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NHL Playoffs 2021: 3 reasons Washington Capitals will win Stanley Cup

By Dave Stevenson

Mar 28, 2021; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Capitals defenseman Zdeno Chara (33) celebrates with teammates during the third period of the game against the New York Rangers at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Scott Taetsch-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 28, 2021; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Capitals defenseman Zdeno Chara (33) celebrates with teammates during the third period of the game against the New York Rangers at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Scott Taetsch-USA TODAY Sports /
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Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports /

3. Star power

Hockey is a team sport. But with that said, it’s undeniable teams need stars to win Stanley Cups. No team in the salary cap era has won a Stanley Cup without stars. Even the 2005-06 Carolina Hurricanes had Eric Staal (who finished fourth place in Hart Trophy voting that season) and a hot goalie named Cam Ward.

Other than the Toronto Maple Leafs and maybe the Pittsburgh Penguins, no team has more star power than the Capitals. They’re led by the incomparable Alex Ovechkin, who even during an off-year defined by injuries and an unplanned trip to the COVID-19 list, still has 24 goals in 43 games. His track record in the postseason is impressive and there’s no reason to think he won’t find another level to his game once the Stanley Cup Playoffs start.

If Ovechkin is Batman, Nicklas Backstrom is Robin. Backstrom has been underrated for most of his career because he’s quiet and nothing about his game is especially flashy. All he does is rack up assists and produce at nearly a point per game rate. This season, Backstrom has 48 points in 49 games.

The rest of the team features names like immensely talented center Evgeny Kuznetsov (28 points in 39 games), consistent Norris Trophy candidate John Carlson (42 points), 2014 Winter Olympics shootout legend T.J. Oshie (38 points in 48 games), and uniquely gifted power forward Tom Wilson (30 points).

While it’s true the Capitals don’t generate as many scoring chances as other teams, they’ve got enough skill to finish their chances and they’ve consistently outperformed their underlying numbers for years, so that shouldn’t be a concern.

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