The Washington Capitals are paying more than any other team in the NHL for their D-core this year. Yes, we've all got Spidey senses tingling that the trades aren't done yet, but at a minimum they're spending $22 million and change on Chychrun, Carlson, and Roy alone, with an estimated $35.4 million total holding the line.
The Blue Jackets and the Oilers run a close second - both spending over $34 million on defense for the 2025-2026 season. While on the one hand we know that wins can't be bought, its hard to argue that there's a Capitals blueliner that isn't worth the juice.
A lot of people have a lot of feelings about Carlson, but if you didn't believe Carbery when he said, "John is such an underrated defenseman, and hopefully I can help that... he does so many things in a hockey game that will not show up on the box score and the common fan doesn't notice what he does at a really high level," then hopefully you'll see him earn his shekels in this last year of his current Capitals contract.
1. Jakob Chychrun - $9 million
Chychrun signed an 8-year $72 million deal in March 2025.
2. John Carlson - $8 million
Carlson is starting the final year of his 8-year $64 million contract, signed June 2018 after a rather memorable season.
3. Matt Roy - $5.7 million
Roy has a 6-year contract at $34.5 million, signed last summer.
Other notables include Fehervary's shiny new 7-year $42 million extension, following a knee injury and surgery that all but took him out of the playoffs (after one more year on his $2.675 AAV through this season, which is good news for the cap and the Caps). It's also the last year of TVR's 3-year deal and the second year of Sandin's 5-year deal at $4.6 AAV, signed when he had an average of over 20 minutes of ice time per game.
On the one hand it's easy to say that you could put something similar together for less money - but the truth of the matter is they're going to spend it somewhere, they already have an offense that literally makes the other team cry, and when you break it down to price-per-wear (as it were) this is smart shopping.
Girl math? Maybe. But I think Thompson and Lindgren are feeling comfy, cozy in the crease and pretty pleased that Monumental didn't go for the store brand on defense this year.