Spencer Carbery answered the question of what he does on a day off: serve the local hockey community.
Monday morning, after a busy back-to-back over the weekend, Carbery returned to the ice at MedStar Capitals Iceplex to hold three different coaching clinics for youth hockey players (10U, 12U, and 14U) around the area. Capitals skills coach Kenny McCudden joined in on the fun, too.
Several photos of Carbery coaching and giving one-on-one instruction at the Capitals’ practice facility in Arlington, VA were shared on social media by excited parents who were proud to see their kids share the ice with the successful head coach. Carbery is garnering NHL coach of the year chatter half way through the season.
“He took time with each kid including my son Troy,” Jenn Passero said. “I know myself, and some of Troy’s teammates parents were just so appreciative of him spending his day off coaching a clinic for youth hockey. It will be a core memory for these kids and something they can look back on later in life to say they worked with a head coach of the NHL. My son had a blast and he was sweating so bad after that hour clinic. He worked them hard!”
The Caps are so lucky to have Spencer Carbery as coach. On his day off he did a clinic for youth hockey players for a fundraiser. Troy had a blast and he spent time with each kid taking a photo after if they wanted. Lots of praise to the kids on the ice too! pic.twitter.com/C1UUKCIUCH
— Jenn (@OsRavensCaps) December 30, 2024
Tom Dufek, whose son Charlie is a talented up-and-coming goaltender, was in disbelief about how well Carbery and McCudden treated his child and the energy they both brought to the skate despite such a busy weekend. The Capitals played the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday and the Detroit Red Wings on Sunday before returning to DC.
“The coaches came and joined the two dozen youth hockey players representing a great mix of area travel hockey programs in the locker room before the skate and really set the tone there,” Tom said. “Spencer asked the kids how their holidays had been, telling them it was going to be a fun morning and getting them excited to play and learn a bit. For a pair of coaches who’d been on the road for two straight and likely just got home late last night from Detroit, the both of them looked like there was nowhere they’d rather be than in that room and on the ice with that group of kids. It’s really one of those things that shows you just how great this sport is, how approachable guys are even at the highest levels of the game.”
“I literally don’t have words for how awesome it was,” Charlie added.
Carbery and McCudden donated their time to help raise funds for a travel hockey team who has a tournament upcoming in Quebec. The two coaches hung around taking individual photos with the skaters. They signed autographs and thanked the parents.
“Carbery’s just so down to earth, so nice,” Jenn said. “During Development Camp, Troy did a clinic with the young prospects, including Ilya Protas and Ryan Leonard. Spencer came into the alcove and talked to each player, asked their age, who they played for. He’s just so humble, such a nice human being.”
“All in all, it was a super great experience and I’d sign Charlie up for another one in a second,” Tom said.
