Former Capitals defenseman Jeff Schultz was in the house for the Capitals’ morning skate up in Calgary.

Schultz, 36, played his final NHL season in 2015-16 with the Los Angeles Kings and concluded his professional hockey career with the San Diego Gulls of the AHL during 2017-18.

Selected by the Capitals in the same draft as Alex Ovechkin — 2004 NHL Draft, 1st round, 27th overall — Schultz watched as Alex Ovechkin readied himself for his 1300th NHL game. The other player selected by the Capitals in the first round that year, Mike Green (29th overall), retired in 2020 while the team’s early second-round pick (33rd overall), Chris Bourque, retired over the summer. Bourque will have his number retired by the Hershey Bears this season.

Per The Athletic’s Tarik El-Bashir, Schultz now has several boys of his own and his oldest plays on a Calgary team with Troy Brouwer’s son Cade.

Just ran into former #Caps defenseman Jeff Schultz, who is watching the morning skate with his young boys. He said his oldest plays on a team here in CGY with the sons of Curtis Glencross, Troy Brouwer and Matt Stajan. Talk about a powerhouse 9U team.

— Tarik El-Bashir (@Tarik_ElBashir) December 3, 2022

Schultz, ironically nicknamed “Mr. Nasty” by Pierre McGuire, is the only player in Capitals history to lead the NHL in plus-minus. Schultz did so during the Capitals’ first ever Presidents’ Trophy-winning season in 2009-10 where he hit plus-50.

Schultz set a postseason record in 2011, as he was on the ice for a post-season record 119 consecutive minutes without being scored on, according to Wikipedia.

Schultz is also fondly remembered for once scoring a full-rink goal against the Atlanta Thrashers.

A quiet, keep-to-himself personality, Schultz would sometime break out of that shell. He once signed photos of him hitting Sidney Crosby (he rarely played physical) with the inscription “Hows the wood, Sid!”

Schultz, a member of the Los Angeles Kings’ Stanley Cup team in 2013-14, took a photo in a swimming pool with the Stanley Cup while wearing a full suit.

Schultz was a brilliant puck-moving defenseman in his prime and a key member of the Capitals as they became a regular contender.

Nice to have you back around the team, Schultzie!