The NHL is pushing back the possible start of Phase 3, the beginning of league-wide training camps, until July 13. Previously the NHL was targeting July 10.
Sportsnet’s Eric Engels first reported the news.
By Ian Oland 6 days ago
Since Google Analytics tells me you guys really liked the Braden Holtby social-distancing selfie, here’s another featuring Tom Wilson.
The Stanley Cup champion, who recently returned to the DC area from his native Toronto, took this selfie with three Caps fans in Northern Virginia on Wednesday.
On January 16, 2006, Alex Ovechkin scored The Goal on Arizona Coyotes goaltender Brian Boucher. While falling and corkscrewing on the ice, Ovi blindly pushed the puck into the back of the net. “Simply sensational!” a stunned Joe Beninati screamed. Wayne Gretzky, the Pheonix Coyotes’ head coach at the time, looked on from the bench in awe.
Now you can, too, from the safety of your own home! Friday, FOCO released an Alex Ovechkin bobblehead commemorating The Goal. It features Ovi, in the Caps’ former Screaming Eagle design, twisting and scoring from his back. And yes, he has all his teeth and the laces are yellow.
The bobblehead is the third in a series of Ovi bobbles that have been released in honor of Ovechkin hitting the 700 goals plateau earlier this year. The previous two Ovi bobbleheads that had goal counters sold out quickly (the first did in a day) and were recently shipped out last week.
The Washington Capitals returned to the ice approximately three weeks ago. They’ve done drills and worked on their skating. They’ve lifted weights.
But now, they’re getting to the important things. Like how to properly celebrate a goal during a global pandemic.
The NHL has reportedly chosen its hub cities for the 24-team playoff and both will be in Canada.
TSN’s Bob McKenzie is reporting that Toronto and Edmonton will be the host cities for the postseason “[b]arring any last-minute complications.” Sportsnet later confirmed the report.
Braden Holtby recently went viral in Capitals circles for a tremendous social-distancing selfie he took with a fan. Several eagle-eyed readers noticed that Holtby was wearing a pink bandage over his left wrist and wondered if he was injured or wearing gloves.
Thanks to reader Ellen Arantes we now know why. Holtby got a new tattoo.
Evgeny Kuznetsov spoke about hockey, his family, and giving up video games in a new interview with the Capitals sponsored by Oscar Mayer.
Kuzy, who’s “so excited” to be playing hockey again, has apparently retired from playing video games – though I am personally very skeptical.
Tom Wilson is the latest Washington Capitals player to return to DC.
Wilson announced his return in an Instagram Story video featuring Halle running in the backyard of what appears to be his Northern Virginia home.
The NHL announced on Monday that 26 different players have contracted COVID-19 since the start of Phase 2 activities in early June. This number does not include staff who have reportedly tested positive as well.
While more players across the world have begun making the trek back to North America for training camps — most recently for the Capitals Jakub Vrana, Michal Kempny, and Radko Gudas flew back from the Czech Republic — there is growing unease from players privately about resuming the season. The spread of COVID-19 in the United States is growing out of control as the US sets new daily records for positive cases. The country is not out of a first wave that has tragically killed over 125k Americans.
Players are understandably skeptical they can pull off a safe resumption of the season and Sportsnet’s Eric Engels voiced their concerns in a Twitter thread Tuesday.
An incredible selfie a Capitals fan took with Braden Holtby is getting a lot of attention on social media.
Reddit user 14thwitness posted the photo on Caps Reddit after a chance meeting with the Stanley Cup champion goaltender in Adams Morgan. It’s gotten over 570 upvotes on Reddit and the photo has since been re-posted all across Twitter.
“He was waiting for his food and was nice enough to let me take a selfie with him,” 14thwitness said.
