This is my first post about my NHL 14 Washington Capitals. I've gone through nearly a decade obviously, and been in a constant state of trying to retool the roster. I won the cup once in 2018/19, but the roster was old for the most part, and I wasn't able to replace guys immediately. Now though I've retooled to a point where I want to start posting about the team. I've made some big roster changes, to hopefully make a big, physical team in the image of the Los Angeles Kings and St. Louis Blues. I will post the roster, then explain the role of each of my key players.

Washington Capitals (Shot=Overall)
#	CENTERS	AGE	HT	WT	SHOT	BIRTH PLACE
16	Eugene Bylsma (TWF)	21	6'1"	198 lbs	86	USA
47	Boris Glebov (SNP)	27	6'2"	205 lbs	85	Belarus
53	Valeri Fedorov (PLY)	26	6'1"	191 lbs	84	Latvia
95	Ruslan Kapitanov (TWF)	27	6'4"	225 lbs	80	Russia
12	Craig Bishop (PLY)	26	6'1"	188 lbs	79	Canada
88	Andrei Ovechkin (SNP)	22	6'2"	205 lbs	79	Russia
22	Karel Kalinka (SNP)	27	6'2"	201 lbs	76	Czech Republic
92	Sean Sugihara (TWF)	21	6'2"	210 lbs	74	Canada
#	LEFT WINGS	AGE	HT	WT	SHOT	BIRTH PLACE
18	Bradley Boulerice (SNP)	24	6'2"	205 lbs	87	Canada
19	Matt Puempel (SNP)	29	6'2"	206 lbs	84	Canada
77	Antti Rissanen (SNP)	27	6'4"	222 lbs	80	Finland
24	Ivan Barbashev (PLY)	27	6'1"	186 lbs	79	Russia
11	Yury Kolesnik	26	6'2"	185 lbs	77	Estonia
#	RIGHT WINGS	AGE	HT	WT	SHOT	BIRTH PLACE
93	Valentin Zykov (SNP)	27	6'2"	217 lbs	88	Russia
83	Bryant Gudbranson (TWF)	24	6'0"	188 lbs	87	Canada
55	Howard Ryznar (PWF)	26	6'3"	234 lbs	82	Norway
21	Vic Breen (SNP)	26	6'2"	204 lbs	79	USA
45	Shawn Forney (PLY)	20	6'3"	202 lbs	76	Canada
#	DEFENSE	AGE	HT	WT	SHOT	BIRTH PLACE
74	John Carlson (TWD)	33	6'3"	212 lbs	86	USA
4	Oleg Khomutov (TWD)	26	6'4"	212 lbs	86	Estonia
8	Hampus Lindholm (OFD)	28	6'2"	198 lbs	85	Sweden
2	Alan Aubry (TWD)	26	6'4"	216 lbs	81	USA
44	Phil Baltisberger (TWD)	27	6'1"	216 lbs	80	Switzerland
3	Lou Hamhuis (TWD)	26	6'4"	212 lbs	80	USA
6	Nelson Cullen (DFD)	21	5'11"	187 lbs	80	Canada
86	Seth Woywitka (DFD)	26	6'9"	237 lbs	77	Canada
71	Jarrod Conner (TWD)	22	6'6"	218 lbs	76	Canada
38	Morgan Hambly (DFD)	23	6'2"	206 lbs	74	Canada
#	GOALIES	AGE	HT	WT	SHOT	BIRTH PLACE
34	Kelly Schaeffer (BUT)	22	6'4"	206 lbs	89	USA
31	Robert Renberg (HYB)	25	6'2"	190 lbs	80	Sweden
32	Henrik Backstrom (BUT)	26	6'3"	207 lbs	80	Sweden
30	Lee Dubnyk (BUT)	25	6'4"	206 lbs	77	USA

Key NHL Player profiles:

LW - Bradley Boulerice - The 24 year old left wing was drafted to be the face of the franchise, and actually won a cup as a rookie, although he missed most of the playoffs with a concussion, an injury that has hit him frequently in his short career. He's a great offensive player, but doesn't exactly dominate the ice, and needs a good center for production. The 2021/22 season saw him get 76 pts in 76 games for his first PPG year. At just 24 years old, he has a solid 122 goals and 253 pts in 336 games. With more skill entering the team after the defense first system of the past, the future is bright with Boulerice establishing himself as a premiere talent in the league.

5* shooting, 4.5* puck skills, 5* senses, 5* skating, 3* physical, 3.5* defense
Career To Date: 122 Goals, 253 Points, 336 Games Played

RW - Valentin Zykov - Zykov was actually an addition via trade this season. I was struggling to score with consistency with the lineup I had in place, and my young defensive players were performing well. So I looked around the league, and saw Zykov on a struggling, defensively lacking Los Angeles team. To the Kings went D- Ryan Murray, G- Nelson Strudwick, and top prospect C- Niko Kiiskinen. Zykov is a fairly newcomer to the NHL scene, having won the AHL rookie of the year just 4 years ago. This year with the Capitals he's exploding into a premiere offensive scorer, while also helping out defensively.

5* shooting, 5* puck skills, 4* senses, 4* skating, 2.5 physical, 5* defense
Career To Date: 89 Goals, 185 Points, 210 Games Played

RW - Bryant Gudbranson - Gudbranson was the 3rd overall pick in 2017 by the Blues, but when I decided to revamp my aging, and struggling, roster, I got Gudbranson as a 22 year old. Last season he had an 80 point campaign, making me think he would be more effective offensively than expected. This season has been a step back however, although he's still quite a solid defensive minded player. He is projected to be a top 6, maybe top 3 forward throughout his career. Offensive output will determine much of that.

4* shooting, 4.5* puck skills, 5* senses, 5* skating, 3.5* physical, 4* defense
Career To Date: 71 Goals, 225 Points, 366 Games Played

C - Eugene Bylsma - I thought getting Bylsma would be a blessing in disguise for my top line. He is a solid passing player, and great defensively, and as a rookie he had 38 pts in 80 games on a 2nd/3rd line that didn't score much. This year he started off with the top line, but couldn't produce, went to the second line and couldn't produce OR keep the puck out of the net. Now he's back to the third line and isn't scoring much, but is playing good defensive hockey and now leads a shut down line involving Ryznar and Rissanen, when they are healthy. Hopefully he'll grow into an offensive role as well, as the 21 year old could be a franchise center if he can score 60 points a year.

3.5* shooting, 4.5* puck skills, 3.5 senses, 5* skating, 3.5* physical, 4.5* defense
Career To Date: 20 Goals, 46 Points, 122 Games Played

D - John Carlson - Carlson is the lone remaining member of the original Capitals, after Ovechkin was shipped out in my purging old talent season. While I've been able to get good forwards through the draft and trades, defense has been another story. Carlson has been a steady presence on the back end, and even won a Norris Trophy the season we won the cup. While not an offensive dynamo, he's been good enough defensively and offensively combined to remain an elite defenseman in the league. At 33 years old, he's just played his 1,000th game and has a lot left in the tires for the future.

4* shooting, 4.5* puck skills, 4.5 senses, 4.5 skating, 4* physical, 4.5 defense
Career To Date: 94 Goals, 484 Points, 1,002 Games Played

D - Oleg Khomutov - Khomutov is kind of an anomaly at defense. One season he grew to 94 overall, but others he can be 84 overall. As he leaves his formative seasons, he's been more consistent at 86-87 overall for me. This is a sizeable defenseman who can play solid defensively, but is more than capable when he has the puck. While I continue to await a breakout offensive season, he's been good when in the lineup. The last 2 seasons have seen him miss a lot of time though, after being healthy throughout his career.

5* shooting, 5* puck skills, 5* senses, 4* skating, 2.5* physical, 4.5* defense
Career To Date: 48 Goals, 177 Points, 407 Games Played

C - Boris Glebov - Glebov, like the player being introduced next, was a surprise to the system for me. I picked him up in the offseason for cheap after purging the team of old players, but he was just a 24 year old 77 overall center. His first season was great in the AHL, scoring 45 pts in 55 games, while also playing 9 NHL games with 4 pts. At the draft he was 81 overall, so I decided to give him a shot at replacing the released Ryan Kesler. Well, by the season started he was an 85 overall beast, and is showing it this year. Late bloomers like this is what make teams successful.

5* shooting, 4.5* puck skills, 5* senses, 4* skating, 3* physical, 4* defense
Career To Date: 13 Goals, 37 Points, 51 Games Played

C - Valeri Fedorov - Fedorov is like Glebov. I picked him up last season at the deadline because he was a cheap 25 year old, seemingly failed (79 overall) prospect who had 95 passing. He was a 4th liner and got PP time to set up one timers, although it didn't work and he was benched by the end of the year. In the offseason he grew a ton, into one of the most skilled players on the team. This year he's found a spot between Boulerice and Zykov on the top line with his passing skills. He is also quietly very good defensively. The 26 year old is another key piece moving forward.

4* shooting, 5* puck skills, 4.5* senses, 3.5* skating, 2.5* physical, 4* defense
Career To Date: 10 Goals, 50 Points, 101 Games Played

Other Players:

D - Hampus Lindholm - Signed as a free agent 2 years ago, Lindholm has been steady for me, and allowed Ryan Murray to be traded. Not producing as many points as expected.

LW - Matt Puempel - Moved a few prospects to get Puempel in the offseason to solidify the second line. So far it's worked as he's produced beyond expectations.

RW - Howard Ryznar - The big Norwegian has been around for a few seasons now, and has been productive when healthy. Health has become a big concern though, as Ryznar has missed 73 regular season games in the last 4 seasons.

D - Alan Aubry - Signed to play AHL defense, Aubry took a 4 point overall jump after signing. Has been a steady presence in his first NHL season.

D - Phil Baltisberger - Developed through the AHL system, dominated last season and now is a key member of the powerplay in the NHL.

D - Lou Hamhuis - Another player signed for AHL who grew quickly to play NHL. very good player, great defensively.

D - Nelson Cullen - Small for a DFD, but gives me a good 7th defenseman when injuries inevitably hit. Might not be a Capital for many seasons due to his size.

C - Ruslan Kapitanov - Was my first pick in 2015, hasn't developed like intended but is a good defensive player for the 4th line. His size makes him a monster.

LW - Antti Rissanen - Pure goal scorer, never developed after his last AHL season. Still a solid 20 goal producer when healthy, good 3rd liner with size.

RW - Vic Breen - Another American FA signing for the AHL who became a depth NHLer. Good goal scorer and defensive player.

RW - Norm Anderson - 13th forward, signed same way as Breen. Good awareness for 79 overall, lacks some skills to make him a regular in the lineup.

LW - Ivan Barbashev - Skilled player developed slowly in the AHL. Lacks footspeed and defensive ability, but can produce points well in depth role.

D - Seth Woywitka - Big defenseman, 8th one really, but the type of player needed for a long NHL season. Another slowly developed player in the AHL.

That's the jist of the NHL team. We're a big bunch, and players are brought in for specific needs not just for their overalls. Most of my depth has been developed through the AHL rather than signing 80-82 overall free agents and wasting money.

Capitals Midseason Stats Stats - 2022-23
Skaters	GP	G	A	PTS	+/-	GW	PIM	SOG	SPCT
Valentin Zykov	42	22	29	51	12	1	22	155	14.2
Bradley Boulerice	41	19	18	37	16	3	6	143	13.3
Valeri Fedorov	42	6	28	34	18	2	16	70	8.6
Boris Glebov	42	12	22	34	6	2	21	113	10.6
Matt Puempel	42	15	14	29	1	4	6	121	12.4
Bryant Gudbranson	40	5	22	27	0	2	10	85	5.9
John Carlson	42	4	16	22	9	2	62	63	6.4
Alan Aubry	38	3	9	12	3	0	15	36	8.3
Howard Ryznar	39	4	7	11	3	0	6	69	5.8
Vic Breen	42	9	1	10	3	2	18	68	13.2
Lou Hamhuis	40	1	9	10	-3	0	10	83	1.2
Norm Anderson	35	4	5	9	-3	0	8	49	8.2
Eugene Bylsma	42	3	5	8	-5	0	24	71	4.2
Hampus Lindholm	41	2	6	8	8	0	12	54	3.7
Oleg Khomutov	25	3	5	8	2	0	8	39	7.7
Antti Rissanen	28	3	4	7	5	0	2	51	5.9
Ruslan Kapitanov	42	2	4	6	-8	1	23	43	4.7
Ivan Barbashev	24	0	5	5	-3	0	4	18	0
Phil Baltisberger	8	2	1	3	1	1	0	16	12.5
Andrei Ovechkin	2	1	0	1	-3	0	0	6	16.7
Goalies	GP	W	L	T	GAA	TOI	SV	SV%	SHO
Kelly Schaeffer	30	17	6	3	2.10	1,824	725	.919	1
Robert Renberg	6	3	2	0	2.14	364	162	.926	1

Top Prospects:

C - Andrei Ovechkin - 79 Overall - The 22 year old Russian has played 79 games in the NHL, but is back down to develop unless I need a call up. 6'2", 205 lbs, has great speed and a solid shot. Working on refining his game. Could easily be a top 6 forward within 2 seasons.

4.5* shooting, 3.5* puck skills, 4* senses, 5*skating, 2.5 physical, 2* defense
3.5 Red Potential. AHL Season: 4 Goals, 15 Points, 24 Games Played

RW - Shawn Forney - 76 Overall - 6th Overall pick 2 drafts ago, sizable at 6'3", 202 lbs, and is developing into a solid playmaker. Also has great speed, but just needs a better shot and a little more touch on passes. 20 years old so has a lot of time to grow and develop.

3* shooting, 4* pucks skills, 4* senses, 5* skating, 2.5 physical, 2* defense
3.5 Yellow Potential. AHL season: 2 Goals, 7 Points, 7 Games Played

C - Dean Sugihara - 74 Overall - 28th pick in the same draft as Forney. 6'2", 210 lbs, looks to be a future shut down centerman for me. Another young player with great starting speed to work with, very bad offensively so far though. Only 21 though.

2.5* shooting, 3* puck skills, 2.5* senses, 4.5* skating, 2.5* physical, 3* defense
3.5 Red Potential. AHL season: 4 Goals, 15 Points, 40 Games Played

LW - Seth Cox - 71 Overall - 36th Overall pick in 2021 (with previous 2). 6'2", 232 lbs. Very strong, looks to be a potential 3rd-4th line player with size. Has lower potential so will have to work hard to earn a spot, also 21.

2.5* shooting, 3* puck skills, 2.5* senses, 4* skating, 4* physical, 2* defense
3 Yellow Potential.. AHL season: 1 Goal, 7 Points, 14 Games Played.

D - Jarrod Conner - 76 Overall - Got Conner in a salary dump. 22 years old and 6'6", 218 lbs, quite mobile for his size, but not very strong. Also not great potential. Will see what he can be.

4* shooting, 3* puck skills, 4* senses, 4* skating, 2.5* physical, 3.5* defense
3 Red Potential. AHL season: 6 Goals, 23 Points, 31 Games Played

D - Morgan Hambly - 74 Overall - 18th Overall pick in 2018. Getting older but that's okay. Is a strong physical defenseman with good skating ability. Not very good offensively, needs to work on that to become an NHLer

2.5* shooting, 1.5* puck skills, 1* senses, 4* skating, 4* physical, 3* defense
3.5 Red Potential. AHL season: 2 Goals, 4 Points, 25 Games Played.

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Anyways, this is my Capitals Team. I'll do bi-annual updates. Longer ones will be post season/ offseason reviews, and then also All-Star break updates. This will be the longest post, having to introduce my current team. Next ones will involve basically only charts and a few comments. Hope you enjoy my NHL14 Washington Capitals Dynasty.