Capitals 2019-20 Point Total O/U Set at Just 96.5 After Five Straight 100-Point Seasons
- The Capitals’ regular-season point total is only at 97.5 for 2019-20
- Washington has averaged 109.6 points over the past five seasons
- Are oddsmakers correct to predict a steep decline for Alex Ovechkin and company?
Are the Washington Capitals in a state of decline? The leading sportsbooks are of that opinion.
The Capitals’ 2019-20 NHL point total over/under is at just 96.5. That would be their worst total since the 2013-14 season.
2019-20 NHL Metropolitan Division Point Total Odds
| Team | 2019-20 NHL Point Total O/U | Over Odds | Under Odds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carolina Hurricanes | 95.5 | -115 | -115 |
| Columbus Blue Jackets | 84.5 | -115 | -115 |
| New Jersey Devils | 88.5 | -115 | -115 |
| New York Islanders | 92.5 | -115 | -115 |
| New York Rangers | 87.5 | -115 | -115 |
| Philadelphia Flyers | 90.5 | -115 | -115 |
| Pittsburgh Penguins | 94.5 | -115 | -115 |
| Washington Capitals | 97.5 | -115 | -115 |
*Odds taken on 07/26/19.
The Caps have posted at least 104 points in each of the past five seasons.
Capital Losses In Order?
No NHL team has enjoyed more success in the regular season over the past four seasons than the Capitals. Washington has averaged 111.7 points in that span, #1 in the NHL. The Caps have earned a pair of Presidents’ Trophies as the league’s regular-season champions.
Capitals In Decline?
| Season | Point Total | Metro Finish | NHL Overall Standing |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015-16 | 120 | 1st | 1st |
| 2016-17 | 118 | 1st | 1st |
| 2017-18 | 105 | 1st | 6th |
| 2018-19 | 104 | 1st | 4th |
On the other hand, Washington’s point totals show decline in each of those four seasons. The Caps collected an NHL-best 120 points in 2015-16. They followed that up with a 118-point campaign in 2016-17. In 2017-18, Washington was good for 105 points, and last season settled for 104 points.
Metro Competition Heated Up
The Metropolitan Division produced an NHL-high three 100-point teams in 2018-19. The New York Islanders (103) and Pittsburgh Penguins (100) followed the Caps.
The Columbus Blue Jackets recorded 98 points and that was only good enough for fifth place in the division, one point behind the Carolina Hurricanes.
The Central was the only other division with five 90-point teams but just three Central clubs climbed to at least 98 points.
Others Trending Downward
While it’s easy to point to Washington’s four-season downward trend in points, it also must be noted that each season still produced a triple-digit number by season’s end.
Besides, if you look elsewhere in the Metro, there are some teams in big trouble. Columbus went all in on 2018-19 and crapped out, losing goalie Sergei Bobrovsky and high-powered forwards Artemi Panarin and Matt Duchene. Expect a big downslide in C-bus.
The Penguins are far way from their back-to-back Stanley Cups in 2015-16 and 2016-17. The Islanders clearly overachieved last season, and lost goalie Robin Lehner. They’re another team that could experience a Humpty Dumpty-like fall.
Anticipate Capitals Expenditure
The Caps lost nothing from their core. Vezina winner Braden Holtby remains in goal. Norris candidate John Carlson patrols the blueline. And what’s not to like about a top-six forward group consisting of Alex Ovechkin, Evgeny Kuznetsov, Tom Wilson, Nicklas Backstrom, Jakub Vrana and TJ Oshie?
If bookmakers are going to give you 96.5 as the Capitals’ point total, we suggest you hurry up and get all over that over wager.
An industry veteran, Bob literally taught the course on the history of sports at Elder College. He has worked as a Sports Columnist for Postmedia, appeared as a guest on several radio stations, was the Vice President of the Society For International Hockey Research in Ontario, and written 25 books.
