Season Preview

You can credit Alexander Ovechkin's MVP campaign for the Capitals being the NHL's most improved team from start to finish last season, but the turnaround didn't really happen until Bruce Boudreau became coach at Thanksgiving. Bourdreau earned a contract extension after winning the division title, and he'll get in his first full season as an NHL coach with a lineup that looks largely the same except in goal. Washington wanted Cristobal Huet back, but the Caps weren't going to come near the $5.75 million a season price tag he got from Chicago. Instead, they signed Jose Theodore, who came a little bit cheaper after revitalizing his career last season in Colorado. Washington's biggest move this summer was getting young defenseman Mike Green locked up before anyone could make him an offer sheet. The Caps re-signed several restricted free agents and brought back Sergei Fedorov, who has fit in nicely as a mentor of sorts to the team's young Russian players.

Strengths
Like Boudreau, several members of the Caps have come up together through the system and that helped them gel quickly last season. Of course, that probably wouldn't mean much if Washington didn't have Ovechkin leading the offense, but there is far more to the Capitals dangerous attack thanks to Alexander Semin, Viktor Kozlov, rookie Nicklas Backstrom and Green, who blossomed into one of the league's top producers at his position. Even Brooks Laich scored 21 goals and the Caps should have more weapons this time around with Fedorov there from the outset and Michael Nylander and Chris Clark coming back from injuries.

Weaknesses
The defense is young and tends to be better on the attack than in its own zone, the goaltending is questionable and the penalty killing was among the worst in the league last season. Regardless of how balanced the attack can be, the Capitals still rely too much on Ovechkin to carry them. If there is one real danger facing the club this season, it is falling into the trap of playing down to the rest of a weak Southeast Division. A late charge helped the Caps finish first in the Southeast last season, but there were only two points ahead of Carolina, the team that finished ninth overall.

Intangibles
The Caps crossed a threshold last season and now have to adjust to being the hunted instead of the hunter.

Jose, can you see another title? Theodore has a Vezina Trophy and Hart Trophy on his resume, but that was six seasons and two teams ago. Since then, his career has been marked by inconsistent play on the ice and some controversies off it, although he had a very solid second half last season for Colorado, which just happened to be his contract year. The Caps have the talent to win the Southeast Division again but will be hard pressed to repeat if Theodore doesn't do the job between the pipes.

fat_daddyo5 says: Another hockey season is upon us, and I for one cannot wait. It shapes up to be an interesting year for my Capitals, who ended a loooooong run of futility last year by making a mad dash to the postseason by winning the execrable Southeast Division. They did manage 94 points, which would have been good for the playoffs even if they didn't win the division, so the NHL avoided a major embarrassment there; but they won them with an unbalanced slate of games against woeful division opponents, so you have to discount it a bit.

Can they do it again? The answer will depend on several factors... Full Analysis

Want to add your insight on the upcoming season? Post your thoughts in our Washington Captials Group!