Don't look now, the hottest team in the Eastern Conference is the Washington Capitals. After a slow start to the season, the Capitals are now not only sitting on top of the Metropolitan Division, but also the Eastern Conference with 39 points.
Young rising star Ryan Leonard was recently placed on injured reserve, but that hasn't stopped Washington from going 8-1-1 in their last 10 games. They will be off until Thursday night, when they welcome the Carolina Hurricanes to Capital One Arena.
Looking ahead to the summer, defenseman John Carlson will be a free agent, as he is playing in the final year of his eight-year, $64 million contract.