The Capitals got a quick answer from their latest roster shuffle, and it came from an unlikely place. After recalling defenseman Justin Holl from Hershey and placing Matt Roy on injured reserve with a lower-body injury, Washington handed Holl a spot in the lineup. He made it count, scoring his first goal as a Capital in last night’s 4-2 loss to Carolina.
That goal fit into a recent trend for Washington: a few new Capitals have been finding the net early after arriving. In Holl’s case, the bigger point was how he handled the job on the back end. He’s a veteran with more than 400 NHL games behind him, and that experience showed up right away in a role that asked him to slide into the bottom pairing without much disruption.
There was an argument to be made for a different move. Rookie Ryan Chesley, who has not played an NHL game yet, had turned heads in training camp and preseason, and he looked strong again during Washington’s preseason win over the Flyers on September 21.
In that game, Chesley skated well, defended well, and finished with three assists. The 22-year-old, drafted in the second round, 37th overall, in the 2022 NHL Draft, also brings a solid résumé from the University of Minnesota, where he served as captain in his senior year.
Still, the Capitals opted for the steadier hand. Chesley may be ready, but there’s also value in letting him keep playing big minutes in Hershey rather than sitting in a suit and waiting on the NHL bench. That’s the kind of depth question Washington has tried to manage carefully, especially on defense, where the group has been built through trades, free agency, and the draft.
The current blue line mix includes Jakob Chychrun, Rasmus Sandin, and Timothy Liljegren from trades; Desharnais, Matt Roy, Dylan McIylrath, and Holl through free agency; and Martin Fehevary plus rookie Cole Hutson from the draft. With veterans like Holl available to step in, the Capitals have some cover when injuries hit.
That same approach applies in the minors, where the presence of experienced depth pieces can ease the pressure on younger players. General manager Chris Patrick’s signings of Holl and center Josh Brodzinski fit that plan, giving Spencer Carbery options when the roster gets tested. Chesley might eventually be part of the answer, but Holl was the one who got the call, and against Carolina he showed he could handle it.
The long-term concern is depth on the blue line. Washington has promising forwards in the pipeline, including winger Andrew Cristall, Lyden Lankovic, and Maxim Schafer, but the defensive cupboard is thinner.
If the Capitals are indeed a contender for Lord Stanley’s Cup in the spring, they may need more behind the current group before the playoffs arrive. When Sandin and Roy return from injured reserve, the defense should look much stronger.
If those returns take longer, Holl’s performance last night offered a reminder that Washington at least has a veteran who can step in and do the job.
In Other News...
Hurricanes Lose Key Piece Before Capitals Matchup
The Hurricanes will be without a major piece when they face the Capitals, after coach Rod BrindAmour said captain Jordan Staal was hurt in warmups and is set to miss an extended stretch. Carolina is already planning to bring up a forward to help replace the roster spot, and the loss comes with real ripple effects for a club that leans on Staal for leadership, matchup duty and stability down the middle.
Jesperi Kotkaniemi is expected to move into the center role, with Mark Jankowski next in line to handle third-line duties during Staals absence. For Washington, it changes the look of a division opponent that usually prides itself on depth, and it gives the Capitals a slightly different puzzle to solve in what was already shaping up as a meaningful early-season test. [Read more 🡒]
Capitals Let A Winnable Road Game Slip Away For One Frustrating Reason
The Capitals had a chance to make a tidy road win out of a tough night in Carolina, and for stretches they looked capable of doing it. Logan Thompson gave them a chance with 31 saves, Boone Jenner kept his recent scoring run going with his third goal in as many games, and Justin Holl made an immediate impression in his Capitals debut by scoring after being fed by Dylan Strome.
But the game kept turning on the kind of calls and momentum swings that can flatten a visitor. Washington had one goal wiped away for goaltender interference, then lost a similar challenge on a Carolina goal minutes later, and the sequence helped tilt a matchup the Capitals never really regained. Add in the penalties and the four goals allowed, and a 4-2 loss started to feel like one of those frustrating nights where the details ended up mattering more than the chances. [Read more 🡒]
Capitals Carry Major Lineup Uncertainty Into Ovechkins Emotional Raleigh Stop
The Capitals head into Raleigh with plenty still up in the air beyond the spotlight surrounding Alex Ovechkins final NHL season. Logan Thompson is set to start in goal against the Hurricanes, with Charlie Lindgren expected to get the next turn, but the bigger issue for Washington is the rest of the lineup, which is still being sorted out as the club navigates injury-related uncertainty and availability questions.
Spencer Carbery is leaving the whole group as a game-time decision, and the list of question marks includes Pierre-Luc Dubois, who is out with an illness, and Matt Roy, who is expected to miss a fourth straight game because of a lower-body injury. Ovechkins appearance in Raleigh will still carry the emotional weight of a farewell tour stop, but the Capitals are trying to balance that moment with a roster that may not be fully known until just before puck drop. [Read more 🡒]