According to industry sources, the Washington Capitals have checked in on New York Islanders ' pending unrestricted free agent forward, Brock Nelson. While any potential team that acquires Nelson would likely want him to extend, given the cost, the Capitals are believed to have no issue with him being a pure rental.

Rather than ice a roster merely helping Ovi break Gretzky's record, the Caps have been one of the NHL's best. Here's how they threaded the needle.