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New York Islanders Metropolitan Division Offseason Power Ranking

UNIONDALE, NY - SEPTEMBER 17: The New York Islanders celebrate their 3-2 overtime victory over the Philadelphia Flyers during a preseason game at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum on September 17, 2017 in Uniondale, New York. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
UNIONDALE, NY - SEPTEMBER 17: The New York Islanders celebrate their 3-2 overtime victory over the Philadelphia Flyers during a preseason game at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum on September 17, 2017 in Uniondale, New York. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /
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LAS VEGAS, NV – JUNE 07: The Washington Capitals celebrate their victory over the Vegas Golden Knights 4-3 in Game Five of the 2018 NHL Stanley Cup Final at the T-Mobile Arena on June 7, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /

Washington Capitals | Rank: 2nd

2017-18 Record: 49-26-7 (1st)
by: Matt O’Leary

Fresh off their first Stanley Cup in their history, the Capitals are ranked second in the Metro heading into the 2018-2019 season. With a core of Alex Ovechkin, Braden Holtby, Niklas Backstrom, and Evgeni Kuznetzov there’s no doubt the Capitals on paper should be back in the playoffs.

One of the things you have to worry about is a Stanley Cup hangover. Alex Ovechkin and company have partied pretty hard since winning the championship so if they get off to a slow start that narrative will be pushed from the beginning.

As for changes, the biggest thing comes from behind the bench. Barry Trotz is coaching the Islanders now after the Capitals and he parted ways. Now, Todd Reirden has the job.

No offense to Reirden but he hasn’t coached in the league before. That’s going to be held against him until he proves himself.

The Capitals are coming back with a very similar unit to last year. They only really lost Jay Beagle and Philipp Grubauer. Although they just gave Tom Wilson a very questionable contract.

If you thought Garth Snow was bad, Brian MacLellan just gave Wilson, coming off a career high of 35 points a six-year extension with an AAV of $5.17 million. That’s pure insanity.

Nonetheless, the Caps should be good again in 2018-19 and we have them starting off second in the power ranking.

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