Washington Capitals vs. Toronto Maple Leafs: Game 1 Projected Lineups

The Washington Capitals and Toronto Maple Leafs are set to begin their first round series on Thursday. Here’s a look at their updated lineups.

The Washington Capitals enter the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals series vs. Toronto with a fully-healthy lineup. This is a luxury that many teams in the postseason wish they had. The Caps have been very lucky with injuries (or a lack thereof) this season.

According to ManGamesLost, the Capitals had the least man games lost in the NHL this season with 43. The Calgary Flames were second in that category with 66. Players like T.J. Oshie, Andre Burakovsky and John Carlson missed extended time due to injuries. Others missed games to mend their bumps and bruises.

It is truly remarkable that the team has been able to stay so healthy throughout the season. When a team is atop the league standings, other teams tend to play them more physically night in and night out. Fans must tip their hats to the Capitals training staff, doctors and nutritional team for keeping the team strong and conditioned all season long. According to the Washington Post, below are the projected lines for the Capitals.

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Alex Ovechkin – Nicklas Backstrom – T.J. Oshie

Marcus Johansson – Evgeny Kuznetsov – Justin Williams

Brett Connolly – Lars Eller – Andre Burakovsky

Daniel Winnik – Jay Beagle – Tom Wilson

Karl Alzner – John Carlson

Dmitry Orlov – Matt Niskanen

Brooks Orpik – Kevin Shattenkirk

Braden Holtby (starting goalie)

Phillip Grubauer (backup)

Scratches: Paul Carey, Nate Schmidt, Taylor Chorney (all healthy)

Head Coach Barry Trotz likes to be able to run four lines every game. His management of team ice-time is big reason why the Capitals feel fresh at this point in the NHL season. Ovechkin’s average ice-time was down two minutes from last season. Backstrom’s and Oshie’s average ice time were each the lowest since their rookie seasons. This is all to ensure the team does not burn themselves out and so they are prepared for a long playoff run.

As for Toronto, they will be going into Game 1 with some injuries. Leafs defenseman Nikita Zaitsev has been ruled out for Game 1. He will be replaced by Martin Marincin, who will play on a pair with former Capitals defenseman Connor Carrick. Zaitsev averaged 22:01 per game and was second on the defense corps with 36 points. Goaltender Frederick Anderson is now healthy and ready for Game 1 after battling concussion issues this season. Here’s a look at their projected lineup, according to Daily Faceoff.

Washington Capitals

Zach Hyman – Auston Matthews – William Nylander

Leo Komarov – Nazem Kadri – Connor Brown

James van Riemdsdyk – Tyler Bozak – Mitch Marner

Matt Martin – Brian Boyle – Kasperi Kapanen

Morgan Rielly – Matt Hunwick

Jake Gardiner – Roman Polak

Martin Marincin – Connor Carrick

Frederik Andersen (starting goalie)

Curtis McElhinney (backup)

Scratches: Nikita Zaitsev (day to day), Josh Leivo, Eric Fehr

Starting the Stanley Cup Playoffs with a fully-healthy roster is a huge blessing. It is something that many other teams in the tournament won’t have. The Pittsburgh Penguins had 194 man games lost this season. They were still able to lock up 2nd in the Metropolitan division. Kris Letang will not play in the playoffs after undergoing neck surgery earlier this month. They were still a strong candidate to represent the Eastern Conference in the Stanley Cup Final, but after the Letang news, it is hard to picture their beat-up defense carrying them all the way again.

Must Read: Game 1 Start Time, TV info, live stream

The Capitals (and ESPN experts) believe they finally have what it takes to go all the way this season. A big part of that belief is the Capitals’ conditioning, their ability to stay healthy, and Trotz’s delegation of ice time. This team is ready to release all of the energy stored all season and put it towards a run at the trophy that has been eluding them since their beginning in 1974.

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