The Washington Capitals will participate in a new NHL scheduling initiative as the league tries to cater to and build its international fan base.
The NHL is introducing Monday matinee games that will allow games to start in primetime in both Europe and Russia.
“(The) steady stream of Monday weekday matinee / European primetime games, [will provide] passionate hockey fans abroad the ability to watch their favorite teams, and some of the NHL’s biggest stars, in prime time during the week,” the NHL wrote in a press release.
The Capitals, who boast stars from Russia (Alex Ovechkin), Belarus (Aliaksei Protas and Ilya Protas), and Sweden (Rasmus Sandin), play a total of six games on Monday during the 2026-27 regular season. Three of those games will have afternoon start times (defined here as starting before 5 pm ET).
Two of the games will be at 1 pm: the Capitals’ tilt against the Maple Leafs (William Nylander) on December 21 in Toronto and their home matchup against the Tampa Bay Lightning (Victor Hedman, Nikita Kucherov, and Andrei Vasilevsky) on March 15. The team also has a 4 pm puck drop against the Pittsburgh Penguins that falls on Martin Luther King Jr. Day (Jan. 18), a federal holiday.
The 1 pm puck drops mean that Sweden, 6 hours ahead, will see the games start at 7 pm locally, while Moscow, 8 hours ahead, will have its games start at 9 pm.
Washington Capitals games on Monday
| Date | Opponent | Home/Away | Time (ET) | Afternoon? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mon., Dec. 21, 2026 | Toronto Maple Leafs | Away | 1:00 p.m. | ✅ |
| Mon., Dec. 28, 2026 | Edmonton Oilers | Home | 7:00 p.m. | ❌ |
| Mon., Jan. 4, 2027 | Toronto Maple Leafs | Home | 7:30 p.m. | ❌ |
| Mon., Jan. 18, 2027 | Pittsburgh Penguins | Away | 4:00 p.m. | ✅ |
| Mon., Mar. 1, 2027 | New York Islanders | Away | 7:00 p.m. | ❌ |
| Mon., Mar. 15, 2027 | Tampa Bay Lightning | Home | 1:00 p.m. | ✅ |
In total, the NHL has scheduled 10 Monday matinee games this season (1:00 or 2:00 pm ET) specifically for European primetime audiences. The first Monday matinee will occur on October 12 as the Florida Panthers take on the Buffalo Sabres at KeyBank Center. The game will feature Finnish star Aleksander Barkov of the Panthers facing off against Swedish star Rasmus Dahlin of the Sabres.
NHL Monday Matinee Game schedule
| Date | Time (ET) | Away | Home |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mon., Oct. 12 | 1:00 p.m. | Florida Panthers | Buffalo Sabres |
| Mon., Oct. 19 | 1:00 p.m. | Ottawa Senators | Nashville Predators |
| Mon., Nov. 2 | 1:00 p.m. | Colorado Avalanche | New York Islanders |
| Mon., Nov. 16 | 1:00 p.m. | Buffalo Sabres | Ottawa Senators |
| Mon., Dec. 21 | 1:00 p.m. | Washington Capitals | Toronto Maple Leafs |
| Mon., Jan. 11 | 2:00 p.m. | Vegas Golden Knights | Minnesota Wild |
| Mon., Jan. 25 | 2:00 p.m. | New York Islanders | Florida Panthers |
| Mon., Feb. 23 | 2:00 p.m. | Montreal Canadiens | Philadelphia Flyers |
| Mon., Mar. 15 | 1:00 p.m. | Tampa Bay Lightning | Washington Capitals |
| Mon., Mar. 29 | 2:00 p.m. | Philadelphia Flyers | Carolina Hurricanes |
Please note: This list does not include the traditional holiday afternoon games on Columbus Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, or Presidents’ Day.
For local Capitals fans, the Monday, March 15 home game against the Lightning will likely require season-ticket holders to take time off from work to attend. Kids will also have to miss school that day (so get your excused absence emails ready now).
“These games further the league’s commitment to deepening its connection with international fans and growth in European markets, as well as driving brand awareness for NHL clubs internationally,” the NHL writes. “This also provides a new offering to engage fans and new audiences in the NHL’s North American markets: a matinee game creates a unique and memorable fan experience and allows clubs to deliver bespoke activations and fun engagement opportunities.”
Reportedly, part of the scheduling quirk’s focus is Germany, as the Bundesliga, the country’s top-tier soccer league, does not play Monday night games this year.
The NHL’s international outreach this season will also include two games played in Finland in November (12 and 14) and two games in Germany in December (18 and 20). The Hurricanes and Seattle Kraken will play in Helsinki, Finland, in the Global Series Finland. The Chicago Blackhawks and Ottawa Senators will then meet in Düsseldorf, Germany, as part of the Global Series Germany.
