“True happiness... is not attained through
self-gratification, but through fidelity to a worthy purpose.”
-- Helen Keller
Jay Beagle had a career year in 2016-2017 – 13 goals, 17
assists, 30 points, a plus-20, 12 even strength goals, four game-winning goals,
100 shots on goal, a 13.0 percent shooting percentage, all career bests. With the Caps entering the 2017-2018 season
with what many viewed as an inferior roster, and with Beagle in the “walk” year
of his current contract, there might have been a certain temptation to
duplicate his previous year’s numbers to maximize his free agent value, even
if doing so caused him to step outside the team structure.
Beagle did not replicate his career year of 2017-2018, but
he had a season that did put him in a position to cash in nicely in free
agency, should he choose to go that route this summer. His numbers compare
favorably to his per-82 game numbers over his eight years preceding his big
year last season. In 79 games he had:
- Seven goals (eight per 82 games over his first eight seasons)
- 15 assists (nine)
- 22 points (17)
- Plus-3 (minus-3)
- 16 penalty minutes (32)
- Two game-winning goals (two)
- Two shorthanded goals (he had a total of one in his first eight seasons)
- 10.8 percent shooting percentage (8.5 percent)
- An average of 12:27 in ice time per game (12:08)
Beagle’s tens were rather consistent. Only twice in eight segments did he fail to
record a goal; only once did he have as many as two. He had a points range of 2-4 points across
seven of the eight segments, only dipping to one point in his seventh segment. Six times in eight segments he had a single
minor penalty. Once he had two minors,
and in the other he went without a trip to the penalty box.
Beagle’s time on ice was an interesting indicator of team
success. In 33 games in which he skated
at least 13 minutes, the Caps were 25-5-3.
In the 46 games in which he skated less than 13 minutes, they were
22-20-4. Not surprising if you think about
Beagle as more a defensive player with faceoff skills you might want on the ice
late in games in which the club is ahead.
Fearless’ Take… There have been 494 skaters dressing for the
Washington Capitals for at least one game over 43 seasons. Jay Beagle, an undrafted free agent who was
signed to his first contract with the Caps at the age of 22 and who did not
play in his first NHL game until he was 23, is now in 30th place in
franchise history in games played (471).
Only seven players in team history have appeared in more postseason
games with the Caps than Beagle (85). Since
he came into the league in 2008-2009 (playing only three games with the Caps
that season), only Brooks Laich spent more time killing penalties (1,233:44)
than Beagle (889:41) among forwards.
And, although he was a player who battled with injuries earlier in his
career, he missed only four games over the past two seasons. And there is “The Beagle Effect.” In 47 career regular season games in which Beagle
scored a goal, the Caps are 41-1-5.
Washington was 7-0-0 in games featuring a Beagle goal this season,
bringing the streak to 17 straight games in which Beagle scored a goal that the
Caps won.
Cheerless’ Take…
There were 363 forwards appearing in 50 or more regular season games
this season. Beagle was last among them
in shot attempts-for percentage on ice at 5-on-5 (39.04 percent). Just for good measure, he was last in
unblocked shot attempts-for at 5-on-5, too (38.91 percent). Things might have gone a lot worse for him
and for the Caps if the shooting percentage at fives with Beagle on ice was
lower than 8.7 percent (tied for 99th among those forwards).
Odd Beagle Fact… Jay Beagle had 17 instances this season in
which he took at least 10 faceoffs and had a faceoff winning percentage of 70
percent or better. That was most in the
league (Ryan O’Reilly did it 15 times).
Game to Remember… January 12th at Carolina
The Caps were playing the Carolina Hurricanes for the third
time in ten days. Having split the first
two encounters, the Caps were looking to take the rubber match in the back half
of a home and home, back to back set of games.
The teams exchanged the lead three times, the ‘Canes breaking on top on
a Jordan Staal power play goal 3:20 into the game, and the Caps tying the game
on a power play four minutes later. The
Caps took their first lead of the game just 28 seconds into the second period,
but Carolina tied it back up on a Sebastian Aho power play goal in the ninth
minute of the period. Carolina took the
lead back less than two minutes into the third period on a Jeff Skinner goal,
but Brett Connolly tied it one last time with an unassisted goal off a Carolina
giveaway with just 3:08 remaining in regulation. It appeared the game would go to extra time
as the clock ticked under a minute to go. The Caps had one more rush in them, though…
Jay Beagle stuck with a loose puck, sneaking it under the
glove of goalie Cam Ward with just 1.3 seconds left to give the Caps a 4-3 win.
Game to Forget… March 30th vs. Carolina
The last meeting of the clubs for the season hardly went as
the Caps or Beagle would have scripted it.
A scoreless first period gave way to a Michal Kempny goal early in the
second period, but Carolina drew even just 40 seconds later on a Derek Ryan
goal. It just got worse for the Caps
from there. The Hurricanes added a goal
later in the second period, and then they added a pair in the third period, the
latter of them an empty netter. Carolina
skated off the Capital One Arena ice with a 4-1 win, the Caps’ worst loss on home
ice by margin of defeat since they lost a 5-2 decision to the Los Angeles Kings
on November 30th. Beagle
skated just 9:10 in ice time, had no shot attempts, no hits, no takeaways. Only Chandler Stephenson skated as few shifts
(13) as Beagle, tied for the fewest Beagle skated in a home game all year.
Postseason…
The 2018 postseason was redemption in the case of Jay
Beagle. In the 2017 playoffs Beagle
failed to record a point in 13 games and was a minus-5. He had only six shots
on goal in the 13 games, the fewest he had in any postseason since he had one
shot on goal in four games in 2009. This
spring, though, Beagle went 2-6-8, his point total equaling his total over 39 playoff
games over his previous three seasons.
He was a career-best plus-7, recorded his second postseason game-winning
goal (in Game 1 against Tampa Bay in the conference final), and finished fifth
among 67 players taking at least 50 faceoffs with a 60.1 winning percentage, a
career best. In the postseason, there
were ten instances of a player taking at least ten draws and winning at least
80 percent of them. Beagle accounted for
three of them. No other player had more
than one. And, Beagle became the first
player in the history of the NHL to have a Kelly Cup (ECHL), a Calder Cup
(AHL), and a Stanley Cup (NHL) championship on his resume.
In the end…
Jay Beagle is that player who carved out a solid NHL career
on the basis of hard work and a fidelity to playing hockey the “right way.” His possession numbers might be better, and
his role is that of a bottom-six forward, but his work ethic and
timeliness in contributing offense in this year’s postseason makes him one of
the best at what he does in the role he plays.
If Beagle should leave the club in free agency this summer, he goes out
on the highest of notes. Teams need a “Beagle”
to be successful, and his body of work this season and over his career makes
him a player to be prized in the market and admired by Caps fans.
Image: NBC Sports