Capitals' Alexander Alexeyev: Slated to play Wednesday
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Alexeyev (teeth) is expected to be in the lineup versus the Canadiens on Wednesday in Game 2, Sammi Silber of The Hockey News reports.
Alexeyev suffered some dental damage in Game 1, but he's clear to play with a face shield. The 25-year-old continues to hold onto a third-pairing role since Martin Fehervary (knee) won't be available in the postseason. Alexeyev could be pressured by Dylan McIlrath for playing time later in the playoffs.
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Capitals' Aliaksei Protas: Not in Game 2 lineup
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Protas (foot) won't play Wednesday versus the Canadiens, Sammi Silber of The Hockey News reports.
Protas was not officially ruled out prior to warmups, but he never seemed to have much of a chance to play Wednesday. He's still a possibility later in the first round, so keep an eye on his status once the series shifts to Montreal for Game 3 on Friday.
Protas (foot) is expected to be a game-time decision for Game 2 versus Montreal on Wednesday, per Sammi Silber of The Hockey News.
Protas hasn't been in the lineup since April 4. He finished the 2024-25 regular season with 30 goals and 66 points across 76 appearances. If Protas is available against the Canadiens, then he might play on the top unit alongside Alex Ovechkin, which would result in Anthony Beauvillier seeing a reduced role.
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Capitals' Alexander Alexeyev: Considered game-time decision
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Alexeyev (upper body) is considered a game-time decision for Wednesday's Game 2 against Montreal, Sammi Silber of The Hockey News reports.
Alexeyev lost several teeth during Monday's Game 1, but he went to the dentist afterward and will wear a full face shield Wednesday if he's available. The 25-year-old blueliner logged 14:02 of ice time Monday and recorded three blocked shots, two hits and a plus-1 rating.
Capitals' Logan Thompson: Exits ice first Wednesday
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Thompson was the first goalie to leave the ice Wednesday, Bailey Johnson of The Washington Post reports, indicating he'll be in the crease at home for Game 2 against the Habs.
Thompson was stellar in Game 1, stopping 33 of 35 shots (.943 save percentage) in a 3-2 victory over the Habs. While Washington split the crease for much of the season this year, it seems Thompson will get an extended run as the No. 1 option ahead of Charlie Lindgren in the postseason.
Fehervary underwent knee surgery Monday to repair his meniscus and will be shut down for the rest of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Fehervary sustained his knee injury in the penultimate game of the regular season and will now have to miss the Caps' entire postseason run. The 25-year-old blueliner will end his 2024-25 campaign having notched five goals and 20 helpers, both career highs, in 81 regular-season contests. With Fehervary shelved, Alexander Alexeyev will get an extended run in the playoffs.
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Capitals' Anthony Beauvillier: Two points in Game 1 win
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Beauvillier scored a goal and added an assist in Monday's 3-2 overtime win over the Canadiens in Game 1 of their first-round series.
After ending the regular season stuck in a nine-game point drought, Beauvillier found himself on the Caps' top line at even strength with Alex Ovechkin and Dylan Strome to begin the postseason and took advantage, potting Washington's second goal in the second period before feeding Ovie for the OT winner. Beauvillier didn't see a shift on the power play, which limits his fantasy upside, but if he keeps his spot alongside Ovechkin and Strome, the 27-year-old winger could be one of the big surprises of the playoffs.
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Capitals' Dylan Strome: Three helpers against Habs
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Strome notched three assists, one on the power play, in Monday's 3-2 overtime win over the Canadiens in Game 1 of their first-round series.
After Strome delivered a career-best campaign centering Alex Ovechkin, the duo maintained their chemistry to kick off the postseason. Strome was red hot to close out the regular season, and he doesn't seem intent on slowing down any time soon -- through 10 contests in April, he's produced six goals and 15 points, including three goals and eight points on the power play.
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Capitals' Alex Ovechkin: Carries Caps to OT win
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Ovechkin scored two goals, one on the power play and the other the game-winner in overtime, and added an even-strength assist in Monday's 3-2 victory over the Canadiens in Game 1 of their first-round series.
Incredibly, it was the first playoff OT winner of Ovechkin's illustrious career. After a regular season that saw the 39-year-old rack up 44 goals and 73 points in 65 appearances while passing Wayne Gretzky on the NHL's all-time goal list, Ovechkin has his eyes set on accomplishing something he hasn't done since 2017-18 -- lead the Caps to a Stanley Cup.
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Capitals' Logan Thompson: Collects Game 1 win in OT
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Thompson stopped 33 shots in Monday's 3-2 overtime win over the Canadiens in Game 1 of their first-round series.
The 28-year-old netminder returned from an upper-body injury that had sidelined him since April 2 and blanked Montreal through the first two periods, only for the Habs to strike twice in the third to force OT. Thompson was still rewarded for his efforts when Alex Ovechkin potted the winner. A healthy Thompson will be crucial to the Capitals' chances of advancing after he posted a 31-6-6 record with a 2.49 GAA and a .910 save percentage during the regular season. He should be back between the pipes for Game 2 on Wednesday.
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Capitals' Logan Thompson: Set to start in Game 1
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Thompson (upper body) will the patrol the home blue paint Monday versus the Canadiens in Game 1, per Sammi Silber of The Hockey News.
This will be Thompson's first start since April 2 -- he missed the last seven games of the regular season due to his upper-body injury. Prior to getting hurt, the 28-year-old had lost his last three outings, which followed a six-game winning streak. He's appeared in just four postseason contests in his career, owning a 2-2-0 record, .921 save percentage and 2.35 GAA.
Fehervary (lower body) hasn't resumed skating yet, and he likely won't play in Game 1 versus Montreal on Monday, Sammi Silber of The Hockey News reports.
Fehervary will miss his second straight game after sitting out Thursday's 5-2 loss to Pittsburgh. He concluded the 2024-25 regular season with five goals, 25 points, 76 shots on net, 150 blocked shots and 139 hits across 81 appearances. Fehervary will probably be replaced in Monday's lineup by Alexander Alexeyev or Dylan McIlrath.
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Capitals' Aliaksei Protas: Could play sometime in first round
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Head coach Spencer Carbery said Monday that Protas (foot) could return at some point during the Capitals' first-round series against the Canadiens, Tarik El-Bashir of Monumental Sports Network reports.
Protas participated in Monday's morning skate, but Carbery's comments make it unlikely that the 24-year-old will play in Game 1 of the series. However, Protas could return to action sometime in the coming days, with Carbery indicating that it could be as early as Game 2. Over 76 regular-season appearances, he logged 30 goals and 36 assists while averaging 16:27 of ice time.
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Capitals' Bogdan Trineyev: Inks two-way deal
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Trineyev signed a one-year, two-way contract with Washington on Sunday.
Trineyev had 14 goals and 22 points in 62 regular-season outings for AHL Hershey in 2024-25. The 23-year-old forward hasn't seen any NHL action yet and will remain in the minors to compete in the 2025 Calder Cup Playoffs.
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Capitals' Martin Fehervary: Questionable for Monday
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Fehervary (lower body) didn't participate in Saturday's practice, and it's unclear if he will play in Game 1 versus Montreal on Monday, Sammi Silber of The Hockey News reports.
Fehervary didn't play in Washington's regular-season finale against Pittsburgh on Thursday. If the 25-year-old Fehervary is unavailable for the team's playoff opener, Alexander Alexeyev could be in the lineup.
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Capitals' Matt Roy: Expected to play in Game 1
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Roy (rest) is slated to draw into the lineup for Game 1 of Washington's first-round series versus Montreal on Monday, Sammi Silber of The Hockey News reports Saturday.
Roy finished the regular season with three goals, 24 points, 114 hits and 113 blocks across 69 outings with Washington. He's projected to serve on the second pairing alongside Rasmus Sandin in Game 1.
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