Rather than ice a roster merely helping Ovi break Gretzky's record, the Caps have been one of the NHL's best. Here's how they threaded the needle.

When Jose Theodore signed a two-year contract with the Washington Capitals in 2008, he expected he would finally win a Stanley Cup. The team was loaded with talent, from Alex Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom to Mike Green and more on the backend.

The gap between the top teams and the rest of the conference has evaporated, leaving a conference where many teams could prevail.

The Washington Capitals snuck their way into the Stanley Cup Playoffs last season, but they seem like the real deal this time around. With a 28-10-5 record, the

It started with a trade between the Bruins and Capitals (and Wild as a third-party broker). The Capitals moved out two pending free agents, Garnet Hathaway and Dmitry Orlov, in exchange for a 2023 first-rounder, 2024 third, 2025 second and Craig Smith.

The win Saturday was another example of how far the Capitals have come. Although Alex Ovechkin was held without a goal -- leaving him with 874 and 21 away from breaking Wayne Gretzky’s NHL record of 894 -- Washington demonstrated its improved depth and controlled play almost from start to finish.

Washington Capitals star T.J. Oshie, who has had some historic moments with Team USA, had to defend his post of a President Donald Trump graphic on Monday.

With the second-most points in the league, the Pacific Division leaders are a sure fire contender for the Stanley Cup. The Washington Capitals retake the top spot in this week's power rankings.

The Athletic's latest model projections have the Edmonton Oilers as the No. 1 candidate to win the Stanley Cup at a 24% clip and to finish with 111 total points. Edmonton is tied with the Vegas Golden Knights for the Pacific Division lead with 61 points.

If New Jersey's journey to contention feels a little familiar, there's a good reason why. And will the Devils make another Cup run this spring?