2018-19 NHL SEASON OPENS WITH DOUBLEHEADER IN U.S. AND CANADA

The 101st opening night in League history features a national doubleheader in both the U.S. and Canada as eight teams drop the puck on the 2018-19 NHL season on Wednesday.

CAPITALS TO RAISE BANNER, BEGIN DEFENSE OF STANLEY CUP

For the first time in the franchise’s 44-season history, the Capitals will open a campaign as defending Stanley Cup champions when they host the Bruins on a banner-raising night at Capital One Arena.

• On the ice, the Capitals will look almost identical to the team that captured Lord Stanley’s Cup last June as 18 of the 20 players who dressed for the Cup-clinching Game 5 against the Golden Knights remain with the club – forward Jay Beagle (VAN) and goaltender Philipp Grubauer (COL) are the only players who dressed for the deciding game and are no longer with the team.
• Capitals forward Alex Ovechkin looks to continue the momentum of a banner 2017-18 season that saw the longtime captain reach the 600-goal, 500-assist and 1,000-game milestones while also capturing his seventh career Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy after leading the League with 49 goals during the regular season and the Conn Smythe Trophy after leading the postseason with 15 goals during Washington’s Stanley Cup run.
• Ovechkin needs 78 points for 1,200 in his career (607-515—1,122 in 1,003 GP) and has scored at least 30 goals in each of his 13 NHL campaigns. The Capitals captain aims to become just the third player in League history to score 30+ goals in 14 consecutive seasons. Should Ovechkin lead the NHL in goals during the 2018-19 season, he would become the first player in NHL history to do so eight times.
• Todd Reirden is set to make his NHL head coaching debut with the Capitals after spending the past four seasons on Barry Trotz’s staff as assistant coach (2014-16) and associate coach (2016-18). This marks the 12th time in NHL history that a Stanley Cup champion has opened the following season with a new head coach and first since Dave Lewis replaced Scotty Bowman after the Red Wings’ 2002 Stanley Cup triumph.
• Of note, only three times in NHL history has a team won back-to-back Stanley Cup championships with different coaches: Detroit (Tommy Ivan in 1954 and Jimmy Skinner in 1955), Montreal (Toe Blake in 1968 and Claude Ruel in 1969) and Pittsburgh (Bob Johnson in 1991 and Scotty Bowman in 1992).
• Defending Stanley Cup champions hold an all-time record of 57-25-15 in season openers the first year after claiming the title.

TAVARES, KARLSSON SET TO DEBUT WITH NEW TEAMS

Two of the League’s biggest stars are set to debut with new clubs when forward John Tavares marks his first regular-season game with the Maple Leafs against the Canadiens at Scotiabank Arena and Erik Karlsson patrols the blueline for the Sharks against the Ducks at SAP Center.

SEASON-OPENER FUN FACTS

• Aside from the Golden Knights, who defeated the Stars 2-1 in their inaugural game in 2017-18, the Lightning (.680) hold the best points percentage in season-openers in League history.
• The Lightning, Canadiens and Canucks share the longest active win streak in season openers with all three clubs 4-0-0 since 2014-15. The NHL record is nine straight wins, set by the Canadiens (1953-54 to 1961-62) and matched by the Blues (1978-79 to 1986-87).
• At four games, the Lightning, Canadiens, Canucks and Capitals (2-0-2) share the longest active point streak in season openers. The NHL record is 17, set by the Canadiens (13-0-4 from 1963-64 to 1979-80).
• The NHL record for fastest goal from the start of a season opener is 0:10, scored by Minnesota North Stars forward Kent Nilsson on Oct. 11, 1986 against the Quebec Nordiques.
• The NHL record for goals by one player in a season opener is five, achieved twice in 1917-18 (Harry Hyland and Joe Malone) and once in 1922-23 (Babe Dye). The modern-era record is four, last achieved by Maple Leafs forward Auston Matthews in his League debut on Oct. 12, 2016 against the Senators.
• The NHL record for assists in a season opener is five, set by Devils forward Greg Adams on Oct. 10, 1985 against the Flyers and matched by Penguins forward John Cullen on Oct. 5, 1990 against the Capitals.
• The NHL record for points in a season opener is six, set by Penguins forward Kevin Stevens (2-4—6) on Oct. 5, 1990 against the Capitals.
• Marc-Andre Fleury (VGK; 9-4-0, 13 GP) and Ryan Miller (ANA; 9-3-1, 13 GP) each need one win to match the NHL record for career wins in season openers.
• Fleury, Antti Niemi (MTL; 6 GP), Jimmy Howard (DET; 7 GP) and Roberto Luongo (FLA; 15 GP) all have two shutouts in season openers, one shy of the record shared by Glenn Hall (11 GP) and Jacques Plante (12 GP).