Summary: The Washington Capitals will appear on national television 17 times during the 2026-27 season, tied for the fifth most in the NHL. The schedule features eight Metropolitan Division matchups, all four games against the Pittsburgh Penguins, and national broadcasts for three of Washington’s final six regular season games.
Capitals Land 17 National TV Games for 2026-27 Season
Washington will appear on TNT, ESPN, ABC and streaming platforms throughout the season, with all four games against Pittsburgh receiving national coverage
The Washington Capitals will spend plenty of time in the national spotlight during the 2026-27 season.
The Capitals announced Wednesday that 17 of their games will be nationally televised, a total tied for the fifth most in the NHL. Washington's national schedule includes eight games on TNT, four on ESPN, two on ABC and three streaming broadcasts carried across ESPN+, Disney+ and Hulu.
For Capitals fans, the national schedule begins immediately.
Washington's home opener against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Wednesday, Oct. 7 at Capital One Arena will air nationally on TNT with a 7:30 p.m. puck drop.
And that will be far from the last time the Capitals and Penguins receive the national treatment.
Capitals-Penguins Rivalry Gets the Spotlight
All four Capitals-Penguins games during the 2026-27 regular season are scheduled for national television.
After the Oct. 7 opener in Washington, the Capitals travel to Pittsburgh for a 4 p.m. TNT game on Jan. 18.
The rivalry returns to national television on March 13, when Washington visits PPG Paints Arena for a 3 p.m. game on ABC.
The fourth and final regular-season meeting comes April 4 at Capital One Arena, airing on ESPN at 7 p.m.
The heavy national coverage is part of a broader focus on the Metropolitan Division. Eight of Washington's 17 nationally televised games will come against Metro opponents.
National Spotlight Intensifies Down the Stretch
Washington's national exposure becomes particularly interesting late in the season.
Three of the Capitals' final six regular-season games will be carried nationally on ABC, ESPN or TNT, giving Washington a potentially significant national stage if the club finds itself fighting for playoff position.
The Capitals will visit Philadelphia on April 1 at 7:30 p.m. on TNT, host Pittsburgh on April 4 at 7 p.m. on ESPN, and close their national television schedule with a 12:30 p.m. ABC matchup against the Flyers in Philadelphia on April 10.
Other notable national games include visits to Boston, Minnesota, Chicago and the New York Rangers, along with a March home game against the Detroit Red Wings.
Capitals 2026-27 National TV Schedule
| DateOpponentLocationTime (ET)Network | |||||
| Wed., Oct. 7 | Pittsburgh Penguins | Capital One Arena | 7:30 p.m. | TNT | Home |
| Wed., Oct. 28 | Philadelphia Flyers | Capital One Arena | 7:30 p.m. | TNT | Home |
| Tue., Nov. 17 | Tampa Bay Lightning | Benchmark International Arena | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN+, Disney+, Hulu | Away |
| Thu., Dec. 10 | Seattle Kraken | Climate Pledge Arena | 9:30 p.m. | ESPN | Away |
| Tue., Dec. 15 | Dallas Stars | American Airlines Center | 9:30 p.m. | TNT | Away |
| Mon., Jan. 18 | Pittsburgh Penguins | PPG Paints Arena | 4 p.m. | TNT | Away |
| Thu., Feb. 25 | Boston Bruins | TD Garden | 8 p.m. | ESPN | Away |
| Sun., March 7 | Minnesota Wild | Grand Casino Arena | 9:30 p.m. | ESPN | Away |
| Wed., March 10 | Chicago Blackhawks | United Center | 8 p.m. | TNT | Away |
| Sat., March 13 | Pittsburgh Penguins | PPG Paints Arena | 3 p.m. | ABC | Away |
| Thu., March 18 | Buffalo Sabres | KeyBank Center | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN+, Disney+, Hulu | Away |
| Sun., March 21 | New York Rangers | Madison Square Garden | 8 p.m. | TNT | Away |
| Tue., March 23 | Detroit Red Wings | Capital One Arena | 7 p.m. | ESPN+, Disney+, Hulu | Home |
| Wed., March 24 | Detroit Red Wings | Little Caesars Arena | 7:30 p.m. | TNT | Away |
| Thu., April 1 | Philadelphia Flyers | Xfinity Mobile Arena | 7:30 p.m. | TNT | Away |
| Sun., April 4 | Pittsburgh Penguins | Capital One Arena | 7 p.m. | ESPN | Home |
| Sat., April 10 | Philadelphia Flyers | Xfinity Mobile Arena | 12:30 p.m. | ABC | Away |
Schedule Times Also Adjusted
The national television announcement also brought a series of changes to Washington's previously released schedule.
The Capitals announced 14 adjusted start times, including changes to games against Tampa Bay, Seattle, Toronto, Columbus, Anaheim, Minnesota, Chicago, Buffalo, the Rangers and Philadelphia.
Fans who previously added the Capitals schedule to their calendars should double check those games before making plans.
Monumental Sports Network Remains the Local Home
Capitals games that are not exclusive national broadcasts are expected to remain available locally through Monumental Sports Network.
The complete 2026-27 local broadcast schedule has not yet been announced.
For Washington, however, Wednesday's announcement already establishes one thing: the Capitals will remain one of the NHL teams receiving substantial national exposure in 2026-27.
With 17 national appearances, eight Metropolitan Division matchups and every game against Pittsburgh receiving national coverage, there will be no shortage of opportunities for the rest of the hockey world to watch Washington this season.
Source: Washington Capitals Communications, Aug. 26, 2026
The Leonard Effect will update its 2026-27 Capitals schedule and Game Center to reflect the announced broadcast networks and revised game times.