The Washington Capitals concluded their 50th season with disappointment, falling in the second round of the playoffs to the Carolina Hurricanes. Despite this, captain Alex Ovechkin reflected positively on their achievements, citing his record-breaking season as the NHL's all-time leading goal scorer and the establishment of key players like Pierre-Luc Dubois and Logan Thompson as foundational for the future. Ovechkin expressed optimism about his return next season, emphasizing growth from the playoff experience.

Coach Spencer Carbery noted that many Capitals players were experiencing the intensity of the second playoff round for the first time, contrasting their inexperience with the seasoned Hurricanes. The Capitals' early postseason success gave way to struggles against Carolina's aggressive style, highlighting the need for further development from emerging players to capitalize on their playoff experience moving forward.