The Washington Capitals wrapped up their 2020 summer training camp Saturday morning at MedStar Capitals Iceplex. The team will now make final roster adjustments before departing for Toronto Sunday afternoon. The Capitals will practice Monday and Tuesday at the Ford Performance Centre before facing the Carolina Hurricanes in their lone exhibition game at ScotiaBank Arena on Wednesday at 4:00 p.m.
PRACTICE
Ilya Samsonov, Shane Gersich and Garret Pilon did not practice on the final day of camp. Samsonov did not participate at all in training camp.
Teams were to submit travel rosters to the NHL was yesterday (max 31 players). There are 31 players on the ice right now for the Caps with Gersich, Pilon, Samsonov not skating.
— Samantha Pell (@SamanthaJPell) July 25, 2020
Per the Capitals, Ilya Samsonov has sustained an injury and will not travel to Toronto. He will remain in Washington to continue treatment. The team expects him to be healthy for next season.
𝗣𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲: Good for both goal scoring and ensuing celebrations pic.twitter.com/5Hr4VOnFin
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) July 25, 2020
Exhibition Game
Braden Holtby will play two of the three periods of the Capitals exhibition game vs Carolina Hurricanes on July 29, per Reirden. The Team is still deciding if Copley or Vanecek will play that last period.
Alex Ovechkin
Ovechkin told the media “everybody [is] fresh” and the team does not have a lot of injuries, aside from goaltender Ilya Samsonov (undisclosed), who will miss the Stanley Cup Playoffs. “We miss playing hockey. Being together is a fun thing,” he added on what gives him confidence about his team. (More here.)
Nicklas Backstrom
Washington Capitals center Nicklas Backstrom told reporters on Saturday regarding goaltender Ilya Samsonov, who will miss the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs due to an undisclosed injury, that “he’s had a terrific year but it is what it is. We have a big roster. It’s time for someone else to step up.” (More here.)
Lars Eller
The Capitals will be staying at Toronto’s Hotel X, along with the other top-five teams in the Eastern Conference. Eller mentioned the team will likely explore around the hotel and throughout the bubble to see what’s available to them. “I’m looking forward to it,” Eller said. He believes the team will not get “too bored” as numerous Capitals players have expressed playing card games, video games, and even ping pong to keep busy. (More here.)
Todd Reirden
“It is disappointing for the player…it is disappointing for us,” Reirden said about the situation. He noted Samsonov had some “good strides” this past season and had a “big impact” and to be without him will be “certainly disappointing”. Although Reirden cannot comment on the severity of the injury, he did confirm that is not related to the Coronavirus. (More here.)
Top Ranked
This season, the Capitals had five players ranked in the top-30 in the NHL in hits (Tom Wilson: 253 hits, ranked 3rd in the NHL; Brenden Dillon: 194 hits, ranked 13th; Garnet Hathaway: 189 hits, ranked 17th; Alex Ovechkin: 184 hits, tied for 18th; Radko Gudas: 164 hits; tied for 30th). The Capitals were the only team in the NHL to feature five players in the top-30, and no other team had more than three players featured.
Thats A Wrap!
The Capitals broke training camp after practice Saturday afternoon. Next stop, Toronto.
The #Caps wrapped up training camp with one final scrimmage and practice and now set their sights to Toronto as Phase 3 comes to a close and they prepare to head to the bubble. #ALLCAPS | @mmschocolate pic.twitter.com/BVxsvoYyym
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) July 25, 2020
By Jon Sorensen
I think too much time is spent talking about the 4th line… SG and BP can play the 4th… they are fast enough with ND and GH… savings there for D… cant see how they keep Kovy but hope they do keep BD… real question is do you let BH go to try and keep Kovy?
Yeah, Kovy will be too expensive. With a flat cap, caps need to shed costs/contracts.