The Washington Capitals jumped on the ice at MedStar Capitals Iceplex for the first day of their 2025 Training Camp on Thursday.
Amid the excitement of Group A’s skate tests and initial on-ice action, the first injury updates of the year have already emerged. Two players expected to make the Capitals’ roster out of camp were clad in light blue, no-contact jerseys: Martin Fehervary and Justin Sourdif.
Fehervary arrived at his first camp since he suffered a torn meniscus in his right knee at the end of last season, forcing him out of the Capitals’ playoff run. The 25-year-old rearguard discussed his struggles with lingering pain and inflammation in his surgically repaired knee late last month ahead of returning from his native Slovakia.
“I have minor inflammation and can’t get rid of it, and it’s still hurting me a bit,” Fehervary said. “It’s a bit of a long story.”
The Capitals were initially pleased with the veteran defenseman’s progress, with GM Chris Patrick calling Fehervary a “machine” in late June. As of mid-August, however, Fehervary had not returned to the ice yet, a milestone in his rehab that was planned to have happened in July.
Fehervary finally got back on his skates on September 2 when he returned to DC and joined the Capitals for their informal skates.
Fehervary is coming off a career year with the Capitals after posting 25 points (5g, 20a) in 81 games during the 2024-25 campaign. He played significant roles on the East-best Caps at both five-on-five and on the penalty kill, skating primarily in a shutdown role with Matt Roy against the opposition’s top forwards.
According to reporting from NHL.com’s Tom Gulitti, Roy was also set to start camp in a no-contact jersey but took the ice with Group B at noon in his normal white sweater.
Sourdif’s ailment is more of a mystery, as he comes to camp as one of the few new faces the Capitals acquired over the offseason. The 23-year-old winger played in all 18 playoff games for the AHL’s Charlotte Checkers last spring and participated in the Capitals’ last few informal practices earlier this month.
The Capitals traded for Sourdif in June, dealing a 2026 second-round pick and a 2027 sixth-round pick to the Florida Panthers. Sourdif, who was a pending restricted free agent, then signed a two-year deal with Washington worth $825,000 per season.
In four career NHL games for the Panthers, Sourdif recorded one assist. He had 34 points (16g, 18a) in 43 games with the Checkers last season.
Update (12:11): This article has been updated to reflect Roy’s full participate in the skate.
