The Washington Capitals have established themselves as Stanley Cup contenders, winning 36 of their first 54 games while losing just 11 in regulation.
Now, they’re getting an unexpected break.
The Capitals are the NHL’s only team without a player participating in the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament between the U.S., Canada, Sweden and Finland.
“I’m sure everyone that was kind of on the bubble there probably would have liked to have been a part of it,” Capitals winger Andrew Mangiapane said. “But I think internally and selfishly, I guess, for us, it gives everyone a two-week break, almost, to recover.”
Spencer Carbery, the frontrunner for NHL coach of the year, sees the break as an opportunity. While the Florida Panthers sent eight players to the tournament, the Carolina Hurricanes four, and the New York Rangers six, Washington gets complete rest between Feb. 9-22.
“It comes at a good time with where we are in the schedule,” Carbery said. “We’re going to need every ounce of energy mentally and physically that we can find.”
Several Capitals could have made tournament rosters. John Carlson, who led the NHL in ice time last season, was a 2014 Olympian. Logan Thompson has better statistics than Canada’s selected goaltenders. Tom Wilson‘s combination of size and skill made him a strong candidate.
The Capitals’ success this season stems from multiple sources. Alex Ovechkin has scored 26 goals in 38 games despite playing through a broken left leg. Newcomers Thompson, Mangiapane, Pierre-Luc Dubois and Jakob Chychrun have integrated seamlessly.
Only the Winnipeg Jets have scored more goals, while Washington has allowed the second-fewest per game. They lead the NHL in even-strength offense.
“Our depth really plays a role in it,” Mangiapane said. “It’s not just one guy kind of doing it every game. I feel like it’s coming from all four lines, all D pairings and the goalies have been playing great.”
The Capitals don’t have a player ranked in the league’s top 30 scorers. Two of their key contributors – Ovechkin (Russia) and 22-goal scorer Aliaksei Protas (Belarus) – represent countries not participating in the tournament.
When play resumes, Washington faces 27 games in 55 days. They haven’t won a playoff series since their 2018 Stanley Cup championship.
“It’s going to be a grind coming down the stretch,” Carbery said. “The way that we have to play, it’s going to be taxing and it’s going to be one of the hardest things these guys do.”
