Cale Makar won the Calder Trophy as the NHL’s top rookie on Monday. The Avalanche defenseman was a top-two selection on all 170 ballots, garnering 116 first-place votes and 54 for second. Makar scored 12 goals and had 50 points in 57 games. Quinn Hughes was runner up while Dominik Kubalik finished third.
Of interest to Capitals fans, Ilya Samsonov finished twelfth in total voting.
Russian journalist Alexei Shevchenko reported on Monday that Capitals goalie Ilya Samsonov‘s reported injury this summer was the result of an ATV accident in Magnitogorsk, Russia.
Samsonov, 23, had been absent from training camp. The team announced on July 25 that Samsonov would not join the team in the bubble.
By Peter Hassett and Ian Oland 2 months ago
The Washington Capitals practiced for the final time on Saturday before taking off for the bubble in Toronto.
Capitals head coach Todd Reirden held two forwards off the ice, Hershey Bears players’ Shane Gersich and Garrett Pilon, per The Athletic’s Tarik El-Bashir. They appear to be the team’s final cuts.
By Ian Oland 2 months ago
Ilya Samsonov missed every Phase 3 Training Camp practice since Caps camp opened on July 13. Saturday, the team announced that Samsonov will not join them in the bubble in Toronto.
According to the Washington Post’s Samantha Pell and the Athletic’s Tarik El-Bashir, Samsonov suffered an injury during the shutdown and will remain in Washington during the 2020 playoffs to undergo treatment.
Ilya Samsonov missed a seventh straight practice on Monday. The team’s talented backup goaltender has not taken the ice since Phase 3 Training Camp began Monday, July 13.
He’s the only player on the team’s 34-man roster who has been absent for every practice.
Washington Capitals head coach Todd Reirden appears to have set his initial forward lines nine days before the team is scheduled to fly to Toronto for the 24-team playoff.
Reirden continues to group the 2018 Stanley Cup trio of Alex Ovechkin, Evgeny Kuznetsov, and Tom Wilson together on the first line while Nicklas Backstrom has been reunited with his normal partners on the second. And yes, the HEK line is back.
Washington Capitals’ backup goaltender Ilya Samsonov did not skate for a second straight day at camp joining Alex Alexeyev and Shane Gersich on the inactive list, Tuesday.
Capitals defenseman Michal Kempny, who did not skate Monday, returned to join the team today.
The Washington Capitals were without Ilya Samsonov, Michal Kempny, and Alex Alexeyev during their first day of Phase 3 Training Camp on Monday. The reasons why are unknown. How long the players are out is unknown.
Due to an NHL and NHLPA agreement for the 2020 playoffs, medical issues of any kind will not be released. Players will either be present and skating or not.
After cuddling on a couch for photos Saturday night, the Capitals’ Russian 5 are now taking their talents to TikTok.
The talented hockey players were adorably led by Esenia Kuznetsov, who posted the video to her TikTok page and was later re-posted by Ilya Samsonov. There is so much happening here.
By Ian Oland 2 months ago
Alex Ovechkin posted a very good picture of the reunited Caps’ Russians sitting on a couch to his Instagram. Ovi and Dmitry Orlov sandwiched a jorts-wearing Ilya Samsonov, while Evgeny Kuznetsov and Ilya Kovalchuk beamed from behind.
The caption, “RUSSIAN 5 💪❤️,” refers to the five Russian players on the Detroit Red Wings in the 1990s, helping them to two Stanley Cup victories.
By Brennin Weiswerda 3 months ago
