The Washington Capitals are entering a critical week for their playoff positioning in the Metropolitan Division. Following a tough 3-2 loss to the Nashville Predators on Sunday, they look to bounce back with a heavy home schedule. Here are the key storylines and their upcoming schedule for the week of Jan. 12-18, 2026.
The “Gr8” Chase Continues
Even at age 40, captain Alex Ovechkin remains the team’s headline story. In the recent loss to Nashville, Ovechkin scored his 20th goal of the season. This marks his 21st career 20-goal season, passing Ron Francis for the second-most in NHL history (trailing only Gordie Howe’s 22). While he broke the all-time goal record back in April 2025, he continues to push the bar higher, now sitting at 917 career goals.
Injury Woes
The Capitals are navigating significant injury trouble:
Jakob Chychrun (D): Day-to-day with illness.
Tom Wilson (RW): Currently on Injured Reserve (IR) with a lower-body injury sustained against the Chicago Blackhawks. He missed the Nashville game but is eligible to return soon; his status remains day-to-day.
Justin Sourdif (F): Left Sunday’s game against Nashville early with an upper-body injury after taking a puck to the face. He is listed as day-to-day.
Pierre-Luc Dubois (C): Remains out long-term (abdominal surgery) and is not expected back until after the Olympic break.
The Playoff Dogfight
The Capitals are currently sitting in the last Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference, fighting alongside teams like the Buffalo Sabres and Pittsburgh Penguins. A major weakness has been their inability to secure extra points; the team is currently 0-5 in shootouts this season. With three home games this week, collecting maximum points is crucial to staying in the race.
Capitals Schedule Jan. 12 – 18
DateTime (ET)OpponentLocationTue, Jan. 137:00 PMMontreal CanadiensCapital One ArenaThu, Jan. 157:00 PMSan Jose SharksCapital One ArenaSat, Jan. 177:00 PMFlorida PanthersCapital One Arena
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