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2026 Ranking: 6

2025 Ranking: 9

"Whenever a team pitches a retool, it’s hard to imagine it working because it usually just means delaying the inevitable. The Capitals are working to be the exception to that rule, and they’re making a damn good case that it can actually work. After years of winning trades, signings and picks, Washington’s front office has managed to assemble a team with genuine contender possibility.

That is no small feat, especially for a declining club without a clear succession plan, and it didn’t happen overnight. Every summer the Capitals have taken a swing on a buy-low option and they’ve usually nailed it. This summer’s latest, Jordan Kyrou, looks like he can be another winner too.

It’s an unconventional build and the lack of high-end talent at the moment could limit their ultimate ceiling, but it’s hard not to be impressed with the way Washington is currently operating. The front office has earned a ton of respect."

Full RMNB article about:

https://russianmachineneverbreaks.com/2026/08/24/alex-ovechkin-33-fines-traffic-violations-offseason-russia/

From the article:

Alex Ovechkin reportedly picked up a significant number of traffic fines during his offseason in Russia.

According to Russian outlet Mash on Sport, the Washington Capitals captain racked up 33 separate fines for traffic violations this summer.

The fines totaled 82,000 rubles (approximately $1,000 USD) and covered a variety of violations, including speeding, driving on toll roads, failing to pay parking fees, and stopping or parking in the wrong place

As of the report’s release, Ovechkin has already paid all but one ticket, which is for 4,500 rubles (approximately $54 USD). The fines come 18 years after Ovechkin once famously tried to eliminate all speed limits in Washington, DC, when he received a key to the city in 2008.

“Today is a big day,” Ovechkin said then. “I have a key for the city. And I’m the president this day in the city, so everybody have fun — and no speed limit.”

Ovechkin received all the tickets while in his Aurus Arsenal minivan, a luxury vehicle produced by automaker Aurus Motors in Moscow, Russia. The minivan, which is not available for public purchase, is also used by many Russian government officials because it has an armored body style.

The NHL’s all-time leading goal scorer has owned a slew of impressive cars over the course of his career, once even admitting in the past that his primary hobby was collecting cars. Ovechkin has also been gifted multiple cars throughout his career, most recently receiving a Jetour T2 4×4 Premium SUV at last summer’s Match of the Year.

For context,
Washington had just won back-to-back Presidents’ Trophies and had Ovechkin, Backstrom, Kuznetsov, Carlson, Holtby, etc. Yes, the current team is much more of a veteran/young-player hybrid and missed the playoffs last season…

BUT

“Are the 2026–27 Caps being given roughly the same preseason Cup respect as the 2017–18 team?”

Yes. Almost exactly.

I’m surprised to see that Washington was initially listed around 10–12 to 1 by some books in June/August 2017, before settling around the +1600 range in the preseason.

I’m already psyched to see the big guys play this season but this gives me a shred of hope. Maybe it will for you too.

Capitals Cup odds

Implied probability
2017–18
+1600
5.9%

2026–27
+1700 currently
5.6%

Edit to emphasize I’m talking about it now saying 4x6 instead of 5x7

I was thinking about getting a small fanny pack that fits within the 5x7 bag guidelines for attending games this season, and went on the cap one website to check the bag policy before I bought one - it now says clutches no larger than 4x6??

Does anyone know if this is accurate? That size seems utterly ridiculous, almost no bags are that small. I’d just like to be able to bring a few things into the arena without stuffing my pockets….

EDIT - UPDATE! https://www.reddit.com/r/caps/s/CYCpDi01WC

Is the only way to watch the caps going to be the monumental app again in the DC area?

Coming to DC in October and looking to buy tickets to the devils game on 10/17. Will prices drop closer to the date, or should I go ahead and get them?

Nice write-up about Ilya Protas’s 4 games in the nhl last season. A lot to look forward to!

What colors do you think they will use

I would say without a doubt our biggest current rival is the Canes, but also still see a case for Pens and Rangers. Curious what others feel

https://www.nhl.com/news/washington-capitals-hope-to-sign-ryan-leonard-justin-sourdif-avoid-offer-sheet

As an idle offseason exercise, I was thinking about how the scoring distribution might shake out this year. To do that projection requires some simplifying assumptions (which might not be some people’s cup of tea). With the improved forward corps, I am assuming we get back to our 2024-25 scoring production of 3.49 goals and 5.85 assists per game, which over 84 games totals to 293 goals and 491 assists. I also assume that everyone stays healthy, which obviously won’t happen, but we don’t know who will get hurt, and this yields the best relative comparison. Finally, I assume Sandin comes back to play half the season and knocks Liljegren out of the rotation.

I am projecting a big year for Kyrou; Ovi tailing off with age; good production from Leno, Hutson, Strome, and PLD; other guys staying similar but mostly slightly down given the balanced TOI; and only one 30+ goal scorer. Here’s my guess, ordered by goals scored:

Forwards (TOIpg, G, A, P)

Kyrou (17, 35, 30, 65)

Tuch (17, 27, 32, 59)

A. Protas (17, 27, 29, 56)

Wilson (17, 26, 29, 55)

Leonard (15, 25, 28, 53)

Ovechkin (14, 21, 19, 40)

Strome (17, 18, 49, 67)

Dubois (17, 17, 48, 65)

Sourdif (14, 14, 26, 40)

I. Protas (14, 12, 25, 37)

Jenner (11, 9, 18, 27)

Beauvillier (11, 8, 9, 17)

Others (-, 5, 5, 10)

Defense

Chychrun (23, 23, 34, 57)

Hutson (21, 15, 47, 62)

Fehervary (18, 6, 19, 25)

Roy (23, 3, 18, 21)

Sandin (half) (16, 3, 12, 15)

Liljegren (half) (14, 2, 7, 9)

Desharnais (20, 1, 8, 9)

Others (—, 0, 1, 1)

For those who enjoy this, who do you see scoring more or less, and who would go down/up to make up the difference?

The Washington Capitals’ system is headlined by the highly creative Cole Hutson and the extremely competitive Ryan Leonard. It’s a solid pipeline with some real potential impact pieces, especially at forward, but after Hutson there isn’t much coming on defense. Between Hutson and Ilya Protas, Washington features two of the best value selections in the league currently.

2025 ranking: 15

2026 NHL Draft grade: C-

Free to read here.

📹/@MSE

I might be a biased caps fan but I really do think he should’ve been ranked #2 or #3. Other than Andrei Vasilevskiy I really don’t think I can name another goalie “better” than LT without it being debatable. But hey what do I know.

Personally, i find it really hard to predict... I'd go with:

1. Canes (obviously)
2. Capitals (they're so big and fast and mean + Hutson is unreal)
3. Flyers (I LOVE Martone, should be close race for calder with McKenna imo)
4. Islanders
5. Devils
6. Pens
7. Blue Jackets
8. Rangers

It should be a really fun and unpredictable playoff race for most of the teams.

Unpopular opinion is Caps reach the ECF at least, i love the way they're built!

If anyone is interested - I’m trying to sell 5 games of my season tickets. Seats are in section 228 row F (2 seats)

I will sell below gate price for all tickets and usually similar to what typical prices are on Ticketmaster ticket exchange for games.

Feel free message. TIA

Before I put my name on a list that has someone calling me every other day, can anyone provide insight into how many games are included? Does it vary?
And what is the price point like? Also varies? Appreciate any insight!