by Ryan Green ‘26

The Washington Capitals struggled through most of last regular season, finishing with an overall losing record and squeaking into the playoffs. After a disappointing, though maybe predictable, post-season when Washington were swept 4-0 by New York Rangers, the best overall record in the regular season.

The Caps and their fans are hoping for improvement. It has been six years since the Caps won the Stanley Cup and it’s mostly been mediocre seasons since then, but there are a number of reasons why this year should be exciting.

Although the centerpiece of the Capitals remains 39-year-old captain Alexander Ovechkin, who has led the team in goals every year since the 2007-2008 season. Failing to score in the series against the Presidents’ Trophy winner New York Rangers, the team made acquisitions during the offseason to shape the Caps into a new and improved team. The Capitals mix of experienced veterans and promising young talent hope to bring the heat one last time and compete for the Stanley Cup.

As the metropolitan division continues to secure its spot as a top division, Washington needs an intense offense to navigate the offensive zone. The legendary play of Ovechkin will either have the team succeed or decline as he continues to defy age, being an astounding 39 years old. Averaging .60 goals per game, the captain is on track to break the prolific career goal record of 894 currently held by Wayne Gretzky. But the Capitals need more than just a legend. Capitals GM Chrish Patrick acquired star forward Pierre-Luc Dubois and forward Andrew Mangiapane to help assist the captain. Not to mention their 1st round draft pick, Ryan Leonard, who currently sits at 47 points in 29 games played in the NCAA D1 hockey. Washington also supplemented its forward depth by signing Brandon Duhaime and Taylor Raddysh.

On the defensive side of the ice, the Capitals have made strategic moves to hold the blue line. Clutching the defensive core together is strong two-way defenseman John Carlson. But the same theme of getting old resonates through the whole team. Carlson is 34 years old and on the backend of his career. The Caps picked up young defenseman Jakob Chychrun to fix this current issue, who team president Brian MacLellan has praised for his “ ability to jump in the play.” Blending the youth and veteran defense is vital for protecting the goaltender and keeping goals out. Washington also signed Logan Thompson, the young netminder helps provide stability and more potential for a deep playoff run.

The new season might be one remembered for the ages. The Washington Capitals seem equipped with enough talent to be a surprise in the NHL. If you’re not already on the Caps’ bandwagon, hop on now early in the season so you don’t miss the excitement.