For most in the hockey world, eyes are on the ongoing Stanley Cup Finals between the Nashville Predators and the Team-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named. But Wednesday afternoon the Capitals brought their fans some much needed good news to look forward to: the 2017 preseason schedule is out!

The Caps will play in seven preseason games this year, starting on the road against New Jersey and Montreal. The team then returns to Home Sweet Phonebooth for the first time since May with a three-game homestand versus St. Louis,  Carolina, and New Jersey, and finished the preseason with two more road games in Carolina and St. Louis.

While we don’t know which players will be taking to the ice come September, it’s nice to now have an exact date of when our Caps come home.

The full 2017-18 schedule is set to be released at a later date, sometime following the conclusion of the 2017 Stanley Cup Finals.

The 2017 Preseason Schedule is here! Mark your calendars!
🗓🏒
More info: https://t.co/MmpNBR0dgk pic.twitter.com/wiNGoyxlWH

— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) June 7, 2017

More from the Caps:

The Washington Capitals have released their 2017-18 preseason schedule, senior vice president and general manager Brian MacLellan announced today. The schedule will feature seven games against four opponents and will include three games at Verizon Center.

The Capitals will open their preseason schedule with two straight road games. Washington will face the New Jersey Devils on Sept. 18 at Prudential Center then the Montreal Canadiens at Bell Centre on Sept. 20. The Capitals will return to Verizon Center for their first of three straight home games on Sept. 22 against the St. Louis Blues. Washington will then face the Carolina Hurricanes on Sept. 23 and New Jersey on Sept. 27 at Verizon Center. The Capitals will conclude their preseason schedule against Carolina at PNC Arena on Sept. 29 and St. Louis on Oct. 1 at Scottrade Center.

The Capitals were 4-1-2 in the preseason in 2016-17 and their all-time preseason record is 161-119-33-14.

All preseason games will be carried via WashingtonCaps.com and Caps Radio 24/7, with selected games to be broadcast on the Capitals Radio Network. The full preseason broadcast schedule and the complete 2017-18 NHL regular-season schedule will be released at a later date.

The complete preseason schedule is listed below:

Mon., Sept. 18 at New Jersey Prudential Center 7 p.m.
Wed., Sept. 20 at Montreal Bell Centre 7:30 p.m.
Fri., Sept. 22 vs. St. Louis Verizon Center 7 p.m.
Sat., Sept. 23 vs. Carolina Verizon Center 7 p.m.
Wed., Sept. 27 vs. New Jersey Verizon Center 7 p.m.
Fri., Sept. 29 at Carolina PNC Arena 7:30 p.m.
Sun., Oct. 1 at St. Louis Scottrade Center TBD