ARLINGTON, Va. – The Washington Capitals announced today several initiatives surrounding the Capitals' 2026-27 season Opening Night presented by Vanda Pharmaceuticals, taking place on Wednesday, Oct. 7 versus the Pittsburgh Penguins at Capital One Arena at 7:30 p.m. Click here to purchase tickets to the home opener.
As the transformation of Capital One Arena continues, including construction on F Street, the Capitals will not host Rock the Red Carpet ahead of the 2026-27 home opener. The annual tradition is a special part of the start of the season for fans, and the Capitals look forward to welcoming it back next season.
Open Practice at MedStar Capitals Iceplex
Capitals fans are encouraged to attend a special open practice at MedStar Capitals Iceplex the morning of the Capitals home opener on Wednesday, Oct. 7, for a chance to see the team take the ice before the game at Capital One Arena that night. Fans will be able to watch the team’s morning skate, soak in the excitement of the Home Opener and enjoy giveaways from 9 a.m.-12 p.m. Visit WashCaps.com/Practice for updated start times.
Fan Giveaway
Fans in attendance on Oct. 7 will receive a 2026-27 schedule magnet courtesy of Vanda Pharmaceuticals, while supplies last.
Capitals Home Opener Scavenger Hunt presented by Vanda Pharmaceuticals
Through Sunday, Oct. 4, fans are invited to visit washcaps.com/scavengerhunt and submit photos in Caps gear at locations around Washington D.C., for the chance to win tickets and signed memorabilia.
Capitals Season Kickoff Bar Crawl Presented by Michelob ULTRA
In addition to celebrating the home opener on Oct. 7, fans 21+ can cheer on the Capitals in Washington, D.C., during the Capitals Season Kickoff Bar Crawl presented by Michelob ULTRA during the Capitals season opener on Friday, Oct. 2, as the Capitals visit the Carolina Hurricanes.
Fans are encouraged to visit Problem Child during the first period, Royal Sands during the second period and Walters Sports Bar during the third period for the chance to win prizes. Fans who visit all three bars will be eligible to win an autographed Capitals jersey.
Capital One Cardholder Entrance
The first 1,000 fans to enter through the dedicated Capital One Cardholder entrance located at 6th and F Street on Oct. 7 will receive a Capitals beanie courtesy of Capital One.
For more info on Capital One Cardholder discounts at Capital One Arena, visit www.capitalonearena.com/cardholderbenefits. Eligible Capital One Rewards cardholders are encouraged to be on the lookout for more exclusive tickets and experiences for the home opener and other games at www.capitalone.com/entertainment.
Capital One Arena Team Store
The Team Store at Capital One Arena offers team merchandise and is located in the Gallery Place Atrium this season.
Merchandise is also available to purchase during all Capitals home games at kiosks located in each of the dedicated neighborhoods on the concourse:
- On the 100 Level, behind Sections 104 and 107
- On the 400 Level, behind Sections 404, 413 and 430
When visiting the team store or a merchandise kiosk, Capital One cardholders receive 20% off their purchase when they present and use a Capital One credit or debit card at checkout. The discount is only applicable at the time of sale. Fans can also shop online at shop.monumentalsportsnetwork.com.
Team Store at MedStar Capitals Iceplex
Fans are also encouraged to stop by the Team Store at MedStar Capitals Iceplex for new arrivals, including products from exclusive vendors and items not available anywhere else. ALL CAPS ALL HER items have been re-stocked, along with the Barbie x CCM collaboration in the Pro Shop and select Pro Stock items. Fans can also find all bobbleheads at 50% off, as well as various apparel styles at steep discounts.
Capital One Arena Transformation
Exterior construction at Capital One Arena is underway, marking another major step toward bringing the transformed arena to life. With construction activity now surrounding the majority of the venue, scaffolding and overhead protection will be in place along much of the arena perimeter on 7th Street, F Street, 6th Street and the Gallery Place alleys.
As part of the arena’s overall transformation, the F Street entrance has been relocated closer to the Metro stop at the corner of 7th and F Streets. Beyond this adjustment, there are no broad changes to the arena’s physical entrance locations this season. Doors are currently scheduled to open 90 minutes before most Capitals games this season.
The Box Office is now permanently located in the Gallery Place Alley off 7th Street, while the Team Store is temporarily located in the former District E event space at the Gallery Place Atrium.
Fans attending events should allow extra time when traveling to the arena, remain mindful of ongoing construction operations, follow all posted signage, and adhere to directions from Monumental Sports & Entertainment and Clark Construction staff on site.
Tickets
Washington Capitals single-game tickets for the 2026-27 season presented by Capital One are available via Ticketmaster.com.
Washington Capitals fans are encouraged to make their ticket purchases directly through Ticketmaster and NHL Ticket Exchange. NHL Ticket Exchange is the only guaranteed secondary ticket reseller, and all tickets purchased on NHL Ticket Exchange are verified by Ticketmaster. Washington Capitals full season ticket memberships and partial plans for the 2026-27 season are also available for purchase. For more information on Capitals tickets contact 202-266-CAPS or visit WashingtonCaps.com.
Monumental Sports Network
To celebrate the Capitals home opener, Monumental Sports Network (MNMT) will air special editions of Capitals Pregame Live and Capitals Postgame Live surrounding Wednesday’s game. The shows will feature host Alexa Landestoy and analyst Alan May, along with Al Koken, Brent Johnson and Tarik El-Bashir.
Throughout the 2026-27 season, all regular season Capitals games will be televised locally on MNMT, with the exception of exclusive nationally broadcast games. Beyond live games, MNMT’s Capitals coverage will include comprehensive gameday programs, original programming featuring Capitals players, coaches and staff, as well as robust multiplatform content covering top storylines throughout the season. Fans can expect a plethora of in-depth coverage and docuseries content of the team’s season, and robust Capitals content via MNMT’s original programming, including Hometown with Rachel Nichols, Caps Red Line, Caps Rink Report and Hockey Lifers.
Capitals Radio Network driven by KIA
Play-by-play announcer John Walton will return for his 16th season calling the action, while former Capital Ken Sabourin enters his 24th season as analyst and Rachel Luscher joins as studio host and reporter. Capitals Radio Network coverage will include 15 minutes of pregame and 30 minutes of postgame coverage, highlighted by player interviews and live audio of head coach Spencer Carbery’s postgame press conference. The Capitals Radio Network podcast channel is the official audio channel of the Capitals, featuring numerous Capitals podcasts, news updates, analysis and player interviews. All audio content from the Capitals Radio Network can be accessed free of charge anywhere online at washcaps.com/radio or through the Capitals Mobile App.
