The Washington Capitals have released their 2025-26 preseason schedule, senior vice president and general manager Chris Patrick announced today. Washington will host their first home preseason game at GIANT Center in Hershey, PA on Thursday, Sept. 25 at 7 p.m. against the Philadelphia Flyers. It will mark the third time in franchise history that the Capitals have hosted a preseason game at GIANT Center and the first since Sept. 24, 2006. Capitals season ticket members will receive additional details about this preseason game along with a presale opportunity from Hershey.
“We’re excited to bring our team to Hershey for this preseason matchup against the Philadelphia Flyers,” said Patrick. “Hershey has a rich hockey tradition, and we are proud to be a part of that legacy through our longstanding and successful partnership with our AHL affiliate. The affiliation between our two organizations has been essential in developing our players, instilling our organizational values and building a strong connection with the local community. We look forward to the chance to engage with the passionate and loyal fans who make Hershey such a special place for hockey.”
The Capitals and Bears have enjoyed a successful affiliation that began 20 years ago ahead of the 2005-06 season. Hershey has won the Calder Cup five times during the current partnership (2006, 2009, 2010, 2023, 2024) and no NHL-AHL pairing has won more Calder Cups in that span. When Washington won the Stanley Cup in 2018, 14 players on the club’s playoff roster previously played in Hershey, including 10 former Bears who dressed in the Cup-clinching Game 5 win over the Vegas Golden Knights.
Last season, the Capitals roster featured fifteen players who have also played in Hershey for the Bears. Connor McMichael and Aliaksei Protas were part of Hershey’s 2023 Calder Cup team, while Ethen Frank and Dylan McIlrath led Hershey to back-to-back Calder Cups in 2023 and 2024. Capitals defenseman John Carlson won the Calder Cup with Hershey in 2009 and 2010.
The Capitals will open their preseason schedule against the Boston Bruins on Sept. 21 at TD Garden. Following their game on Sept. 25 at GIANT Center, Washington will then play consecutive road games on Sept. 28 against the New Jersey Devils at Prudential Center and Sept. 30 against the Columbus Blue Jackets at Nationwide Arena. Washington will return to Capital One Arena for its final two preseason games, hosting Boston on Oct. 2 and Columbus on Oct. 4.
The Capitals were 3-3-0 in the preseason in 2024-25 and their all-time preseason record is 182-137-33-19.
The complete 2025-26 NHL regular season schedule will be released July 16.
