Home / News / Nic Dowd returns to DC as Capitals sport nearly full squad at informal practice

Nic Dowd returns to DC as Capitals sport nearly full squad at informal practice

By Ian Oland

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September 3, 2019 5:20 pm

Washington Capitals’ Training Camp is nine days away. Tuesday, the Capitals sported a near full lineup at their Arlington, Virginia practice facility.

Capitals’ fourth-line center Nic Dowd made his grand return after driving 20 hours from his native Minnesota. The most notable players missing now are Tom Wilson and Dmitry Orlov.

The Capitals tweeted a highlights video from practice that said Summer. Is. Over., which I’m going to interpret as a subtle hint hint to the remaining stragglers.

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Summer. Is. Over.

A post shared by Washington Capitals (@capitals) on

Before the full team took to the ice, injured defenseman Michal Kempny continued the rehab on his torn hamstring, doing drills with strength and conditioning coaches.

“If I’m going to make training camp, it would be great,” Kempny said to NHL.com on Tuesday. “If not, my goal and my focus is to be ready for the season. First game, be healthy, be 100 percent. I don’t want to have some problems with it, so I’ve got to take it step by step, listen to our doctors and our treatment guys. But I’m working hard every day. A lot of work is behind me, a lot of work is ahead of me.”

Kempny was also joined out on ice by Braden Holtby, Ilya Samsonov, Jonas Siegenthaler, and Alex Alexeyev.

Later, after Kempny exited and the MedStar crew resurfaced the sheet, Capitals players took the ice for drills and a spirited scrimmage.

As you can see, there…

was…

a lot of skating.

Hockey hugs also returned.

Capitals players will continue to take the ice during these informal skates until camp begins in earnest next week.

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