Home / News / Capitals Rookie Camp shifts to McMullen Hockey Arena, prospects go ziplining during team-building event in Annapolis

Capitals Rookie Camp shifts to McMullen Hockey Arena, prospects go ziplining during team-building event in Annapolis

By Ian Oland

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September 17, 2023 11:14 pm

Day Two of Washington Capitals Rookie Camp pivoted to a new locale on Sunday.

Bright and early at 9 am, the Capitals’ young prospects took the ice at Navy’s McMullen Hockey Arena located in Annapolis, MD to continue their sessions ahead of the start of Training Camp later this week.

The details of the trip were something of a surprise ahead of time, with even the players in the dark as to the specifics.

“They didn’t really tell us what we’re going to do,” forward Hendrix Lapierre explained Saturday. “I’d love to tell you what we’re going to learn but it’s kind of a surprise in a way. I know we’ll be on the ice in the morning and then we’ll have a bunch of meetings and stuff like that. I’m sure it will be really exciting.

“We’ll talk to a lot of people, we’ll learn new things, we’ll probably do obstacle courses, and stuff like that. A little team bonding. Should be pretty fun.”

Goaltender Clay Stevenson, who also took part in last year’s Rookie Camp, hoped the trip would help put newer players at ease.

“I feel like that is the big part the trips, just bringing the guys closer together, making everyone feel a little more comfortable,” he explained. “You get to see something cool that you might not have got the opportunity to without this, you know?”

According to Monumental Sports Network’s Matt Weyrich, the Capitals picked up where they left off with the “intense drills” they started on Saturday at MedStar Capitals Iceplex, with Hershey Bears’ head coach Todd Nelson leading the session.

When asked why the team had decided to go to Annapolis, Nelson emphasized the potential for group bonding. “Just to get away and go together as a group,” he said Saturday. “Going to the Naval Academy just to see how the other world works. We have some activities planned for the guys. Kind of a team-building opportunity for us.”

After the skate, many of the Capitals’ prospects signed autographs and took photos with fans, including young supporter Colin.

“It was a great time,” Ryan, Colin’s dad, said. “Kids enjoyed it. All the rookies were very gracious. Miroshnichenko has a laser of a shot and Iorio is a beast.”

Later in the day, the prospects got “a crash course in Naval Academy training” per the team.

That included a zipline, which Vincent Iorio really seemed to enjoy.

The Capitals will spend two more days in Annapolis before returning home to their home base in Arlington, VA.

Headline photo: @Ryanm84/X

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