"Last year, it was practically a new team, with roughly a third of the roster turning over in the offseason. This year, however, there are familiar faces behind the bench, familiar systems on the ice, and familiar players on the roster. Everyone knows each other and knows what's expected every night - which means very little adjustment needed to get back into the season."
"Look, no one saw a 111-point, Eastern Conference-leading season out of a Caps team that just the year before had backed into the playoffs in Game 82 (and bounced right back out four games later). It is an incredibly high bar to clear - and yet there's something exciting about seeing whether they can. What will Aliaksei Protas have in store for us to follow up his first 30-goal campaign?"
The Capitals return to the 2025-26 season with stability in coaching, systems, and a largely retained roster that reduces early-season adjustment. Last season produced 111 points and an Eastern Conference lead, setting a high bar and creating questions about whether the team can replicate that success. Aliaksei Protas enters after a 30-goal campaign, while Alex Ovechkin seeks to continue producing at age 40. Coach Spencer Carbery aims to further refine strategies. The roster shows a generational shift with young forwards like Protas and Connor McMichael, centers Pierre-Luc Dubois and Dylan Strome, and a defense core of Rasmus Sandin, Jakob Chychrun, and Martin Fehervary.
Read at Japers' Rink
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