The Washington Capitals continue to navigate ups and downs to open the 2026-27 campaign, as the new-look team has seen flashes of brilliance and areas they'd like to clean up.

That said, we're opening the mailbag to answer your burning questions after the first seven games of the season.

Editor's Note: Questions have been edited for length and clarity.

Looking at the power play, there's going to be growing pains, and there's been more familiarity rather than a full dive into new systems as Ray Bennett takes over to start things out.

Spencer Carbery pointed out to start the season, has "Jekyll and Hyde" qualities as it adapts and gets used to one another, and the team wanted to have that familiarity on one unit just to help the chemistry while the other unit has some new faces and is clicking and learning to play alongside one another.

Arguably, there's been more of a spark on the "second" unit (and it doesn't help that the other unit has been missing Pierre-Luc Dubois for the last three games, either), and it's also important to note that the power play runs more as a 1A/1B situation rather than a PP1 and PP2 with so much depth. Who goes over the boards first depends on in-game situations, as Carbery pointed out.

That said, as the team gets more time and experience under its belt this season, we will start to see more change that Bennett implements. It's still incredibly early.

I also think the Capitals keep Alex Ovechkin on the power play. He's the greatest goal scorer of all time and can still shoot the puck, be a threat to distract the penalty killers and get to the front of the net, too. His minutes are also being managed and there's more balance there, as the team is using both units reliably.

Matt Roy's been progressing and I expect him to be back sooner rather than later. He's skating on his own and remains day-to-day, and now, it's just a matter of getting a couple practices under his belt and taking contact before drawing back in.

Justin Holl's looked steady (and has a couple goals, too) to start his tenure, and I think he's shown he can be a good stabilizing presence on the backend in the meantime.

That said, down the stretch depending on where the team is, I could see them maybe looking to bring in another established defender for depth, especially if they load up for a playoff run.

Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman pointed out on Thursday that teams are taking a look at Ivan Miroshnichenko, given there hasn't been a clear full-time spot available for him yet given the amount of depth this team has.

That said, anything can happen, and he's an important depth piece. I think it'd have to be a good return for the Capitals to part ways with him. He's not going to go on waivers, though; there's room to keep him as an extra forward and he's shown he's ready to play that role. Still, giving him a chance to have more opportunity may be best for the player, too.

We'll see where things go down the road, but I don't think Washington's rushing anything on this front.

I think that the Capitals keep that line together because of what it's been able to do in such a small sample size, and then keeps some other combinations like having Dylan Strome with Jordan Kyrou and Alex Ovechkin with Ilya Protas. I can also see Aliaksei Protas going to work with Ryan Leonard and Justin Souridf and finding a spark there.

That said, the coaching staff will work some things out, but that line has been solid for D.C., and I see it sticking together as it dominates at 5-on-5.