Thompson has been among the top goalies in the NHL through the early part of the 2025-25 season, and will return to the crease on Thursday against the Florida Panthers. The 28-year-old Thompson was excellent in his most recent outing, saving 30 of 31 shots (.968 SV%) in a 4-1 win over the Carolina Hurricanes. He has a dazzling 1.56 GAA and .935 SV% in 11 games this season (7-4-0). The Capitals enter the action on Thursday as +110 road underdogs against a Panthers team that has scored the fewest goals in the Eastern Conference (2.69 GF / GP).

Declan Chisholm will return to Washington's lineup on Tuesday against the Carolina Hurricanes, sending van Riemsdyk to the sidelines as a healthy scratch. The 34-year-old van Riemsdyk is averaging 14:49 time-on-ice and has two points (1G / 1A) in 13 games this season.

Trevor van Riemsdyk will be a healthy scratch on Tuesday against the Carolina Hurricanes, allowing Chisholm to re-enter the lineup. The 25-year-old Chisholm is averaging 14:10 time-on-ice and has one assist in six games this season.

The Capitals have lost two straight, falling to 7-7-1 on the season, and will turn to Thompson between the pipes on Tuesday against the Carolina Hurricanes. The 28-year-old Thompson has been outstanding this season, but is coming off his weakest performance thus far, allowing three goals on 19 shots (.842 SV%) in a 3-2 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning. He has an impressive 1.61 GAA and .930 SV% in 10 games this season (6-4-0). The Capitals enter Tuesday's contest as +137 road underdogs against a Hurricanes team that has won four straight.

Milano appeared in four straight games, but will be scratched on Saturday with Ethen Frank returning to the lineup in Tampa. Milano has scored one goal with no assists in eight games this season.

Smallman did not get into a game during his time with the Capitals. He returns to the AHL, where he has two goals and one assist in six games this season.

Frank missed the last four games with an upper-body injury he suffered in Dallas on October 28th. Frank, who has just one assist in three games, will replace Sonny Milano in the Capitals' bottom-6.

Lindgren has been significantly outplayed by counterpart Logan Thompson early in the 2025-26 season, but will take the crease for the fifth time on Thursday on the tail end of a back-to-back. The 31-year-old Lindgren has a 1-2-1 record, posting a 3.46 GAA and .880 SV% in four games. He recorded an impressive 35-save shutout in his first game of the season, but has allowed four goals on 82 shots (.829 SV%) in three games since (0-2-1).

Sandin was limited to only 15:01 time-on-ice in an October 21st contest and has not played since. The 25-year-old Sandin is averaging 19:24 time-on-ice and has two points (0G / 2A) through seven games this season. He is expected to play on defensive pair with Trevor van Riemsdyk.

Lindgren has been significantly outplayed by counterpart Logan Thompson early in the 2025-26 season, but will likely start for the fifth time on Thursday on the tail end of a back-to-back. The 31-year-old Lindgren has a 1-2-1 record, posting a 3.46 GAA and .880 SV% in four games. He recorded an impressive 35-save shutout in his first game of the season, but has allowed four goals on 82 shots (.829 SV%) in three games since (0-2-1).

Despite only allowing three goals combined in his last two outings, saving 38 of 41 shots (.927 SV%), Thompson has lost two straight and hopes to return to the win column on Wednesday against the St. Louis Blues. The 28-year-old Thompson has been excellent between the pipes for the Capitals early in 2025-26, posting an outstanding 1.51 GAA and .935 SV% in eight games (5-3-0). The Capitals enter Wednesday's contest as -144 home favorites against a Blues team that has a disappointing 4-7-2 record.

Sandin was limited to only 15:01 time-on-ice in an October 21st contest and has not played since. The 25-year-old Sandin is averaging 19:24 time-on-ice and has two points (0G / 2A) through seven games this season.

Dubois missed five games earlier this season due to a lower-body injury. He returned and suited up for three games before exiting the third contest due to a lower-body injury, and will not be sidelined indefinitely. It's unclear if the two injuries are related. The 27-year-old Dubois had a career-high 66 points (20G / 46A) in 82 games in 2024-25, but has started this season with zero points in six games.