Washington Capitals: Much promise despite epic playoff fail

The Washington Capitals have made an art of playoff disappointment, but their future remains bright if some tweaks are made.

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This was the year things were going to be different for the Washington Capitals. They entered the postseason as the Presidents' Trophy winners and the favorites to capture the first Stanley Cup in their franchise history. They were deep, well-coached and highly motivated.

And then their season ended as it always seems to, with a crushing loss in the second round. This time, at the hands of their hated rivals, the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Objectively, this failure is tougher to swallow than any that came before it. And it was a failure. No way around that.

But that doesn't wash away the successes of a regular season that featured a franchise-best 56 wins, a league record-tying 48 victories from netminder Braden Holtby, and Alexander Ovechkin's seventh 50-goal season, including the milestone 500th of his career.

Penguins eliminate Capitals in Game 6 OT thriller

Or that there was real progress made this season. Because even in defeat, these Caps were different. This group showed a mental toughness that was missing from so many Washington teams before them. They persevered through a challenging first-round series against the Flyers. Then they gave an outstanding Penguins team everything it could handle in Game 6 on Tuesday night, storming back from an early 3–0 deficit to force overtime before finally falling on Nick Bonino's goal. 

“You look at our resiliency. You look at the heart of the team. That’s your progress,” coach Barry Trotz said.

And he's right. The Caps took a step forwards in 2016. And even after failing short of a goal as modest as the conference finals, Washington remains an elite squad. One that, with a few minor tweaks, will again be a favorite to win the Stanley Cup in 2017.

GALLERY: Capitals' History of Postseason Heartbreak

Capitals Heartbreak

2015-16

Gregory Shamus/NHLI via Getty Images

Led by another MVP-caliber season from Alex Ovechkin and goalie Braden Holtby’s NHL record-tying 48 wins, the Caps won the Presidents’ Trophy with a franchise mark of 120 points. Expected to finally go all the way, they lost to hated Pittsburgh in the second round, falling behind 3-0 in Game 6 only to battle back and fall 4-3 in OT on a crushing goal by Nick Bonino.

2014-15

Nick Wass/AP

New coach Barry Trotz revived a sense of promise, Alex Ovechkin won the third of his four straight goal-scoring titles, and the Caps finished second in the Metro Division with 101 points. Returning to the playoffs after a one-year absence, they battled past the Islanders in seven games before blowing a 3-1 series lead against the Rangers. Their final three losses were each by one goal with two in overtime, including Game 7.

2010-11

John Raoux/AP

After a third straight 100-point season and first-place finish in the Southeast Division, coach Bruce Boudreau failed yet again to get the Capitals over the second-round hump. With Michal Neuvirth in net, they blew past the Rangers in five only to get zapped by the Lightning, who were backstopped by Dwayne Roloson, in four. Ovechkin managed two goals and two assists in the series.

2009-10

Bruce Bennett/Getty Images

The best season to date in franchise history (54-15-3; 121 points; first Presidents’ Trophy) included leading the league with 318 goals but ended in the first round. After taking a 3-1 series lead against Montreal, the Caps choked, losing Games 5 and 7 at home by identical scores of 2-1 as Habs goalie Jaro Halak surrendered only three goals in the final three games.

2008-09

Mitchell Layton/NHLI via Getty Images

In his first full season behind the Caps’ bench, Bruce Boudreau guided them to 50 wins for the first time since 1985-86 and their first 100-point season since ‘99-2000. With Hart Trophy-winner Alex Ovechkin leading the charge, Washington battled past the Rangers in seven, setting up a showdown with Sidney Crosby’s Penguins. Five of the seven games were decided by one goal, but the Caps were waxed 6-2 in the finale, establishing a frustrating pattern for the Ovechkin years.

1999-2000

Doug Pensinger/Getty Images

Returning to the playoffs after a one-year absence, coach Ron Wilson’s squad finished 44-24-24, good for 102 points. Against Jaromir Jagr’s Penguins in the first round, Adam Oates, Peter Bondra and the rest of the Caps were blanked by the immortal Ron Tugnutt in a 7-0 blowout to open the series and never recovered. Their 3-2 win in Game 4 avoided the sweep.

1997-98

Craig Melvin/Getty Images

Finishing third in the Atlantic Division, the Caps, led by Peter Bondra, Adam Oates, Sergei Gonchar and goalie Olaf Kolzig, made their first and so far only run to the Stanley Cup Final by beating Boston in six, Ottawa in five, and Buffalo in six. In the final, coach Ron Wilson’s lads were swept by Detroit, their first three losses by one goal, including Game 2 in OT.

1988-89

Bruce Bennett Studios/Getty Images

After finishing atop their division for the first time in their history, at 41-29-10, coach Bryan Murray’s team took a 2-1 series lead in the first round before falling to the Flyers in six. The following season, after a mediocre 78-point campaign, Scott Stevens, Rod Langway and company made a surprise run to the conference finals, getting past the Devils in six and Rangers in five before the Bruins broke out the broom.

1986-87

Bruce Bennett Studios/Getty Images

Still boasting the likes of future Hall of Famers Rod Langway, Mike Gartner, Scott Stevens and Larry Murphy, the Caps met their division nemesis, the Islanders, for the fifth straight year. Washington blew a 3-1 opening series lead and was vanquished by Pat LaFontaine’s goal in the now legendary 4-0T Game 7 “Easter Epic.”

1985-86

Graig Abel Collection/Getty Images

Blessed by a stout defense led by Rod Langway, Larry Murphy, and Scott Stevens, the Caps enjoyed their best season yet (a then-franchise record 50 wins; 107 points). The playoffs began with a 3-0 sweep of the hated Isles but ended in the second round with a six-game loss to the Rangers. A true heartbreaker, Washington took a 2-1 series lead before losing three straight.

1984-85

Bruce Bennett Studios/Getty Images

A second consecutive 100-point season under coach Bryan Murray ended in the first round against the Islanders. After the first two games in Washington, the Capitals had New York on the ropes, leading the best-of-five two games to none. But when the series returned to Long Island, New York won Games 3 and 5 by scores of 2-1 sandwiched around a 6-4 win in Game 4.

1983-84

Bruce Bennett Studios/Getty Images

Eight years after finishing their inaugural season with a woeful 8-67-5 mark, the Capitals, featuring mainstays Mike Gartner, Rod Langway and Larry Murphy, became a 100-point team for the first time. Making their second playoff appearance (they’d fallen to the eventual Stanley Cup-champion Islanders in the first round of 1983), they handily swept the Flyers 3-0 in their opening series but again ran into their dynastic nemesis in the division semis, going down in five.

After a busy summer of 2016, minor moves are all that's expected from GM Brian MacLellan. His team is set on the back end. It has a Vezina Trophy finalist (and, likely, winner) in Holtby and the rapidly improving Philipp Grubauer as his backup. Together, they posted the league's second-best goals-against average (2.33) and backstopped the NHL's second-best penalty kill (85.2%).

They'll also return an above-average top-four of John Carlson, Matt Niskanen, Karl Alzner and Brooks Orpik next fall. Orpik may have cost his team the Pittsburgh series, missing three games due to a suspension and then taking the careless double minor in Game 6 that led to a pair of power play goals for the Pens. Still, he's a menacing presence on the ice and a leader in the room. He can play a key role while this window is open.

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Dimitry Orlov is a work-in-progress at 24, but has shown enough potential to deserve a raise as an RFA this summer. He'll compete for a bottom pair job with Taylor Chorney and Nate Schmidt. Top prospect Madison Bowey could make the jump from the AHL at some point next season. There's also a chance that another veteran could be added, although it seems more likely that they'll look to upgrade closer to the trade deadline when cap space will be a less pressing issue rather than make a splash in free agency this summer.

There'll be questions asked about the forward group. None of those should be directed at the captain. There was reason in the past to doubt Ovechkin's ability to lead this team to a championship. Not anymore. Already the premier goal scorer of his generation, he enhanced his game in all the right ways in 2015-16. In particular, he was a more diligent player away from the puck, setting the tone needed for success under Trotz's system. And he upped his intensity while under intense scrutiny in the postseason. Anyone who pins this team's failure on him clearly wasn't watching.

He has a solid support group. Nicklas Backstrom and Evgeny Kuznetsov are a fearsome 1-1A punch at center ice. Justin Williams and T.J. Oshie lived up to expectations after being acquired in the off-season. Both were excellent during the playoffs (although Williams's penalty totals were an issue). Marcus Johansson, who as an RFA will soak up a good amount of the cap space cleared by the deadline trade of Brooks Laich, rounds out a formidable top six.

NHL playoffs: Analytics predict East's second round

Beyond that group, there's some tinkering to do up front. Where they struggled, both during the regular season and the playoffs, was getting production from forwards in their bottom six. They only needed to look across the ice as they were being eliminated to see how critical that is.

And it's not just skill that's lacking. They need an infusion of speed as well.

There are some useful players already in the mix. Andre Burakovsky is a solid third-line option, but he needs to get much stronger to become a reliable offensive option. Jay Beagle is a dogged player who will help them win a championship, but he's better cast as fourth liner alongside fellow penalty killing ace Daniel Winnik. RFA Tom Wilson is a boom-or-bust power forward who is entering a critical phase of his development. He needs to start using that big body as more than just a battering ram. 

Right wings Jakub Vrana (13th, 2014) and Stanislav Galiev (86th, 2010) are close to NHL-ready but neither fill the team's most pressing need: a legit third-line center. Finding that player should be MacLellan's top priority this summer.

The Caps can clear roster spots for those players by walking away from their two most noteworthy UFAs. Jason Chimera scored 20 goals during a productive regular season, but his skating was exposed in the Pens series. At 37, it's time to move on. Mike Richards was a risk worth taking at midseason, but his legs and hands have deserted him.

The window is still open in Washington. Maybe next year these Capitals will finally climb through.