5 Washington Capitals players who may not return next season feat. Max Pacioretty

The Washington Capitals have officially begun their offseason after being swept by the New York Rangers.

The Caps dropped game four 4-2 in a series where they didn’t put up much of a fight against the Presidents’ Trophy winners.

Now, the Capitals begin assessing who stays and who leaves this offseason. So, here is a look at five names who may not return next fall in DC.

5 Washington Capitals who may not be back next fall

#1: Max Pacioretty

Winger Max Pacioretty is an unrestricted free agent (UFA) this summer. He appeared in 47 games this season, registering four goals and 19 assists. He spent several stints on injured reserve, failing to contribute meaningfully to the club.

Pacioretty signed a one-year deal with the Washington Capitals last summer. Unfortunately, the deal didn’t work out. So, it’s likely that Pacioretty will be looking to sign with another club, perhaps a team in need of experience and veteran depth.

#2: Nicolas Aubé-Kubel

Aubé-Kubel is also a UFA this offseason. The depth forward was a waiver claim from the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2022.

In 60 games this season, he tallied six goals and 16 points. He spent a considerable amount of time in the Caps’ bottom six, making his $1.25 million cap hit expensive.

Aubé-Kubel offers grit and strong play. So, he should find a home elsewhere, perhaps closer to the league minimum.

#3: Nic Dowd

Veteran center Nic Dowd may become the victim of a cap crunch. The Capitals have two restricted free agents (RFA) in Connor McMichael and Beck Malentsyn. Both RFAs played significant minutes this past season and will command a raise on their next contracts.

This situation puts the Washington Capitals in a tough spot as they only have about $460K in available cap space.

So, the club may need to trade Dowd in order to clear cap space. Down played 64 games and chipped in 22 points. With a $1.3 million cap hit, moving him for a late-round draft pick might not be too hard.

#4: Sonny Milano

Like Dowd, Sonny Milano may be a victim of the cap. Milano played in 49 games this year and tallied 23 points. As such, the Washington Capitals may feel his $1.9 million cap hit through 2025-26 is too much, considering that Tom Wilson, Aliaksei Protas, and Rasmus Sandin will have contract extensions kicking in next season.

#5: Martin Fehervary

Martin Fehervary may become a victim of the cap despite the fact that the Capitals don’t have much depth on the blue line. His $2.6 million cap hit through 2025-26 may prompt the club to move him, providing some cap flexibility, especially if GM Brian MacLellan prefers to promote depth pieces like Dylan McIlrath or Hardy Haman Aktell to more regular positions next season.