ARLINGTON, VA — With the start of training camp just around the corner, the Washington Capitals welcomed a host of players to the ice for Tuesday’s informal skate. Chief among them was one of the club’s marquee summer additions, high-scoring winger Jordan Kyrou.
Jordan Kyrou arrives at MedStar Capitals Iceplex for first time
Kyrou, wearing a white shirt, black athletic shorts, and a backward hat, arrived at MedStar Capitals Iceplex ahead of the skate holding a large red Capitals equipment bag and nearly a dozen hockey sticks. He got a big reception from his new teammates when he made his way into the locker room, including a hug from fellow offseason acquisition Boone Jenner and a handshake from veteran depth defenseman Dylan McIlrath.
After taping up his stick — a CCM Tacks Recharge Pro with his nickname Rouzy emblazoned on the side — he made his way out onto the ice with the rest of his teammates for the club’s first post-Labor Day skate.
The Capitals kicked off a flashy offseason in June when they acquired Kyrou, 28, from the St. Louis Blues for Connor McMichael, prospect Milton Gastrin, and a first-round pick. Slotting in as a top-six winger, Kyrou should provide offensive firepower, though he’s looking to rebound from a 46-point (18g, 28a) showing in 2025-26. He scored over 30 goals in each of the preceding three seasons.
He is officially the last of the big new faces to join the team ahead of camp, with Jenner, Alex Tuch, and Vincent Desharnais already practicing with their new teammates in recent weeks.
Kyrou’s elite speed and snappy wrist shot were already on display in his first skate in a Capitals sweater.
Jordan Kyrou participating in drills at Capitals informal skate
Outside of Kyrou, Ryan Leonard, Jakob Chychrun, Charlie Lindgren, Andrew Cristall, and Justin Holl also made their first appearance at the skates. A group of Capitals prospects, including Cristall, kicked off the morning’s activities before the team’s NHL players took the ice.
For the first time, the informal skates have gotten busy enough to separate into two groups. Several Capitals prospects, including Cristall, took the ice earlier Tuesday morning before the NHL players held their skate around 9:30. After skills coach Kenny McCudden and goaltending coach Scott Murray ran the group through drills, players wrapped up the skate with an informal scrimmage.
Leonard’s return to D.C. comes after he notched 45 points (20g, 25a) in 75 games during the 2025-26 season, ranking fifth in NHL rookie scoring and finishing eighth in Calder Trophy voting. The 21-year-old became the first Capitals rookie since Alex Ovechkin to score 20 goals in a season and just the eighth to do so in franchise history despite losing seven games to a shoulder injury in December.
The 21-year-old winger is in the final season of his three-year, entry-level contract, though contract negotiations have already begun on an extension. The Capitals have until September 16 to sign Leonard to a max, 8-year extension before the extended CBA kicks in.
In his first skate back, Leonard already had an extra job to do, acting as an official to run the faceoff during the scrimmage.
Ryan Leonard serves as linesman during Capitals scrimmage
Chychrun, 28, solidified his spot as Washington’s top defenseman last season and proved one of the league’s strongest blueliners. He led all NHL defensemen with 26 goals, three more than next-closest Matthew Schaefer, and ranked third on the Capitals in scoring (60 points).
After setting a previous career high of 47 points in 2024-25, Chychrun’s 26 goals and 34 assists surpassed his previous personal best. Chychrun also attracted attention as a potential Olympian for Team Canada, though he ultimately did not make the squad.
Jakob Chychrun returns to the ice for the Capitals
Lindgren, 32, will begin his fifth season in DC this fall, serving as backup to Logan Thompson. The pair alternated starts for nearly all of 2024-25, but Thompson eventually emerged as the clear starter, and Lindgren, donning a new mask and gear setup on Tuesday, struggled to remain consistent in 2025-26, allowing five or more goals in five of his 20 starts.
The Capitals are now just nine days away from the start of training camp. In the coming days, Alex Ovechkin is expected to make his grand return from Russia ahead of his 22nd season in the NHL.
