You guys, actual hockey is another day closer.

Wednesday, the Caps social media posted video from the team’s informal practice, revealing another big chunk of players returned to MedStar Capitals Iceplex during Labor Day weekend.

Smells like Hockey SZN#ALLCAPS pic.twitter.com/H9NnxEqtbv

— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) September 8, 2021

Among the Capitals roster players skating included forwards TJ Oshie, Evgeny Kuznetsov, Anthony Mantha, Lars Eller, Carl Hagelin, and Garnet Hathaway; defensemen John Carlson, Michal Kempny, and Nick Jensen; and goaltender Vitek Vanecek. Prospects Alexander Alexeyev and Axel Jonsson-Fjallby also took part in the skate.

The video was highlighted by Oshie and Kuznetsov playing rock, paper, scissors.

Among the players here, but who appear not yet participating is Dmitry Orlov who flew back to North America over the holiday weekend.

According to The Athletic’s Tarik El-Bashir, Capitals training camp opens on September 18, starting with a nearly week-long rookie camp. On September 22, Capitals veterans report.

Are you getting excited?

Headline photo: Elizabeth Kong/RMNB