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Washington Capitals: Top 3 reasons to get excited for 2019

By Michael Marzzacco

WASHINGTON DC - JUNE 4: Capitals fans stand cheer the their team taking the ice for the start of the game during the Washington Capitals defeat of the Vegas Golden Knights 6 - 2 in game 4 of the Stanley Cup finals to lead the series 3 game to 1 in Washington DC on June 4, 2018. (Photo by John McDonnell/The Washington Post via Getty Images)
WASHINGTON DC - JUNE 4: Capitals fans stand cheer the their team taking the ice for the start of the game during the Washington Capitals defeat of the Vegas Golden Knights 6 - 2 in game 4 of the Stanley Cup finals to lead the series 3 game to 1 in Washington DC on June 4, 2018. (Photo by John McDonnell/The Washington Post via Getty Images) /
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WASHINGTON, DC – APRIL 24: Braden Holtby #70 of the Washington Capitals and Justin Williams #14 of the Carolina Hurricanes shake hands after the Hurricanes defeated the Capitals 4-3 in the second overtime period in Game Seven of the Eastern Conference First Round during the 2019 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Capital One Arena on April 24, 2019 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/NHLI via Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC – APRIL 24: Braden Holtby #70 of the Washington Capitals and Justin Williams #14 of the Carolina Hurricanes shake hands after the Hurricanes defeated the Capitals 4-3 in the second overtime period in Game Seven of the Eastern Conference First Round during the 2019 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Capital One Arena on April 24, 2019 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/NHLI via Getty Images) /

#2 The competition got better

This also causes our collective stress levels to skyrocket but better competition within the Metropolitan Division makes for must see TV this fall more than any drama or sitcom.

There’s no reason to think the Washington Capitals won’t win the metro division. On paper, the team looks stacked. But their rivals got better too. Well, except maybe the ones from Pittsburgh.

The New Jersey Devils drafted Jack Hughes with the top pick in the NHL Draft, traded for P.K. Subban and signed Wayne Simmonds. The New York Rangers drafted Kaapo Kakko with the second pick and signed Artemi Panarin.

The Philadelphia Flyers have Matt Niskanen now and more than just Gritty. The Pittsburgh Penguins are still the Penguins with Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Co. The Carolina Hurricanes have rekindled a rivalry with the Caps after those “Bunch of Jerks” ended their season on home ice.

washington capitals game 7
WASHINGTON, DC – APRIL 20: Washington Capitals fans prepare for Game 4 against the Carolina Hurricanes on April 20, 2019, at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C. in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. (Photo by Mark Goldman/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

It’s not just the Metro Division that’s good either. The Tampa Bay Lightning are determined to win a Cup after getting humiliated in the first round of the playoffs. The Florida Panthers now have Sergei Bobrovsky. The Boston Bruins are always a challenge especially now that they’re coming off an Eastern Conference title.

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