Here is the latest news and upcoming schedule for the Washington Capitals as the NHL resumes play following the 2026 Winter Olympics break.
The Return from the Olympic Break
The NHL has been on pause since Feb. 5 for the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics. The Capitals are officially returning to the ice on Wednesday, Feb. 25, to kick off the final, grueling stretch of the regular season.
The Playoff Push
The Capitals are entering a highly critical phase. Sitting at a 29-23-7 record, they are fifth in the Metropolitan Division. They currently trail the Boston Bruins by four points for the Eastern Conference’s second wild card spot, and are four points behind the New York Islanders for third in the Metro. The team will look to immediately recapture the momentum they had right before the break, where they won four of their last five games.
The front office is reportedly seeking a “higher-end, skilled” winger before the upcoming March 6 trade deadline.
Alex Ovechkin’s Future & Goal Chase
Playing in the final year of his current contract, the 40-year-old captain recently addressed retirement rumors. He told the press he is in no rush to make a decision and will evaluate his future with his family and ownership after the season. Meanwhile, Ovechkin sits at 996 combined career goals (regular season plus playoffs), just four goals shy of joining Wayne Gretzky as the only players in NHL history to reach 1,000 combined goals.
Roster & Injury Updates
Goaltender Charlie Lindgren was just activated from injured reserve (lower-body injury) and is expected to be available for Wednesday’s game. To make room, Garin Bjorklund was loaned to the American Hockey League’s Hershey Bears. Star defenceman John Carlson remains day-to-day with a lower-body injury but has resumed skating.
Schedule Outlook
The Capitals face a packed schedule immediately out of the Olympic break, featuring a tough back-to-back over the weekend against difficult opponents. They will need to capitalize on home-ice advantage for their first two games before heading north.
| Date | Opponent | Location | Time (EST) |
| Wednesday, Feb. 25 | vs. Philadelphia Flyers | Capital One Arena (Washington, DC) | 7:00 PM |
| Friday, Feb. 27 | vs. Vegas Golden Knights | Capital One Arena (Washington, DC) | 7:00 PM |
| Saturday, Feb. 28 | @ Montreal Canadiens | Bell Centre (Montreal, QC) | 7:00 PM |
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