The Washington Capitals released their schedule and roster for training camp, which will open on Sunday with medical and COVID-19 testing at MedStar Capitals Iceplex in Arlington, Virginia. On-ice activities will open on Monday. The team’s first game of the 2020-21 season will be on Thursday, January 14 at the Buffalo Sabres.
Roster (Click to enlarge)
Photo: @Capitals
Teams are allowed to start training camp with 36 skaters and an unlimited number of goalies. In addition to the normal 23-man roster during the season, teams will have a taxi squad consisting of four-to-six players due to the threat of COVID-19.
The Capitals signed one player to a professional tryout before training camp: goaltender Craig Anderson.
Schedule
Sunday, Jan. 3
Medical/Testing – No media availability
Monday, Jan. 4
9:30 a.m.: Group A practice
11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.: Group A media availability via Zoom
12:45 p.m. – 1 p.m.: Head coach Peter Laviolette media availability via Zoom
3 p.m.: Group B practice
Tuesday, Jan. 5
9:30 a.m.: Group A practice
11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.: Group A media availability via Zoom
12:45 p.m. – 1 p.m.: Head coach Peter Laviolette media availability via Zoom
3 p.m.: Group B practice
Wednesday, Jan. 6
9:30 a.m.: Group A practice
3 p.m.: Group B practice
5 p.m. – 5:45 p.m.: Group B media availability via Zoom
5:45 p.m. – 6 p.m.: Head coach Peter Laviolette media availability via Zoom
Thursday, Jan. 7
3:50 p.m.: On-ice warm-up
4 p.m.: Scrimmage
6:15-7:15 p.m.: Media availability with select players and head coach via Zoom
Friday, Jan. 8
Day off
*Schedule subject to change. Updated schedule information will be announced on @CapitalsPR
The Capitals have held informal skates and workouts for the past several weeks. Players have returned from their respective homes throughout the past couple of months to participate in those skates and workouts.
The team will be divided into three squads: blue, white, and red. Each group will be practicing at a different time while the others do off-ice workouts and video sessions.
The Capitals must turn in their 23-man roster on January 12, one day before the regular season opens across the NHL.
The Capitals and the other NHL teams will not play any exhibition games this season.
All practices will be closed to the general public.
The following is the latest schedule for the Capitals:
More From The Caps
The Washington Capitals will begin their 2020-21 Training Camp, presented by MedStar, on Sunday, Jan. 3 and hold their first on-ice session on Monday, Jan. 4 at MedStar Capitals Iceplex. All Capitals practices will remain closed to the public and general staff of the Capitals.
This marks the Capitals’ 14th training camp at MedStar Capitals Iceplex, the Metro-accessible, inside-the-Beltway practice facility that features two NHL-sized rinks. Washington’s training camp will include 24 forwards, 12 defensemen and five goalies, and will be broken up into two squads (Group A and Group B) and their schedules will vary.
CLICK HERE FOR THE WASHINGTON CAPITALS FULL TRAINING CAMP ROSTER
Training camp will last 10 days with the NHL regular season beginning on Wednesday, Jan. 13. The Capitals will open the season against the Buffalo Sabres at KeyBank Center on Jan. 14 at 7 p.m.
The 2020-21 regular-season schedule will consist of 56 games beginning on Jan. 13 and concluding on May 8. Each team in the East, Central and West divisions will play every other team in its division eight times while each team in the North Division will play every other team in its division nine or 10 times. The top four teams in each division will qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs, with intradivisional play in the first two rounds (#1 vs. #4; #2 vs. #3). The four teams that advance to the Semifinal Round would be seeded by their regular season points total, with the No. 1 seed playing the No. 4 seed in one series and the No. 2 and No. 3 seeds meeting in the other.
The Capitals’ training camp schedule for the first six days is listed below. Media interested in attending a practice must contact Capitals media relations department at least 48 hours in advance of practice.
By Harrison Brown
Only notable omissions (besides McMichael, Has, who are wrapping up World Juniors) is Damien Riat.
The Tribune deGeneve reported on 12/30 that Riat had been recalled by Caps. He would play vs. Lausanne on 12/30 before flying to Washington. Late change likely.
Capitals invited 35 skaters and 5 goaltenders. Limit was 36 skaters and unlimited goaltenders, so it looks like someone (forward) was a late scratch.
Good to see Brett Leason finally get some ice time. He has been without structured team activities since March.