THN’s Summer Splash series is in full swing. And in this part of the series, we’re analyzing Team No. 22 in our rankings of each NHL team’s off-season – the Washington Capitals.
In this team-by-team series, we’re breaking down each NHL team’s off-season, putting the spotlight on the teams that got the worst to those that had the best off-season, and the ones that finished in between those two extremes. To put the rankings together, we’re focusing on every franchise’s additions and departures, including trades, free-agent acquisitions, departures and, where applicable, front-office hirings and firings.
We’re currently at the point in the rankings where we’re discussing teams that have basically stayed the same this summer. And while you’ll see the teams that finished below the Capitals at the bottom of this column, right now, our focus is on the Caps.
Additions
Justin Sourdif (RW), Declan Chisholm (D)
The Breakdown: The Capitals were the Eastern Conference’s top regular-season team last season, and only the Winnipeg Jets were a better regular-season team last year. So you can understand why Washington GM Chris Patrick didn’t want to tinker too much with a lineup that performed so well.
Indeed, with the Capitals’ only additions being depth players Sourdif (formerly of the Florida Panthers) and Chisholm (formerly of the Minnesota Wild), Washington has more or less decided to run it back with the same group. Re-signing winger Anthony Beauviller this summer bolstered Washington’s depth. And the Caps still have approximately $4.12 milion in salary cap space, so Patrick can eventually augment his core talent with a veteran hand or two. But right now, Capitals brass are essentially telling the team, “We like what you’ve done – now do it again.”
Departures
Andrew Mangiapane (LW), Lars Eller (C), Taylor Raddysh (RW), Alexander Alexeyev (D)
The Breakdown: Just as there were few additions of note this summer for Washington, there have been few departures as well. The Capitals did lose some veteran know-how with the loss of left winger Mangiapane (who signed with the Edmonton Oilers) and center Eller (who signed with the Ottawa Senators). But Mangiapane only had 14 goals and 28 points last year, while Eller only had six goals and 15 points for the Caps last season. Their loss isn’t going to be felt that much, if at all, at the Capitals’ opponent’s end of the ice.
As noted above, the Caps’ current cap room will sooner or later allow Patrick to bring aboard a talent that can make up for the loss of Mangiapane’s and Eller’s offense. But Patrick has found a way to bring back most of the talent that did so well for Washington. And that has to be considered a win for the Capitals.
The Bottom Line
All things considered, the Capitals finished near the mid-tier of our Summer Splash rankings because they stayed the same as the group that finished the season last year. It’s true Washington wanted a longer Stanley Cup playoff run than only getting to the second round as they did last season, so it would’ve been understandable if Caps brass decided to make more notable additions. But patience can be a virtue under the right circumstances, and the Capitals’ cap space will allow the team to address any issues that arise once the 2025-26 season begins.
In the grand scheme of things, the Capitals should be and will be favored to be at or near the top of the Metropolitan Division next season. But for the purposes of our Summer Splash rankings, they’re a middle-of-the-pack team that has embraced the status quo. And unless something notable changes between now and the start of the year, Washington has chosen to stick with the talent that brought them so much success last season.
Summer Splash Rankings
22. Washington Capitals
23. Nashville Predators
24. New York Islanders
25. Tampa Bay Lightning
26. Toronto Maple Leafs
27. Dallas Stars
28. Calgary Flames
29. Los Angeles Kings
30. Winnipeg Jets
31. Chicago Blackhawks
32. Buffalo Sabres
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