Ice time: Quest for Cup begins again
Caps’ shot at repeat among storylines for new season
The Stanley Cup’s guardians had no problem with Alexander Ovechkin eating caviar out of the famed trophy’s bowl. But when it came to doing keg stands — a handstand on the Cup to guzzle beer — the Cup keepers declared the Capitals guilty of unsportsmanlike conduct.
The Capitals’ celebrations were long and hearty, befitting a team that won the first title in its 44-year NHL history, but participants were politely asked to stop doing keg stands for fear of damaging the Cup. One oddity among the usual revelry: Before the festivities were over, coach Barry Trotz had resigned because he couldn’t reach agreement with management on a new contract.
While the Capitals cavorted with the Cup, the Maple Leafs were winning free agency by luring center John Tavares from the Islanders with a seven-year, $77 million contract. The Islanders got some consolation prizes by hiring former Devils and Maple Leafs executive Lou Lamoriello to head their hockey operations and Trotz to be their coach.
The Western Conference became tougher when the Sharks, loading up for a Stanley Cup run, acquired veteran defenseman Erik Karlsson from the Senators.
And the Kings signed 35-year-old forward Ilya Kovalchuk, who has been out of the NHL since 2013, in hopes he can score enough to support their solid defense.
Here are six big questions leading into the 2018-19 season: Alex Ovechkin and the Capitals are well-positioned to repeat as Stanley Cup champions.
They’ve kept the band together other than Trotz, fourth-line center Jay Beagle (free agent) and backup goalie Philipp Grubauer (traded). Their transition to coach Todd Reirden should be easy because he was an assistant the last four seasons. As with any team going for back-to-back titles, the keys will be the extent of their hunger and depth of their post-championship hangover.
They established a blueprint last season for how to run an expansion team, becoming a huge box-office draw while shocking the hockey world by reaching the Stanley Cup Final. They won’t have the element of surprise anymore, and they’ll start without steadfast defenseman Nate Schmidt, whom the NHL suspended for the first 20 games for testing positive for a performance-enhancing substance. In addition, restricted free agent Shea Theodore missed most of camp before signing a new contract. On the plus side: They acquired left wing Max Pacioretty, who will replace departed free agent
Predicted order of finish
Sharks, Golden Knights, Flames Central: Jets, Predators, Stars Ducks, Kings Coyotes, Blackhawks, Avalanche, Oilers, Wild, Blues, Canucks Lightning, Maple Leafs, Bruins Metropolitan: Capitals, Penguins, Devils Flyers, Panthers Out of playoffs: Sabres, Hurricanes, Blue Jackets, Red Wings, Canadiens, Islanders, Rangers, Senators
No question, Tavares was the prime free agent this summer. He, Mitch Marner (22 goals, 69 points), Auston Matthews (34 goals, 63 points), Nazem Kadri (32 goals, 55 points) and unsigned restricted free agent William Nylander (20 goals, 61 points) form a dynamic group. But the Maple Leafs must improve defensively: Goaltender Frederik Andersen faced a league-high 2,211 shots in 66 games, 33.5 per game. They need a few more pieces before they can contend, but things are trending the right way.
Steve Yzerman’s decision to step down as Lightning GM to become a senior adviser shouldn’t disrupt the team’s performance thanks to the impressive flow of talent he brought into the organization. Julien BriseBois will take over as GM, and it’s likely Yzerman eventually will join the Red Wings organization. In the meantime, Nikita Kucherov (first 100-point season), Steven Stamkos (27 goals, 86 points), emerging star Brayden Point (32 goals) and Norris Trophy-winning defenseman Victor Hedman will lead a team that topped the NHL last season with 54 wins and 296 goals.
Adding an offense-oriented Norris Trophy winner to a group that includes Norris winner Brent Burns and shutdown specialist Marc- Edouard Vlasic makes the Sharks formidable. Tomas Hertl is coming off a career-best 22 goals, and Logan Couture, who signed an eight-year extension in July, had a careerbest 34 goals. Winger Evander Kane had nine goals and 14 points in 17 games and fit in well after the Sharks acquired him from the Sabres. Joe Thornton, 39, didn’t play after he injured a knee in January but signed a one-year deal. He should help on the power play; anything beyond that would be a bonus.
After finishing 31st among 31 teams, they have nowhere to go but up. No. 1 overall draft pick Rasmus Dahlin, a Swedish defenseman who’s a superb skater with great vision at both ends of the ice, should help them rise in the standings. Center Jack Eichel, the No. 2 pick in 2015, has progressed statistically and in fighting the team’s longtime losing culture. Casey Mittelstadt, the No. 2 center, has enormous potential as well. A playoff spot is a reach, but there is reason for optimism for their longsuffering fans.