Our New Jersey Devils vs Washington Capitals preview covers the odds, puck line, total, start time, TV channel and where to watch on Saturday, October 17, 2026. The New Jersey Devils (4-3-0 this season; 42-37-3 in 2025-26) visit the Washington Capitals (4-3-0 this season; 43-30-9 in 2025-26) at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C. Puck drop is 1:00 PM ET (1:00 PM local). TV: NHL Network / MNMT / MSGSN / Sportsnet.
Storyline: New Jersey enters Saturday at 4-3-0 after a 7-1 win over the Rangers (Oct. 15). Washington enters Saturday at 4-3-0 after a 5-4 win over Montreal (Oct. 14). The teams split four meetings last season (NHL.com). DraftKings lists Washington at -125 and New Jersey at +105 on the moneyline, with the total at 6.5.
New Jersey Devils vs Washington Capitals Odds, Puck Line & Game Info
| Matchup | New Jersey Devils @ Washington Capitals |
|---|---|
| 2026-27 Records | New Jersey Devils 4-3-0 | Washington Capitals 4-3-0 |
| 2025-26 Records | New Jersey Devils 42-37-3 | Washington Capitals 43-30-9 |
| Head Coaches | NJD: Sheldon Keefe (3rd season) | WSH: Spencer Carbery (4th season) |
| Puck Line | NJD +1.5 (-258) | WSH -1.5 (+210) |
| Moneyline | New Jersey Devils: +105 | Washington Capitals: -125 |
| Total | O/U 6.5 (o+110 / u-130) |
| Venue | Capital One Arena (Washington, D.C.) |
| Date / Time | Saturday, October 17, 2026 — 1:00 PM ET |
| TV / How to Watch | NHL Network / MNMT / MSGSN / Sportsnet |
| Probable Starting Goalies | NJD: Jake Allen (probable, per ESPN; not confirmed) | WSH: Logan Thompson (probable, per ESPN; not confirmed) |
Odds via DraftKings (through ESPN) as of Friday, Oct. 16, 2026, ~6:24 PM ET. Lines move, so check your sportsbook before puck drop. ESPN lists Jake Allen (New Jersey) and Logan Thompson (Washington) as probable starters, not yet confirmed at research time.
New Jersey Devils Preview: Hughes Leads a 4-3-0 Start
2025-26 recap: New Jersey went 42-37-3 (87 points), finished seventh in the Metropolitan Division and missed the playoffs. Jack Hughes led the team with 77 points (27 goals, 50 assists) in 61 games, Jesper Bratt had 71 points and Nico Hischier scored a team-high 28 goals (NHL.com).
Offseason moves: New Jersey signed forward Anthony Mantha, who scored 33 goals for Pittsburgh last season, and added forward Luke Evangelista (56 points for Nashville), forwards Evan Rodrigues and Jesper Boqvist from Florida and defenseman Declan Chisholm. Goalie Jacob Markstrom now plays for Florida, defenseman Simon Nemec for Calgary and forward Paul Cotter for Vancouver (NHL.com).
Key players & coach: Jack Hughes, Hischier, Bratt, Timo Meier, Mantha, Dawson Mercer, Rodrigues and Cody Glass lead the forwards. Dougie Hamilton, Luke Hughes, Brett Pesce, Jonas Siegenthaler and Brenden Dillon are on defense. Sheldon Keefe is in his third season as coach.
Goalies: Jake Allen has started four games and is 3-1-0 with an .885 save percentage (92 saves on 104 shots). Most recently, he made 23 saves on 27 shots in a 5-4 overtime win at Detroit (Oct. 13). Nico Daws has started three games and is 1-2-0 with an .857 save percentage (60 saves on 70 shots). Most recently, he made 18 saves on 19 shots in a 7-1 win over the Rangers (Oct. 15). Rémi Poirier has not played yet. ESPN lists Jake Allen as the probable starter for Saturday (not confirmed at research time).
Season so far: New Jersey is 4-3-0 through seven games, with 23 goals scored and 23 allowed. Results: a 3-2 overtime win over Philadelphia (Oct. 1), a 6-0 loss at the Islanders (Oct. 3), a 5-3 loss to Utah (Oct. 6), a 4-1 win over Vancouver (Oct. 10), a 4-1 loss to Ottawa (Oct. 12), a 5-4 overtime win at Detroit (Oct. 13) and a 7-1 win over the Rangers (Oct. 15). Jack Hughes has nine points (two goals, seven assists), and Jesper Bratt has seven points (two goals, five assists) (NHL.com).
Injuries: Luke Evangelista (illness) is listed as out; Connor Brown (lower body), Nick Bjugstad (pectoral surgery) and Seamus Casey (knee) are on injured reserve (ESPN).
Washington Capitals Preview: Tuch Leads a 4-3-0 Start
2025-26 recap: Washington went 43-30-9 (95 points), finished fourth in the Metropolitan Division and missed the playoffs. Alex Ovechkin led the team with 64 points (32 goals, 32 assists), Tom Wilson had 30 goals and 62 points, and Jakob Chychrun scored 26 goals from the blue line (NHL.com).
Offseason moves: The Capitals acquired Alex Tuch (33 goals, 66 points) from Buffalo after he signed an eight-year, $84 million contract, and Jordan Kyrou (46 points) from St. Louis for forward Connor McMichael, prospect Milton Gastrin and the No. 16 selection in the 2026 draft. They signed former Columbus captain Boone Jenner (four years, $23 million) and defenseman Vincent Desharnais (NHL.com).
Key players & coach: Ovechkin, the NHL record holder with 929 career goals, is in his 22nd season. Wilson, Dylan Strome, Aliaksei Protas and Ryan Leonard join Tuch, Kyrou and Jenner up front. Chychrun, Martin Fehervary and rookie Cole Hutson lead the defense. Spencer Carbery is in his fourth season as coach.
Goalies: Logan Thompson has started five games and is 3-2-0 with a .904 save percentage (132 saves on 146 shots). Most recently, he made 31 saves on 34 shots in a 4-2 loss at Carolina (Oct. 13). Charlie Lindgren has started two games and is 1-1-0 with an .897 save percentage (52 saves on 58 shots). Most recently, he made 25 saves on 29 shots in a 5-4 win over Montreal (Oct. 14). ESPN lists Logan Thompson as the probable starter for Saturday (not confirmed at research time).
Season so far: Washington is 4-3-0 through seven games, with 24 goals scored and 22 allowed. Results: a 5-2 win at Carolina (Oct. 2), a 3-1 loss at Tampa Bay (Oct. 3), a 5-3 win over Pittsburgh (Oct. 7), a 3-1 win over the Rangers (Oct. 9), a 5-3 loss to Seattle (Oct. 11), a 4-2 loss at Carolina (Oct. 13) and a 5-4 win over Montreal (Oct. 14). Alex Tuch has six points (five goals, one assist), and Ryan Leonard has six points (two goals, four assists) (NHL.com).
Injuries: Pierre-Luc Dubois (illness) is listed as out; Justin Sourdif (illness) is day to day; Matt Roy (lower body) and Rasmus Sandin (knee surgery) are on injured reserve; Patrick Thomas (upper body) is on the injured non-roster list (ESPN).
Key Matchup Notes: Devils vs Capitals
- Schedule spot: New Jersey last played on Oct. 15 and hosts Colorado on Oct. 20. Washington last played on Oct. 14 and hosts Los Angeles on Oct. 20. Neither team played on Friday, Oct. 16, so neither is on the second night of a back-to-back (NHL.com).
- Last season: The teams split four meetings last season. New Jersey won 3-2 in a shootout in Washington on Nov. 15, 2025 and 7-3 at home on April 2, 2026. Washington won 4-3 in overtime in New Jersey on Dec. 27, 2025 and 2-1 at home on March 20 (NHL.com).
- Special teams: New Jersey is converting 20 percent of its power plays and has killed 71.4 percent of penalties. Washington is converting 15.8 percent of its power plays and has killed 83.3 percent of penalties (NHL.com).
- Scoring: New Jersey has scored 23 goals and allowed 23 in 7 games. Washington has scored 24 goals and allowed 22 in 7 games.
- Odds snapshot: Washington -125 / New Jersey +105 on the moneyline, Capitals -1.5 (+210) on the puck line, total 6.5 (DraftKings).
How to Watch New Jersey Devils vs Washington Capitals
Date: Saturday, October 17, 2026
Puck drop: 1:00 PM ET (1:00 PM local)
Venue: Capital One Arena, Washington, D.C.
TV: NHL Network has the game nationally in the U.S. Regionally, Monumental Sports Network (MNMT) carries it in the Capitals’ market and MSG Sportsnet (MSGSN) carries it in the Devils’ market (NHL.com). In Canada, Sportsnet carries it (NHL.com).
Check the puck line, moneyline and total above against your sportsbook before the October 17, 2026 puck drop, and look for confirmed starting goalies closer to game time.