Spencer Carbery’s rise in Washington has been quick, and the next step could be even more telling. In TheHockeyNews.com’s ranking of the NHL’s 32 coaches, the Capitals bench boss lands at No. 9, a placement built on what he’s already done - and what he still has a chance to do.
Carbery made an immediate impression in his first season behind the Capitals’ bench, guiding Washington to a 40-31-11 record in 2023-24. He followed that with an even stronger year, as the Capitals finished 51-22-9 and owned the best record in the Eastern Conference. That performance earned him his first Jack Adams Award as the league’s top coach.
He also added a playoff breakthrough to the résumé. Carbery led Washington past the Montreal Canadiens in the 2025 Stanley Cup playoffs, giving the Capitals their first series win since they captured the Cup in 2018.
This past season, though, brought a different kind of challenge. Washington missed the playoffs for the first time in Carbery’s tenure, and the roster was in motion after GM Chris Patrick dealt longtime star defenseman John Carlson to the Anaheim Ducks. Even with that change, the Capitals fell short of a postseason berth by just three points.
That’s part of what makes Carbery’s work stand out. He was hired to guide a transition from one era to the next, and that kind of job rarely moves in a straight line. The Capitals need their younger players to keep developing while the team remains competitive, and that’s a demanding balance for any coach.
The good news for Carbery is that the runway is there. He’s only 44, and Washington is in the middle of its shift away from the Alexander Ovechkin era and toward a new generation. That means Carbery has to do more than draw up systems; he has to develop players and keep the veterans bought in and ready to run through walls for him.
The opportunity ahead is real, too. In what the ranking described as a relatively weak Metropolitan Division, Washington has a chance to put together a long playoff run next season. But before anyone in the organization starts talking postseason, Carbery needs to get the Capitals back on track in the regular season.
There’s also more help on the way. GM Chris Patrick has added Jordan Kyrou and Alex Tuch, giving Carbery more talent to work with. The challenge now is fitting those pieces into the lineup the right way.
If he does that, Carbery could keep climbing this list. Another Stanley Cup run in Washington is on the table, and so is another Jack Adams Award.
In Other News...
IIHF Upholds Russia Ban For 2026 Season Amid Tensions
The International Ice Hockey Federation has extended its ban on the Russian Ice Hockey Federation for select international championships in the 2026-27 season, keeping one of the sports most sensitive disputes in place as the calendar turns toward another World Championship cycle. The decision, driven by safety, security and sporting integrity concerns, keeps Russia out of the 2027 IIHF Mens Championship, Mens World Junior Championship, U18 Womens World Championship and U18 Mens World Championship.
For fans in Washington, the ruling is another reminder of how geopolitical tensions continue to shape the wider hockey landscape well beyond the NHL schedule. The only possible opening remains the 2027 IIHF Womens World Championship, and even that will not be settled until the federation reviews eligibility in November 2026, leaving the situation in the same uncertain holding pattern that has surrounded it for months. [Read more 🡒]
Three Big Questions Could Decide The Capitals Playoff Push
The Capitals entered the offseason with a clear aim: turn a roster built around high-end forward talent into a legitimate postseason threat for Spencer Carbery. Adding wingers Alex Tuch and Jordan Kyrou gave Washington more firepower, but it also brought a familiar question for a team trying to take the next step - how much puck distribution can one lineup sustain when several forwards are built to shoot first?
There are still a few swing factors hanging over the push. Rookie defenseman Cole Hutson could end up playing a meaningful role on the blue line, while the crease picture is just as important with Charlie Lindgren looking to rediscover his form after a difficult stretch. Logan Thompson is already penciled in as the established starter for 2026-27, but the Capitals need their present to come together first if they want the season to feel like more than a hopeful transition. [Read more 🡒]