ARLINGTON, VA — Washington Capitals players were still processing the end of their season when they returned to the rink for Breakdown Day on Thursday.
When Washington last missed the playoffs in 2023, it fell 12 points short of a wild-card spot and was out of the running more than a week before its last game. Meanwhile, this year’s Caps were in the hunt until the end, only eliminated the night before their regular-season finale against the Columbus Blue Jackets.
The Capitals ultimately fell just three points short of the Philadelphia Flyers for third in the Metropolitan Division, a margin of error that left them ruminating on moments that could have ended differently.
“A lot of things keep me up at night,” quipped head coach Spencer Carbery.
Not only did the Capitals come within arm’s reach of a playoff spot, but elimination came amid one of their best stretches of play: despite losing veterans John Carlson and Nic Dowd, Washington put up a record of 12-5-2 after the trade deadline.
Tom Wilson said getting so close to the postseason only increased the frustration.
“We won that last game and there was a feeling, ‘Hey, we should kind of be in the playoffs,’” he said. “Because we won so many big games down the final stretch. I think it’s more frustrating that you’re not in.”
But while the Capitals’ near-miss was cold comfort this season, Wilson believes it bodes well for the future.
“Right now, I honestly feel like we’re so close to being a legit contender,” he said. “It might sound crazy — we’re sitting here, not in the playoffs — but I feel like we’re probably one piece away from making some serious noise.”
Wilson’s argument that the Capitals are one big piece away from contending came shortly after Alex Ovechkin told reporters that the Capitals’ playoff chances would play a big role in whether he decides to return for another season.
“Obviously, if I want to come back, it has to be a decision on, first of all, we’re going to make the playoffs and we have to fight for a Cup,” Ovechkin said. “That’s probably the biggest thing. Otherwise, if you take different scenarios, like family-wise, health-wise, but team-wise, this is the most important thing for me.”
Ovechkin noted that the Washington sold off at the deadline, a decision that may have been the difference between making the playoffs and the team’s eventual disappointment. The Capitals have sold off at least partially in three of the last four seasons, though they were still able to squeak into the playoffs in 2023-24.
“We’ve been in position like we’re selling,” Ovechkin said. “We’re not adding big pieces to help us go all the way.”
Despite the Capitals signaling their desire to acquire major pieces in recent years, they’ve yet to do so, missing out on players like Nikolaj Ehlers, Artemi Panarin, and Quinn Hughes since last offseason.
Regardless of whether Ovechkin returns for another season, the Caps have promising pieces already in the organization. Rookies Ryan Leonard (20g, 25a) and Justin Sourdif (15g, 20a) played major roles this season, and 19-year-olds Cole Hutson (3g, 7a in 14 games) and Ilya Protas (1g, 3a in four games) dazzled in their short appearances on the team.
Logan Thompson had a career year as one of the NHL’s top goalies. He registered a league-leading 28.3 goals saved above expected, and was top-five in both save percentage (.912) and goals-against average (2.53) among goalies with at least 20 games played.
Five Capitals players (Ovechkin, Wilson, Jakob Chychrun, Dylan Strome, and Aliaksei Protas) had 50+ points on the season, with Chychrun leading NHL defensemen in goals (26). Meanwhile, losing Pierre-Luc Dubois to an abdominal injury proved a major blow to the Capitals: they went 22-18-7 while he was recovering, compared to 15-7-2 following his return.
All of those factors bolstered Wilson’s confidence in Washington’s future.
“We’ve got one of the best goalies in the league,” he said. “Our D are really solid. Our forwards are fairly deep. Maybe we could add [a] forward up front. But if Dubie’s healthy all year, I think we’re in. I think if you add another piece, I think a lot of the other teams are thinking like, ‘That’s going to be a tough team to beat.’
“So I think the organization’s in a good spot. The young guys come up and play really well, show that there’s a youthful energy and potential in the organization. You have a core that was brought in over the last four or five years [of] serious NHL players that can help drive a team’s culture. If you put two of those together, it complements each other well, And I think management’s been doing a good job from that perspective.”
