The Washington Capitals begin a condensed season, worth 56 games, as they hope the end destination of this grueling journey will end up with the Stanley Cup in their hands. With a lot of new fresh faces, this will be an interesting campaign to say the least. The Capitals are coming off back-to-back first round exits and hope to make a deeper run in the playoffs. Let's take a look at the outlook of this season.
All The Weight On Ilya Samsonov's Shoulders
Ilya Samsonov has a tough task of replacing Braden Holtby as the starting netminder. Samsonov had a good rookie campaign, but obviously needs further development. The hope is that he can become that great goalie the organization envisions him as, but Samsonov will need to step up. While there are question marks, his talent is undeniable. There will be cover in Vitek Vanecek and Craig Anderson just in case Samsonov struggles.
Hope The Defense Is Fixed
So many new faces on the blue line that they acquired during the offseason, but their hope is that their problems defensively have been fixed. Getting Justin Schultz, Zdeno Chara, and Trevor van Riemsdyk certainly adds some depth, especially with Michal Kempny out for the season, but hopefully they can pair up well and help players like Dmitry Orlov, John Carlson, Jonas Siegenthaler, Nick Jensen, and Brenden Dillon. It seems like the team got more physical during the offseason.
More Offensive Depth Leading To Better Power Play
One of the biggest problems for the Capitals last season was their power play. It wasn't terrible, but it certainly hindered their chances at a deep playoff run. What might've been the problem for them last season was not enough scoring depth and that hurt their power play. Players added this offseason like Conor Sheary and Daniel Carr, plus with promoting Daniel Sprong and Brian Pinho might give them all the depth they need. While offense wasn't an issue, the hope is that they have players who great on the power play. The other hope is that the aging core continues to produce, so if they falter, it will be a struggle.
Navigating A 56 Game Season In Division Only Schedule
Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the NHL has temporarily realigned divisions and will have a division only schedule. Teams that the Capitals have to face in the East Division will be Boston Bruins, Buffalo Sabres, New Jersey Devils, New York Islanders, New York Rangers, Philadelphia Flyers, and Pittsburgh Penguins. The schedule does require back-to-back games against opponents when traveling or hosting and the top four teams in each division make the playoffs. It will be grueling, but it's going to be the safest way to play this year. While there are tough teams like Boston, both New York sides, Philadelphia, and Pittsburgh, the Capitals are still a strong team.
Adjusting To Peter Laviolette's System
The biggest offseason move might actually be hiring Peter Laviolette as head coach. This was an all-star hire and the hope is that this team will be more successful in the playoffs. However, this system will be a bit different for these players and the hope is that someone like T.J. Oshie or Alex Ovechkin can flourish. Laviolette is known to be a demanding coach as the hope is that a culture change is all that is needed. There's a lot of talent on the Capitals, now Laviolette will need to be able unlock them and hope to bring another title to the Nation's Capital.
Overlook
While the team is aging and there are still some question marks, this is still a team that is a title contender. With hopefully all the issues addressed in the offseason, the Capitals should be one of the top teams out of the Eastern Conference. Whether they can win a sixth consecutive division is up for debate as there are a lot of strong teams in the East Division, the Capitals should still make the playoffs.
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