Capitals’ Best-Case Scenarios for 2026-27

Tom Wilson’s new role will be worth keeping an eye on. The 32-year-old has produced consecutive 30+ goal seasons under Carbery. Will Washington’s bench boss still give the human wrecking ball an average of 19+ minutes per night with some of the new faces in the lineup? Conversely, does the Capitals’ heavier lineup wear teams down after battling a relentless onslaught of 6-foot-4 forwards, leading to more goal-scoring opportunities for the NHL veteran? 

Alex Tuch arrives with high expectations after receiving an 8-year, $84-million contract via sign-and-trade with the Buffalo Sabres this offseason. The 6-foot-4 forward has totaled 69 goals over the last two seasons and helped lead the Sabres back to the playoffs for the first time in 14 seasons last spring. Tuch has surpassed the 30-goal plateau in three of the last four years, so it would be a bit surprising to see a downturn with his new team, playing alongside Ovechkin, Wilson, and/or Boone Jenner.

Washington is betting that Jordan Kyrou’s 18-goal season with the St. Louis Blues in 2025-26 was simply a down year following three straight seasons of meeting our 30-goal threshold. While it could easily be that Kyrou (or Tuch) takes a few months to acclimate to new surroundings, the 28-year-old has showcased consistent goal-scoring talent across eight NHL seasons. If the speedy winger can find more time and space to score with a larger lineup in Washington, a return to the 30-goal mark is not out of the question this season.

Protas Brothers Takeover the NHL 

Aliaksei Protas was tasked with greater defensive responsibility and increased ice time last season, resulting in a regression in his offensive numbers. The 25-year-old center still scored 25 goals (down from 30 in 2024-25) and totaled 52 points (down from 66 ) over the same number of games (76) in both seasons. Perhaps the biggest improvement occurred at the faceoff dot, where his success rate increased by more than 20% last season (to 44%) while contributing in all areas of the lineup. An 80-point season in 2026-27 doesn’t feel out of reach for a player just hitting his prime.

Now, a carbon copy of Aliaksei is ready to burst onto the NHL scene: his younger brother, Ilya Protas. “Little Pro” totaled four points in a four-game sample size late last season. He also tallied 66 points in 69 games for the Hershey Bears in the American Hockey League (AHL), a near point-per-game pace in his first pro campaign. Carbury has the luxury of using the younger Protas in the bottom of the lineup, adding another towering 6-foot-6 forward into Washington’s mix with 20+ goal potential in his rookie season.  

So far, a best-case scenario has Washington with five 30+ goal scorers and a rookie that showcases the attributes to become one by the end of the decade. 

Chychrun & Hutson Form NHL’s Best Blueline Offense

Jakob Chychrun is a special weapon on the blue line as the only defender to break the 25-goal mark in 2025-26. He has scored 61 goals and 107 points in 154 games over his first two seasons in Washington, a significant turnaround after two disappointing seasons with the Ottawa Senators. With the additions up front, Chychrun could establish new career highs with 30+ goals, 35+ assists, and 75+ points. Those numbers would put him right behind the top-tier names in the sport such as Cale Makar and Lane Hutson. 

Cole Hutson, Lane’s younger brother, flashed his skills by scoring three goals and 10 points in 14 games as the Capitals pushed for a playoff spot at the end of last season. At just 19 years old, he was challenged with over 17 minutes of ice time per contest. Projected over a full 82-game schedule (before the NHL increased to 84 games), his stats project to be 18 goals and 59 points. In a best-case scenario, Hutson challenges for 15+ goals and 60+ points in his first pro season, which should be enough to put him in the Calder Trophy conversation alongside Porter Martone and Gavin McKenna.

Martin Ferevary, Matt Roy, Timothy Liljegren and Vincent Desharnais hold down the defensive responsibilities behind Chychryn and Hutson. Rasmus Sandin is expected to return from a right knee injury around the holiday season, which should provide an extra boost to the defensive group heading into the 2027 calendar year. Those five athletes won’t be relied on for scoring punch, but a handful of goals from each will make Washington more difficult to beat.

Lindgren Rebounds in Net

Our final point rests on the assumption that, in an ideal world, Logan Thompson remains among the best goalies in the league for a third consecutive season. He tied for third in most starts (58) in 2025-26, while posting a 31-21-6 record with a 2.44 goals-against average (GAA) and a .921% save percentage (SV%). The hope is that the Capitals rely on their backup for more than 21 games this season to keep the 29-year-old starter in shape for a postseason run. 

Thompson started so many games last season because his partner, Charlie Lindgren, struggled. Washington’s 32-year-old backup recorded a 9-8-3 record with a 3.52 GAA and an .879 SV%. Lindgren returning to his career averages – a 2.87 GAA and a .902 SV% in 170 NHL games – would go a long way to allowing Thompson to get some rest, particularly down the stretch. 

If Washington can accomplish at least three of these four best-case scenarios, it could vault them back into contention as one of the best teams in the Metropolitan Division. The Capitals must be feeling the pressure to give Ovechkin at least one more shot at Stanley Cup glory. On paper, it looks like the front office has done enough to put together one of the hardest teams to play against in the Eastern Conference. If all goes right, Capitals fans will not want to miss game nights this season.