Conor ShearyĪ sparkplug whose forechecking abilities and nose for the puck have lifted the Capitals to several wins this season, Sheary’s contributions can’t be understated. Simply put, when the big forward plays, the Capitals tend to win. Here's another stat Caps fans will love: Among all players (aside from the recently-acquired Johan Larsson), Washington has their best record on the season when Mantha is on the ice with a. He’s tallied nine goals and 12 assists in 31 appearances on the season, most recently scoring twice in less than a minute in Washington’s 8-4 win in Montreal last week. Not only has he bounced back swimmingly from his absence, but he’s also exceeded every expectation set for him by miles.
There were certainly doubts about how effective Mantha would be after he underwent shoulder surgery in November. He’s not shy to push the puck up the ice in five-on-five play, which could prove to be valuable in the faster-paced and more physical realm of the playoffs. While John Carlson usually gets most of the credit for being Washington’s best offensive defenseman, it’s Orlov who has been one of the Caps’ best overall players as he makes very few defensive errors and has proven to be a key piece on special teams. His career-high 34 points on the campaign are good enough for sixth on the team, complemented with 12 goals and a +24. Orlov, much like Hathaway, is also having arguably the best season of his career. Garnet Hathaway with an absolute BEAUTY to put the up in Colorado!! (it was also his 100th career point ð¤©) /h4KEpydVq0- NBC Sports Capitals ApDmitry Orlov