The Rink crew weighs in with optimism, pessimism and everything in between ahead of the first-round series with the Islanders.
Mere hours away from puck drop on the opening series between the Capitals and Islanders, we take a look at the good, bad and ugly that lies ahead for the Caps...
Compare this Caps' team to the teams that made the playoffs over the last 5-6 years - what about them makes you more confident than in the past? What makes you more nervous?
Becca: There's been a lot of talk about this team playing a "heavy game" and how that makes them better suited for the playoffs - the Caps have just become a very hard team to play against.