The Washington Capitals are already missing Matt Niskanen on defense

The Washington Capitals defense was always going to be thinner this season. Losing Kevin Shattenkirk to New York, Karl Alzner to Montreal, and Nate Schmidt to the expansion draft punched out a sizable hole in the Capitals defense that only rookie talent could fill.

Then, when Matt Niskanen went down with an injury Friday night, things went from passable to slightly worrying. The Capitals defense lost its No. 1 defenseman, leaving veterans Brooks Orpik, John Carlson, and Dmitry Orlov to hold the fort for at least 10 games as Niskanen headed to long-term injured reserve.

Making up the rest of the Capitals defense, for now, will be Aaron Ness, Christian Djoos, and Madison Bowey, who have a combined 49 games of NHL experience between them. The young defensemen were thrown out of the frying pan and right into the fire against a lethal Philadelphia Flyers offense on Saturday night, and it did not go well.

The Flyers hung eight goals on backup Philipp Grubauer and the Capitals defense in an 8-2 beatdown. The inexperience of the Capitals defense was prevalent on many of the Flyers goals throughout the evening, but it was Bowey — who was making his NHL debut on Saturday — who got burnt the most of all.

Case in point: when Jake Voracek danced right on through Bowey and the remainder of the Capitals defense on this Wayne Simmonds goal that opened up the game big time for the Flyers.

Then, a period later, it is anyone’s guess what the Capitals were thinking on this goal from Sean Couturier.

All evening, the Capitals defense was exposed and picked apart by the Flyers on offense. Philadelphia dominated the shot count 37-23 and led the Capitals in possession throughout the entire 60 minute affair. Grubauer was left without much of a prayer in net, though who knows how Braden Holtby would have fared if he were starting instead.

Just a game removed from Niskanen’s absence with the 8-2 shellacking in their rearview mirror, it’s hard not to worry about the Capitals’ immediate future. Alex Ovechkin’s offensive talents can only carry them so far, and the star forward was wrapped up nicely by the Flyers as he took just six shots in 14:25 minutes of ice time.

Nicklas Backstrom did continue his five-game point streak in the loss as well, but unless the Capitals have an offensive explosion in them like the Flyers had, it will be hard to outscore their opponents if their defense doesn’t hold.

There’s not much the Capitals can do at this point but grin and bear it until Niskanen returns from injury. A trade feels too reactionary after a one-game sample size. Bowey and the other youngsters for Washington will also learn and grow with each passing game, though it won’t happen overnight.

Plus, Holtby may have better luck in net for the Capitals over this next stretch. Washington will likely lean on its starter for the next few weeks of hockey, and his .923 save percentage in this short season will be tested. However, much like Saturday’s game, the Capitals will have a pair of back-to-back games over the next three weeks in which they’ll need to utilize both of their netminders effectively.

In the meantime, the Capitals will have to tighten up on defense as best they can and weather the storm. Stretches like these often test the resolve of top tier teams. It’s time to see if the Capitals are up to the challenge.