Martin Fehervary hit the ice at MedStar Capitals Iceplex on Tuesday in a regular practice jersey, joining the team’s skate as a full participant for the first time since tearing the meniscus in his right knee at the end of last season.
Fehervary’s injury prevented him from playing a full 82-game season for the first time in his career and forced him out of the Capitals’ entire playoff run. Five months after his last game, Fehervary was thrilled to be so close to returning.
“I’m glad to see you guys,” Fehervary told reporters on Tuesday. “I’ve been back on the ice. It feels really good. Obviously, it’s up and down with that knee, but I’m happy to be in a regular jersey and ready to make some progress.”
The 25-year-old rearguard discussed his struggles with lingering pain and inflammation in his surgically repaired knee late last month before coming back to DC from his native Slovakia. While he’s still dealing with some of those persistent issues, he’s confident that he’ll be back in the team’s lineup ahead of the Capitals’ season-opening game on October 8.
“I would say [I feel] about like 80, 90 [percent healthy], or something like that,” Fehervary said. “I hope I’ll get some preseason games, but I think I’ll be ready a little bit early, hopefully.”
The Capitals were initially pleased with the veteran defenseman’s progress, with GM Chris Patrick calling Fehervary a “machine” in late June. Fehervary’s progress stalled later in the summer, however: he’d planned to start skating again in July, but by mid-August he still had not returned to the ice.
Fehervary was able to lace his skates up in the following weeks, joining the team for informal skates starting September 2.
“It was good in the beginning, then I got to a point where I couldn’t really move anywhere from the running or anything like that,” Fehervary said. “It was just painful, and [I was] a little bit stuck there. But we are here right now, and I’m glad I can skate and do most of the stuff like I did before.”
Fehervary had recorded a career year with the Capitals before the injury, 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.
Early in training camp this year, head coach Spencer Carbery has Fehervary on the club’s top pairing next to alternate captain John Carlson. Carbery added Tuesday that Fehervary will be available to play in the team’s next preseason game on Thursday against the Philadelphia Flyers.
“Right now, [I’m] just trying to get [into] shape, skating as much as possible, and get that knee kind of used to that hard work and skating again,” Fehervary said. “The game is going to be simple. So just doing small things right and trying to be helpful and be in the right position always.”
Fehervary is one of the Capitals’ most physical players, ranking third overall on the team with 139 hits last season and first among defensemen. He says his injury will not affect the hard-nosed style of play he prefers.
“Honestly, that physical part is not the big issue, I would say,” Fehervary said. “It’s more just that knee needs to [get] used to the skating. That’s kind of stuff where I’m kind of getting pain a little bit. But that stuff like a physical and playing body, I don’t have an issue with that.”
The Capitals have five total preseason games remaining on their schedule for Fehervary to get back in action. Fehervary signed a seven-year, $42 million contract extension with the Capitals this past July, which begins at the start of the 2026-27 season.
