Trotz calls Capitals' lack of offense in preseason 'disturbing'

Washington Capitals head coach Barry Trotz hopes his club is just in a brief slump this preseason.

Through six exhibition games, the club has managed just eight goals, and was limited to one goal or less in five of those six contests. And while the preseason means very little, Trotz admits he needs to see more from his forwards.

"We need a little more offense out of our forwards, there's no question," Trotz said, according to Isabelle Khurshudyan of the Washington Post. "We've scored three five-on-five goals (in six games). So, that's disturbing for the quality of forwards that we have. We've got nothing from our top guys to this point in terms of production and points, but I trust that their skill and their pedigree will come out.

"Fortunately, they don't count right now. But still, you want to start feeling good about yourself."

After finishing with the third-ranked offense last season, chances are the Capitals will find a way to turn the tide. In the meantime, Trotz suggested that part of the reason for the early struggles could be the mindset the club entered camp with after falling short once again last season - bowing out to the Pittsburgh Penguins in the second round after claiming a second straight Presidents' Trophy.

"If you talk to players, it's been a little bit harder to get the energy this year based on how it ended and the summer," Trotz said. "So, in some ways, in lack of another way to say it, we got stuck in last year's energy or lack of at the end. It took a piece of us and now we've got to dust ourselves off here and go, 'Hey, you know what? It's for real. Let's get going. We're professional. Let's quit with the self-pity and all that. Whatever's holding us back, let's go play because we can play.'"

The Capitals will play one last preseason game against the St. Louis Blues on Sunday afternoon before they open the regular season Thursday against the Ottawa Senators.

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