3 burning Capitals questions entering 2026-27 NHL season

The most obvious question that must be asked is about Alex Ovechkin. The future Hall of Famer is heading into his age-41 season in 2026-27. He remains a 60-75 point scorer, which is unbelievable for a player his age. He is a hockey legend for a reason, though.

Ovechkin is the greatest player to wear a Capitals sweater. He has spent his entire NHL career with the team. And it would be an absolute shock for him to wear any other sweater before he retires from this league.

His age and contract status beg the obvious question. Is this the final season we see Alex Ovechkin skating in NHL games. If so, can he bring another Stanley Cup to the nation’s capital before hanging up his skates?

Will Alex Tuch, Jordan Kyrou meet expectations?

The Capitals beefed up their forward group as they look to contend for a Stanley Cup. The Capitals know they have the team that can contend with some of the heavyweights in the Eastern Conference. They weren’t able to make the playoffs in 2026, but they are determined to do so in 2027.

Adding Alex Tuch and Jordan Kyrou gives them a huge boost atop the lineup. Tuch and Kyrou are established top-six wingers who can impact the game in a variety of ways. If Ovechkin has an off night, these two are well-positioned to pick up the slack.

There is going to be some major expectations around this duo. Can they deliver on these expectations? Or will they need a bit of time to settle into their new environment this season?

Can Logan Thompson claim the Vezina?

In 2026, the Vezina Trophy finalists for the league’s best goaltender had some deserving names. Ilya Sorokin, Jeremy Swayman, and Andrei Vasilevskiy were named the three finalists. There were just as many deserving snubs, though, including Capitals puckstopper Logan Thompson.

Thompson has been nothing short of dominant since joining Washington. The veteran goaltender led the NHL in Goals Saved Above Expected and WAR among goaltenders in 2025-26, according to HockeyStats.com. He was arguably the best in the league, even if he didn’t get the hardware to show for it.

Can Thompson continue his dominant form this year? Can he use this snub as motivation to claim the Vezina for himself in 2027? A motivated Thompson could be the backbone for a Capitals Cup run if he can keep this going.