was listening to NHL radio on sirius and they had the caps below the pens with both missing. Im not saying the caps are contenders but imo they have improved the roster significantly while Pitt didnt do anything. I also believe the bruins and hurricanes wont have the easy rides they had the last few years. It will be another tight race in the east and of course injuries will be a huge part of it but the caps on my paper have improved more than a little bit imo. Kuemper was hot garbage last year and the team played different with him. Give the caps half of his losses and changes the picture a bit.
Seeing the predictions for the team this year has really reinforced to me that the rest of the NHL pays zero attention to anything about the Caps besides Ovechkin. I don't think anyone outside DC really appreciates how much the injury/decline situations with Backstrom, Kuznetsov, Oshie, and Kuemper hamstrung the team last year. Like, we all know PLD could under-perform his contract like he did in LA and be a 40 point player, but last year the Caps made the playoffs while starting the year with two centers with similar cap hits to PLD who
combined for 18 points in 51 games. Even if the Caps are getting the worst versions of all their new players they'll be an improved team, but the rest of the NHL sees them as the Washington Ovechkins so if he's declining the team must be too.
It's weird because all the articles back in July about offseason winners and losers had the Caps as one of the most improved teams, but that seems to be totally forgotten.
