Capitals 2025-26 Roster Projection 1.0: Sticking With a Winning Formula

The Capitals’ lineup is far more than just their generational scorer. Dylan Strome’s breakout season secured his top-line position alongside a rotating cast due to an injury to Aliaksei Protas late in the season. Anthony Beauvillier, the Capitals’ only trade acquisition last March, filled in admirably in the playoffs as Protas worked his back into game shape in the postseason. Beauvillier will return to the Capitals after signing a two-year, $5.5 million contract this offseason.

Ryan Leonard will get his first full-time taste of life in the NHL and could position himself for top-line minutes if head coach Spencer Carbery is willing to tinker with his lineup early in the season. Keep an eye on Sonny Milano and Justin Sourdif to make some noise in the Capitals’ lineup. Milano is working his way back from injury, while Washington paid a premium to acquire Sourdif from the Florida Panthers to give him a shot at a roster position in an NHL lineup. 

Projecting the Capitals’ Defensive Pairings 

The top-line pairing of John Carlson and Jakob Chychrun will be back in 2025-26. Carlson led Washington, averaging 23:33 in ice time per game (TOI/G), a mark that finished 23rd among all skaters last season. Chychrun skated most of those minutes alongside Carlson with a 21:03 TOI/G average last season.  

There should be more stability as Martin Fehervary returns to the bottom-four defensive pairings. Fehervary suffered a season-ending injury in Game 81, which ousted their 150-shot blocker from the lineup before the postseason puck dropped. He agreed to a seven-year contract extension with Washington on July 1. 

Rasmus Sandin , 25, will look to take another step in his development after skating a full 82 games in Washington last season. Declan Chisholm arrived in a trade from the Minnesota Wild at the 2025 NHL Draft, likely added for depth. Chisholm has three tough left-handed defensemen to beat out to win a roster spot at training camp.

Projecting the Capitals’ Goalie Tandem

Much like the defense group, the Capitals’ goaltending picture is clear following long-term contract extensions to both goaltenders last season. Logan Thompson, 28, begins a six-year, $35.1 million contract extension that runs through the 2030-31 season. In his first season as the starter in Washington, Thompson recorded a 31-6-6 record, a 2.49 goals-against average (GAA), and a .910 save percentage (SV%), including two shutouts. During the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Calgary-native backstopped the Capitals to a 5-5 record with a 2.41 GAA and a .917 SV%. 

Approximately a month after Thompson’s extension was secured, Capitals general manager Chris Patrick secured his backup goalie, Charlie Lindgren, to a multi-year contract extension worth $9 million per year for three years in March 2025. In 39 appearances last season, Lindgren earned a 20-14-3 record, a 2.73 GAA, and a .896 SV%. The 31-year-old netminder is signed through the 2027-28 NHL season. 

Washington has options at its disposal with slightly more than $4 million to work with under the salary cap without adding a roster player to a potential trade. After landing in the final group of the Ehlers sweepstakes before he signed with the Carolina Hurricanes, the Capitals will be looking to supplement their roster at some point, either before or after training camp opens.