Welcome to NHL team preview: a series breaking down every NHL team this offseason. You can expect to see new posts all summer, from the 30^th place team to the Stanley Cup champions. With so many changes coming in the offseason, some teams will be improving dramatically, while others will be forced to make some tough decisions for the future. It’s going to be a fun summer of hockey talk, so sit down, hold on tight and enjoy the ride.

Year in Review

2014-2015 Stats

• Record: 45-26-11 (101 points)
• Goals per game: 2.89 (6^th)
• Goals against per game: 2.43 (7^th)
• Power play: 25.3% (1^st)
• Penalty kill: 81.2% (14^th)
• Shots per game: 29.5 (20^th)
• Shots against per game: 28.9 (11^th)

The Washington Capitals returned to the post season in 2014-15, only to be eliminated by their division rivals the New York Rangers. Washington has a good sporting history, if you’re visiting the area take a look at beginner tennis lessons washington dc. For Washington, the problem has never been making the playoffs— having made the playoffs seven of the last eight years—but rather being unable to make a long run. In those seven playoff years, the Capitals have never made it past the Conference Semifinals. Making the playoffs is always a great accomplishment, but ownership and fans are ready to see their team take the next step.

After a dismal 2013-14 season that saw the Capitals miss the playoffs and finish fifth in the Metropolitan Division, General Manager George McPhee fired head coach Bruce Boudreau in April and replaced him with long time Nashville Predators coach Barry Trotz. The change came with a lot of questions, including how Trotz’s defense-first mindset would work with superstar winger Alexander Ovechkin. Not only did it make the Capitals a much better all around team, but it also proved to make Ovechkin’s overall game much better, both offensively and defensively.

Washington scored a total of 242 goals last season — the most since 2009-10 (318)—while allowing just 203 goals— the lowest total since 1999-00 (194). Ovechkin topped 50-goals for the sixth time in his career and finished a plus-10, his highest plus/minus rating since 2010-11. The Capitals finished in the top-ten in most offensive categories, including having the league’s best power play during the regular season (25.3%). It was a very successful first season for the 53-year-old head coach, but the goal to bring a Stanley Cup back to the nation’s capital is still a work in progress.

Offseason Game Plan

The Capitals made some minor changes over the offseason, adding forwards T.J Oshie and Justin Williams. Oshie was traded from St. Louis for forward Troy Brouwer over the summer, while Williams signed a two-year deal worth $6.5M. Washington has to find someone to play alongside Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom, but so far no one has been able to seize the opportunity. The hope is either Oshie or Williams will be able to fill that role next season. One thing is for certain; whichever player sticks on the top line should see their point totals increase from last season.

As for the rest of the offense, look for youngsters Marcus Johansson, Evgeny Kuznetsov and Andre Burakovsky to have a bigger role on the team this season.

With Backstrom recovering from offseason hip surgery, his status for opening night is still up in the air. Should he not be able to go, Johansson would get the first opportunity to center the top line. He has played all three forward positions in his career, but his natural position is center and that’s where he most likely will play this year. The 24-year-old is entering the final year of his entry-level deal and should have no problem eclipsing his point totals from last season (20G, 27A, 47P).

Kuznetsov is coming off his first full season in the NHL, totaling 11 goals and 37 points. The Capitals may choose to go with Kuznetsov on the top line instead of Johansson, but the more likely scenario is he plays on the second line with either Oshie or Williams and veteran winger Jason Chimera to start the year. It’s all speculation at this point, but the 23-year-old is certain to have a spot in the top-six come opening night.

Burakovsky is coming off a successful rookie season, one that saw him score nine goals and add 13 assists in 53 games. He’s only 20-years-old, but the Austrian native definitely has the skill to be a top-six forward for this team. He may find himself in the bottom six because of the additions of Oshie and Williams, but expect him to get his chance at some point during the season to show management that he can compete with the big boys at the NHL level.

Defensively, the Washington Capitals were one of the better defensive teams in the league last season, finishing in the top-ten in goals against per game (7^th, 2.43) despite finishing 14^th in CorsiFor (51.4%). With Mike Green now in Detroit, only Matt Niskanen finished in the top-60 in CF% last season (58^th), an area they will need to be much better in if they want to be a Stanley Cup contending team in April. Both Niskanen and John Carlson are still relatively young—28 and 24 respectively—but they will be counted on to be the backbone of this young defensive group.

The player who will determine how far the Caps go this season is goaltender Braden Holtby.

Holtby had himself a career year, finishing top-ten in shots against (2,044), saves (1887), save percentage (.923), goals against average (2.22) and shutouts (9). The 25-year-old signed a contract extension over the summer, a five-year, $30.5M deal, making him the seventh highest paid goalie in the NHL. The hope is the Saskatchewan native will be able to have another all-star season and help the Capitals get over the hump in the playoffs, but expectations should be limited.

Prior to this season, Holtby had never played more than 50 games in a season and had never won more than 25 games in a season.

The skill is there for the Capitals net minder to be an elite goalie in the NHL, but will he be able to carry his team again for an entire season? Maybe. Expectations will be high this season for Holtby to show management that they made the right decision to sign him to a long-term contract.

Washington is a better team this year than they were last season on paper, but with so many teams in the Metropolitan Division getting better, the playing field seems to be a bit more even heading into this season. The Capitals have the right mix of size, skill and goaltending to get them back to they playoffs, but whether they have enough depth to get them all the way to the Stanley Cup finals is another question. They will be an exciting team to watch every night and fans are hoping this is the year Ovie and company bring home the most coveted trophy in all of sport.