2014-15 record: 45-26-11 (101 points)
Lost to the New York Rangers in Conference Semi-finals
Captain: Alexander Ovechkin
Another year, another disappointing end for the Capitals in the Alexander Ovechkin era. It feels like the tape is on repeat for the Capitals, who realize that the clock is ticking on getting their superstar player a Stanley Cup and given that they haven't advanced to the Conference Finals, the Caps decided to try and make the moves needed to get them to the promised land. Last year, it was raiding the Pittsburgh blue line for a couple of key acquisitions; this year, it's the right wing and two players that have shone on the big stages. For the first time in a while, the Capitals are no longer just a one line team, as Justin Williams and T.J. Oshie give them options on three lines. Yes, it's still Ovechkin's team, and there is the possibility that the Caps could be without Niklas Backstrom for a while to start the season, but with Derek Roy being a possible fill-in, that could mean significant top line minutes for Evgeny Kuznetsov. As for the left side after Ovechkin, Andre Burakovsky and Marcus Johansson are no slouches. The concern here, as it is on the blue line is depth if anyone goes down for a significant period of time. Speaking of the blue line, they boast two pairings that can match up with any team in the NHL, as homegrown talents John Carlson and Karl Alzner, as well as Pittsburgh defectors Matt Niskanen and Brooks Orpik, form that group. After that, all bets are off, as the current third pairing is Nate Schmidt and Dmitry Orlov, both of whom missed significant time to injuries. In goal, this is where things are great, as Braden Holtby returns and has established himself as a top-line starter. Phillipp Grubauer will get first crack at backing up Holtby after Justin Peters couldn't cut the mustard while Peters will likely be battling Dan Ellis for the right to be third string goalie.
Prediction: 1st in the Metropolitan Division
The Capitals will be facing a now-or-never situation with Ovechkin just now entering his 30's. The window of opportunity isn't closed yet, but another early exit could be a problem down the line.
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