Episode
Summer Coolers – Washington Capitals
- Podcast
- NHL Wraparound Podcast
- Published
- Sep 16, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 461
- Processing state
not_requested
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Summary
Summer Coolers – Washington Capitals The Washington Capitals received a major wake-up call last season. After finishing atop the Eastern Conference in 2024-25, Washington dropped 16 points, finished fourth in the Metropolitan Division with 95 and missed the playoffs. GM Chris Patrick responded aggressively, surrounding Alexander Ovechkin with Jordan Kyrou, Alex Tuch and Boone Jenner. Neil Smith and Vic Morren see a Capitals roster that, on paper, looks significantly stronger—and determined not to repeat last season’s disappointment. IN THIS EPISODE: [00:00:00] Washington finishes fourth in the Metro with 95 points, a 16-point decline from the previous season, and misses the Stanley Cup Playoffs. [00:00:25] Despite winning the Cup in 2018, the Capitals have won only one playoff series since that championship. [00:00:40] Offense, defense, power play and penalty killing all decline as many players fail to duplicate their career seasons from 2024-25. [00:00:55] Pierre-Luc Dubois also misses significant time with injury, contributing to a season where many of the previous year’s positives disappear. [00:01:00] Neil describes missing the playoffs as an “ice bucket challenge” after Washington had challenged for the Presidents’ Trophy the year before. [00:01:25] That previous season also featured Ovechkin passing Wayne Gretzky’s career goal-scoring record, creating an unforgettable year in Washington. [00:01:45] The disappointing follow-up convinces management that dramatic changes are necessary to give Ovechkin and the existing core more support. [00:02:00] Ovechkin re-signs July 2 on a one-year, $4.25 million contract and enters the season 71 goals away from 1,000. [00:02:20] Jordan Kyrou arrives from St. Louis for Connor McMichael, Dalibor Dvorsky and a 2026 first-round pic…