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.
Almost a full squad today at MedStar: Ovechkin, Panik, Carlson, Kuznetsov, Backstrom, Holtby, Oshie, Eller, Vrana, Hagelin, Dowd, Jensen, Hathaway, Leipsic, Siegenthaler, Samsonov, Alexeyev, Geisser and Johansen are on the ice for the informal skate. Kempny skated on his own b4.
— Tarik El-Bashir (@Tarik_ElBashir) September 3, 2019
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.
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.
It brings me great joy to report that Kempny is on the ice with the boys today pic.twitter.com/YqcOlXvDiu
— Batya FOREVER 💕 (@KuzyBeCackling) September 3, 2019
Pizza is great and all, but have you ever watched Kempny do conditioning drills pic.twitter.com/6Dg23I5nhG
— Batya FOREVER 💕 (@KuzyBeCackling) September 3, 2019
“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.
Oh hai, a scrimmage? pic.twitter.com/cWityH75rb
— Batya FOREVER 💕 (@KuzyBeCackling) September 3, 2019
As you can see, there…
Your goalies could never pic.twitter.com/uNXftlb5oV
— Batya FOREVER 💕 (@KuzyBeCackling) September 3, 2019
was…
AGAIN! AGAIN! AGAIN! pic.twitter.com/oQIZTWrU0K
— Batya FOREVER 💕 (@KuzyBeCackling) September 3, 2019
a lot of skating.
Watching this makes me tired pic.twitter.com/ey8D1Y8n9X
— Batya FOREVER 💕 (@KuzyBeCackling) September 3, 2019
Hockey hugs also returned.
Hockey hugs are back ☺️ pic.twitter.com/NoCTfIQUNj
— Batya FOREVER 💕 (@KuzyBeCackling) September 3, 2019
Capitals players will continue to take the ice during these informal skates until camp begins in earnest next week.
