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‘I hope I don’t die’: A ‘terrified’ Ryan Zimmerman suits up as goaltender at Capitals practice

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World Series champion Ryan Zimmerman reappeared on the DC Sports scene Wednesday – this time sporting a much bigger glove.

Zimmerman suited up as a goaltender and jumped on the ice after Washington Capitals practice concluded. The reason – unknown!

Video

“Hey, I’m Ryan Zimmerman. I’m a baseball player. I’m about to attempt to play goalie against some of the best hockey players in the world. I’m terrified to death right now. I have no idea what to expect and I hope I don’t die.”

Well said, Ryan.

The two-time All-Star took the ice sporting a blank white helmet, solid red pads, and one of Braden Holtby’s Warrior goalie sticks.

To be honest, he looked pretty darn good out there. In this video, Zimmerman makes three consecutive impressive glove saves. Capitals players wildly cheer as he makes save after save including with his stick.

The glove saves continued while Alex Ovechkin shot one-timers on the Gold Glove-winning third baseman in 2009.

At the end of the session, Capitals players congratulated Zimmerman on his impressive stint in goal, giving the makeshift goalie head pats and hugs.

Inside the locker room, Todd Reirden thanked Zimmerman for coming to practice.

“What a great experience,” Zimmerman said. “Terrifying, but fun. Glad I did it. I’ll never do it again.”

“I don’t think he will make the team, but it’s great to see him out there and try to do what he can and I think he have fun and now he realize how hard it is to be a goalie,” Alex Ovechkin said, according to NHL.com’s Tom Gulitti, adding that his shots towards Zim were “not that hard.”

The star baseball player is currently an unrestricted free agent and is pondering his next move – most likely retirement or another short-term contract with the Nationals.

“Love him. … He’s a guy that we are talking to,” Nationals’ general manager Mike Rizzo said at WinterFest according to MLB.com’s Zach Silver. “We’re not going to discuss [contract negotiations], but he’s a guy that, someday, there will be a statue with his likeness on it here in center field.”

“We’d love for him to end his career here in Washington.”

Headline photo: @Capitals

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