Washington Capitals Quarterly Check-In – Hockey Writer – Washington Capitals

The Washington Capitals have been an enigma for much of the 2025-26 season, but they appear to be trending in the right direction as we reach the quarterfinals. Thanksgiving in America is traditionally a time to evaluate a team’s chances of making the playoffs. A return to the playoffs should be possible for the 13-9-2 Capitals, who currently sit third in the crowded Metropolitan Division.

The Capitals are off to a strong start to the season, winning six of their first eight games. A 7-1 loss to the Ottawa Senators on October 25 began a four-game losing streak. Washington soundly defeated the St. Louis Blues 6-1 on November 5 and went on to go 3-4-0 in their next seven games. In their past four games, the Capitals have earned decisive wins against the Montreal Canadiens (8-4, Nov. 20) and Columbus Blue Jackets (5-1, Nov. 24), as well as a 4-3 victory over the Winnipeg Jets on Nov. 26, while losing a tight contest to the Tampa Bay Lightning (5-3, Nov. 22).

October is a strange month for the Capitals. They have led the league in fewest goals scored for weeks, but are last in goals scored. Goaltender Logan Thompson leads the NHL in multiple statistics, but his offense is not supported. The Capitals dominated possession at five-on-five but were one of the worst teams in the league. The month ended with second-line center Pierre-Luc Dubois suffering an abdominal injury on Halloween against the New York Islanders that will keep him out of the lineup for the next several months.

Capitals Special Teams Struggle

The Capitals lost the season opener to the Boston Bruins, going 0-5 in a tight contest that set the tone for the first quarter of the season. The power play percentage is just over 15%, which ranks 27th in the NHL. In the 2024-25 season, they ranked 13th with a scoring rate of 23.5%. Alex Ovechkin, the NHL’s all-time leading scorer on power play goals (327), has only scored one goal on the man advantage this season despite playing on both the first and second units in most games.

Despite scoring two power-play goals against the Canadiens on Nov. 20, the Capitals struggled with the man advantage. On November 22, the Capitals lost 5-3 to the Chargers, falling to 0-6 in a tight contest.

RELATED: Three things the Capital City should be thankful for

“We’re not acting,” Tom Wilson said. “We didn’t make an easy play. We didn’t move. It was probably a little too predictable. At the end of the day, it’s up to us, all 10 guys. You’ve got to play a better game. When you get the puck, you’ve got to get it to the next guy on tape. Can’t ignore that. And all of us seem to be throwing it around right now. Just play with more confidence and find a way to put them in the back of the net and I mean, that’s going to cost us the game, so obviously that’s not good enough.”

The penalty kill rate has also been poor, with a kill rate of 72.7%, ranking ninth in the NHL. In the 2024-25 season, the Capitals’ free throw shooting increased by nearly 10%. They have allowed more than one power-play goal in four games this season, including three games against the Senators and Pittsburgh Penguins.

Capitals’ strong defense

Despite a shaky start, the Capitals have been a strong defensive team — at least comparable. They rank eighth in the NHL with 64 goals allowed. They conceded an average of 3.33 goals per game, ranking sixth in the league. They allowed the third-most goals against at five-on-five.

The Capitals do a good job of balancing offensive defensemen with more defensive players. Martin Fehervary once again showed off his speed, tenacity and physicality, allowing partner John Carlson to get up and attack from the blue line. Matt Roy did the same for his partner Jakob Chychrun. With many forwards declining in offensive ability, Carlson and Chichlen tied for second on the team in scoring with 22 points each.

Last season, the second line, centered around Dubois, was very effective at shutting down the opponent’s top scorer. With DuBois out of the lineup, head coach Spencer Carberry is having a hard time finding a replacement. Until recently, rookie Justin Sourdif had found success on a defensive line centered around Aleksei Protas and Wilson, using his speed and high level of play to drive play.

Thompson led the league in goals against average and save percentage for weeks, making a strong case for why he should be on Canada’s Olympic roster. Despite his recent return to Earth, he slipped outside the top ten in most statistical categories. The combination of Thompson and his goaltending partner Charlie Lindgren ranks seventh in the league.

Capitals lack scoring consistency

Wilson scored a team-high 23 points, followed closely by Carlson, Chiklen and Ovechkin, each with 22 points. Protas, Dylan Strome, and Connor McMichael all struggled in the scoring department, and each forward’s field goal percentage (except for Wilson) dropped significantly from last season.

The Capitals have had their chances but are struggling to get the job done. At five-on-five, their expected goals percentage, field goal percentage and high-danger chance count are all near the top of the league. Despite this, the team has achieved a record of 6 wins, 1 draw and 0 losses in the past seven games, and the offensive data is on the rise.

Ovechkin is starting to heat up again, and Protas, Strome and McMichael are also showing signs of recovery. Ryan Leonard is tied for fifth among all NHL rookies in scoring. Sonny Milano, who was often scratched earlier in the season, has returned to the bottom six where he has provided some offensive spark. The only player who continues to struggle at an alarming rate is Hendricks Lapierre, who has yet to score and has been often benched this season.

Capital Forecast

Even during their dips, the Capitals’ underlying numbers, especially at five-on-five, were still good. If they can put together a special team, they will once again challenge for the Metropolitan Division title.

If the Capitals can make the playoffs healthy and have Dubois return to lock down the second line, they will be dangerous, but injuries to any key players, especially speedsters, could be their undoing. Fekhvari’s absence from the Capitals’ second-round series against the Carolina Hurricanes last season was notable.

The goals started coming and the shooting percentages started to go up. The numbers Protas and McMichael put up last season may be difficult to replicate, but they are at least trending upward. With Nick Dodd currently injured and LaPierre struggling, the Capitals need to find some consistency in the bottom six. Soldiv has earned the coach’s trust and look for him to lock down the third line once Dubois returns. The Capitals appear to be off to a rough start, but optimism has returned to the nation’s capital.