Devante Smith-Pelly is back… sort of!
Tuesday, the popular forward was documented for the first time as a member of the Hershey Bears.
The Bears’ Twitter account captured him smiling in a candid photo.
By Ian Oland 5 years ago
Devante Smith-Pelly was put on waivers Wednesday after not scoring since November 21, a stretch of 33 games. After going unclaimed by another team, DSP was sent down to Hershey officially on Thursday.
“He has to get his game back to where it was at last year in playoff time, and he’s someone who’s going to have to find that down in Hershey now,” Todd Reirden said.
The moment was reportedly painful for Smith-Pelly, who scored seven goals during the Capitals Stanley Cup run last year. DSP did not join Hershey on Friday, when the team set a new franchise record for points in consecutive games.
After also missing Hershey’s game Saturday, voice of the Bears, Zack Fisch, announced that DSP is reporting tonight to travel with the team to Bridgeport for their game Sunday.
By Ian Oland 5 years ago
It might be easy for fans to view hockey players as commodities. We put price tags on them and haggle over their value like they’re something able to be bought and sold, but the truth is that there is a real human person with real human emotions behind those business decisions. We had a reminder of that fact this week.
On Wednesday, the Capitals were practicing at the Leafs’ practice facility in Toronto when suddenly Devante Smith-Pelly was pulled off the ice and told that he had been placed on waivers.
Smith-Pelly is a Toronto-area native and his father had been watching him practice from the stands.
Another cruel detail to the spoiled homecoming: after practice, the Capitals were scheduled to tour the Hockey Hall of Fame before presenting the Hall with a Capitals Stanley Cup ring. Smith-Pelly, who had been instrumental to the Capitals success in the Stanley Cup playoffs, suddenly was on the verge of being discarded by the team that he loved enough to take a discount to stay with when he signed a new contract last summer.
Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman was at practice and saw Smith-Pelly’s reaction to being waived, as well as his teammates’ reactions. He talked about it on the 31 Thoughts podcast.
By Elizabeth Kong 5 years ago
On Thursday at noon, Devante Smith-Pelly cleared waivers after being placed on them Wednesday afternoon by the Washington Capitals. His future was still in flux as a deal was being finalized with the LA Kings to acquire forward Carl Hagelin.
When head coach Todd Reirden met with the media following the completion of the trade, he mentioned that Smith-Pelly would be heading to Hershey.
By Donya Abramo 5 years ago
Wednesday morning, Capitals senior reporter, Mike Vogel, tweeted that Dmitrij Jaskin was missing practice because he was going to be placed on waivers at noon.
Instead, the Capitals pulled a switch, and placed Devante Smith-Pelly on waivers instead, forcing DSP off the ice.
That change came mid-practice because there are a lot of “moving parts,” Capitals coach Todd Reirden said.
By Ian Oland and Julia Karron 5 years ago
UPDATE, 12:15 PM: Despite earlier reports that the Caps would waive Dmitrij Jaskin, the team has placed Devante Smith-Pelly on waivers instead. This story has been updated to reflect the changes. We have reached out to the team for comment. The original story appears below.
The Washington Capitals are beginning to prepare their roster ahead of the trade deadline.
Forward Devante Smith-Pelly has been placed on waivers.
By Peter Hassett and Ian Oland 5 years ago
You guys, it’s Valentine’s Day and I think you should spend time with your one true love: the Washington Capitals.
On Monday, February 25th, Fanatics is hosting a unique event with four crucial members of the 2018 Stanley Cup champion team.
The GOAT Alex Ovechkin, Mr. Game 5 Lars Eller, and Tom Wilson will be participating in a Chalk Talk at MGM National Harbor that night while Devante Smith-Pelly will be hanging out with VIPs and mingling with guests at a cocktail hour. Last and least importantly, I will be there too and you have permission to either high five or hiss at me!
Fanatics has three packages available for the event, which I detail below, and they are perfect for either the superfan or the super chill Caps supporter in your life. But me personally? I think the awesome signed memorabilia, chatting with DSP, and a once in a lifetime photo opportunity will create memories that last forever.
At first glance, one might think that All-Stars Braden Holtby and Hardest Shot winner John Carlson had the best vacation of all the Washington Capitals. You would be wrong.
The Capitals are returning for a Thursday morning practice ahead of a Friday night game against the Calgary Flames. Here’s what your favorite Caps players got up to during the All-Star Break and 2019 bye week!
By Brennin Weiswerda and Ian Oland 5 years ago
Capitals forward Devante Smith-Pelly started Sunday’s game against the Chicago Blackhawks. And for a very good reason.
The last time DSP was in Chicago on February 19, 2018, the right wing faced racial taunts from Blackhawks fans while in the penalty box. Those four fans were later banned from ever coming back to United Center.
According to Capitals’ senior writer Mike Vogel, Todd Reirden wanted DSP on the ice for the national anthem. The forward started the game on the first line.
Grab your digital bidding paddles, Capitals fans. The Better Halves are back once again, auctioning off their annual themed gift baskets. As always, the baskets include autographed Capitals memorabilia, from jerseys to commemorative Stanley Cup championship merchandise, but also a few weird and wonderful surprises.
So if you’ve ever felt a desire to own signed fishing gear from Pheonix Copley, a signed four-person tent from Matt Niskanen (you’ve got to be prepared for the desert island, after all), or even some signed salami from Jonas Siegenthaler, then this is the auction for you.
By Donya Abramo 5 years ago
