There's no denying that this year's group has set itself apart, and a lot of credit goes to the Capitals' room.
There's no denying that this year's Washington Capitals group is something special.
The 2024-25 regular season has been a roller coaster for this year's hockey club, and we're just over a month into the regular season.
Washington, who struggled in so many different departments last season, from goal-scoring to defending to special teams, has found new life in just a few months' time.
The Capitals lead the NHL in goals per game (4.09), ranks fourth on the penalty kill (84.7) and fourth in overall points percentage (.705). They have yet to lose more than two games in a row, and even when things seem out of reach — for instance, Wednesday's game in Tampa Bay after Charlie Lindgren scored an own goal to gift the Lightning its third lead of the night with just over 12 minutes to go in regulation — they've come together to find ways to rally and win.
"I think it's character," Lindgren said of this year's team, adding, " I can say wholeheartedly, everyone on this team has bought in.”
As the 30-year-old netminder pointed out, the team is a tight-knit group, and it starts with head coach Spencer Carbery.
Carbery, in his second year, has taken the locker room and created an undeniable, contagious atmosphere, one where players are expected to give their best and play for the guy next to him. If he's getting anything less than that, he'll call you out for it.
Then, there's the same leadership group, fronted by Alex Ovechkin, whose leadership is vital to the team's success. Even out for the next few weeks with a broken leg, the team's leading goal scorer, who is chasing something "bigger than hockey" as he tracks down Wayne Gretzky's all-time goals record, is around the team and doing what he can to contribute to the positive climate and help his team navigate adversity.
Tom Wilson's played a large role in that group, too, as has new alternate captain Dylan Strome, who leads D.C. in points to open the year and is on pace for a whopping 116 points this season.
It's easy to see; walking into the locker room, the vibes are just different.
The mood is light, upbeat, positive; for years, Washington's been renowned as one of the tightest rooms in the league. That in itself is what's brought so many to the District over the years. At the same time, though, the players understand the task at hand, the magnitude of every pair of points that are on the line each night.
"We have a great locker room of guys that care and want to do the right thing and want to play the right way and desperately want to win," Carbery said.
And of course, the new additions of Pierre-Luc Dubois, Logan Thompson, Jakob Chychrun, Matt Roy, Brandon Duhaime and Taylor Raddysh, and then returning newcomers in Lars Eller and Jakub Vrana, have only added to that environment.
"When you talk about vibes, it's always nice to have those guys back around," Wilson said of bringing back Eller and Vrana and also having Braden Holtby, Brooks Orpik and more familiar faces around the rink. "We've been through a lot of really fun things together... It brings an extremely strong element and identity to our group.
Wilson's aforementioned vibes are also playing a huge role in transforming this group.
There's never been a down-and-out attitude, and even after dropping back-to-back games with Ovechkin out, the team never faltered or pressed the panic button. Instead, it found a way to adjust.
Every night, a different player will step up, and Washington is getting contributions from all four lines and three pairings. All the while, the alternating goalie tandem of Lindgren and Thompson is getting the job done.
At the start of the season, critics questioned the Capitals and whether the new additions would mix in well, and several had the team missing the playoffs. Yes, the players saw it — they just didn't care.
"People are going to write whatever they want to write,” Strome shrugged it off.
The Capitals will regroup for Thanksgiving before returning for a Black Friday matinee against the New York Islanders, where they'll look to keep the good times rolling.