2024-25 Washington Capitals Season Preview

26 comments

1. Yesterday, when I looked, there were 4 teams on the poll that had a majority at finishing 5th or 6th in the Metro, which just keeps getting funnier.
   I think Backstrom's LTIR is spent. Oshie's isn't, I believe. But the only reason Oshie's is available is not having to pay Kuznetsov's buy-out this year.
   I hate to see it, but I think Sheppard might find himself with another team before or after the end of the season. Contracts are up at the end of the season for all three of their top goalies.

2. Vrana, Dubois, Mangiapanne, Ovechkin, Protas, Raddysh, lots of bounce back candidates upfront, solid defense and goaltending. They prove last season that they can make the playoffs with little to no offense, what can they this time around if they have competence upfront.

   Good success to Dubois in particular, prove the crowds wrong.

3. I like what they did here. Firm believer in Thompson and the team is more complete. 4th in the Metro, 2nd wild card with 93-98 points

4. Last season they made the playoffs with their team leading scorer Strome having 67 points. PLD is certainly capable of 60+ and given the contract Washington is certain to keep shuffling things until he clicks. They're going to make getting him going, their top priority. Everywhere else, Washington improved. They're younger, deeper, and healthier. They have a lot of guys in contract years so they should get some good performances. Leonard will join them for the playoffs. They have some prospects coming along in the next year or two and some cap space opening up. Team is on the upswing coming out of the rebuild not going into one.

5. They didn't play well enough to make the playoffs last year. They only made the playoffs because so many other teams also didn't play well enough and they have to have 8 playoff teams in both conferences. I know many people think they got better, but I don't see it. I think they miss the playoffs this year.

6. A great look, thank you.

7. This team low key stock up they farm as being somehow competitive. Leonard, Miroshnichenko, Parasack, McMicheal. Their rivals Pittsburgh looks rough.

8. They have a better future than the pens

9. We all assume Oshie is done, but I didn’t see any official confirmation on him missing next season yet.

10. Ryan Leonard is the highest draft pick the Caps have had in a generation. I look forward to his debut.

11. Oshie actually still hasn't made (or at least announced) a decision yet, but for his sake and the team's he should take the year off and see if he can find a permanent solution for his back. Ovechkin should have a more consistent season (barring injury) as his stick issue is solved, he's more removed temporally from the passing of his father, and he'll be better adjusted to the lack of Bäckström. I don't see why he couldn't break the goal record before the end of the season. Ivan Miroshnichenko will definitely get good time at the NHL level, six points in 21 games last year and he was a big part of the Calder run for the Bears. With Lapierre ready to graduate to the Caps full-time and a bit of a logjam at the center position, Miro should be the first guy looked at for forward depth as he's still only 20 and gets along well with Ovechkin on and off the ice. A lot of how this season goes will hinge on how the new acquisitions (specifically PLD and Mangiapane) perform and integrate, but overall the team has improved at every position and I can't see them performing any worse than last year, with 100 points not a crazy goal.

12. Hard to see the Caps winning low scoring defensive games. They're going to have a 8.5m idgaf floater playing 2c.

13. Worth mentioning Washington was only 3 points behind 3rd in the Metro last year. It's easy to think of them as a lottery team that got lucky and accidentally made the playoffs but the truth is they were in at Thanksgiving and were always in the battle for that 3rd place spot. They improved this off-season and they enter this season without the Backstrom and Oshie and Kuznetsov distractions they had last year. They don't have to keep forcing Kuemper back in the net after bad performances. The young players have more experience. The rookie coach now has a year under his belt. Should be a much better start for Washington with fewer growing pains. A stronger October could help them in April.

14. What do you mean it was ugly the way they made the playoffs? It was a thing of beauty and a wonder to behold!
    Btw, I like the Wild Thing jersey.
    LETS GO CAPS!!

15. Carbery turned out to be a very good choice as Coach he has been very successful

16. Wait oshie did announce he'll miss this season? I hadn't seen that yet

17. I think thompson really rounds the team out, and our top 6 defense is really good. I am excited for my caps this year

18. They could get in

19. I would like to see PLD and milano get things going. And Thompson get the 1A/B.

20. Lets get ready Boys!

21. It feels like the caps are trying to get Ovechkin the goal record before commiting to a rebuild

22. Might be too optimistic but it seems like a team built for playoffs based off the coaches structure and defensive lineup. It looks like they have the young guys getting their legs under them to support a mediocre regular season too. If there was a slot for potential 2012 LA Kings archetype, they might fit it very well

23. Dislike Caps a lot but still better than Flyers and Hawks, both I won't even bother watching the preview video

24. Shannon are you okay you once said in a video that you hated gambling and would never use odds in your videos do we need to send help?

25. No way Capitals finish below 5th in the division. They’re better than Pittsburgh and Columbus, full stop. I think they’re also better than the Islanders. 4-5 seems to be the sweet spot for them

26. GIving the top three spots to the Rangers, Canes and Devils should be a given in the Metro. The 4th spot is going to be an absolute dogfight between the Isles, Caps and Flyers. Washington has upgraded their goaltending and D for sure, even a slight uptick in offense should be enough for them to come out on top. The Atlantic doesn't have a truly weak team, so will they take enough points away from each other that Washington can sneak in that last wild card again? Time will tell.