The Capitals' lineup is up in the air as the team works through some things in the room, Ryan Leonard took a "significant step" forward and more on the #ALLCAPS as they get ready to host the Maple Leafs: thehockeynews.com/nhl/washingt...

Ryan Leonard is back on the ice for the Capitals, as he joined the group for morning skate in a non-contact jersey. More on the #ALLCAPS rookie, who's working his way back from a shoulder injury (and facial injuries) suffered on a hit from Jacob Trouba: thehockeynews.com/nhl/washingt...

"It’s a lot of pressure, but good pressure... it's really cool and super exciting." Cole Hutson sat down with RG Media to discuss his development, his already-close relationship with the Capitals and when he thinks he'll make the NHL jump:

The Capitals were right there through the first two periods with the Wild, but a lack of chemistry up front, lapses in coverage, a lack of discipline and special teams struggles led to a 5-0 shutout loss. All the takeaways from Minnesota: thehockeynews.com/nhl/washingt...

Charlie Lindgren starts, the Capitals will see some lineup changes and more game notes as D.C. aims to get back on track against the red-hot Wild and newly-acquired star Quinn Hughes.

The Capitals re-assigned Zac Funk from South Carolina to Hershey as the prospect takes a big step forward in his return from injury. More on the #ALLCAPS prospect who had 10 points in eight games in his short stint with the Stingrays this month: thehockeynews.com/nhl/washingt...

"This group especially really accepts guys being their authentic selves." The Capitals needed a new glue guy after T.J. Oshie left. Enter Dylan McIlrath, AKA, "Big Mac Sauce." It's not the most glamorous job, but it's a vital one in D.C. www.dcbackcheck.com/p/washington...

Following a red-hot November, the Capitals play has taken a bit of a step back over the last handful of games. And going into Tuesday's contest with Quinn Hughes and the surging Wild, coach Spencer Carbery is pushing them to "get our game in check."

"'If you had to pick one position in the NHL that you feel like best suits your skill-set, where you're going to be most successful...' his answer was center." Just how good has Justin Sourdif been down the middle for the Capitals? A deeper dive:

"He's obviously shown that he can get points... he's got a long way to go." Here's the latest on Capitals prospect Andrew Cristall and how his adjustment to the AHL has been so far, as well as what needs to improve. thehockeynews.com/nhl/washingt...

From the moment the puck dropped, the Capitals just looked off. Winnipeg put D.C. on its heels early, and there wasn't any push until late in what was an ugly 5-1 loss to the Jets. All the takeaways: thehockeynews.com/nhl/washingt...

What to know before the Capitals take on the Jets, including projected lines, more on Bogdan Trineyev's debut and other storylines to watch:

"Go compete your butt off and don't worry about making mistakes. Just go and be yourself." Bogdan Trineyev will make his NHL debut on Saturday, and the Capitals' message to him is simple: don't change anything.

The Quinn Hughes sweepstakes is over, as the Canucks captain is being traded to Minnesota for quite the package deal. More on Hughes and the Capitals, who were among the callers and teams interested in his services: thehockeynews.com/nhl/washingt...

"This is probably the last straw... we've got to find ways to score in those situations." Capitals coach Spencer Carbery doesn't mince words when it comes to the team's shootout woes as the team dropped to 0-4 this season in the skills competition: thehockeynews.com/nhl/washingt...

More on Ryan Leonard and his recovery, as he'll take 3-4 weeks to come back from a shoulder injury suffered on the hit from Jacob Trouba. The Caps rookie's timeline has him on pace to return in early January. thehockeynews.com/nhl/washingt...

"Information is a weapon." Dylan Strome is the ultimate stats guy. Loves math — not so much triangles, but quick math. And stats, especially those big media packets. I quiz Strome and dive deeper into his hockey IQ and how he thinks the game differently:

"Any time he shows up for something like this, it's a big impact. It means a lot." Alex Ovechkin took the ice with local ASHA teams and also reunited with former teammate Mike Green as he and the Caps hosted a Special Hockey clinic on Wednesday. thehockeynews.com/nhl/washingt...

More on Charlie Lindgren, who skated ahead of practice for the Capitals as he recovers from an upper-body injury. thehockeynews.com/nhl/washingt...

"He brings us a lot of joy... he loves, he just melts." After being traded to the Capitals, Jakob Chychrun wanted a dog for protection. Instead, he got a "Velcro Dog," his best friend, Bruce. On Chychrun's 115-pound Cane Corso and the bond they share:

Here's more on the Capitals swapping Clay Stevenson for Garin Bjorklund and how the change gives them flexibility on the waivers front: thehockeynews.com/nhl/washingt...

Spent a bit of time reflecting on Jacob Trouba's hit on Ryan Leonard. Albeit ruled clean, here's what was wrong with it and what it means for all parties involved with the Caps rookie now out for quite some time. My take on the matter:

More on Ryan Leonard, who will miss an "extended period of time" for the Capitals following the hit from Jacob Trouba on Friday. thehockeynews.com/nhl/washingt...

"He knows exactly what he was doing." Tom Wilson and the Capitals' share their take on Jacob Trouba's hit on Ryan Leonard, while Wilson adds that the Ducks defenseman said no to a fight in response to his play. www.dcbackcheck.com/p/washington...

Here's the latest on Ryan Leonard and what the Capitals had to say about the hit from Jacob Trouba postgame: thehockeynews.com/nhl/washingt...

The road started to wear on the Capitals, and though they hung in for a point, they ran out of steam — and lost Ryan Leonard to injury — in a chippy 4-3 shootout loss to the Ducks. Takeaways: thehockeynews.com/nhl/washingt...

More on Ryan Leonard, who left the ice bloodied following a blindside hit from Jacob Trouba: thehockeynews.com/nhl/washingt...

John Carlson is out again, Justin Sourdif could play despite Spencer Carbery saying he would "miss a little bit of time," and more Capitals injury updates and notes at THN: thehockeynews.com/nhl/washingt...

Nothing official yet, but Nic Dowd could be ready to return for the Capitals. More on the center, who's no longer listed on the injured reserve. Call-up Bogdan Trineyev is no longer on the active roster, either. thehockeynews.com/nhl/washingt...

"Our swagger is such a big part of our group." Anthony Beauvillier shares his take on what's helped the Capitals to an 8-1-1 surge over the last 10 games, Alex Ovechkin has nothing but respect for Anze Kopitar and more quotes from the locker room:

Tom Wilson and the Capitals' usual suspects stayed hot, and they played smart, too, en route to a 3-1 victory over the Kings. Takeaways: thehockeynews.com/nhl/washingt...

The Capitals kick off a busy California trip on Tuesday against the Kings. Here's what to know before puck drop, including line combos, stats, storylines and more. www.dcbackcheck.com/p/capitals-v...

"What (doesn't) he bring? He has so much energy... the way he talks on the bench, I think that really goes unnoticed." It's not always flashy, but Brandon Duhaime, a stabilizing presence on a skilled third line, continues to help fuel the Capitals 📝:

"There's flashes of potential of how good this kid's going to be." Ryan Leonard's heating up, but it's not just his production that stands out; the Capitals rookie is finally finding his identity at the NHL level. On Leno and what he brings beyond goals: thehockeynews.com/nhl/washingt...

"You trust the work that you put in and that you're doing the right things. You'll get frustrated... is it going to be perfect? No." It hasn't been easy for Hendrix Lapierre with the Capitals. But he's not giving up. I catch up with the #ALLCAPS forward:

It's harder to imagine Team Canada not having some Washington Capitals on board come February. More on how the #ALLCAPS stack up in the race for a roster spot, with Logan Thompson and Tom Wilson leading the way and Jakob Chychrun in the conversation, too. www.dcbackcheck.com/p/washington...

Logan Thompson and Tom Wilson continue to make their Olympic case as they powered the Capitals to a 4-1 win over the Islanders on Sunday. Takeaways as the #ALLCAPS extend their win streak to four games: thehockeynews.com/nhl/washingt...

The Capitals will look to finish November on a high note as they visit the Islanders this afternoon. What to know before puck drop, including lines, stats, game notes and more: www.dcbackcheck.com/p/capitals-v...

"He's got that Makar in him." "One of the best shots I've ever seen in my life." The Capitals can't say enough about Jakob Chychrun, who's emerging as one of the NHL's top defensemen. Here's what's gone into his success, and what make his shot so lethal: thehockeynews.com/nhl/washingt...

Capitals lines vs. Maple Leafs: Ovechkin-Strome-Beauvillier Protas-Sourdif-Wilson Duhaime-McMichael-Leonard Milano-Lapierre-Frank Fehervary-Carlson Chychrun-Roy Sandin-TVR Thompson

Happy Thanksgiving. The Capitals are ringing in the holidays with family and friends. As for the younger players, the team made sure they had somewhere to go. How the #ALLCAPS are giving thanks: www.dcbackcheck.com/p/washington...

Nic Dowd heads to the IR, and Bogdan Trineyev is up from Hershey. What that means for tonight's lineup and more notes here at DC Backcheck: www.dcbackcheck.com/p/washington...

Charlie Lindgren starts, Dylan McIlrath draws back in, Nic Dowd's a game-time decision and more lineup notes as the Capitals host the Jets. Today's THN notebook: thehockeynews.com/nhl/washingt...

"I took him to Costco for pots and pans. He left with, like, samples and a bag of Doritos." Ryan Leonard's finally living on his own. It's a learning curve, but he's getting the hang of it — somewhat. A closer look at the life of the Capitals rookie:

"It's not normal for him to step into that role or for players to step into that role and have that much success." The Capitals paid a lot to bring in Justin Sourdif, believing the gamble would pay off. It is, and then some, as he thrives on the top-6: www.dcbackcheck.com/p/washington...

The Capitals cruised to a 5-1 win over the Blue Jackets, and Jakob Chychrun helped lead the way. All the takeaways: thehockeynews.com/nhl/washingt...

Nic Dowd and others are a TBD as the Capitals lineup could tweak against the Blue Jackets. More on today's THN notebook: thehockeynews.com/nhl/washingt...

"It gets to a certain point where, as a coach, I need to make a decision of what makes sense for our hockey team." The Capitals power play got a major shakeup on Sunday with multiple changes, including John Carlson being taken off the top unit. More: thehockeynews.com/nhl/washingt...

Nic Dowd's day-to-day and more lineup notes as the Capitals prepare to face the Lightning yet again. Everything to know in THN's notebook: thehockeynews.com/nhl/washingt...

Dylan Strome couldn't make it back to D.C. in time for the birth of his third daughter, so he took the ice in Montreal and played his heart out for Tayler and the newest member of his family: Sutton. On the Capitals center and an unforgettable night: thehockeynews.com/nhl/washingt...