Alex Ovechkin was recently named Captain of the Metro Division team that will take the ice at the All-Star Game in Nashville on January 31st.
While the All-Star game has lost its credibility over the last, oh, 20 years or so, the NHL keeps finding ways to make it "exciting" and "fun" for the fans and the players. As annoyed as the players might be with having to take time and momentum out of the season, the All-Star game is a great way for fans to see just how good these players are and just how approachable they can be. It's hard to get close to hockey idols nowadays, especially for the kids who look up to guys like Ovechkin, Toews and Price. The game is all about the fans, and no matter how goofy or lack-luster it can be, the All-Star game will never be as bad as the cringe-worthy NHL awards show.
Anyway, the Washington Capitals are sending Nicklas Backstrom and Braden Holtby to Nashville to accompany Ovechkin. Both players will be playing in their first All-Star game.
For Backstrom, this has been a long time coming. After 9 years of quiet, under-appreciated play, the NHL and fans alike have recognized that he is one of the greatest players of his generation.
Backstrom recently recorded his 600th NHL point, the first player from the 2006 draft class to do so. He sits 4th all-time on the Capitals points list behind Ovechkin (929, Peter Bondra (825) and Mike Gartner (789). Since his first season in 2007, he has recorded the third most assists in the league (441) behind Henrik Sedin (499) and Joe Thornton (472).
Braden Holtby has dominated this season in the net. As the front-runner for the Vezina Trophy, Holtby has acquired a 25-4-2 record with 2 shutouts. He has played in 210 career games with a 126-55-9-20 record. He is first in the NHL among active goaltenders in wins in his first 200 games and since 2012-13, Holtby is first among goaltenders in wins with 112.
The Caps are not only well represented on the ice, but also behind the bench as Barry Trotz will be the head coach of the Metro team. Trotz has rejuvenated a Capitals team that, for years, seemed lost and unable to find a system that truly worked. Trotz and his staff have instilled an on ice work ethic that has lead the Caps to first in the league (61 points) to start the New Year. Trotz ranks fourth among active coaches in games coached (1,317) and wins (631). He has a 74-33-14 record with Washington.
More to come...