Several Washington Capitals are posting Top-10 statistical seasons in franchise history.
Alexander Ovechkin is sitting at #7 on the single season scoring list this season after leapfrogging
Mike Gartner and
Bob Carpenter with 2 assists versus Tampa Bay. Ovechkin now owns half of the top ten best point scoring seasons by a Capital, though with 10 more points this season,
Nicklas Backstrom will make the list.
| Points | Year | P |
| 1 | Dennis Maruk | 1981-82 | 136 |
| 2 | Alex Ovechkin | 2007-08 | 112 |
| 3 | Alex Ovechkin | 2008-09 | 110 |
| 4 | Alex Ovechkin* | 2005-06 | 106 |
| 5 | Mike Gartner | 1984-85 | 102 |
| 6 | Dennis Maruk | 1980-81 | 97 |
| 7 | Alex Ovechkin | 2009-10 | 96 |
| 8 | Bob Carpenter | 1984-85 | 95 |
| 9 | Mike Gartner | 1980-81 | 94 |
| 10 | Alex Ovechkin | 2006-07 | 92 |
*Denotes rookie
Ovie is also running away with the Plus/Minus record, but that won't be finalized until the end of the season.
Jeff Schultz seems poised to finish with the best +/- ever by a Caps defenseman, he sits 2 ahead of Hall-of-Famer
Rod Langway . They are joined on the Top-10 list by teammates
Nicklas Backstrom and
Mike Green.
Alexander Semin is closing in with a +26:
Mike Green's great offensive season has him sitting pretty on the all time lists for assists and points by a defenseman, lists dominated by a couple Hall-of-Famers:
| Defense Assists | Year | A |
| 1 | Scott Stevens | 1988-89 | 61 |
| 2 | Scott Stevens | 1987-88 | 60 |
| 3 | Larry Murphy | 1986-87 | 58 |
| 4 | Larry Murphy | 1987-88 | 53 |
| 5 | Mike Green | 2009-10 | 52 |
| 6 | Scott Stevens | 1986-87 | 51 |
| 7 | Kevin Hatcher | 1990-91 | 50 |
| Defense Points | Year | P |
| 1 | Larry Murphy | 1986-87 | 81 |
| 2 | Kevin Hatcher | 1992-93 | 79 |
| 3 | Kevin Hatcher | 1990-91 | 74 |
| 4 | Mike Green | 2008-09 | 73 |
| 5 | Scott Stevens | 1987-88 | 72 |
| 6 | Mike Green | 2009-10 | 69 |
| 7 | Scott Stevens | 1988-89 | 68 |
It has been an exciting season and it promises to stay that way. Several Caps playoff records could fall this Spring, too.
I think Green stands a really good chance of catching Hatcher, at least for the 1990-91 season third place. Five points in 13 games? Of course, Murphy's #1 isn't out of the question, either - 12 points in 13 games? Wow, Green! Underappreciated, anyone?
ReplyDeleteSchultz's +37 is just amazing, especially for the guy who a lot of folks considered a scapegoat for all that is wrong in Caps nation until this season. :-)