The Washington Capitals will open the 2026-27 NHL season on the road against the defending champion Carolina Hurricanes on Oct. 2, the league announced Thursday.
Washington will follow up the season-opening road trip with an away game against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Oct. 3 before returning to the District for a home opener against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Oct. 7.
The Capitals will also end their home slate against the Penguins on April 4. Washington’s season-ending road trip will feature games against the Columbus Blue Jackets, Ottawa Senators and Philadelphia Flyers.
Coach Spencer Carbery’s squad will have a pair of five-game homestands to anchor the schedule. The first runs from Oct. 14-28, and the second arrives after the All-Star break, from Feb. 14-23.
Washington’s schedule also includes five stretches with at least three straight road games, including a season-long trip to the West Coast that features six games from Dec. 3-15.
As the season wears on, fans and analysts will be drawn to longtime captain Alex Ovechkin. The NHL’s all-time leading goal-scorer delayed retirement when he signed a one-year deal to return to Washington.
But retirement rumors will follow Ovechkin, who turns 41 in September, throughout the campaign.
He said during a press conference this month that he had not decided when he might hang up his skates, indicating that he could play the 2027-28 season as well.
Contact the author
Please read our comment policy before commenting.