Not to get too Caps-centric today with Joe's post going up earlier, but the Washington Capitals are next up in our blogger post-mortem series featuring SBN all-stars. For the Caps, we've got J.P. and Becca from Japers' Rink, who shook off the shock of Game 7 to answer some questions. If you missed our previous installments, check out what SBN bloggers had to say about the Kings, Sens, Devils, Sabres, Predators, and Avalanche.

Do you think your team could have gone farther or is this what you expected?
After the regular season they put together, the talent and depth in the lineup, and the baby steps they'd taken in each of the past two post-seasons, expectations around this Caps team were higher than they've been in, well, forever. It wasn't just about getting past the first or second rounds, there was a real belief - among fans and the team alike - that this team could contend for the Cup. To go out in the first round this way was a huge disappointment. Heartbreaking.

Any injuries (previously hidden or known) that made a big impact on the series?
The only injury that really had any major impact was the one to Tom Poti, who took a puck to the face in Game 6 and had to undergo surgery to repair a fractured orbital bone. Poti had been one of the best defensemen for the Caps throughout the series and played a lot of minutes shorthanded. As far as we know, the rest of the team was mostly healthy, but we'll know more on that front today.

Was there a turning point for the series?
The first ten minutes of Game 5, definitely. The Caps held a 3-1 series lead and had a chance to clinch at home, but they started the game extremely flat and fell behind early on. By the time they started to generate any sort of attack, Halak had found his groove and turned away everything, a trend which continued right up until the end of Game 7. That missed opportunity to close out the series on their own terms and on their own ice came back to bite them in the end.

What does the loss mean for the franchise (fan expectations, market, etc.)?
As disappointing as this playoff run was, there's still a general sense that this team is built to compete long-term, with a lot of excitement around a strong group of core players (though opinions may vary as to whom to include in that core, ultimately) who are still not yet at their peak and a bunch of good, highly-rated prospects waiting in the wings. Winning the Cup was the goal this year, but really we just wanted to see them advance beyond where they'd been, to progress. They didn't, obviously, but the ability to do so next year is still there.

Enthusiasm for regular season accomplishments might be tempered even more than they were this year, but Verizon Center will still be full every night. It's an exciting young team and frankly one of the only successful DC teams at the moment - the market won't suffer because of this one loss.

Who do you anticipate losing in the off-season?
The team will probably lose Jose Theodore, who will be a UFA this summer, as they have both Semyon Varlamov and Michal Neuvirth who are NHL-ready, not to mention another great prospect in Hershey in Braden Holtby. If Theodore does stay on to be the veteran backup for one of them, it'll likely be on a one-year deal and a significantly cheaper one than the $4.5 million per year he's getting now. Not likely, in reality. The trio of trade deadline acquisitions - Joe Corvo, Eric Belanger and Scott Walker - are probably all gone, too, as is Brendan Morrison. And as far as RFAs go, there's a longshot chance that Eric Fehr, who never has seemed to find his way into Bruce Boudreau's good graces, could be a casualty of the salary cap (although most of us in CapsNation would prefer to see Tomas Fleischmann depart instead if chosing between the two).

What are the next steps for the franchise?
First and foremost, re-sign Nicklas Backstrom for as long as possible. Give him whatever he wants. The kid's the real deal, an immensely underrated superstar and a guy who, amazingly enough, makes Alex Ovechkin better than he already is.

But beyond that the next steps have to involve addressing the weaknesses that were exposed in this playoff series. Penalty killing, size (and skill) up the middle and just an overall grit that was lacking - all of these things need to be taken care of. An upgrade on defense also wouldn't hurt - reducing Mike Green's minutes and responsibilities would seem to be in order - although with John Carlson and Karl Alzner looking poised to start the season in the NHL next year, there are strong reinforcements from within the organization that should be here for a long time.

Tweaks need to be made, whether it's behind the bench or on it, without disrupting the core of the team. A lot of us believe that the pieces are there for a real contender; they just need fine tuning.

Big thanks to J.P. and Becca for handling the Q&A while the wounds were still fresh. Be sure to check out Japers' Rink for all your off-season Caps news -- I'm sure there will be plenty to discuss.