Photo: Getty Images

Capitals hockey is back. After four long months the Capitals head back to work, as they begin their chase towards the playoffs and maybe beyond. Actually, that’s still a few weeks away when the games actually count. 

But who will be on that opening night roster on October 5 in Ottawa? That’s what this seven-game preseason slate will decide. Who makes the Capitals roster and who has to wait just a little bit longer until they can achieve their NHL dreams.

On Monday night at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, the Capitals begin the next chapter against the Devils. Puck drop is at 7:00 PM. The game will air locally on CSN.

THE ROSTERS

Capitals: We all know about all the prospects that are hopeful to make the Capitals roster, and to no surprise, many of them are in the lineup. On the forward side of things we’ll see Riley Barber, Travis Boyd, Tyler Graovac, Chandler Stephenson and Nathan Walker, as well as Alex Chiasson, who is with the team on a PTO.

The blueline features only two veterans: John Carlson and Taylor Chorney. The prospects include Aaron Ness, Christian Djoos, Lucas Johansen, and Tyler Lewington.

If you also follow the Hershey Bears closely, you’ll see two of their top three scorers from last season in this game. Boyd led the Bears in assists with 63 while Djoos finished third on the team with 58 points (13 goals, 45 assists). Djoos also led all AHL defensemen in assists.

Devils: Marcus Johansson will face his former team for the first time since being traded to the Devils for a second and third round pick in next year’s draft. This trade came in the aftermath of the Capitals re-signing Evgeny Kuznetsov to an eight year deal worth $62.4 million.

Also in the New Jersey lineup is the top pick in the 2017 NHL Draft, Nico Hischier. Hischier will get his first taste of NHL action. Last season with the Halifax Mooseheads of the QMJHL, Hischier scored 38 goals and added 48 assists (86 points) in 57 games played.

The Devils will look to bounce back this season after enduring a brutal 2016-17 where they finished with the league’s third worst record.

SHAVINGS

• The Capitals went 3-0-1 against the Devils last season
• This is the first time the Capitals will play the Devils in the preseason since September 29, 2008
• The Capitals are 105-74-13-4 all-time against the Devils
• Four of the Capitals seven preseason games come against Metropolitan Division opponents

By Michael Marzzacco
Follow @marswaggo

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by NoVa Caps (@nova_caps)