(Sports Network) - The Washington Capitals enter the 2008-09 campaign as legitimate Stanley Cup contenders and will kick off the new season tonight against the Southeast Division-rival Atlanta Thrashers at Philips Arena.

Last year's MVP Alexander Ovechkin is back for another year and the young Russian will once again lead head coach Bruce Boudreau's club. Ovechkin signed a big contract last year and earned every penny with 65 goals and 47 assists for 112 points for the Capitals, who finished first in the Southeast Division with 94 points and a 43-31-3 record before losing to Philadelphia in the opening round of the playoffs.

Ovechkin has been battling a sore leg but is not expected to miss Washington's season opener. He reportedly left practice early because of the problem. Not only did Ovechkin bring home the Hart Trophy for league MVP, he also won the Art Ross Trophy and Lester B. Pearson Award. Ovechkin owns 20 goals and 20 assists in 24 career games against Atlanta.

Center Nicklas Backstrom is coming off an impressive rookie campaign and finished with 14 goals and a team-high 55 assists for 69 points. Backstrom was a finalist for the Calder Trophy. Center Michael Nylander is back at full strength after missing most of last season with a torn rotator cuff. He had 11 goals and 26 assists. Right wing Alexander Semin was out early in the season because of a bad back but returned to post 26 goals and 16 assists (42 points).

Washington added veteran goaltender Jose Theodore in the offseason to provide solidarity between the pipes now that both Cristobal Huet and Olie Kolzig are gone. Theodore went 28-21-3 with a 2.44 goals-against average for the Colorado Avalanche last season and is 11-4-0 with a 2.22 GAA in 16 games versus the Thrashers.

New head coach John Anderson will try to turn around an Atlanta club that went 34-40-8 a season ago. The Thrashers were one year removed from their first- ever playoff appearance last season and failed to meet expectations in 2007-08. Anderson, though, needs more than star left wing Ilya Kovalchuk to produce on the offensive end. Kovalchuk had 52 points and 35 assists last season while next highest scorer, Marian Hossa, moved with Pittsburgh during the season to pursue a championship. Hossa didn't get one with the Penguins, then signed with defending-champion Detroit. Center Erik Christensen was added to the roster after the trade-deadline deal that shipped Hossa to Pittsburgh.

Veteran center Marty Reasoner is expected to boost leadership in the locker room for the Thrashers, who acquired veteran defenseman Mathieu Schneider from Anaheim in the offseason. Rookie defenseman Zach Bogosian is predicted to make an immediate impact on an Atlanta defensive that suffered mightily last season. Forward Jason Williams was added during the offseason after notching 13 goals with Chicago last season. After a career-low 17 goals in 2007-08, left wing Slava Kozlov should help Kovalchuk in the scoring department.

Atlanta goaltenders Kari Lehtonen and Johan Hedberg will battle it out this season, but Anderson has noted he would like to see Lehtonen make at least 60 starts this season. Lehtonen went 17-22-5 with four shutouts and a 2.90 GAA in 48 games last season. Hedberg appeared in 36 contests and compiled a 14-15-3 mark with a shutout and a 3.46 goals-against average.

Washington and Atlanta each split eight meetings last year, but the Capitals have won the last two matchups.