The numbers are in and the schedule is out! It has been announced that the Washington Capitals (who are at the very top of the Metropolitan division) will be playing the Montreal Canadiens (Number 5 in the Atlantic Division) for the first seven games of the Stanley Cup 2025 playoffs, beginning this weekend! Gicen the Capitals are seeded higher than the Canadiens, the majority of the seven games will be played on Washington’s home turf. That’s right, as per the Stanley Cup playbook, games 1,2,5 and 7 will all take place at the Capital One Arena in Washington, giving Alexander Ovechkin and his squad a huge home advantage.

Ovi, who’s been stealing headlines these past few weeks for breaking Wayne Gretzky’s all time NHL goals record, has not got enough credit for his other commendable feat: captaining the Capitals to the point they’re at now. On top, which is what led to their home ice advantage. This can completely tilt the competition in Washington’s favour ,these next few weeks with an added familiarity with the ice and the mass support of the Capitals fans! Of course, let’s ensure Ovi stays onboard for all the games as we can’t afford another mishap like that recent 7-0 loss to the Blue Jackets, especially not on home ice!

But though the game against the Blue Jackets wasn’t the best look for the Capitals, sans Ovi, the team has been performing remarkably all season, with stellar displays from Dylan Strome,  Aliaksei Protas, Matt Roy, Rasmus Sandin and Nic Dowd who recently signed a renewal on his contract.

The path to the playoffs: Washington Capitals

The very fact that the Capitals were the first team to qualify for the playoffs this year, when last year they were the final team to qualify is remarkable. In 69 games of this season, Spencer Carberry was able to prove a point and get his men in the playoffs! No other team in history has gone from last to first in just a year, so this feat, in itself, says something.

The capitals are especially strong this season with reliable veterans to depend on, like Ovechkin, Tom Wilson, and John Carlson as well as some new-er additions like Luc Dubois, Andrew Mangiapane, Jakob Chychrun. Then there is Nic Down who just signed a 2 year, 6 million dollar extensions with the Caps, after his exemplary play against the Islanders last Tuesday. Dowd managed to log an assist, make two shots on goal, and block two shots in that game, contributing to the 3-1 victory, and pulling the Caps out of their brief rut after the 7-0 loss to the Blue Jackets with Ovechkin on rest.

Anyway, if the team can keep up their usual consistency for the next few weeks, then they might have a real chance at holding that cup for the first time since 2018. And, given they have the home ice advantage against Montreal, especially in game 7 where it’s really going to count, they have no excuses not to. It’s good Ovi’s getting some rest in before it gets serious, because after having this far, Washington can’t go and give it all away in Washington!