The Capitals have quite a few items to check off their offseason to-do list.
The Washington Capitals checked a couple of items on their offseason to-do list, starting off by shoring up the blue line and re-signing defenseman Timothy Liljegren.
Liljegren, 27, arrived in D.C. at the trade deadline to help fill John Carlson's void, but Cole Hutson's arrival and a healthy blue line limited him to just four games.
However, he'll have more opportunity going into 2026-27, with Rasmus Sandin having undergone ACL surgery in April that will hold him out for significant time going into next season and leave a significant hole on the top-4.
In a small sample size, Liljegren played steady minutes and showed his upside and potential, but ultimately, there is still work to be done when it comes to shoring up the defense corps.
Washington is flush on the left side, with Jakob Chychrun, Cole Hutson and Martin Fehervary filling out the left side and Declan Chisholm giving the team another option as an extra. Still, the team needs help on the right-hand side.
Besides Liljegren, the only other right-handed defensemen under contract on the roster going into next season are Matt Roy and Dylan McIlrath, who has spent the majority of his Capitals tenure as an eighth defender. Trevor van Riemsdyk, turning 35 this summer, is set to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1.
Sandin had switched to the right side down the stretch following Carlson's departure and Hutson's arrival, playing primarily on the top pairing alongside Martin Fehervary and thriving with bigger minutes while being one of D.C.'s key performers before getting hurt.
That said, going into the offseason, Washington will look at all options when it comes to bringing in more help on the right side, while it also ponders adding scoring and improving in other areas.
In free agency, the market is somewhat thin, with a number of the available names being veterans.
Rasmus Andersson, 29, is one of the top names expected to be available, but will come with a hefty price tag and had comes with some liabilities and questions after struggling at different points this season Carlson could also hit the market again if he chooses not to re-sign with the Anaheim Ducks, though a D.C. return doesn't seem likely.
The trade market is also an option, as general manager Chris Patrick will keep his eyes open and has the cap space and some assets to work with going into the summer.
There's also the option to promote from within.
Ryan Chesley is coming off his first full pro season with the AHL's Hershey Bears, and the 22-year-old and second-round pick could try to compete for a spot on the opening night roster come fall. Louie Belpedio, a 30-year-old veteran that is under contract going into next year, also had a strong showing with the Bears and could be a guy who gets NHL minutes next season.
However, that would leave the Capitals without a proven, consistent defenseman, and it'd put more pressure on the team's youth to step up and fill the void.
That said, there's time to work with, and the team has the flexibility to take the time to explore all possible options.