17 – Number of days remaining until the Caps open the 2014-15 season. But it’s also…
…the number of games played by Evgeny Kuznetsov during the 2013-14 season. Kuznetsov joined the Caps shortly after his KHL season came to a close, ending four years worth of questions about “will he or won’t he”. His long-awaited debut took place on March 10 against the Penguins, registering two shots in just over ten minutes of ice time; he recorded his first point (and his first multi-point game) two games later when he put up three assists against the Canucks, and finished the season with three goals and nine points.