"I think we've got good depth on goaltending, so we want to take a look at a couple of guys that didn't get an opportunity to play for us last year and let them go in and see what they can do," says Laviolette. "But we do have to get ready for the season. Six games sounds like a lot, but when you're just talking about your two [NHL] goalies, now you're down to three [games each]. And then from there, if you're trying to get looks at other people, that three then goes to two and a half, two and a quarter, or two games. We've got to make sure that our guys are ready, so I think there is a balance that has to happen there."
All Lined Up - Here is how we believe the Capitals might line up, and here also is the Bruins' roster for Sunday's exhibition opener for both sides:
WASHINGTON
Forwards
73-Sheary, 20-Eller, 40-Pilon
10-Sprong, 24-McMichael, 43-Wilson
91-Snively, 29-Lapierre, 64-Pinho
47-Malenstyn, 67-Sutter, 49-Leason
Defensemen
42-Fehervary, 2-Schultz
9-Orlov, 61-Has
57-van Riemsdyk, 25-McIlrath
Goaltenders
41-Vanecek
1-Copley
BOSTON
Forwards
61-Samuel Asselin
81-Anton Blidh
74-Jake DeBrusk
47-Matt Filipe
29-Steven Fogarty
38-Jesper Froden
91-Curtis Hall
56-Erik Haula
83-Karson Kuhlman
94-Jakub Lauko
68-Fabian Lysell
62-Oskar Steen
14-Chris Wagner
Defensemen
54-Jack Ahcan
75-Connor Clifton
66-Tyler Lewington
79-Brady Lyle
27-John Moore
58-Urho Vaakanainen
67-Jakub Zboril
Goaltenders
70-Callum Booth
31-Troy Grosenick
1-Jeremy Swayman