Brandon Duhaime Generating Trade Interest
- In a separate report from Weekes, the former netminder shared that Brandon Duhaime of the Washington Capitals and A.J. Greer of the Florida Panthers are drawing interest as potential bottom-six options. Each forward is incredibly physical and can chip in offensively when needed. Greer has had the better year between the two, scoring 11 goals and 22 points in 61 games with 159 hits.
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Capitals Sign Ethen Frank To Two-Year Extension
The Capitals announced they’ve signed winger Ethen Frank to a two-year, $4MM deal. He’ll count $2MM against the cap for the 2026-27 and 2027-28 seasons.
Frank was set to be a UFA this summer after completing the two-year extension he signed for the league minimum in 2024. With the Caps’ loss to the Mammoth last night putting them further out of playoff contention, there was a fair chance he could have been moved by Friday afternoon as a rental. Instead, he’ll be sticking around in D.C. for another two years.
The 28-year-old is certainly a late bloomer, but has grown into an impactful depth scoring presence for the Caps. The Nebraska native started his pro career as an undrafted free agent, signing with AHL Hershey out of Western Michigan back in 2022. He exploded for 30 goals in 57 games as a rookie – the most he’d had in a single season since his under-16 days – and earned an NHL deal from the Caps at that year’s trade deadline.
The 5’11” winger continued to serve as Hershey’s top goal scorer, awaiting his chance to squeeze out some NHL minutes. Amid a 20-goal showing in just 35 AHL games last year, the call-up finally came. Frank made his NHL debut in January 2025 and remained up with Washington the rest of the way, notching four goals and seven points in 24 games while seeing 10:49 of ice time per game. The skilled finisher shot at 17.4% and did everything he could in his limited minutes to put himself in the conversation for an opening night job this year.
It didn’t come. Washington waived Frank to begin the season and, somewhat unexpectedly, he managed to pass through the wire unclaimed. Less than a month later, he was back up with the Caps. He’s stayed up ever since and has been quite valuable for Washington in a bottom-six role. His 11-12–23 scoring line in 52 games ranks 10th on the team while seeing his ice time creep up to nearly 13 minutes per game, featuring more consistently on the Caps’ second power-play unit.
With Washington seeing an overall dropoff in finishing this season, it makes sense they’d want to retain one of their most efficient shooters, particularly with the lingering uncertainty of whether Alex Ovechkin will return for a 22nd NHL season. Washington now has 17 of the 23 players on its active roster signed through next season, with $34.5MM in projected cap space to burn, per PuckPedia.
Latest On Aliaksei Protas
Already having sent out Michael McCarron, another pending free agent Predator could be on the move soon. Forward Cole Smith took just a three second shift in tonight’s game against Columbus, at one point leaving for the locker room, but eventually returning to the bench, still not playing. Insider Frank Seravalli reported that Tampa Bay is showing interest.
The undrafted 30-year-old has become a mainstay on Nashville’s fourth line over the past four seasons, where he’s played a total 230 games with 62 points. At 6’3”, he is a relentless penalty killing winger likely to bring back later-round draft capital.
A high character player, the Minnesota native would be missed by Nashville, but cashing in on their depth pieces while keeping the bigger stars still gives them a shot in the playoffs, although they’ll have to overhaul their shorthanded unit.
Elsewhere across the league:
- Along with their opponents making news today, the Blue Jackets are missing two key pieces tonight as captain Boone Jenner and star Zach Werenski were inactive, as noted by Jeff Svoboda, official team reporter. Such news can raise eyebrows in early March, but it’s absolutely not for any suspicious reasons. Werenski is thought to be ill, while Jenner is day-to-day for maintenance, as confirmed by the team. Both could return as soon as Thursday, their Jackets set to host Florida as they continue their push toward the postseason. Until then, Kent Johnson, a scratch in recent days, re-enters the lineup.
- As another headline which could be misinterpreted, Capitals star Aliaksei Protas is absent tonight, but it’s due to personal reasons, as reported by Tom Gulitti of NHL.com. The 25-year-old has missed three games this year, otherwise posting 42 points in 59 games, and reaching the 20 goal mark last week. His Capitals, just shy of Wild Card range, are back in action Saturday in Boston, likely to welcome Protas back then.
Capitals Looking To Move Trevor Van Riemsdyk
The Capitals are set to move on from pending unrestricted free agent defenseman Trevor van Riemsdyk one way or another, Frank Seravalli of Victory+ writes. With Washington unlikely to pursue an extension with him, they’re willing to move him before the deadline to get a return for him while freeing up a roster spot.
That roster spot is crucial as the Caps look to welcome top D prospect Cole Hutson to the NHL – potentially within the next two weeks. An underwhelming season for Hutson’s Boston University means they’re all but ruled out of qualifying for the national tournament. Their final regular-season game is against UMass-Lowell on March 7. They’ll have at least one conference playoff game, but if they drop an opening round matchup on March 11, Hutson could be signed and on Washington’s roster for the stretch run and playoffs two weekends from now.
The Caps have already rostered eight defensemen virtually all season long, so they’d need to move one out, either via trade or waivers, to work him in. While they likely wouldn’t love to lose out on a serviceable piece of right-shot depth like van Riemsdyk in a best-case scenario – Hutson is a lefty – he’s averaging just 15:32 per game for Washington this year and has been in and out of the lineup.
The 34-year-old van Riemsdyk has been a stellar bottom-pairing option for Washington for the last several seasons but hasn’t been terribly effective this year. While a defense-first rearguard, his eight points in 47 games are still his worst offensive output since his first season in D.C. back in 2020-21. His possession impacts have cratered, too, controlling 48.3% of shot attempts at 5-on-5 with a career-worst -3.6% relative Corsi For share.
If not used in a deal for a forward and is instead moved separately as a more traditional rental, there will be plenty of contenders looking to shore up their right-shot depth. The Lightning have been looking for help there but reportedly prefer a long-term option. If they can’t strike a deal there, though, a cheap rental option with a good bit of playoff experience, as van Riemsdyk has, would suffice. The Stars, Oilers, and Sabres are other clubs in playoff position with a documented need and desire for immediate right-side help.
Trade Deadline Primer: Washington Capitals
With the Olympic break over, the trade deadline is just over a week away. Where does each team stand, and what moves should they be looking to make? After looking at teams at the ends of the standings, we shift our focus to teams fighting for a playoff spot. Next up are the Capitals.
The Capitals have a roster that is too deep and too talented to be sitting where they are in the standings, but that is why teams play the games. Last season, Washington outperformed expectations, and this year, under the weight of those heightened expectations, the team has been inconsistent and has played below its talent level. Despite the struggles, Washington remains in the hunt for a playoff spot, and a strong push out of the Olympic break would go a long way toward reaching the postseason. There is no guarantee they will do it, but at this point, they seem likely to add to their roster rather than remove from it, as they should, given how unlucky they’ve been this season. Their record doesn’t reflect the team in Washington, and it will be interesting to see how they navigate the deadline.
Record
29-23-7, 5th in the Metropolitan
Deadline Status
Conservative Buyer
Deadline Cap Space
$12.66MM on deadline day, 0/3 retention slots used, 46/50 contracts used, per PuckPedia.
Upcoming Draft Picks
2026: WSH 1st, WSH 4th, WSH 4th, WSH 5th, WSH 6th, WSH 7th
2027: WSH 1st, WSH 2nd, WSH 4th, WSH 5th, WSH 7th, OTT 7th
Trade Chips
The Capitals have already borrowed a bit from the future, shipping out their second- and third-round picks this season and their third- and sixth-round picks next season. Those trades have yielded mixed results, but they are the kinds of moves teams make when competing for a playoff spot.
Outside their draft-pick catalogue, the Capitals have a healthy stable of prospects who should continue to make an NHL impact in the coming years. Washington’s system is slightly above average, which is saying a lot for a team that mortgaged its future repeatedly for a decade or more. The Capitals have drafted well recently and have prospects in their system who would make solid trade chips.
As Tom Gulitti of NHL.com reports, if Washington wants to go big and make a splash, it might cost them one of their top prospects, either center Ilya Protas or defenseman Cole Hutson. Capitals general manager Chris Patrick has already said he isn’t interested in moving Hutson, and it’s hard to blame him given the player’s profile. Washington has to think about a future without superstar Alex Ovechkin while also trying to give him a potential final season to remember.
Protas would be an excellent trade chip if the Capitals chose to go that route. Protas is having a solid first pro season in the AHL with the Hershey Bears, tallying 18 goals and 20 assists in 47 games. The 6’5”, 201-lb pivot won’t burn you with speed and doesn’t separate with his legs, but he is quick with the puck and has a good ability to anticipate the play before moving the puck to teammates. His size will be an attractive quality for teams looking to size up down the middle, and he could be a central piece of a package to acquire a top winger.
With Ryan Leonard now fully graduated to the NHL, the Capitals’ top prospect is likely Andrew Cristall, who put up awe-inspiring numbers in the WHL last season, with 48 goals and 84 assists in 57 games. While his transition to the AHL hasn’t been perfect, he is still putting up points in his first professional season, with nine goals and 28 assists in 47 games. Cristall is the definition of dynamic, using his terrific skating to deceive opponents and operate as a setup man for his teammates. Cristall is a bit on the small side by NHL standards at 5’10”, but given his work with the puck on his stick, there would be many teams willing to facilitate a trade if Cristall is part of the return.
Team Needs
A Top Six Winger: The Capitals were reportedly interested in forward Artemi Panarin, which makes sense given their need for top-six help on the wings. Ethen Frank has seen regular shifts in the top six, suggesting that, as currently constructed, Washington is not a serious contender in the Eastern Conference. Gone are the days when Ovechkin, John Carlson and a lethal power play could carry the Capitals’ offense. The stars need help. Nashville Predators forwards Steven Stamkos and Jonathan Marchessault are likely available, but do the Capitals want to trade away futures for a couple of aging veterans on expensive deals? Hard to say.
Jordan Kyrou is a name that could make sense, as the St. Louis Blues appear ready to dive deeper into a rebuild. Robert Thomas is also a potential option. Both would require significant commitments in the form of trade assets and cap space, but the Capitals are in a position to make both work if they wanted to.
Depth Forward: Last trade deadline, Washington acquired forward Anthony Beauvillier from the Pittsburgh Penguins for a second-round draft pick. That type of deal was likely an overpay, but Beauvillier is the kind of player Washington could target as they look for help in their middle six. The Capitals have dealt with injuries this season, and some of their depth players haven’t contributed much offensively. In a perfect world, the Capitals could have found a player such as Egor Chinakhov, who is young enough to be part of the future but ready to contribute NHL minutes now. Unfortunately for Washington, he was traded to Pittsburgh earlier this season. The Capitals should have plenty of options should they try to add another depth forward. They could acquire a top-end forward and hope that pushing everyone down the lineup solves the problem, or they could look to a team like Vancouver and perhaps pry away a player like Teddy Blueger, who wouldn’t cost a lot but has looked great in limited action this season.
Capitals Reassign Sonny Milano
Feb. 26: The Capitals announced Thursday that they’ve assigned Milano to Hershey, indicating he cleared waivers.
Feb. 25: The Capitals will place Sonny Milano on waivers Wednesday at 1:00 pm Central, Tom Gulitti of NHL.com reports. Until he’s assigned to AHL Hershey tomorrow or is claimed by another team, he’s been designated as a non-roster player to afford Washington the open spot to activate Connor McMichael from injured reserve as expected.
Milano, 29, initially signed a league-minimum deal with the Caps at the beginning of the 2022-23 season after being non-tendered by the Ducks. He had so much success in a depth role, notching 11 goals and 33 points in 64 games, that Washington quickly moved to get him locked into a three-year, $5.7MM extension with a $1.9MM cap hit. He’s now in the final year of that deal, during which he’s been decimated by injuries. After scoring a career-high 15 goals in 49 games in 2023-24, Milano suited up just three times last season before sustaining a season-ending concussion in November.
Back healthy this year, he’s not the same player. Part of that is simply how little he’s been used. With names like Anthony Beauvillier, Ethen Frank, and Justin Sourdif surpassing him on the depth chart, he’s essentially now the Caps’ 14th forward. He’s been scratched for long stretches and, when dressed, has only averaged 8:53 of ice time per game in 31 showings. Considering that usage, his four goals and eight points aren’t too bad.
He’ll now get his first AHL usage since a brief stint with Hershey after signing with the Caps in 2022. He had two goals and an assist in five games that time around and has 118 points in 171 minor-league games for his career.
Milano is at his best when he’s given top-nine deployment and trusted to do little else but score. With no real fit for him to fill that role in D.C. anymore, he may ride out the last few months of his deal in the minors before reaching free agency this summer. If he goes unclaimed on waivers and remains in the Caps’ system, they’ll be left with a $750K cap charge.
Wilson Scratched Due To Illness
- The Capitals announced (Twitter link) that Tom Wilson’s absence from tonight’s game against Philadelphia was due to illness. Wilson had a fairly successful run at the Olympics for Canada with four points in six games while also finishing second in the event in penalty minutes with 29. The winger leads Washington in scoring this season with 23 goals and 26 assists in 50 games.
Capitals Activate Charlie Lindgren From Injured Reserve
The Capitals announced Monday that they’ve activated goaltender Charlie Lindgren from injured reserve. Washington loaned goaltender Garin Bjorklund to AHL Hershey in the corresponding move, keeping their active roster at the 23-player limit.
After injury troubles derailed both Lindgren and starter Logan Thompson before the Olympic break, the Caps will have both of their NHL options on hand coming out of it. Lindgren was banged up in a Jan. 29 win over the Red Wings and sat out the following four games with a lower-body injury.
His play has experienced a steep decline since making a career-high 50 starts in 2023-24, leading Washington to an unexpected playoff berth. He was still used virtually in tandem with Thompson last season, even as his save percentage fell to a .896 mark. Further decline here in 2025-26 has bumped him back into a traditional backup role behind a Vezina Trophy candidate in Thompson, though. He’s made 17 starts compared to Thompson’s 39 while churning out a career-worst .884 SV% and 3.37 GAA. While he’s faced a more difficult workload than Thompson in terms of expected goals against, his GSAx is still in the red at -2.0, per MoneyPuck.
With two more years left on a still pretty fresh extension at a $3MM cap hit, though, the Caps are committed. That’s especially considering the lack of inspiring minor-league options or prospects waiting to take a job from him. That includes Bjorklund, who sits fourth on Washington’s depth chart behind Thompson, Lindgren, and veteran AHL starter Clay Stevenson. Bjorklund, 23, was a sixth-round pick by the Caps in 2020 and has put up great ECHL numbers the past two years, but has struggled up a level in Hershey. In 12 games this season, he’s put up a 3.47 GAA, .881 SV%, and a 4-5-3 record with one shutout.
Alex Ovechkin Undecided On Playing Future Beyond This Season
With this being the final season of Alex Ovechkin’s contract, there has been plenty of speculation as to whether the future Hall of Famer would be hanging up his skates, returning to play in Russia, or staying in the NHL. At various times, it has been speculated that this would be it for him in the NHL while at others, some have suggested that an extension could be coming.
Now several months into the 2025-26 campaign, it doesn’t seem as if Ovechkin is any closer to making a decision on what comes next. Speaking with NHL.com’s Tom Gulitti earlier this week, the 40-year-old indicated that he doesn’t know what comes next. He added that his family and the Capitals organization would be part of the decision-making process, with a final decision unlikely to come until after the season.
Ovechkin has spent his entire 21-year NHL career with Washington after the Caps drafted him first overall back in 2004. He has set multiple league records along the way. On top of taking over the all-time goal record last season (he’s up to 919), he’s also the record-holder for power play goals (330), game-winning goals (140), and shots on goal (7,028). Clearly, there’s nothing left to prove but he can certainly keep adding to his records.
While Ovechkin clearly isn’t the elite winger he was for many years, he’s still a very capable contributor. He has 22 goals and 26 assists this season in 59 games while still logging nearly 18 minutes per night of playing time. His 48 points are one behind Tom Wilson for the team lead. While a decline is likely to come given his age, Ovechkin could certainly contribute for another year.
If Ovechkin decides to re-sign with the Capitals, it’s fair to say that the AAV of the deal wouldn’t check in at the $9.5MM that it’s currently at. However, if he were to re-sign on a one-year pact, he’d become eligible for performance bonuses, which would give Washington some extra flexibility and also give Ovechkin a chance to maximize his earnings.
While the Capitals would undoubtedly like some certainty with Ovechkin’s situation heading into the trade deadline to know if this is his final run or not, it appears that they’ll have to wait a while yet to see what the captain plans to do.
Capitals’ John Carlson Day-To-Day With Injury
The Washington Capitals could be missing a major piece when they return to NHL action on Wednesday. Top defenseman John Carlson sat out of the team’s Sunday practice, instead doing individual drills in a no-contact jersey, per Sammi Silber of The Hockey News. Head coach Spencer Carbery later designated Carlson as out day-to-day with a lower-body injury, adds Silber.
Carlson sustained his injury in Washington’s February 5th win over the Nashville Predators. He left that match late in the first period, after getting tangled up with Predators’ forward Cole Smith. The Capitals had hoped that an extended break would help Carlson heal up from the injury, though it will now follow the club through their return to action.
Carlson has continue to serve as a key offensive-defenseman for the Capitals. He has scored 17 points in his last 17 games, dating back to Washington’s highest-scoring game of the season on January 5th. That streak includes the game that Carlson was injured in, thanks to a secondary assist he earned on Washington’s second goal of the game. It was Carlson’s ninth power-play assist of the season, the most of any Capitals defenseman.
In total, the 36-year-old Carlson has posted 10 goals and 36 points in 55 games this season. He is on pace for 69 points in 82 games, closer to his scoring heights from a few years back after he stuck closer to 50 points in the last two seasons. Part of that is thanks to fellow offensive-defenseman Jakob Chychrun, who has taken the weight of a number-one role off of Carlson’s shoulders. Chychrun will carry the brunt of the load in Carlson’s absence, while Declan Chisholm and Dylan McIlrath vye for the open spot at right-defense.