Rasmus Sandin is going to open next season on the shelf.
- Capitals GM Chris Patrick said Sandin will miss a “decent amount of time” to start 2026-27
- Sandin hurt his right knee on a Justin Brazeau hip check in Washington’s April 11 game at Pittsburgh
- Read below for what Sandin’s absence means for the Capitals’ offseason blueprint
Washington general manager Chris Patrick delivered the news Monday at his end-of-season availability, confirming Sandin suffered a significant right knee injury and won’t be ready when the 2026-27 season opens.
“There’ll be more of an update later this week, but he’s going to miss a decent amount of time,” Patrick said. “It’ll factor into our offseason.”
Sandin went down in the third period of Washington’s April 11 game at Pittsburgh. He tried to skate through a faceoff scrum when Penguins forward Justin Brazeau clipped him with a hip check, and his right leg buckled as he dropped to the ice.
Sandin missed the final two games of the regular season against the Penguins and Blue Jackets. He ended the year with 29 points (five goals, 24 assists) in 73 games and averaged 19:12 of ice time.
The 26-year-old Swede had taken on a bigger role after Washington moved John Carlson to Anaheim at the deadline. He slid onto the top pair next to Martin Fehervary and averaged 19:53 per night across 17 post-deadline games.
“Yeah, I think it’ll be quite a bit of rehab over the summer,” Sandin said at his exit meeting.
The Capitals took another hit on the same play. Pierre-Luc Dubois fractured his right hand in the April 11 collision, an injury ginohard.com detailed last week. Patrick said Dubois should be back in a few weeks and won’t need surgery.
Washington finished 43-30-9, three points behind the Pittsburgh Penguins and Philadelphia Flyers in the Metropolitan Division and four shy of the Ottawa Senators for the Eastern Conference’s final wild card. It was the first time in three years the Capitals missed the postseason.
Patrick said Sandin’s timeline will change how the front office attacks the summer. Timothy Liljegren, acquired at the deadline and set to hit unrestricted free agency, is a candidate for an extension. Trevor van Riemsdyk is the only other right-shot free agent on Washington’s back end.
Sandin is in year two of a five-year deal carrying a $4.6 million cap hit through 2028-29. Another update on his status is expected later this week.
