The Washington Capitals may have won it all last season, but NHL fans believe Alex Ovechkin and his teammates are due for a Stanley Cup hangover.
In a poll released by the NHL on Tuesday, 65% of voters believe the Caps will tally less than the 105 standing points they earned last season. Washington won their third straight division title en route to the franchise’s first championship.
The Caps poll results are in the second photo of the gallery.
Over the offseason, the Capitals kept virtually their entire roster intact from last season, shedding only head coach Barry Trotz, backup goaltender Philipp Grubauer, and fourth-line center Jay Beagle. One could make the argument that the Capitals might be an even deeper team heading into next year. Michal Kempny will spend his full season in Washington after being acquired at the trade deadline last year. Kempny will skate in the team’s top four, bring stability to the backline and allowing Brooks Orpik to play fewer minutes. Talented young forwards Tom Wilson, Jakub Vrana, and Andre Burakovsky all seem due for breakout years while the team signed top-20 KHL scorer Sergei Shuamkov to a one-year deal. Check out Peter’s three part series for more (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3).
Other notable results from the NHL poll include 81% of voters believe the Buffalo Sabres, who ranked 31st in the NHL last season, will be much improved after selecting Swedish defenseman Rasmus Dahlin first overall in the 2018 Entry Draft. Fans believe the Penguins will remain a dangerous team in the Metro with 51% of votes believing they will have more than 100 points.
How do you think the Caps will do this season?
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