The Capitals' last two games offer a glimmer of hope, but there are still questions going into the deadline and rest of the season.

Going back a week, hope seemed to be dwindling for the Washington Capitals. They were in the throes of a lengthy losing streak, far out of playoff territory and coming off an All-Star Break with plenty of questions.

Since then, a five-game goal-scoring streak for Alex Ovechkin and two solid outings and three of four possible points against respective Conference-leading opponents in the Boston Bruins and Vancouver Canucks have restored faith in the District — for the time being.

Still, Washington is six points out of a playoff spot and faces more questions than answers with two months left to go in the regular season and the trade deadline less than a month away. That said, here are 17 thoughts on the team.

17 Things

1. The last two games haven't completely changed things for the Capitals, but things are definitely less doom and gloom. There's more spirit and belief in the group, and as Ovechkin explained, the team is realizing the way it needs to play to win games. While it'll be a fight to the finish, there's definitely still hope to be had here.

2. Speaking of Ovechkin, his resurgence has been huge for this team. It's not just in his stat line, but in the way he's playing; the 38-year-old has an extra jump in his step. When he's on the ice, he's noticeable, making sure to move into the high-danger areas, help out when he doesn't have the puck and create quality chances when he does get the time and space. He is back on pace for a 20-plus goal campaign, and his play has been contagious as it encourages his team to step up, too.

3. Of Ovechkin, Nic Dowd pointed out that it's not just him; his linemates are playing well, too. Dylan Strome is on pace for a 32-goal year and continues to be a top-notch center for Ovechkin, and putting a hard-working winger like T.J. Oshie opposite of No. 8 has improved their line as well. He also noted improvement on defense.

4. Speaking of Dowd, I could see the New York Rangers giving the Capitals a call about his availability. Head coach Peter Laviolette was a big fan of Dowd, and the feeling was mutual as the 33-year-old thrived under his systems. New York needs a high-quality defensive center, and Dowd fits the bill. Now, it's just a matter of the Rangers being able to pay the price, which should be at least a first-round pick.

5. Of course, that's a high price, but as Darren Dreger pointed out, the market at pivot is thin. There aren't many options, and Dowd plays a variety of roles, is highly coachable and can play those reliable minutes while putting up offense. Add in his low cap hit and one more year of term, and that's a fair price to pay.

6. When it comes to the trade deadline, which is on March 8 at 3 p.m. ET, Washington is still in a "wait and see" mode. If they go on a run here and start to pick up wins and get back in a Wild Card position while their opponents take a step back, we're talking about a completely different ball game. That said, I don't see the Capitals adding, but it may not be a total sell-off if this team can get back in it. And that's up to the players, who know it's on them to play for each other. It's a tight-knit room in D.C., and no one wants to see that side of the business play out.

7. Another chip that could be in play at the deadline: Anthony Mantha. Dreger was on Caps Radio 24/7 to discuss the deadline and mentioned Mantha as a piece that the team could use to get a decent return. Here's what he said:

"Maybe it works in the Capitals’ benefit to have a shrinking market (for forwards)... maybe a team that doesn't get the forward they were hoping for steps up and pays a better price for Anthony Mantha."

8. Mantha has been clutch for D.C. this season. He's scored the Capitals' first goal of the game a team-leading 11 times this season, and nine of his 16 goals have been go-ahead goals, while four have been game-tying goals. Say what you will about consistency over his career, but he's on pace for a career-high 27 goals this season, and he's really turned things around while setting himself up for success after a rough go-of-it.

Even Jeff Marek wrote on his blog that he could be the rental a team needs for a Stanley Cup run, comparing him to the Michal Kempny acquisition for Washington in 2018.

9. Taking that into account, the Capitals' best play with him is patience, as Dreger noted. If teams miss out on bigger names and come around later on, there's a higher price to pay that could benefit the team as it builds for the future. Or, Washington can hold on and consider keeping him on board if he's really turning a corner — and it seems to be the real deal. Watch him on the ice; he looks more engaged, and his play has definitely improved under head coach Spencer Carbery.

10. A note on Carbery: he is not on the hot seat, and any indication that the team's inconsistency comes down to a coaching issue is far from the case. He is 51 games into his head-coaching career, the players enjoy playing for him and feed off his energy. This team wasn't expected to compete for a Cup this year, and it's an older group with growing pains. Seeing critics point to the coaching is baffling to me. It's too early to give up on a brand-new coach.

11. Back to deadline chatter. Max Pacioretty's name came up in Pierre LeBrun's rumblings, as he could potentially waive his no-movement clause to go to a contender. He's been able to come back from two torn Achilles to put up decent numbers and a good offensive effort, so I wouldn't be surprised if he would bring in a decent return as a rental option.

12. Joel Edmundson is also a name that could be on the move and get a strong return as teams look to bolster the blue line.

13. When it comes to what the Capitals could be looking for at the deadline, it doesn't just come down to draft picks. The Rasmus Sandin pickup amid last season's sell-off was key for the hockey club, as Sandin is expected to play an integral part on the team's future defensive corps. So don't just expect picks in return, but for D.C. to take a chance on some young names that they want to incorporate into the mix.

14. There's also more flexibility with Evgeny Kuznetsov's salary off the books. As Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman pointed out, this is his second time in the program, meaning his salary doesn't go against the cap — though he still gets paid. I still imagine bigger moves take place in the offseason, but with that newfound flexibility, Friedman pointed out that Washington is considering some other moves.

15. Wishing Kuznetsov all the best. Always a great interview and a fun guy to talk to, and always kind to me when we'd chat. Had quite a few laughs and some of my best 1-on-1s with him. Getting help and looking out for his well-being comes before the game we love so much. It's also not fair to speculate why he's in there; that information is kept disclosed as he goes through the program.

His teammates are thinking of him and offering support. Aliaksei Protas, who Kuznetsov took under his wing upon coming up to the NHL, said that Kuznetsov was fundamental in helping him overcome the language barrier and adapt to life in the pros, and that it's been tough on the team to see him go through what he's experiencing. He's well-liked, and here's hoping he comes back stronger.

16. Eyes have been on Connor McMichael with Kuznetsov unavailable, as he's been taking on more ice time and getting more reps on the power play and penalty kill. He has power-play assists in two of his last three games and has gotten a number of high-quality chances, but of course, the one play that sunk him this past week was the turnover to J.T. Miller that cost the team in overtime.

After the game, his teammates offered him reassurance and also supported him. No one pointed fingers, with Darcy Kuemper saying he couldn't fault him for trying to win and Nic Dowd stating matter-of-factly, "Whatever, shit happens." Carbery also said it will be a learning experience, and it's one that will benefit him as he continues to thrive and grow into a bigger role. In a strange way, as a player, sometimes you need that moment so that you can learn from it, move past it and improve because of it.

17. Another player that D.C. has liked with Kuznetsov out: call-up Michael Sgarbossa. The team has cited his speed and playmaking ability, and he has worked well with Pacioretty and Tom Wilson.

As for other players who could get a call-up eventually: keep an eye on Ethen Frank. After the break, Carbery mentioned that Frank is doing all the right things, and surely, his chance will come. Why not with Kuznetsov out? Well, he's not a center.

Of course, we can't discuss call-ups without talking about injuries, so here's an update on Sonny Milano: he's right there and is close to returning, but the team just wants him to get a few more full-contact practices in before being thrust back into game action. Over two months is a long time to be out of the mix. But I'd expect him back in the next couple of games here.

A move would have to be made to make space for him, though, and I'd have to guess that would involve Matthew Phillips.