Here are the key storylines and upcoming schedule for the week of Feb. 1-8, 2026 for the Washington Capitals.
The Final Push Before the Olympic Break
The biggest storyline for the Capitals this week is the impending NHL pause for the 2026 Winter Olympics. The league will shut down operations after the games on Feb. 5 to allow players to travel to Milan-Cortina, Italy.
This creates a critical “sprint to the break” scenario for Washington. The team faces a grueling condensed schedule — three games in four nights — featuring two massive Metropolitan Division clashes.
The Olympic Pause
Thursday’s game against the Nashville Predators (Feb. 5) is the season’s temporary finale. The Capitals will not play again until late February. Points earned this week are crucial to sitting in a playoff position during the long 17-day layoff. The Capitals are currently sitting six points outside a wild card spot.
Metropolitan Grudge Matches
The week kicks off with back-to-back games against division rivals — the New York Islanders and Philadelphia Flyers. These are effectively “four-point games” that can swing the playoff standings drastically before the break.
Fatigue & Injury Management
With three games packed into Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday, managing goaltender workload and energy levels will be the primary challenge for the coaching staff. Goaltender Logan Thompson is out day-to-day after being injured by a puck on Tuesday, bringing into question his ability to play for Team Canada in Milan.
Capitals Schedule Feb 1 – 8
DateOpponentLocationTime (ET)ContextMon, Feb 2vs. New York IslandersCapital One Arena7:00 PMDivisional RivalryTue, Feb 3@ Philadelphia FlyersXfinity Mobile Arena7:00 PMBack-to-Back (Away)Thu, Feb 5vs. Nashville PredatorsCapital One Arena7:00 PMLast Game Before BreakFri, Feb 6Olympic Break Begins——No Games (Feb 6–22)
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