NBC Sports Washington posted footage of the Capitals from warmups on Wednesday, and I’m happy to say the team continued its weird pregame routines. And maybe added some new ones?
A quick summary. The Capitals did their individual high fives in the tunnel. John Carlson and Jakub Vrana also did some dancing. TJ Oshie and Tom Wilson also continued their NHL-best butt slashes.
Video
hallway dances and pregame butt taps?
THE CAPS ARE BACK. pic.twitter.com/zJX6z7tJIw
— NBCSports Washington (@NBCSWashington) July 29, 2020
But the most comical part came when Oshie did his puck-juggling routine at center ice. At the very end, Oshie pointed to an invisible fan and tossed the puck out of play. A reminder: NHL teams are playing in an empty arena. There are no fans.
Oshie’s puck-juggling superstition started when he was a member of the St. Louis Blues. Here’s an early example of the puck-juggling routine shortly after he was traded to the Capitals.
Oshie explained all the details in a 2017 feature with Sportsnet.
“I flip up a puck up to to my trainer. We do this three times. I’ll flip it up to him and skate away. He’ll toss it to me like a frisbee. I try to catch it on my stick and juggle it across the night. I’ll catch it on my blade and find a fan in the crowd and toss it up to them and continue on with warmup. ”
It goes unsaid, even during a pandemic, NHL players remain a creature of habit. Stay weird, TJ!
Full RMNB Coverage of Caps vs Canes
Screenshot courtesy of NBC Sports Washington
