The 2026–27 Washington Capitals season is the 53rd season (52nd season of play) for the National Hockey League (NHL) franchise that was established on June 11, 1974.
Standings
Divisional standings
Conference standings
Schedule and results
Preseason The preseason schedule was released on June 22, 2026.
|- style="background:#fff;" | 1 || September 20 || Washington || 2–3 || Boston || SO || Thompson || TD Garden || 17,850 || 0–0–1 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 2 || September 21 || Philadelphia || 2–5 || Washington || || Stevenson || Giant Center || 10,500 || 1–0–1 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 3 || September 25 || Boston || 2–3 || Washington || OT || Thompson || Capital One Arena || 11,557 || 2–0–1 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 4 || September 26 || Washington || 5–1 || Philadelphia || || Lindgren || Xfinity Mobile Arena || 17,339 || 3–0–1
|- style="text-align:center;" |Legend
– Game played in Hershey, Pennsylvania
Regular season The regular season schedule was released on July 16, 2026.
| 1 || October 2 || Washington || 5–2 || Carolina || || Thompson || Lenovo Center || 18,905 || 1–0–0 || 2 ||
| 2 || October 3 || Washington || 1–3 || Tampa Bay || || Lindgren || Benchmark International Arena || 19,092 || 1–1–0 || 2 ||
| 3 || October 7 || Pittsburgh || – || Washington || || || Capital One Arena || || || ||
| 4 || October 9 || NY Rangers || – || Washington || || || Capital One Arena || || || ||
| 5 || October 11 || Seattle || – || Washington || || || Capital One Arena || || || ||
| 6 || October 13 || Washington || – || Carolina || || || Lenovo Center || || || ||
| 7 || October 14 || Montreal || – || Washington || || || Capital One Arena || || || ||
| 8 || October 17 || New Jersey || – || Washington || || || Capital One Arena || || || ||
| 9 || October 20 || Los Angeles || – || Washington || || || Capital One Arena || || || ||
| 10 || October 24 || Buffalo || – || Washington || || || Capital One Arena || || || ||
| 11 || October 28 || Philadelphia || – || Washington || || || Capital One Arena || || || ||
| 12 || October 29 || Washington || – || Nashville || || || Bridgestone Arena || || || ||
| 13 || November 1 || Minnesota || – || Washington || || || Capital One Arena || || || ||
| 14 || November 3 || Dallas || – || Washington || || || Capital One Arena || || || ||
| 15 || November 7 || Florida || – || Washington || || || Capital One Arena || || || ||
| 16 || November 10 || Washington || – || Ottawa || || || Canadian Tire Centre || || || ||
| 17 || November 12 || Washington || – || New Jersey || || || Prudential Center || || || ||
| 18 || November 14 || New Jersey || – || Washington || || || Capital One Arena || || || ||
| 19 || November 17 || Washington || – || Tampa Bay || || || Benchmark International Arena || || || ||
| 20 || November 19 || Buffalo || – || Washington || || || Capital One Arena || || || ||
| 21 || November 21 || Washington || – || Boston || || || TD Garden || || || ||
| 22 || November 25 || Philadelphia || – || Washington || || || Capital One Arena || || || ||
| 23 || November 27 || Florida || – || Washington || || || Capital One Arena || || || ||
| 24 || November 28 || Washington || – || St. Louis || || || Enterprise Center || || || ||
| 25 || December 1 || Vancouver || – || Washington || || || Capital One Arena || || || ||
| 26 || December 3 || Washington || – || Edmonton || || || Rogers Place || || || ||
| 27 || December 5 || Washington || – || Calgary || || || Scotiabank Saddledome || || || ||
| 28 || December 7 || Washington || – || Vancouver || || || Rogers Arena || || || ||
| 29 || December 10 || Washington || – || Seattle || || || Climate Pledge Arena || || || ||
| 30 || December 12 || Washington || – || Colorado || || || Ball Arena || || || ||
| 31 || December 15 || Washington || – || Dallas || || || American Airlines Center || || || ||
| 32 || December 17 || Detroit || – || Washington || || || Capital One Arena || || || ||
| 33 || December 19 || St. Louis || – || Washington || || || Capital One Arena || || || ||
| 34 || December 21 || Washington || – || Toronto || || || Scotiabank Arena || || || ||
| 35 || December 26 || Columbus || – || Washington || || || Capital One Arena || || || ||
| 36 || December 28 || Edmonton || – || Washington || || || Capital One Arena || || || ||
| 37 || December 30 || Washington || – || NY Islanders || || || UBS Arena || || || ||
| 38 || December 31 || Washington || – || Columbus || || || Nationwide Arena || || || ||
| 39 || January 2 || Ottawa || – || Washington || || || Capital One Arena || || || ||
| 40 || January 4 || Toronto || – || Washington || || || Capital One Arena || || || ||
| 41 || January 6 || Washington || – || Los Angeles || || || Crypto.com Arena || || || ||
| 42 || January 8 || Washington || – || San Jose || || || SAP Center || || || ||
| 43 || January 10 || Washington || – || Anaheim || || || Honda Center || || || ||
| 44 || January 12 || Vegas || – || Washington || || || Capital One Arena || || || ||
| 45 || January 14 || Carolina || – || Washington || || || Capital One Arena || || || ||
| 46 || January 16 || Colorado || – || Washington || || || Capital One Arena || || || ||
| 47 || January 18 || Washington || – || Pittsburgh || || || PPG Paints Arena || || || ||
| 48 || January 19 || Montreal || – || Washington || || || Capital One Arena || || || ||
| 49 || January 22 || NY Islanders || – || Washington || || || Capital One Arena || || || ||
| 50 || January 24 || Washington || – || New Jersey || || || Prudential Center || || || ||
| 51 || January 29 || Washington || – || Utah || || || Delta Center || || || ||
| 52 || January 30 || Washington || – || Vegas || || || T-Mobile Arena || || || ||
| 53 || February 2 || Winnipeg || – || Washington || || || Capital One Arena || || || ||
| 54 || February 3 || Washington || – || Florida || || || Amerant Bank Arena || || || ||
| 55 || February 13 || Washington || – || Montreal || || || Bell Centre || || || ||
| 56 || February 14 || Utah || – || Washington || || || Capital One Arena || || || ||
| 57 || February 16 || Anaheim || – || Washington || || || Capital One Arena || || || ||
| 58 || February 19 || San Jose || – || Washington || || || Capital One Arena || || || ||
| 59 || February 21 || Nashville || – || Washington || || || Capital One Arena || || || ||
| 60 || February 23 || NY Rangers || – || Washington || || || Capital One Arena || || || ||
| 61 || February 25 || Washington || – || Boston || || || TD Garden || || || ||
| 62 || February 26 || Washington || – || NY Rangers || || || Madison Square Garden || || || ||
| 63 || March 1 || Washington || – || NY Islanders || || || UBS Arena || || || ||
| 64 || March 3 || Carolina || – || Washington || || || Capital One Arena || || || ||
| 65 || March 5 || Washington || – || Winnipeg || || || Canada Life Centre || || || ||
| 66 || March 7 || Washington || – || Minnesota || || || Grand Casino Arena || || || ||
| 67 || March 9 || Calgary || – || Washington || || || Capital One Arena || || || ||
| 68 || March 10 || Washington || – || Chicago || || || United Center || || || ||
| 69 || March 13 || Washington || – || Pittsburgh || || || PPG Paints Arena || || || ||
| 70 || March 15 || Tampa Bay || – || Washington || || || Capital One Arena || || || ||
| 71 || March 17 || NY Islanders || – || Washington || || || Capital One Arena || || || ||
| 72 || March 18 || Washington || – || Buffalo || || || KeyBank Center || || || ||
| 73 || March 21 || Washington || – || NY Rangers || || || Madison Square Garden || || || ||
| 74 || March 23 || Detroit || – || Washington || || || Capital One Arena || || || ||
| 75 || March 24 || Washington || – || Detroit || || || Little Caesars Arena || || || ||
| 76 || March 26 || Boston || – || Washington || || || Capital One Arena || || || ||
| 77 || March 28 || Washington || – || Toronto || || || Scotiabank Arena || || || ||
| 78 || March 30 || Chicago || – || Washington || || || Capital One Arena || || || ||
| 79 || April 1 || Washington || – || Philadelphia || || || Xfinity Mobile Arena || || || ||
| 80 || April 3 || Columbus || – || Washington || || || Capital One Arena || || || ||
| 81 || April 4 || Pittsburgh || – || Washington || || || Capital One Arena || || || ||
| 82 || April 6 || Washington || – || Columbus || || || Nationwide Arena || || || ||
| 83 || April 8 || Washington || – || Ottawa || || || Canadian Tire Centre || || || ||
| 84 || April 10 || Washington || – || Philadelphia || || || Xfinity Mobile Arena || || || ||
Roster
Player stats
Skaters Regular season Player
Goaltenders Regular season Player
†Denotes player spent time with another team before joining the Capitals. Stats reflect time with the Capitals only. ‡No longer with the Capitals.
Transactions
Trades Date Details Ref To St. Louis BluesMilton GastrinConnor McMichael1st-round pick in 2026 (#16 overall) To Washington CapitalsJordan Kyrou To Buffalo SabresDavid KampfSJS 3rd-round pick in 2027 To Washington CapitalsAlex Tuch To Pittsburgh PenguinsHendrix Lapierre To Washington Capitals3rd-round pick in 2027SJS 5th-round pick in 2028 To New Jersey DevilsDeclan Chisholm To Washington Capitals4th-round pick in 2027 To Columbus Blue Jackets4th-round pick in 2026 (#112 overall)5th-round pick in 2028 To Washington CapitalsTOR 4th-round pick in 2026 (#101 overall) To Buffalo SabresZac Funk To Washington CapitalsTyler Kopff
Players acquired Date Player New team Term Via Ref Jonny Brodzinski New York Rangers 1-year Free agency Justin Holl St. Louis Blues 1-year Free agency Vincent Desharnais San Jose Sharks 4-year Free agency Josh Dunne Buffalo Sabres 1-year Free agency Boone Jenner Columbus Blue Jackets 4-year Free agency Jacob MacDonald Colorado Avalanche 1-year Free agency
Players lost Date Player New team Term Via Ref Trevor van Riemsdyk Pittsburgh Penguins 2-year Free agency Brandon Duhaime Toronto Maple Leafs 3-year Free agency Corey Schueneman Anaheim Ducks 2-year Free agency Henry Rybinski Toronto Maple Leafs 2-year Free agency Brett Leason San Jose Sharks 1-year Free agency
Signings
Draft picks
Below are the Washington Capitals' selections at the 2026 NHL entry draft, which was held on June 26 and 27, 2026, at KeyBank Center in Buffalo, New York.
Round # Player Pos Nationality College/Junior/Club team (League)118 Oliver Suvanto C Tappara (Liiga)4101 Tyus Sparks C Spokane Chiefs (WHL)5144 Brian McFadden D Thayer Tigers (HS-MA)7208 Logan Stuart C U.S. NTDP (USHL)
References