Don’t look now, but hockey season has arrived. The Washington Capitals kick off their preseason Monday by hosting the Chicago Blackhawks, the first of three home games this week. Here are the five most important questions the Capitals and their players face in the 2019-20 season — some which should be answered pretty soon, others that will be on fans’ minds throughout the year.
1. How does salary cap pickle end?
The first question is the most urgent one. The Capitals took on too much salary over the summer when they signed three free agent wingers, went to arbitration with Christian Djoos and avoided arbitration with Chandler Stephenson by giving him $1.