Also re-sign Beauvillier, could find more ice time for Cristall, Miroshnichenko
After the NHL Draft, free agency and other offseason moves, NHL.com is examining where each team stands in preparation for the 2025-26 regular season, which starts Oct. 7. Today, the Washington Capitals.
2024-25 season: 51-22-9, first in Metropolitan Division; lost in Eastern Conference Second Round
Justin Sourdif, F: The 23-year-old was acquired in a trade with the Florida Panthers on June 26 for a second-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft and a sixth-round pick in the 2027 NHL Draft. Sourdif had one goal in one game with the Panthers last season and 34 points (16 goals, 18 assists) in 43 games with Charlotte of the American Hockey League. He is expected to compete for a spot on the fourth line. … Declan Chisholm, D: The 25-year-old was acquired with a sixth-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft in a trade with the Minnesota Wild on June 28 for defenseman Chase Priskie and a fourth-round pick in the 2025 draft. Chisholm had 12 points (two goals, 10 assists) in 66 games with the Wild last season, setting NHL career highs in assists, points, games played, shots on goal (69) and ice time per game (17:00). He could be the sixth or seventh defenseman this season.
Andrew Mangiapane, F: Signed a two-year contract with the Edmonton Oilers on July 1. He had 28 points (14 goals, 14 assists) in 81 regular-season games and two points (one goal, one assist) in 10 Stanley Cup Playoff games last season. … Taylor Raddysh, F: Signed a two-year contract with the New York Rangers on July 2. Raddysh had 27 points (seven goals, 20 assists) in 80 games last season. … Lars Eller, F: Signed a one-year contract with the Ottawa Senators on July 1. He had 22 points (10 goals, 12 assists) 80 games with the Capitals and Pittsburgh Penguins last season, including 15 points (six goals, nine assists) in 63 games after being acquired in a trade with the Penguins on Nov. 12. He had one assist in nine playoff games. … Alexander Alexeyev, D: Signed a one-year contract with the Penguins on July 2 after not receiving a qualifying offer. He did not have a point in eight games during the regular season and 10 playoff games. … T.J. Oshie, F: After not playing last season because of a back injury, Oshie announced his retirement June 9. The 38-year-old helped the Capitals win the Stanley Cup in 2018 and is ninth in Washington history with 192 goals.
Andrew Cristall, F: The 20-year-old was one of the final cuts in training camp last season. A second-round pick (No. 40) in the 2023 NHL Draft, Cristall led the Western Hockey League with 132 points (48 goals, 84 assists) in 57 games with Kelowna and Spokane last season. … Ivan Miroshnichenko, F: The 21-year-old had four points (one goal, three assists) in 18 NHL games and 42 points (23 goals, 19 assists) in 53 games with Hershey of the American Hockey League last season.
WSH@PIT: Miroshnichenko shoots it into the twine for first career goal
Center and forward depth. The Capitals re-signed forward Anthony Beauvillier, who had five points (three goals, two assists) in 18 regular-season games after being acquired in a trade with the Penguins on March 7, and six points (two goals, four assists) in 10 playoff games. Any other additions will come internally or through trades.
“We’ll explore the trade market, see what’s out there. We’ve sent a lot of [draft] picks out [in late June and early July], so we’re going to have to make sure we’re prudent with how we do it, but I think there potentially could be some interesting names out there.” — general manager Chris Patrick
The Capitals were the only team in the NHL to finish in the top eight in high-danger goals (137; fifth), midrange goals (85; eighth) and long-range goals (23; tied for third) last season. Washington had a player among the League leaders at his position in goals from each major shot location: forward Tom Wilson in high-danger goals (22; tied for ninth), defenseman Jakob Chychrun in midrange goals (11; second among defensemen) and forward Alex Ovechkin in long-range goals (five; first among forwards). — Troy Perlowitz
NHL Tonight talks about the season for Alex Ovechkin and what could be next
Goalie Logan Thompson emerged as the No. 1 starter in his first season with the Capitals and finished with a career-best 31 wins and 2.49 goals-against average in 43 games. Among goalies to play at least 30 games last season, Thompson was tied for seventh in the NHL in save percentage (.910) and tied for fourth in midrange save percentage (.912). Thompson helped the Capitals get at least one point in 37 of his 43 games and finished as the seventh-best goalie in fantasy hockey. He is a fringe top-five goalie in NHL.com’s fantasy rankings and forms of one of the best goalie tandems in the League with Charlie Lindgren, who was 20-14-3 with a 2.73 GAA and .896 save percentage in 39 games last season. — Chris Meaney
Alex Ovechkin — Dylan Strome — Anthony Beauvillier
Aliaksei Protas — Pierre-Luc Dubois — Tom Wilson
Sonny Milano — Connor McMichael — Ryan Leonard
Brandon Duhaime — Nic Dowd — Justin Sourdif
Rasmus Sandin — John Carlson
Jakob Chychrun –Trevor van Riemsdyk
Martin Fehervary — Matt Roy
Logan Thompson
Charlie Lindgren
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