| Pos | Role | Name |
| C | 1 | Nicklas Backstrom  ActiveNicklas Backstrom notched a goal and an assist in Tuesday's win over Winnipeg. He has four points in his last two games to give him 48 in 46 contests this season. Backstrom is third in the NHL with 40 helpers and is tied for eighth in league scoring. Hopefully, you stayed with patient with him at the beginning of the year and you are being rewarded for it now. Apr 24 |
| 2 | Mike Ribeiro ActiveMike Ribeiro and the Washington Capitals don't appear to be heading toward agreeing to a new deal. Agent Don Meehan said Tuesday that there "aren't any updates" on contract talks with unrestricted free agency drawing closer. The two sides have expressed their interest in staying together, but it doesn't look like they've made any ground since Ribeiro rejected a three-year, $14 million offer in March. It may be tough for the Capitals to fit what he wants into their salary cap, so he might be allowed to test the open market on July 5. Jun 5 |
| 3 | Mathieu Perreault ActiveMathieu Perreault generated a goal and an assist in Washington's 4-3 loss to the New York Rangers Wednesday night. His first career playoff marker came just past the midway mark of the second period to get Washington on the scoreboard. Perreault has been productive in the playoffs with four points in four games. He had five shots in Game 4 after registering two in his previous three contests, so hopefully he's learned that he needs to shoot the puck more. May 9 |
| 4 | Marcus Johansson ActiveMarcus Johansson will need a new contract this summer. He is a pending restricted free agent and is coming off his entry-level deal. He skated alongside Alex Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom on Washington's top line for most of the season and coach Adam Oates praised Johansson's play down the stretch. He should get a nice bump in salary, but he'll probably have to prove himself further before he earns a substantial contract. May 22 |
| 5 | Jay Beagle ActiveEven though the Capitals hung with the Rangers, their parade to the penalty box early on set them back. They took six minor penalties in the first 27 minutes of the game. The Rangers only capitalized on one (and scored just as one expired), but it kept the Capitals on their heels and kept their offensive players glued to the bench. "Your momentum gets killed," Jay Beagle said, "and it’s tough to get going again. We need to keep our sticks down and stay off the refs." Mike Green also added: Anytime you’re taking penalties, it’s losing momentum and it’s tough to get that flow of the game. Guys get tired and we can’t have that." May 7 |
| LW | 1 | Matt Hendricks ActiveMatt Hendricks is not close to re-signing with the Washington Capitals. Hendricks is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent next month. "There has been no progress at all. We haven’t even talked," Hendricks' agent, Michael Wulkan said. "Matt said from day one that his preference is to stay in Washington, but we were negotiating and then it stopped. They know our position." Hendricks had eight points and 73 penalty minutes in 48 games this season. Jun 7 |
| 2 | Brooks Laich  SidelinedBrooks Laich (groin) won't play Monday in Game 7 versus the New York Rangers. There was some buzz that he could make his series debut, but coach Adam Oates said that won't be the case. Laich skated in nine just games during the regular season because of his troublesome groin. May 13 |
| 3 | Jason Chimera ActiveThe Capitals' penalty kill helped propel them to a Game 1 win Thursday night. The Capitals went down two men in the middle of the second period for 56 seconds and had close to four minutes of time on the penalty kill, but they killed it off. Minutes later the Caps scored twice in 46 seconds. "Anytime you kill a five-on-three, especially in playoffs, the momentum goes the other way, for sure," said Jason Chimera, who scored the team's third goal. "If they get a goal, they’re feeling it. If we get a kill, obviously the crowd gets into it or we get into it. Everyone’s pumped up. It’s a good way to create momentum for us." May 3 |
| 4 | Aaron Volpatti ActiveAaron Volpatti will begin the 2013 playoffs in the press box. He probably would've started on the fourth line if Joel Ward wasn't able to return from his knee injury. However, with Ward back in the lineup Volpatti will join Wojtek Wolski, Tom Poti and Jeff Schultz as healthy scratches. May 2 |
| RW | 1 | Alex Ovechkin ActiveAlex Ovechkin is crediting Capitals coach Adam Oates with helping him win the Hart Trophy for the third time. "I told him, ‘Thank you very much.’ I’m just happy because, again, it’s history. It means a lot for me. It’s history," Ovechkin said. "I tell Adam I’m going to go along with you starting the first day. I tell him, ‘I trust you.’ He said, ‘Okay, just listen to me and you are going to be okay.’ I listened to him. Right now almost — I’m okay." After a couple of rough seasons, Ovechkin has bounced back in a big way this year with 32 goals and 56 points in 48 games. Ovechkin and coach Oates seem to be on the same page and that should result in Ovechkin putting up elite numbers again in 2013-14. Jun 16 |
| 2 | Troy Brouwer ActiveTroy Brouwer scored for the Capitals in their 4-3 loss against the Rangers in Game 4 of their first-round series Wednesday night. The Capitals had trouble generating any consistent offense through the first half of the game, but found themselves tied 2-2 by the end of the second thanks to a slick backhander from Brouwer, who now has 15 points in 61 playoff games. Mathieu Perreault had the team's first goal, taking advantage of Joel Ward's hard move to the net and banking in the rebound. Karl Alzner had the other goal for Washington. Ward ended up with two helpers. Alex Ovechkin was limited to one shot on goal and a minus-one rating. He also had two penalty minutes. May 8 |
| 3 | Martin Erat SidelinedMartin Erat dislocated his left elbow in Game 4 of the Capitals' first-round series against the Rangers. The winger was injured in a collision with Alex Ovechkin and the Rangers' Derek Stepan. This won't be an issue heading into next season; in fact, Erat said he would've been ready for Round 2 if the Capitals had advanced. "I feel better," Erat said. "It’s kind of sad, you know, when I was getting ready to go back and I’m not going to be able to." May 15 |
| 4 | Eric Fehr ActiveThe Capitals were left shaking their heads after their no-show in Game 7 of their first-round series with the Rangers. For a series that was so close, nobody expected a 5-0 result in the decisive game. "That’s as tough as it gets right there," forward Eric Fehr said. "It’s really disappointing. We played a hard series. And [I’m] not even sure what happened." May 14 |
| 5 | Joel Ward ActiveThe Washington Capitals take a 3-2 lead into New York today in their best-of-seven, opening-round playoff series against the Rangers, and coach Adam Oates thinks it's somewhat attributable to the hard play of right winger Joel Ward. "It’s been great to have him back. We missed him when he was hurt," Oates said of Ward’s impact since he returned from a left knee contusion at the start of the playoffs. "That line with (Mathieu) Perreault and (Jason) Chimera," Oates continued, "they’ve really, the last 10 games of the year and so far in the series, they’ve really upgraded their game and really helped us." The third line of Chimera, Perreault and either Ward or, earlier, Eric Fehr has been the Capls’ most effective unit through the first five games of this Eastern Conference quarterfinal series. They’ve done everything from creating sustained offensive zone pressure and establishing a hard-hitting forecheck to pitching in on the scoresheet and making smart plays in their own end. The current trio has combined for three goals and eight assists in the playoffs and they’ve been on the ice for only one even-strength goal against. May 12 |
| 6 | Tom Wilson ActiveTom Wilson will remain in the lineup for Monday's Game 7 against the New York Rangers. Both Wilson and Aaron Volpatti took pregame warmups after coach Adam Oates said he might change his lineup for Game 7. Wilson will skate on the fourth line again and likely be limited to under eight minutes. May 13 |
| 7 | Joey Crabb ActiveJoey Crabb won't play for the Washington Capitals next season. "He has no intentions to sign back with the Capitals," Crabb's agent, Kevin Epp, wrote in an e-mail to the Washington Post. "I don't think it worked out for either party." He skated in 26 games with the Capitals and he scored two goals. He didn't play an NHL game after March 17 though and he was placed on waivers when Mike Green returned to action from injured reserve. He spent the rest of the season in the minors after he went unclaimed. Crabb will become an unrestricted free agent in July 5. Jun 6 |
| D | 1 | Mike Green ActiveThe Capitals have already turned the page on their loss and are focusing on fixing their mistakes for Game 4. "It’s unfortunate," Mike Green said after the team's 4-3 loss. "We wanted to be up three, but we have a lot of work to do and we knew we would." The Capitals got the first goal of the game, then the Rangers held three one-goal leads as the Caps answered back twice. May 7 |
| 2 | John Carlson ActiveJohn Carlson feels the key to defeating the Rangers in first round of the postseason is to take what made the Capitals last year and blend it with their higher tempo style. "It plays to our strengths a little bit," Carlson said. "If we can take that commitment level that we had last year in that series into this one with our system and our skills, I think we're a really good team." Washington played in a defensive shell last year under Dale Hunter, but with coach Adam Oates they have been given more freedom to create offense and get in on the forecheck. Committing to blocking shots and being able to grind out wins will be important against a Rangers team that prides themselves in playing that kind of game. Apr 30 |
| 3 | Karl Alzner ActiveKarl Alzner hasn't thought about the possibility of getting an offer sheet. Alzner is scheduled to become a restricted free agent this summer. "That would be weird," Alzner said of the possibility of accepting an offer sheet. "Like I said, I don't know anything but [Washington]. It would be strange." Washington will almost certainly re-sign Alzner, but the Capitals are close to the salary cap and that might make the process a little more difficult. May 25 |
| 4 | John Erskine ActiveJohn Erskine played in his second straight game Thursday after being sidelined for nearly a month. Erskine returned to the lineup Tuesday after being sidelined since March 9 with an upper-body injury. His return is a boost to the surging Capitals but he won’t help your fantasy team. Apr 5 |
| 5 | Tom Poti  I.L.Tom Poti won't be back with the Washington Capitals next season, but he wants to continue playing in the NHL. The pending unrestricted free agent said, "It's time to move on." Poti has struggled with injury for the past couple of seasons, appearing in just 37 games over that time. It may be tough for him to find interested suitors at the age of 36. May 16 |
| 6 | Steven Oleksy ActiveSteve Oleksy made his presence felt in his first career NHL playoff game. The 27-year-old rookie played 13:57, notched two hits and blocked four shots, one coming off his face. His most impressive play, though, was the saucer pass he sent from his own end to spring Marcus Johansson for a breakaway goal. "It felt like another game," said the 27-year-old Capitals rookie. "Amped up intensity, faster, physical, which helps you get into the game as a player. It was great to be a part of it." May 3 |
| 7 | Jack Hillen ActiveWashington Capitals sign Jack Hillen to two-year, $1.4 million contract extension. Hillen is mostly a depth defenseman for the Caps and has spent most of the year dealing with an upper-body injury. Apr 2 |
| 8 | Jeff Schultz ActiveCapitals GM George McPhee confirmed that he's trying to trade Jeff Schultz. Schultz requested a trade in mid-March and made his desire to be moved public this week. "If someone wants to be traded, we’ll trade him," McPhee said. "It doesn't matter who it is. If you don’t want to play for us, we’ll move you. Washington is a great place to play- it’s a great team, a great city, we've got great fans and if you don’t want to be part of it, we’ll move you." McPhee gave Schultz credit for coming and putting in the trade request directly rather than going through his agent. Although McPhee didn't address the possibility of buying out Schultz contract, it might make sense for him to do so if they can't find a willing trading partner. Schultz comes with a $2.75 million cap hit and would likely serve as a seventh defenseman with Washington if he stayed for the 2013-14 campaign. Jun 1 |
| 9 | Tomas Kundratek ActiveTomas Kundratek has been called up by Washington. Fellow defensemen Dmitry Orlov, Cameron Schilling and Nate Schmidt as well as goaltender Philipp Grubauer have also been brought up from AHL Hershey. They aren't likely to play in the playoffs though. May 10 |
| 10 | Dmitry Orlov ActiveWashington Capitals reassign Dmitry Orlov to AHL Hershey. Orlov had one assist and was a plus-5 in five games since being recalled March 18. It's possible Orlov could return to the Capitals when rosters expand. Apr 2 |
| 11 | Nate Schmidt ActiveThe Washington Capitals have signed Nate Schmidt to a two-year, entry-level contract. Schmidt was a college free agent after completing his season with the University of Minnesota. Schmidt had nine goals and 32 points with the Gophers this season. He's expected to practice with the Capitals on Wednesday and could stay with the NHL club after rosters expand at midnight tonight. Apr 2 |
| 12 | Cam Schilling ActiveCam Schilling has been sent down to the minors. Schilling made his NHL debut on Tuesday. He had a minus-one rating in 11:58 minutes of playing time. Mar 16 |
| G | 1 | Braden Holtby ActiveBraden Holtby didn't let a shaky start to the 2013 campaign derail his confidence and at the end of the year he emerged as a solid option between the pipes and the team's undisputed starter. He posted a 23-12-1 record, a 2.58 goals-against average, a .920 save percentage and four shutouts in 36 games. "If you're not improving every year, you're doing something wrong," said Holtby. "It was nice to get sort of a full season in, and every little experience can help if you use it the right way." He brought some stability to Washington's crease for the first time in a while and will likely be given the number one job again heading into next season. May 22 |
| 2 | Michal Neuvirth ActiveMichal Neuvirth has inked a two-year, $5 million contract extension with the Washington Capitals. Neuvirth was scheduled to become a restricted free agent this summer. He will make $2.4 million next season and $2.6 million in 2014-15. "We talk about it and I don’t feel as a backup," said Neuvirth. "I feel I’m better than that, and that’s why they offer me more money than the backups in the league." He might not feel like a backup, but he has his work cut out for him if he wants to wrestle the starting job away from Braden Holtby next season. It's certainly not an impossible task for him, but we'd sooner bet on Holtby. Apr 27 |
| 3 | Philipp Grubauer ActivePhilipp Grubauer has been sent down to the minors. That's probably an indication that Michal Neuvirth, who took a high during Saturday's morning skate, is feeling okay. Grubauer has a 3.57 GAA and .915 save percentage in two games with Washington this season. Apr 1 |