The Tampa Bay Lightning are Stanley Cup champions again and now we face down the long, hot, empty expanse of summer.
Except not so much. There’s a whole lot of stuff coming up real soon. Here’s a quick rundown for you.
Jul 17: Expansion Draft protection lists due
At 5 PM eastern, the 30 NHL teams (no Vegas) have to share their lists of players who cannot be selected in Seattle’s expansion draft. We’ve guessed at Washington’s list for you.
Jul 21: Seattle Kraken Expansion Draft
Once the lists are set, the 32nd NHL team will have “an exclusive window from July 18-21 to interview and potentially sign pending free agents who were left unprotected in the expansion draft.”
Then on the 21st, the Kraken — who have ex-Caps video analyst Tim Ohashi and big brain Namita Nandakumar on their team — will pick their initial roster from unprotected players.
Jul 23: NHL Draft begins (1st round)
Washington traded their first-round pick to Detroit in the Mantha trade, so it’ll be a quiet opening night for Washington. The Sabres won the lottery, and will pick first.
Jul 24: NHL Draft continues (Rounds 2-7)
Washington’s first pick will be the 55th of the draft. They have no picks in the third round because of the Brenden Dillon trade.
Washington also has picks number 119, 151, 183, 215, and 218. There’s also a condition for Washington to have third-round pick based on the Siegenthaler trade, but even after re-reading the Cap Friendly explanation, I’m confused.
Jul 25: Qualifying Offers due
On the day after the entry draft, NHL teams have to tender their QOs to restricted free agents. The only RFA of note with Washington is goalie Ilya Samsonov.
This is also the time when we discuss why no one does offer sheets anymore.
Jul 28: Free Agency begins
Free agency begins at noon on the 28th, and it will be a weird one with the salary cap basically flat. As of right now, Alex Ovechkin is technically on track to be available at this time. It’s not going to happen.
Aug 8: Tweet Like Ovi day
hahahahahahaha it’s the sickest day of the year babes))))
Though since Ovi doesn’t really tweet anymore, maybe we should just call this Alex Ovechkin Day. Thoughts?
Sep 13: Craig Laughlin’s golf tournament
Come golf “FORE!” rare cancer in @FightRareCancer first ever celebrity golf tournament! Join me, @JoeBpXp @PeterBondra12, Rod Langway and more of your favorite sports celebrities on the course Monday September 13th. Tickets available soon! #ALLCAPS pic.twitter.com/me0LAvy9YJ
— Craig Laughlin (@Laughlin18) June 28, 2021
Apparently, Ian is going to be Locker’s caddie.
Sep 20-ish training camp begins
A short four months after the Capitals season ended, all the players will be back at MedStar Capitals Iceplex training for the 2021-22 season. It will mark Peter Laviolette’s first unfettered full season in the district.
Oct 10-ish regular season starts
Despite the 2020-21 season ending in July, the 2021-22 season will only be pushed back a week or two.
“We’ll be starting in the first half of October,” NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said. “It won’t be on the first. It’ll probably be in the double digits but in the first half.”
