Capitals Trade Deadline Pressure + Carlson OUT vs Utah | Long-Term Add or Bust?

John Carlson is out again, the power play is sputtering, and the Washington Capitals are staring down a defining 2026 NHL Trade Deadline. In today’s Locked On Capitals-style breakdown, we dive into Spencer Carbery’s latest injury update, Logan Thompson getting the nod, and why the Utah Mammoth’s young core is “a handful.” Then we unpack Elliotte Friedman’s latest report on Washington’s trade deadline mindset — are the Caps hunting a long-term top-six scorer like Elias Pettersson or Robert Thomas? Or will Chris Patrick hold firm? With cap space available and the playoff race tightening, this is a franchise-shaping week. Biggest takeaway: if Washington adds, it won’t be a rental — and that changes everything. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.