has been the biggest impact in terms of just slotting everyone in better and making the whole machine run. So i'd go with him.

 

[Uncle Scrooge]

A lot has gone right for the Caps and many players have had career/great years, but it's hard to vote against the guy who scores 40 goals in his late 30's and becomes the greatest goalscorer of all time.

 

[Devil Dancer]

I think Ovie solidified his claim to team MVP last night when he rallied the Caps back from a 2-0 deficit to a really good Canes team without scoring any goals. Instead he threw some big, clean hits at guys who were in the Caps' heads, and the team responded almost immediately.

He's the offensive leader and the undisputed King of that locker room. Yes his possession and board play are basically non-existent now, but the team clearly feeds off of him.

 

[Silky mitts]

They are a different team 5 on 5 without Protas or PLD, those are the 2 they can least afford to lose

 

[jetsforever]

Crazy that the highest point scorer has only 1/88 votes so far

 

[GlitchMarner]

I haven't voted because I don't know if you can call him the most valuable on the season with the 16 games missed, but it would be Ovechkin without the injury.

On Saturday, he didn't play and they lost 7-0. He comes back the next game and scores right away. From early in the season, it feels like he's really set the tone for them offensively.

Thompson was amazing for a good chunk of the season, but their goaltending has fallen off significantly since March. Really, it seems the team is bored of the regular season and not invested any longer. But Ovechkin is still scoring.

 

[Johnny Tomala]

Ovechkin