NHL Power Rankings: Washington Capitals begin title defense

1. Washington Capitals

The reigning Stanley Cup Champion Washington Capitals enter the 2018-19 season as the team everyone’s looking to bring down. They’re bringing the band back together, as they’re returning all but two key players (Philipp Grubauer and Jay Beagle) from last season.

Good luck to anyone who wants to wrestle the Stanley Cup away from Alex Ovechkin, who might never let go of it. The Capitals bring back a well-balanced roster. And though there are still some question marks, it’s hard to go against a roster that overcame the odds by bringing a title to the nation’s capital.

Evgeny Kuznetsov is one of the most joyful and best players in the NHL. His creativity and playmaking make him a rising star. Kuznetsov took his game to a whole new level in the postseason. If that’s the Kuznetsov we see moving forward, watch out.

Nicklas Backstrom flirted with a point per game pace even though he no longer played with Ovechkin, one of his usual wings. He leads an impressive shutdown line and Jakub Vrana could give the line the trigger man it desperately needs.

John Carlson, Dmitry Orlov, and Matt Niskanen lead an impressive group of defensemen. New head coach Todd Reirden hopes to carry over what worked for them in the postseason, which is a good thing.

Braden Holtby bounced back from a horrible regular season to be the postseason hero he was destined to be. Expect him to be back to his usual self during the regular season.

Can Pheonix Copley replace Grubauer? How will they deal with Tom Wilson’s suspension? Why is Brooks Orpik still getting regular minutes? These are but a few questions the Capitals must answer. But this is a group that has consistently had success in the past and just won the Stanley Cup.