ARLINGTON, VA — The best day of the Washington Capitals season, in this author’s humble opinion, occurred Monday when Caps players participated in its annual dog calendar photoshoot. Partnering with Homeward Trails Animal Rescue, the boys spent the afternoon posing (and hugging and cuddling) with dogs up for adoption as well as their own pups from home. This year, the Capitals modeled in front of vintage cars or their own vehicles.

While the Homeward Trail dogs stole everyone’s heart (please return it soon please, I’m having trouble functioning), the day started out with an appearance by the Capitals new dog, Captain.

Captain posed in a vintage silver car and wore silly hats, loving the attention he got throughout.

Meanwhile, Capitals players John Carlson, Nic Dowd, TJ Oshie, Alex Ovechkin, Chandler Stephenson, Garnet Hathaway, and Nick Jensen all posed with their own dogs. Tom Wilson, Nicklas Backstrom, Lars Eller, Tyler Lewington, Jakub Vrana, Evgeny Kuznetsov, Dmitry Orlov, Michal Kempny, Radko Gudas, Carl Hagelin, Richard Panik, Jonas Siegenthaler, Brendan Leipsic, and Ilya Samsonov took their photos with dogs available for adoption through Homeward Trails.

Since the calendar began in 2014, the Caps have raised more than $250,000 for Homeward Trails. A limited number of calendars will be available for $20 beginning Nov. 27 when the Capitals host the Florida Panthers. The calendar will also be sold online and in the team stores at Capital One Arena and MedStar Capitals Iceplex. Details will be announced at a later date.

While the official photos won’t be seen until the release, we hope these adorable photos will tide you over until then.

Captain

Captain, the Capitals new puppy, made his photoshoot debut. At one point, he stood in as the new Bachelor and offered roses up to everyone.

Braden Holtby

Holtby posed in front of his Jeep with with Captain, the newest member of the Caps.

TJ Oshie

Oshie took photos with his two dogs, Charlie, an Australian shepherd, and Sandy, a golden retriever puppy.

Jonas Siegenthaler and Nick Jensen

Siegenthaler posed with Hagrid and Myrtle, boxer mixes, while Jensen brought his dog Murphy, a black Labrador.

Jakub Vrana, Lars Eller, and Tyler Lewington

Vrana posed with Maria, a Pomeranian mix. Maria was rescued from an abuse case in Puerto Rico. She is very thin, but in good health and looking for her forever home.

Eller held Rosalyn, a hound mix, while Lewington was teamed with Bronzer, a lab mix, and Ron, a boxer mix. The group took photos in front of Eller’s Mercedes.

Carl Hagelin and Richard Panik

Hagelin posed with Sonja, a Chihuahua mix and Sabrina, a shepherd mix. Sabrina was abandoned on the side of the road in Puerto Rico. She is a 10-month-old Shepherd mix with heterochromia.

Panik was with JJ, one and a half-year-old, three-legged Labrador mix. JJ was very skinny when he was found with a broken leg, but did great with his amputation surgery. He loves other dogs and people and gets along wonderfully as a tri-pod. They posed in front of Hagelin’s Audi.

Alex Ovechkin

Ovechkin brought his black Labrador, Blake. The two stood in front of Ovi’s G-Wagon.

Tom Wilson

Wilson posed in front of his own G-Wagon with two dogs: Doodles, an English Bulldog and Cayde, a retriever/terrier mix. Cayde, a three-year-old, loves to play, but also snuggles up well next to his people, according to Homeward Trails.

Michal Kempny, Radko Gudas, and John Carlson

Kempny took his photos with Mickey, a Labrador/retriever mix, from Puerto Rico. He is a year-and-a-half old is very sweet and loves everyone. Gudas cuddled up with Marcus, a hound mix, and Carlson brought his dog Ellie, a Goldendoodle. The group posed in front of Gudas’ Maserati.

Ilya Samsonov, Brendan Leipsic, and Garnet Hathaway

Samsonov originally took photos with Allie, a Redtick Coonhound. Allie, a three-and-a-half-year-old, was rescued from Pennsylvania. She is a shy girl who is still learning about life indoors and with a family, but she did great with the other dogs in her foster home and is also good with cats! Allie loves having her head scratched. He also got to hold Harry, a boxer mix puppy.

Leipsic was with Grace, a three-year-old Pitt mix who was found living on the streets of Puerto Rico with a pack of dogs. She is doing great with other dogs, is a real wiggle butt, and adores people. Garnet Hathaway brought his dog Finn, a Labrador/shepherd mix.

Dmitry Orlov and Evgeny Kuznetsov

Kuznetsov posed with Olivia, an American Bulldog mix, who came to Homeward Trails from a shelter in Georgia where she was overlooked for half her life. She is a year old and is eager to find her forever home. Orlov was with Elijah, a two-year-old yellow Labrador mix.

Nicklas Backstrom

Backstrom posed with Daisy, a shepherd/Labrador mix and Ron, a boxer mix puppy, in front of his Mercedes.

Photos: Cara Bahniuk