The Capitals have been a perennial Stanley Cup contender for years, especially the last two when they captured consecutive Presidents'Trophies.Yet not even those 120- and 118-point campaigns and top playoff seedings succeeded in pushing the Caps over the hump in the post-season, with the last A.J. Moore Jr. Jersey two springs ending in disappointing second-round ousters. In fact, the Capitals have not advanced past the second round since reaching the 1998 Cup Final.MORE:So, with a salary cap bursting at the seems, young veterans requiring new contracts, and some overall change to the roster needed, the Caps traded Marcus Johan son this summer, lost Nate Schmidt in the expansion draft, and let Karl Alzner, Justin Williams and Kevin Shattenkirk walk as free agents. Though they did re-sign free agent T.J. Oshie, the Caps actually have several training camp battles for the first time in years and should see a few of their prospects on the roster thisseason.With those changes come lower expectations, and that might just be a good thing for a core that Tennessee Titans Hoodies Sweatshirts still features world-cla s players like Alex Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom, Braden Holtby and Evgeny Kuznetsov.Washington Capitals 2017-18 scheduleThe Capitals open the regular season on the road, visiting the Senators on Oct. 5. Two nights later, they play their home opener against the Canadiens. Later in the month the Capitals take their annual trek to Western Canada for three games between Oct. 26-29.November features a four-game homestand around the Thanksgiving holiday, which sees the Caps bookend the holiday with a game against the Senators on Wednesday the 22nd and Lightning on Friday the 24th.MORE: A five-game homestand bridges the months of November and December (Nov. 30-Dec. 8), highlighted by divisional contests against the Blue Jackets and Rangers. Right after the Christmas break, the Capitals have a difficult back-to-back at the Rangers on the 27th and at home versus the Bruins the very next evening.The Caps will play a pair of Sunday nationally-televised games on NBC, the first being a Jan. 21 Breon Borders Jersey home game against the Flyers and the other a Feb. 4 home tilt against the Golden Knights. Puck drop on both is 12:30 in the afternoon.Intriguing from a divisional standpoint: the Capitals face the Blue Jackets three times (once at home, twice on the road) in February; play the Islanders in a home-and-home set March 15 and 16; and have another key home-and-home against the Rangers later in March, on the 26th and 28th.Capitals' key offseason additionsDevante Smith-Pelly (free agent), Tyler Graovac (trade)Capitals' key offseason departuresKarl Alzner (free agent), Kevin Shattenkirk (free agent), Marcus Johan son (trade), Justin Williams (free agent), Nate Schmidt (expansion draft)Capitals' projected lineupForwardsAlex Ovechkin-Nicklas Austin Fort Jersey Backstrom- T.J. OshieAndre Burakovsky-Evgeny Kuznetsov-Jakub VranaBrett Connolly-Lars Eller-Tom WilsonNathan Walker-Jay Beagle-Devante Smith-PellyDefenseDmitry Orlov-Matt NiskanenChristian Djoos/Taylor Chorney-John CarlsonBrooks Orpik-Madison BoweyGoaliesBraden HoltbyPhilipp GrubauerCapitals' best-case scenarioDespite significant offseason changes, the Capitals are still one of the best teams in the NHL and remain serious Stanley Cup contenders. Of course, Alex Ovechkin and Co. need to prove they can make a deep run in the playoffs in order to convince the bandwagon-jumpers they are of championship mettle, so really the regular season must be about prepping for that run and le s about being the best Anthony Firkser Jersey team over 82 games.Keep an eye on youngsters Jakub Vrana, Nathan Walker, Chandler Stephenson, Madison Bowey, Christian Djoos and perhaps even Riley Barber. All should see playing time at one point or another this year, providing some fresh blood into the Capitals lineup.However, at the end of the day, this team will go as far as Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom, John Carlson, Evgeny Kuznetsov and Braden Holtby can take it.That has not changed, even if the outside expectations have. Related Articles The best active NHL player at every jersey number, 1 to 97
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