Washington Capitals 2026-27 Season Preview: An Aggressive Offseason Sets Up a Fascinating Year in Washington
By Brian Hradsky
The Washington Capitals enter the 2026-27 season looking almost nothing like the team that narrowly missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs last spring. General manager Chris Patrick spent the offseason reshaping the roster around Alex Ovechkin, adding proven scorers Alex Tuch and Jordan Kyrou, former Columbus Blue Jackets captain Boone Jenner and massive defenseman Vincent Desharnais while continuing to create opportunities for Washington’s impressive collection of young players.
The result could be one of the deepest Capitals teams in years.
Washington finished 43-30-9 with 95 points last season, placing fourth in the Metropolitan Division and missing the playoffs after finishing three points behind third place. It represented a significant decline from the 2024-25 team that finished atop the Eastern Conference with 111 points. The Capitals nevertheless closed 2025-26 with a 7-2-0 surge and finished only four points out of the second wild-card position.
Patrick responded aggressively.
Tuch, Kyrou and Jenner give coach Spencer Carbery three established NHL forwards to add to a group that already includes Ovechkin, Dylan Strome, Tom Wilson, Aliaksei Protas and Pierre-Luc Dubois. Ryan Leonard now enters his first season as an established NHL player rather than a prospect trying to prove he belongs, while Justin Sourdif, Cole Hutson and Ilya Protas represent another wave of young talent.
There is also an important difference surrounding Ovechkin.
There is no longer a contract countdown.
Ovechkin signed a one-year extension July 2 and will return for his 22nd season with Washington. He enters the year at age 41 as the NHL’s all-time leading goal scorer with 929 goals and 1,687 points in 1,573 career games. Last season, he still led Washington with 32 goals and 64 points, becoming one of only three players in league history to score at least 32 goals at age 40 or older.
The Capitals are not simply bringing Ovechkin back for a ceremonial final lap. Their offseason indicates they intend to give him another legitimate opportunity to chase the Stanley Cup.
And they have constructed a roster capable of making this season extremely interesting.
Washington’s opening-night roster
The Capitals officially announced their 23-man opening-night roster Monday. Washington will carry 14 forwards, seven active defensemen and two goaltenders, while Rasmus Sandin has been designated injured non-roster.
Forwards:
Alex Ovechkin
Ryan Leonard
Dylan Strome
Aliaksei Protas
Boone Jenner
Jordan Kyrou
Justin Sourdif
Tom Wilson
Ethen Frank
Ilya Protas
Ivan Miroshnichenko
Anthony Beauvillier
Pierre-Luc Dubois
Alex Tuch
Defensemen:
Matt Roy
Jakob Chychrun
Timothy Liljegren
Martin Fehervary
Cole Hutson
Dylan McIlrath
Vincent Desharnais
Injured non-roster:
Rasmus Sandin
Goaltenders:
Logan Thompson
Charlie Lindgren
That roster demonstrates how dramatically Washington’s depth has changed.
The Capitals have 11 players who have produced at least one 20-goal NHL season, including six who have reached 30. Washington also has nine players who stand at least 6-foot-4 and weigh 200 pounds or more.
This team can be big, physical and difficult to defend while possessing significantly more speed and scoring ability than some recent Capitals teams.
That combination will be central to Washington’s season.
Ovechkin returns for season No. 22
Everything still begins with No. 8.
Ovechkin’s return changes the complexion of the Capitals’ season. He scored 32 goals last year despite playing his age-40 season and has now led or shared Washington’s team lead in goals in every one of his 21 NHL seasons. Washington went 18-4-2 when Ovechkin scored and 32-10-3 when he recorded a point last season.
He no longer needs to chase Wayne Gretzky.
Ovechkin instead enters this season at 929 career goals with an opportunity to continue pushing the NHL’s career goals record into territory that could stand for generations.
Another 30-goal season would take him to 959. Twenty-one goals would make him the first NHL player to reach 950.
But the Capitals should not need Ovechkin to carry their offense to the same degree.
That might be the most important development of the summer.
Tuch, Kyrou, Leonard, Strome, Wilson, Protas, Dubois and Jenner give Washington enough offensive options that Carbery can manage Ovechkin’s minutes and deploy him where he remains most dangerous.
The power play remains particularly important. Washington struggled on special teams during its failed playoff push last season, and restoring the power play was a major training-camp emphasis.
Ovechkin remains one of hockey’s most dangerous power-play weapons. Washington needs to create cleaner entries, quicker puck movement and enough threats elsewhere that opponents cannot simply overload toward Ovechkin’s side.
Alex Tuch gives Washington another legitimate scoring winger
Tuch could become one of Washington’s most important additions in years.
The Capitals acquired the 6-foot-4 winger from Buffalo after he signed an eight-year, $84 million contract. Washington sent David Kampf and a 2027 third-round pick to Buffalo in the deal. Tuch produced 33 goals and 66 points over 79 regular-season games last year and added four goals and seven points in 13 playoff games.
That gives Washington something it desperately needed: another large, established top-six winger who can score.
Tuch has reached 30 goals three times and provides speed that is unusual for a player of his size. Putting him alongside Washington’s existing centers gives Carbery considerably more lineup flexibility.
Opponents cannot build their entire defensive strategy around Ovechkin’s line anymore.
Tuch can drive another scoring line. Kyrou can do the same. Wilson is coming off multiple productive seasons. Leonard is emerging rapidly.
Washington can potentially attack opponents in waves rather than depending on one dominant unit.
Jordan Kyrou adds another dimension
Washington paid a substantial price for Kyrou.
The Capitals traded Connor McMichael, prospect Milton Gastrin and the No. 16 pick in the 2026 NHL Draft to St. Louis for the 28-year-old winger. Kyrou recorded 46 points on 18 goals and 28 assists in 72 games last season, but that came after three consecutive 30-goal seasons.
The Capitals are betting that his scoring can rebound.
There are reasons to believe it can.
Kyrou brings high-end skating and transition ability to a Washington roster that has become increasingly large. That gives the Capitals an interesting mixture. Players such as Wilson, Dubois, Protas, Tuch and Jenner can wear teams down physically, while Kyrou and Washington’s younger forwards can attack with speed.
Kyrou also produced encouraging defensive results last season. Daily Faceoff noted that among 384 forwards with at least 500 five-on-five minutes, he ranked among the league’s better players at limiting expected goals and high-danger chances against.
If Washington gets the 30-goal version of Kyrou while retaining those defensive improvements, the trade could dramatically improve the Capitals’ top nine.
Boone Jenner changes the personality of the lineup
Jenner might not receive the attention of Tuch or Kyrou, but his signing could become extremely important.
The former Columbus captain signed a four-year contract after spending his first 13 NHL seasons with the Blue Jackets. Jenner produced 13 goals and 38 points in 67 games last season. He has four career 20-goal seasons and once reached 30.
More importantly, Jenner can play center or wing.
That gives Carbery options.
He can move Jenner through the lineup depending on injuries and matchups. He can use him in a checking role or give him offensive linemates. He provides another experienced faceoff option and another player comfortable playing a heavy game around the net.
Washington already had size.
Jenner makes the Capitals even harder to play against.
Ryan Leonard could be ready for another jump
One of the most exciting players on the roster did not come from an offseason trade.
Leonard established himself as a legitimate NHL player last season.
The 21-year-old finished with 20 goals and 45 points in 74 games, ranking fifth among NHL rookies in points late in the season.
Those numbers may only represent the beginning.
Leonard possesses the combination Washington values: skill, competitiveness and physicality. He is not afraid to attack the difficult areas of the ice and has enough offensive talent to eventually become one of Washington’s primary scorers.
A jump from 20 goals toward 25 or 30 would significantly raise Washington’s offensive ceiling.
Unlike a year ago, Leonard is no longer trying to prove that he belongs in the NHL.
Now the question is how good he can become.
The Protas brothers create another fascinating storyline
Aliaksei Protas has already established himself as an important NHL forward.
Now his younger brother is here.
Ilya Protas made Washington’s opening roster after a tremendous first professional season with Hershey. The 20-year-old recorded 29 goals and 66 points in 69 AHL games, leading the Bears in scoring and tying for sixth across the AHL. He then produced four points in four NHL games.
The younger Protas is 6-foot-6 and 230 pounds.
Aliaksei is 6-foot-6 and approximately 250.
That creates an almost ridiculous amount of size in Washington’s forward group when combined with Wilson, Dubois and Tuch.
Ilya Protas was viewed entering camp as a candidate for Washington’s third-line center job. His performance will be worth monitoring because successful development would give the Capitals another young, inexpensive forward capable of growing alongside Leonard, Sourdif and Hutson.
This is no longer simply an old team trying to squeeze out another playoff appearance.
Washington is attempting something considerably more difficult: contend while simultaneously transitioning to its next generation.
Miroshnichenko finally gets his opportunity
Ivan Miroshnichenko making the opening-night roster represents another significant development.
The 22-year-old former first-round pick produced 14 goals and 34 points in 41 games for Hershey last season while adding two goals and three points in 13 NHL appearances.
Miroshnichenko has spent the past several seasons developing within the organization.
Now he has made the team.
His challenge becomes staying there.
Washington’s forward depth means there will be competition for playing time every night. Ethen Frank, Sourdif, Beauvillier and Miroshnichenko cannot all assume regular roles without somebody else coming out.
That internal competition should benefit Washington.
If Miroshnichenko establishes himself as a legitimate scoring winger, Washington suddenly becomes even deeper.
Dylan Strome remains central to everything
The Capitals made several flashy additions, but Strome remains one of their most important offensive players.
His chemistry with Ovechkin has become one of Washington’s most reliable combinations. Strome has produced five career 20-goal seasons and set a career high with 29 in 2024-25.
He provides the vision necessary to find Ovechkin in scoring areas while also possessing enough finishing ability to punish defenses that cheat toward No. 8.
Washington now has enough depth that Strome should encounter more favorable matchups.
That could make him even more dangerous.
Wilson remains part of the Capitals’ identity
Wilson enters another season as an alternate captain and remains one of the defining players on the roster.
He gives Washington physicality, net-front presence, leadership and legitimate scoring.
Wilson has produced five 20-goal seasons and established a career high with 33 goals in 2024-25.
Washington does not need Wilson chasing hits or penalties.
The Capitals need the complete version of Wilson — a physical top-six forward who can score, defend and create space for skilled linemates.
With Tuch, Jenner and the Protas brothers joining or remaining in the lineup, Wilson also does not have to shoulder Washington’s physical identity by himself.
Pierre-Luc Dubois becomes an X-factor
Dubois enters an interesting season.
Washington has considerably more forward depth around him than when it initially acquired him. That could allow Carbery to put Dubois into situations that maximize his size, puck protection and playmaking.
Dubois has five career 20-goal seasons with a career high of 28.
Washington does not necessarily need 30 goals from him.
It needs consistency.
If Dubois anchors a productive middle-six line while contributing on special teams and providing difficult defensive matchups, Washington’s forward depth becomes extremely difficult to handle.
A different-looking Capitals defense
Washington’s blue line has undergone substantial changes.
John Carlson is gone after being traded during last season. Trevor van Riemsdyk departed in free agency. Declan Chisholm was traded to New Jersey.
That leaves Jakob Chychrun as the biggest offensive threat from the back end.
Chychrun has flourished in Washington. After never scoring more than 18 goals before joining the Capitals, he has produced at least 20 goals in each of his first two Washington seasons.
That is extraordinary production for a defenseman.
Washington will rely heavily on Chychrun to move the puck, contribute on the power play and generate offense from the blue line.
Matt Roy provides a more defensive presence, while Martin Fehervary remains important because of his skating and ability to defend against opposing top forwards.
The wildcard is Cole Hutson.
Cole Hutson could become a major piece
Hutson’s arrival late last season gave Washington another glimpse into its future.
He recorded 10 points, including three goals, in his first 13 NHL games after leaving Boston University.
Those numbers immediately created expectations.
Hutson possesses the offensive instincts and puck-moving ability Washington has increasingly emphasized on defense. With Carlson gone, there are minutes available for somebody to become a long-term offensive driver from the blue line.
Chychrun will handle a large portion of that responsibility immediately.
Hutson could eventually handle the rest.
There will inevitably be mistakes from a young defenseman. Washington should be willing to live with some of them because Hutson’s upside is substantial.
Desharnais adds enormous size
Vincent Desharnais gives Washington another completely different type of defenseman.
At 6-foot-7, he is the tallest skater on the opening roster.
He signed a four-year deal after recording seven points while averaging a career-high 18:11 across 53 games for San Jose. Desharnais also blocked 83 shots and delivered 103 hits.
Washington does not need him generating offense.
His job will be clearing the crease, killing penalties, winning battles and making life uncomfortable for opposing forwards.
The Capitals can potentially pair their puck-moving defensemen with larger defensive partners, creating better balance across the blue line.
Sandin’s injury creates an early question
Rasmus Sandin’s injured non-roster designation means Washington will begin the season without one of its established defensemen.
That creates opportunities for others.
Timothy Liljegren could receive additional minutes. Dylan McIlrath provides a massive physical presence. Hutson could see his responsibilities increase quickly.
Washington’s defensive depth will receive an immediate test.
Once Sandin returns, Carbery will have considerably more options.
Logan Thompson gives Washington stability in goal
The Capitals can have all the offensive talent they want, but their biggest advantage might still be in goal.
Logan Thompson has developed into one of the NHL’s better goaltenders since Washington acquired him from Vegas in 2024.
Last season he appeared in a career-high 58 games, finishing 31-21-6 with a 2.44 goals-against average, .912 save percentage and four shutouts. He ranked among the league leaders in several major categories and earned a spot on Canada’s 2026 Olympic roster.
Thompson is signed long term.
That matters.
Washington does not enter this season wondering who its No. 1 goalie will be.
It knows.
Charlie Lindgren remains behind Thompson and gives Carbery an experienced second option.
With an 84-game schedule and 14 back-to-back sets, Lindgren’s workload will matter.
Spencer Carbery faces a different challenge
Carbery’s first few seasons in Washington involved managing transition.
This season is different.
The roster is built to compete.
Carbery enters his fourth season behind Washington’s bench, and the Capitals have accumulated the eighth-most victories in the NHL during his tenure.
His biggest challenge could simply be finding combinations that work.
Tuch is new.
Kyrou is new.
Jenner is new.
Desharnais is new.
Ilya Protas is effectively new.
Miroshnichenko is attempting to become a full-time NHL player.
Hutson is entering his first full season.
The Capitals may need time to establish chemistry, something NHL.com’s season preview identified as one of Washington’s primary challenges.
Carbery has options.
Now he has to determine which combinations maximize them.
The schedule: 84 games create a different challenge
For the first time since 1993-94, NHL teams will play 84 regular-season games.
The Capitals will play 42 at home and 42 on the road. Washington has five homestands of at least three games, including five-game stretches from Oct. 14-28 and Feb. 14-23. The Capitals also face five road stretches of at least three games and 14 back-to-back sets.
The most difficult stretch may arrive in December.
Washington begins a six-game road trip Dec. 3 in Edmonton and continues through Calgary, Vancouver, Seattle, Colorado and Dallas before finally returning home Dec. 17. It is Washington’s longest trip of the season.
The schedule pauses Feb. 4-12 around NHL All-Star Weekend.
Washington will also receive plenty of national attention. The Capitals have 17 nationally televised games, tied for fifth-most in the NHL. All four games against Pittsburgh are scheduled for national broadcasts.
Washington Capitals 2026-27 full schedule
Times below reflect the NHL’s subsequent nationally televised time changes where announced.
October
Oct. 2 — at Carolina, 7 p.m.
Oct. 3 — at Tampa Bay, 7 p.m.
Oct. 7 — vs. Pittsburgh, 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 9 — vs. New York Rangers, 7 p.m.
Oct. 11 — vs. Seattle, 5 p.m.
Oct. 13 — at Carolina, 6:45 p.m.
Oct. 14 — vs. Montreal, 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 17 — vs. New Jersey, 1 p.m.
Oct. 20 — vs. Los Angeles, 7 p.m.
Oct. 24 — vs. Buffalo, 7 p.m.
Oct. 28 — vs. Philadelphia, 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 29 — at Nashville, 8 p.m.
Washington gets tested immediately. The Capitals open with a road back-to-back against defending Stanley Cup champion Carolina and Tampa Bay before coming home for Pittsburgh. That is a difficult opening three games.
October then becomes favorable geographically, with a five-game homestand from Oct. 14 through Oct. 28.
November
Nov. 1 — vs. Minnesota, 3:30 p.m.
Nov. 3 — vs. Dallas, 7 p.m.
Nov. 7 — vs. Florida, 12:30 p.m.
Nov. 10 — at Ottawa, 7 p.m.
Nov. 12 — at New Jersey, 7 p.m.
Nov. 14 — vs. New Jersey, 7 p.m.
Nov. 17 — at Tampa Bay, 7:30 p.m.
Nov. 19 — vs. Buffalo, 7 p.m.
Nov. 21 — at Boston, 7 p.m.
Nov. 25 — vs. Philadelphia, 7 p.m.
Nov. 27 — vs. Florida, 3 p.m.
Nov. 28 — at St. Louis, 7 p.m.
November brings a heavy Eastern Conference schedule.
The home-and-home style sequence against New Jersey on Nov. 12 and Nov. 14 could become particularly important in the Metropolitan Division race.
December
Dec. 1 — vs. Vancouver, 7 p.m.
Dec. 3 — at Edmonton, 8 p.m.
Dec. 5 — at Calgary, 3:30 p.m.
Dec. 7 — at Vancouver, 9 p.m.
Dec. 10 — at Seattle, 9:30 p.m.
Dec. 12 — at Colorado, 9 p.m.
Dec. 15 — at Dallas, 9:30 p.m.
Dec. 17 — vs. Detroit, 7 p.m.
Dec. 19 — vs. St. Louis, 7 p.m.
Dec. 21 — at Toronto, 2 p.m.
Dec. 26 — vs. Columbus, 8 p.m.
Dec. 28 — vs. Edmonton, 7 p.m.
Dec. 30 — at New York Islanders, 4 p.m.
Dec. 31 — at Columbus, 2 p.m.
December could tell us plenty about Washington.
The six-game western trip includes Edmonton, Colorado and Dallas and spans nearly two weeks. Managing Thompson and Lindgren through this stretch will be important.
Then Washington finishes December with a Dec. 30-31 back-to-back against Metropolitan opponents.
January
Jan. 2 — vs. Ottawa, 7 p.m.
Jan. 4 — vs. Toronto, 7:30 p.m.
Jan. 6 — at Los Angeles, 10 p.m.
Jan. 8 — at San Jose, 10 p.m.
Jan. 10 — at Anaheim, 3:30 p.m.
Jan. 12 — vs. Vegas, 7 p.m.
Jan. 14 — vs. Carolina, 7 p.m.
Jan. 16 — vs. Colorado, 7 p.m.
Jan. 18 — at Pittsburgh, 4 p.m.
Jan. 19 — vs. Montreal, 7 p.m.
Jan. 22 — vs. New York Islanders, 7 p.m.
Jan. 24 — at New Jersey, 7 p.m.
Jan. 29 — at Utah, 9 p.m.
Jan. 30 — at Vegas, 10 p.m.
January contains another Western swing, although this one is more manageable.
The Jan. 18 game in Pittsburgh followed by Montreal in Washington the next night represents another difficult back-to-back.
February
Feb. 2 — vs. Winnipeg, 6 p.m.
Feb. 3 — at Florida, 7 p.m.
Feb. 4-12 — NHL break
Feb. 13 — at Montreal, 1 p.m.
Feb. 14 — vs. Utah, 1 p.m.
Feb. 16 — vs. Anaheim, 7 p.m.
Feb. 19 — vs. San Jose, 7 p.m.
Feb. 21 — vs. Nashville, 6 p.m.
Feb. 23 — vs. New York Rangers, 7 p.m.
Feb. 25 — at Boston, 8 p.m.
Feb. 26 — at New York Rangers, 7 p.m.
Washington receives its second five-game homestand immediately after the break.
That could be an opportunity to accumulate points before the schedule becomes extremely Metropolitan-heavy down the stretch.
March
March 1 — at New York Islanders, 7 p.m.
March 3 — vs. Carolina, 7 p.m.
March 5 — at Winnipeg, 8 p.m.
March 7 — at Minnesota, 9:30 p.m.
March 9 — vs. Calgary, 7 p.m.
March 10 — at Chicago, 8 p.m.
March 13 — at Pittsburgh, 3 p.m.
March 15 — vs. Tampa Bay, 3 p.m.
March 17 — vs. New York Islanders, 7 p.m.
March 18 — at Buffalo, 7:30 p.m.
March 21 — at New York Rangers, 8 p.m.
March 23 — vs. Detroit, 7 p.m.
March 24 — at Detroit, 7:30 p.m.
March 26 — vs. Boston, 7 p.m.
March 28 — at Toronto, 7 p.m.
March 30 — vs. Chicago, 7 p.m.
March is brutal from a workload perspective.
Washington plays 16 games in 30 days.
This is where the Capitals’ depth could pay off. Carbery cannot reasonably expect the same 18 skaters and Thompson to carry the entire workload.
April
April 1 — at Philadelphia, 7:30 p.m.
April 3 — vs. Columbus, 5 p.m.
April 4 — vs. Pittsburgh, 7 p.m.
April 6 — at Columbus, 7:45 p.m.
April 8 — at Ottawa, 7 p.m.
April 10 — at Philadelphia, 12:30 p.m.
The season ends with six games against Eastern Conference opponents and four against Metropolitan Division teams.
That could make the final 10 days enormously important.
Washington’s final home game comes April 4 against Pittsburgh before the Capitals finish with three consecutive road games.
Five major questions entering the season
Can Washington fix its special teams? This may be the biggest tactical question. The roster possesses too much offensive talent for the power play to become a weakness. Ovechkin, Strome, Chychrun, Tuch, Kyrou and Leonard give Carbery numerous combinations.
How quickly will the new forwards develop chemistry? Washington added three forwards who could immediately occupy important top-nine positions. Training camp was unusually short, meaning some experimentation may continue into October.
Can the young players take another step? Leonard, Ilya Protas, Sourdif, Miroshnichenko and Hutson could determine Washington’s ceiling. The Capitals do not need all five to break out. Two or three substantial jumps would change the roster considerably.
Can Thompson handle another large workload? He made 58 starts last season, a career high. With 84 games and 14 back-to-backs, Lindgren will need to provide quality starts so Washington can avoid overworking Thompson.
Can Washington survive the Metropolitan Division? The Capitals missed the postseason despite 95 points last year. There is little room for prolonged losing streaks, particularly against divisional opponents.
The Capitals have constructed a fascinating mix
Perhaps the most impressive part of Washington’s roster construction is that Patrick did not choose between rebuilding and trying to win with Ovechkin.
He attempted both.
Ovechkin is 41.
Jenner is 33.
Wilson is 32.
Tuch is 30.
But Leonard is 21. Ilya Protas is 20. Hutson is young and just beginning his NHL career. Miroshnichenko is 22. Sourdif is 24. Aliaksei Protas is only 25.
That is a significantly healthier age distribution than Washington possessed several years ago.
The Capitals can enter a game with Ovechkin chasing another NHL milestone while simultaneously giving meaningful minutes to players who could still be part of the organization long after he retires.
That is difficult roster management.
Washington appears to have pulled it off without surrendering its immediate ambitions.
What success should look like
Washington’s offseason makes the organization’s expectations obvious.
This roster was constructed to return to the postseason and compete once it gets there.
Patrick did not acquire Tuch and immediately commit $84 million to him simply to make Washington younger.
He did not trade McMichael, Gastrin and a first-round selection for Kyrou simply to make a marginal upgrade.
He did not sign Jenner for four seasons or Desharnais for four seasons to stand still.
Washington made aggressive moves after missing the playoffs.
The Capitals have scoring depth. They have size. They have an established No. 1 goaltender. They have veteran leadership. They also have a legitimate group of young NHL players beginning to emerge simultaneously.
The primary uncertainty is whether all those pieces fit together quickly enough.
MSB Take
This could be one of the most fascinating Capitals seasons since the 2018 Stanley Cup run.
Ovechkin’s 22nd season would already make 2026-27 historic. He enters it with 929 goals, another contract, the NHL goal-scoring record already in his possession and an opportunity to push that record even farther.
But this season should not be viewed only as an Ovechkin farewell tour.
Washington’s offseason moves say otherwise.
Tuch gives the Capitals another major goal-scoring threat. Kyrou adds speed and offensive creativity. Jenner provides versatility, experience and toughness. Leonard could be on the verge of becoming a star. Ilya Protas and Miroshnichenko have earned opening-night roster spots, while Hutson could become one of the organization’s most important defensemen.
Thompson gives Washington the type of goaltending capable of stealing games when the offense does not have its best night.
There are legitimate concerns. The special teams must improve. The defense must adjust to life without Carlson. Sandin’s injury immediately tests the depth. Carbery has to find chemistry among several new forwards, and an 84-game schedule featuring 14 back-to-backs will challenge an organization that still relies on several older players.
But Washington enters opening night with far more options than it had a year ago.
The Capitals open Friday night against the defending Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes. Twenty-four hours later they play Tampa Bay. Then they return to Washington to face Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins in the home opener.
There will not be much time to ease into the season.
For Ovechkin, it begins NHL season No. 22.
For Washington, it begins an 84-game attempt to prove that last season’s playoff miss was a temporary setback rather than the end of the Capitals’ championship window.
And after one of the most aggressive offseasons in the NHL, this roster has given Capitals fans plenty of reasons to watch every step of it.
Full official Capitals schedule:
