​The start of the Washington Capitals season is drawing closer, which means it’s time to answer some burning questions ahead of the 2026-27 campaign.After Part 1 of our mailbag dropped Thursday, here’s Part 2.Editor’s Note: Questions have been edited for length and clarity.Will the Capitals carry two extra forwards or two extra defensemen? Who wins those spots? – @FoxOfTheStormIt isn’t a straightforward answer, because a lot of it will depend on who stands out at training camp and how that forces the coaching staff’s hand.That said, the forward group is very deep, and there are names like Ivan Miroshnichenko and Bogdan Trineyev that are no longer waiver-exempt that could make it difficult to have to hold onto only one forward.At the same time, as the injury to Rasmus Sandin at season’s end showed, having two extra defensemen is important, too.Ultimately, given the circumstances up front, I lean toward the team holding onto two extra forwards to start the season, and then having one extra defenseman. It’ll come down to performances whether Justin Holl or Dylan McIlrath wins that final spot, though McIlrath has earned his keep and has been a vital locker room presence over the last handful of seasons.In goal, it’ll be Logan Thompson and Charlie Lindgren as the tandem in net; as mentioned in the first part of the mailbag, there is faith that Lindgren, who was given a difficult task last year with the majority of his starts coming on the second half of back-to-backs, will bounce back, and the team values what he brings to the locker room and the work ethic he brings to the ice. He also complements starter Logan Thompson very well.That leaves Clay Stevenson in a difficult spot when it comes to the possibility of being picked up on waivers, but the team brought in Cal Petersen to attend camp on a professional tryout to further bolster depth and have a backup plan if that happens.Does Lynden Lakovic have a chance of making the opening night roster? What about Andrew Cirstall? – @Pageoutofmybook and @Olsen_bria55077Again, anything can happen at training camp, and both of these names are expected to have very big showings in the preseason to try and force extended stays in D.C.Lakovic, who is recovered from shoulder surgery that ended his junior career early last season, has been at informal skates and ramping up going into the season, and is certainly a name to watch. The 19-year-old has added size to his 6-foot-4 frame and has improved his skating significantly, and his shot and hockey IQ also continue to come a long way.All the while, Cristall has also been working on his strength and skating in the offseason and embracing more of what he calls a “rat” identity. he is coming off a 60-point rookie season in the AHL with the Hershey Bears and has shown that he can hang in the pros and be a game-changer, and he is known for having impressive showings at training camp.Ultimately, given the depth of the forward group and waiver situations, and the fact that