The Washington Capitals are coming into the 2015-16 season looking to bounce back from a tough Stanley Cup playoffs loss and they have a core of Alex Ovechkin, TJ Oshie, Braden Holtby and Nicklas Backstrom coming in to try and get it done. Backstrom is dealing with an injury and he could miss the start of the season for the Caps and his return is uncertain.
The Caps come in after a devastating playoffs loss to the Rangers last season and now they get the chance to start fresh. The team made a number of moves in the offseason, including adding Justin Williams and trading for TJ Oshie from the Blues. Oshie should help add some depth up front and Ovechkin comes back after having another great season and he will need to be relied on even more with Backstrom dealing with an injury.
According to the Washington Post, Backstrom is dealing with a hip issue and while Backstrom was able to practice with the team this week, there is "no timetable for his return." Backstrom is a key player for the Caps and with the season opener coming in about a week, the team realizes they may not have one of their stars on the ice. The Post reports that the team could be aiming for November as a return for Backstrom, as the team has a road trip through Canada heading into that part of the schedule.
Backstrom is a huge part of the team and he comes in after putting up nearly 80 points last season. Backstrom was ranked in the top six in points among players and he was first on the team in points per game. Backstrom had 60 assists last season to lead the league and his playmaking ability is huge for players like Ovechkin and Oshie. If Backstrom is out, it likely means that Evgeny Kuznetsov will be boosted up to take his spot to start the season.
The Caps were up 3-1 on the Rangers in the playoffs and the team now has to find a way to bounce back from that disappointment. Holtby had a breakout season and helped the team get to that 3-1 lead and now he comes back after being kept in on a new deal. The team has a deep line of defense coming back and the team has Holtby as the top goaltender after signing a $30.5 million contract. Holtby is a breakout star and he really had a strong season, putting up a career high 41 wins and he also started the most games of anyone in the league last season.
Prediction: Caps make a playoff run but fall short again.
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