Steve Konowalchuk. (AP)

1998-99 Record: 31-45-6, 68 points, 3rd Southeast Division
Coach: Ron Wilson (71-75-18, two years as Capitals coach)
New faces: G Craig Billington, C Jeff Nelson, RW Ulf Dahlen, RW Glen Metropolit
Losses: D Mark Tinordi, C Jeff Nelson, LW-RW Brian Bellows, LW Kelly Miller, LW-C Michal Pivonka, G Rick Tabaracci, C Benoit Gratton
Strengths: RW Peter Bondra remains one of the league's top snipers, scoring 31 goals in only 66 games last season. C Adam Oates takes over the captaincy and even at 36 is a premier playmaker. The Capitals' defense has lost a couple of key components but remains strong with the likes of Sergei Gonchar, Calle Johansson, Ken Klee and Joe Reekie. Gonchar managed to finish second on the team with 21 goals despite a messy holdout and injuries that cost him 29 games. The Caps are hoping for big things from "Yogi" Svejkovsky, who missed 49 games with an ankle injury and a concussion. GM George McPhee cast off unproductive veterans Miller and Pivonka, so if nothing else, this team will be younger in 1999-2000. Wilson took Washington to the Stanley Cup Finals only two years ago and is still one of the top coaches in the game.
Weaknesses: Injuries, injuries, injuries. The Capitals again led the league in man-games lost to injury with an incredible 511. Injuries kept Bondra, Oates, Svejkovsky, LW-RW Richard Zednik, LW Chris Simon, LW-RW Steve Konowalchuk and Gonchar on the shelf for prolonged stretches. Given that, Toe Blake could not have coached this bunch into the playoffs. Washington fired longtime trainer Stan Wong in hopes of reversing what has been a trend. C Andrei Nikolishin remains a disappointment after an eight-goal season. He was supposed to help provide scoring balance on a line with Bondra and Zednik. The jury remains out on G Olaf Kolzig, who was most responsible for the 1998 trip to the Stanley Cup Finals. His play improved as the season went on, but he's the first to admit he has to do better. The Caps have yet to create a home-ice advantage at the MCI Center, going 16-23-2 there last season.
Wilson says: "Just one (key) – stay healthy. If we were healthy last year, things would have been different. We lost 515 man-games. That's twice as many as anybody else. Sportswriters don't like to hear that excuse, but that's six regulars a game."