The clock is precariously counting down on Brian MacLellan’s self-labelled “two-year window.”
And you can bet he could hear it ticking in his ears when he pulled off a deal to land defenceman Kevin Shattenkirk from the St. Louis Blues late Monday night.
As he’s been building this team, MacLellan identified the 2015-16 and '16-'17 seasons as the Washington Capitals' opportunity to win.
Last spring, the first leg of those aspirations were crushed by the rival Pittsburgh Penguins, the eventual Stanley Cup champions.
Now, this is the final shot.
Because no matter what happens, no matter if his club rises up to become Stanley Cup studs or revise their familiar role as post-season duds, this team is going to look remarkably different come training camp in September.