The Capitals want to remain in a window where they can make a legitimate run next season.
After just missing out on the playoffs, the Washington Capitals hope to not only make it back next year, but to make a deep run, too.
That said, BetMGM has the Capitals in the middle of the pack when it comes to their odds of winning a Stanley Cup in 2027.
Washington sits at +5000 to win next year, ranking 17th among all NHL teams. The Colorado Avalanche lead the way with +700, followed by this year's champion Carolina Hurricanes (+750) and runner-up Vegas Golden Knights (+1000).
The Capitals were able to hold their own and make a push for the postseason in a very competitive Eastern Conference, but ultimately fell short of a berth following some inconsistency earlier on in the year.
Going into next season, though, the team is optimistic that it can compete, and all the while, captain Alex Ovechkin said that he wants to go for another championship if he does end up playing another season.
That said, management has made it clear that they plan to do quite a bit of work in the offseason, with general manager Chris Patrick insisting that the team is in "win now" mode and wants to contend.
"For me, we're in a window where we're trying to win. We have a good team here and and we're hoping to add pieces to help help being competitive team, a Stanley Cup-contending team," Patrick said. "'That's always our goal and will continue to be our goal."
As for the players in the room, they're also confident that D.C. is in a good spot.
"Our management and organization has been so good, like, I mean, they've, they've always given us a team, i feel like, that really has a chance to compete right now, I honestly feel like we're so close to being like a legit contender," Tom Wilson said back in April, adding, "I feel like we're probably one piece away from making some serious noise. I think everybody in our room believes that."