One of the most disappointing NHL teams in the 2013-14 season was the Washington Capitals. A team that appeared to have an offense capable of outscoring anyone not only failed to meet expectations yet again...it failed to even qualify for the postseason for the first time since 2007.

This offseason, the Capitals have gone in a different direction - one for the better. After firing first-year head coach Adam Oates, Washington hired Barry Trotz to be the new bench boss. Trotz was very successful in his tenure with the Nashville Predators, and is known to emphasize defense.

Former Predator Joel Ward, who had plenty of success under Trotz, will be reunited with his former coach.

Also, to give the offense-laden Capitals a boost on the blue line, former Pittsburgh Penguins Matt Niskanen and Brooks Orpik were signed in free agency.

The key to Washington's success this season lies in goal. The offense will be electric once again - players like Alexander Ovechkin, Marcus Johansson, Nicklas Backstrom, Troy Brouwer and the up-and-coming Evgeni Kuznetsov will provide more than enough scoring, while Trotz and the new additions on the blue line will upgrade the team's defensive efforts.

But can goaltender Braden Holtby be relied upon? On the bright side, the team added a decent backup in Justin Peters, but they still may not be good enough to carry Washington to a deep playoff run.

Also, Trotz needs to get the superstar Ovechkin to play a more defensively-oriented game. He had another great season last year from a scoring perspective, but he was one of the absolute worst players in hockey when it came to defense. As we have seen in all sports, offense and more offense just will not cut it.

Expect the Capitals to have a better season in 2014-15, but they will still be a playoff bubble team. This year, however, they may have the inside track to a Wild Card playoff slot since they definitely improved over the summer.

Prediction: 41-29-12 (94 points), 8th in the Eastern Conference (second Wild Card)