3 reasons to get excited for the Capitals in 2023

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Connor McMichael, Washington Capitals (Photo by Richard T Gagnon/Getty Images) /

#2 Young blood coming

The Caps will likely have most of the core intact but they need youth. Even the 2018 Stanley Cup winning team had a youth movement helping them along the way.

Tom Wilson acknowledged such on breakdown day:

"“Even when we won, we had a bunch of veteran guys with a ton of experience and we had guys like [Jakub] Vrana and [Chandler] Stephenson and a bunch of young guys juiced that were first-year guys. So, you got to find a balance of what works and when the team hits their stride, it can be really good.”"

MacLellan already found gems in Dylan Strome and Rasmus Sandin and now his goal is to find a guy that can compliment the top six. But the Caps will also have to make sure their veterans remain healthy.

Wilson added:

"“There’s going to be probably a second wave of what we need younger guys to come in and start pulling their weight and adding and complementing the core that’s getting a little bit older. I’ll be probably a little bit of a hybrid of that in the middle and you try and, as a group, come together.”"

Even though the Caps missed the playoffs they are still a hot hockey destination.

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