Ted Leonsis, the Washington Capitals' owner, took to social media on Friday to weigh in on the club's year, doing so only a few days after the 2025-26 run concluded Tuesday evening via a 2-1 victory over Columbus — a contest the owner watched live from Nationwide Arena so he could witness what may end up being Alex Ovechkin's farewell appearance in the league.
Washington closed the year at 43-30-9 for 95 points in the standings and, in an initial occurrence under bench boss Spencer Carbery, fell short of the postseason. With Pierre-Luc Dubois sidelined by injury across a large stretch of the schedule, the squad battled stretches of uneven play, even failing to string together back-to-back wins from December 5 all the way to January 31.
In his post on X, Leonsis acknowledged the frustration of watching the 2025-26 season finish sooner than the organization wanted, yet said he could not be more proud of how his Capitals players showed grit from start to finish.
He pointed to the development of the team's young skaters — a number of whom logged their first NHL appearances — as one of the campaign's brightest takeaways. Expressing strong faith in the base the club has built, he predicted that the rising talent would keep growing and bolster the roster in the years to come.
Leonsis reiterated, as he had noted a week prior, that the franchise would stand fully behind captain Ovechkin and allow him whatever time he requires to settle his future on the ice. He also extended heartfelt gratitude to the Penguins and to Sidney Crosby, calling the season's last home date — the 100th meeting between Ovechkin and Crosby — a moment that would always carry significance in the team's history. Closing his message, he thanked the supporters, describing their energy and passion as the franchise's lifeblood, and said he was eager to welcome them back to Capital One Arena in the fall.
That forward-looking tone from the owner follows an 8-2-0 surge across the final 10 outings, a stretch in which two of the organization's top young prospects — Ilya Protas as well as Cole Hutson — each broke into the NHL during the closing month. Ivan Miroshnichenko, summoned from Hershey, suited up nightly through the home stretch as well, and goaltender Clay Stevenson drew the start in the club's season finale.
Washington likewise leaned on sizable production throughout the year from a pair of first-year skaters: Justin Sourdif, who notched 15 goals and 20 helpers, plus Ryan Leonard, with 20 tallies and 25 assists.