Capitals become first team to clinch spot in 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs

The Washington Capitals have punched their ticket to the dance.

With a 3-2 win over the Metropolitan Division rival Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday, the Capitals picked up another two points to improve to 46-15-8 and 100 points on the season. With the feat, the Capitals became the first team this season to clinch a spot in the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

In all, it marks a remarkable turnaround from a year ago when the Capitals finished 40-31-11 to secure the second and final wildcard seed in the Eastern Conference with 91 points, the fewest of the 16 playoff participants. Over the offseason, the Capitals remodeled, adding forward Pierre-Luc Dubois in a deal with the Los Angeles Kings, defenseman Jakob Chychrun from the Ottawa Senators, and goaltender Logan Thompson from the Vegas Golden Knights.

For the Capitals, the 2024-25 campaign has also been highlighted by captain Alex Ovechkin’s push to become the NHL’s all-time leading goal scorer. Against the Flyers on Thursday, the 39-year-old star secured his 35th goal of the season, putting him at 888 career tallies and just seven shy of surpassing Wayne Gretzky for top spot.

Beyond Ovechkin, up front the Capitals have seen success from 28-year-old center Dylan Strome who headlines the squad with near point-per-game production counting 22 goals and 45 assists through 69 appearances. In all, Strome is one of three Capitals to have scored 60 or more points alongside Dubois and 24-year-old Belarusian-born forward Aliaksei Protas who in his fourth career season has registered 29 goals and 33 assists for 62 points in 69 outings.

In qualifying for the postseason, the Capitals have advanced to the playoffs for the 10th time in the past 11 seasons. However, the Capitals have not won a postseason series since the squad won four rounds in 2018 to capture the Stanley Cup for the first time in franchise history.