NHL: Columbus Blue Jackets at Washington Capitals - Source: Imagn — Washington Capitals left wing Andrew Mangiapane (88) skates with the puck as Columbus Blue Jackets center Adam Fantilli (19) chases. (Credit: IMAGN)

Elliotte Friedman brushes off concern around Capitals' slump in form following Alex Ovechkin's record-breaking feat

Modified Apr 14, 2025 16:58 GMT

NHL insider Elliotte Friedman felt it’s time the Washington Capitals get down and begin gearing up for the playoffs. The Capitals, who have sealed the Metropolitan Division title, are 3-6-1 in their last 10 games.

During Sportsnet’s “32 Thoughts” podcast he co-hosts with Kyle Bukauskas on Monday, Friedman said that although he wasn't worried, the Capitals have been leaking goals all season, and their lead at the top has masked their vulnerabilities.

“They're giving up three goals just about every game now, right? Friedman said. “And it's been masked by, A., the huge lead all season. They've been excellent. And number two, the Ovi Chase. Like nobody really cared how they were playing, it was all about, let's enjoy the goal chase and have fun with that.”

Friedman also said that the Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin breaking Wayne Gretzky’s all-time NHL goal-scoring record within the regular season might have been good for the team, but it didn’t work out like he thought.

“Now, I really thought that the goal chase ending early was the best thing for the Capitals, because then they could focus on their game by buttoning down and being ready before the playoffs, but they're still giving up more goals than you want, especially at this time of year,” he said.

The Capitals have won only one game since Ovechkin scored his record 895th goal, which also occurred during a 4–1 loss to the New York Islanders on Apr. 6. This weekend, the Capitals suffered two straight losses to the Columbus Blue Jackets in back-to-back games. They were shut out 7–0 on Saturday and lost 4–1 on Sunday, even though Ovechkin scored his 896th goal.

Elliotte Friedman shares how old-school coaches would have addressed the Capitals’ slump

During the podcast, Elliotte Friedman recalled a discussion he had regarding how coaches from eras past would have handled the current Capitals team.

“I was talking on Sunday to a retired coach who was older, and he said to me, “Someone coaching in 1985 would be putting the Capitals through practices of doom this week.” They would be getting it so bad because, and he said even there'd be some coaches now, like, we always joke about John Tortorella, or maybe even coaches 10-15 years ago still. This week, the Capitals would get grinded.”

The Capitals have a history of performing well in the regular season and exiting early in the playoffs. The team will next play the New York Islanders on Tuesday.

About the author

Tushaar Kuthiala is an NHL journalist at Sportskeeda with over a decade of experience in the field. Tushaar was an avid ice skater in his childhood and his love of competitive sports and background in writing led him to sports journalism.

Tushaar doesn't have a favorite NHL team as such, which allows him to watch and write from a truly neutral perspective. If he had to pick, Tushaar most enjoys watching the Boston Bruins and Edmonton Oilers.

Wayne Gretsky, Bobby Orr and Alexander Ovechkin are Tushaar's favorite players of all time. Their highlights reels, stats and accolades speak for themselves.

When not working, Tushaar writes fiction and reads books and manga.

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