The Washington Capitals' shootout struggles have reached a boiling point. After another loss in a skills competition against the Carolina Hurricanes, head coach Spencer Carbery is shaking things up. He's ready to try new faces, signaling a significant shift in strategy. But what does this mean for the team, and can a change in personnel truly fix their woes? Let's dive in.
On Thursday night, the Capitals fell to the Hurricanes in a 3-2 shootout. This loss marked their fourth shootout defeat this season, adding to a frustrating trend. Carbery made it clear that the current lineup isn't cutting it. "We'll probably try to utilize different guys," he stated, suggesting this might be the last straw for the existing shooters.
The Capitals have a history of shootout struggles, a problem that has persisted for years. Under Carbery's leadership, they've only won 6 out of 18 shootout games. In the 2024-25 season alone, they've gone 2-5.
The team's shooters bear a heavy burden for this disappointing record. Excluding two teams yet to participate in a shootout, the Capitals' 13.3% shot percentage ranks among the worst in the NHL. They've only scored on 2 of 15 attempts, while the league average success rate hovers around 32.29%.
Even the goalies haven't found much success, despite their otherwise strong performance. The Capitals' .571 save percentage places them near the bottom of the league, with varying results from Charlie Lindgren (.800 save percentage in one game) and Logan Thompson (.444 in three games).
Carbery has primarily relied on Dylan Strome (1 goal in 4 attempts) and Anthony Beauvillier (1 in 4) as his top shooters. However, he's also given opportunities to Alex Ovechkin (0 in 2), Connor McMichael (0 in 2), Ryan Leonard (0 in 1), Sonny Milano (0 in 1), and Ethen Frank (0 in 1).
Carbery is considering some unexpected options. "I could go through the whole list," he said, mentioning Tom Wilson, who leads the team in goals, and players like McMichael, Aliaksei Protas, and Jakob Chychrun. But here's where it gets controversial: these players have limited shootout experience. McMichael is 0 for 5 in his career, Chychrun has 1 goal in 4 attempts, Protas has 0 for 1, and Wilson has 0 for 1.
Despite their lack of shootout success, these potential candidates have been performing well this season. McMichael has 13 points in his last 14 games, Protas has 10 goals and 20 points, and Chychrun leads all NHL defensemen with 11 goals in 31 games. Wilson, in particular, has been a standout, tying for ninth in the league with 17 goals and leading the Capitals with 32 points.
Carbery has already made adjustments, including removing Alex Ovechkin after 13 unsuccessful attempts. This season's persistent shootout failures have prompted Carbery to consider less experienced shooters. The team will have a chance to experiment during Friday's practice before facing the Winnipeg Jets on Saturday.
So, what do you think? Will these changes improve the Capitals' shootout performance? Are you surprised by the potential new shooters? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
