Katie Adler

About Katie Adler (@russianmachine)

Rasmus Sandin on Nicklas Backstrom: ‘What a player he is and what a guy he is’

With just over a week on the Capitals roster under his belt, defenseman Rasmus Sandin has made quick friends with fellow Swede Nicklas Backstrom.

Sandin has had nothing but praise for Backstrom since his first interview as a Capital. “I think he’s one of the best Swedes that we have and has had a terrific career,” Sandin said at the time, “I’m very excited to be teammates with him now.”

Wednesday morning, the Capitals held their first practice at MedStar Capitals Iceplex since the trade with Toronto. There, Sandin spoke on his growing relationship with the Caps’ alternate captain.

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By Katie Adler 3 weeks ago

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Alex Ovechkin and Capitals grant 14-year-old Nate Wessel’s wish, sign youth hockey player to two-day contract

Although the trade deadline passed last week, the Capitals found a way to make another late-season addition to their roster.

Fourteen-year-old Nate Wessel, from Glenwood, Maryland, signed a two-day contract with the team on Wednesday after having his wish granted by the Capitals, his favorite player Alex Ovechkin, and Make-A-Wish Mid-Atlantic.

Nate was born with a heart condition and has undergone three open-heart surgeries. But he hasn’t let that stop him from his dreams. Despite his medical issues, he plays hockey and suits up for the Howard Huskies.

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By Katie Adler 3 weeks ago

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Jakub Vrana has six shots in St. Louis Blues debut after being stranded by snowstorm

The Detroit Red Wings dealt former Capital Jakub Vrana to the St. Louis Blues in a trade deadline-day deal on Friday that saw the 2018 Stanley Cup champion flipped for a seventh-round pick and center prospect Dylan McLaughlin. The Red Wings also retained 50 percent of V’s remaining contract. The trade represented a fresh start in Vrana’s career, but just physically joining the Blues proved to be a challenge.

Following the trade, the Blues intended for Vrana to play with the Blues on Saturday night against the LA Kings. Unfortunately, a snowstorm left Vrana stranded in the Detroit airport overnight. Though Vrana finally flew out Saturday afternoon, neither his sticks nor his luggage arrived with him.

It took until 11 PM Sunday night before those twigs made it to the team, who then was in Phoenix. Reunited with his gear, Vrana was able to practice with the Blues before taking on the Arizona Coyotes on Tuesday night.

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By Katie Adler 3 weeks ago

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Falling-over Rasmus Sandin jokes the ugliness of his first Capitals goal was ‘completely on purpose’

Rasmus Sandin tallied three assists in his first game with the team.

For his encore on Monday, he scored his first goal as a Capital against the Los Angeles Kings.

It was ugly, but we love it all the same.

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By Katie Adler 3 weeks ago

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Braden Holtby attends PWHPA Showcase, reunites with John Carlson at MedStar Capitals Iceplex

Over the weekend, the Washington Capitals and Professional Women’s Hockey Players Association partnered to host the PWHPA Showcase at MedStar Capitals Iceplex. The tournament featured four games played by many of the most talented women in hockey.

On Sunday morning, former Capitals netminder Braden Holtby showed up to watch, appearing alongside the currently-injured John Carlson.

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By Katie Adler 3 weeks ago

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Bruins’ Bobby Orrlov, er Dmitry Orlov, named NHL’s First Star of the Week after trade from Capitals

The NHL released their Three Stars of the Week Monday afternoon, and Caps fans will see a familiar face among the list.

After a dazzling start to his time on on the Boston Bruins, former Capital Dmitry Orlov was named First Star for the week ending on March 5th.

During his first full week with the Bruins, Orlov scored three goals and six assists, totaling nine points in a four-game span. He also earned the nickname Bobby Orrlov from the media.

Orlov never won the award during his time with the Capitals.

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By Katie Adler 4 weeks ago

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Rasmus Sandin becomes first Capitals defenseman to score three points in team debut: ‘It was a lot of fun out there’

After joining the Capitals on Tuesday via a trade with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Rasmus Sandin played his first game with the team on Saturday. The game proved not only decisive victory for the Caps but also an impressive first impression for the newly-acquired defenseman, who earned a hat trick of assists against the San Jose Sharks.

Only seven total skaters in Capitals history have recorded three points in their debut with the team, and Sandin is the first defenseman to do so, according to Capitals PR.

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By Katie Adler 4 weeks ago

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Why Hockey Twitter thinks Tom Wilson could be available for trade

The NHL trade deadline is less than 24 hours away. The Capitals have already traded five of their veterans to contending teams and there’s the possibility that even more could be out the door soon. As other NHL teams look for last-minute pick-ups, Tom Wilson’s name has even been bandied about on Hockey Twitter.

Wait… Tom Wilson?

The reason why is because of former Pittsburgh Penguins forward Tyler Kennedy. Kennedy played six seasons with the Pens and won the Stanley Cup with them in 2009.

Kennedy tweeted (falsely) that Wilson was being traded “to the Penquins [so sic] – stay tune [so sic].”

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By Katie Adler 4 weeks ago

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Lars Eller feeling ‘mixed emotions’ after being traded to the Colorado Avalanche. (We are, too.)

Less than a day after a trade sent him to the Colorado Avalanche, former Capital Lars Eller has played his first game with his new team.

The 7-5 loss to the New Jersey Devils Wednesday night came just over seven hours after the Capitals announced they had dealt Eller in exchange for a second-round pick in 2025.

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By Katie Adler 4 weeks ago

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Nick Jensen admits ‘it’s hard to be happy’ about new contract while Capitals deal veterans at trade deadline

While signing a contract is generally a moment of joy, Capitals defenseman Nick Jensen is finding it difficult to celebrate.

Jensen inked a three-year, $12.15 million contract Tuesday, but the deal came among a rash of trades that sent five players out of Washington. The Capitals have dealt all of Dmitry Orlov, Garnet Hathaway, Marcus Johansson, Erik Gustafsson, and Lars Eller in the span of a single week, radically changing their roster both on the ice and in the locker room.

Jensen noted the clashing emotions of the moment in his first media session after signing his new deal.

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By Katie Adler 4 weeks ago

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Posts by Katie Adler

About Katie Adler (@russianmachine)