The Capitals’ informal skates keep drawing more of the roster back to Arlington, and Tuesday’s session at MedStar Capitals Iceplex brought a little bit of everything: established veterans, new faces, and a few prospects getting valuable reps ahead of training camp.
Dylan Strome was among the players back on the ice, joining Anthony Beauvillier, Ethen Frank, Dylan McIlrath and Timothy Liljegren in a busy group of arrivals. Also taking part were Logan Thompson, Vincent Desharnais, Boone Jenner, Pierre-Luc Dubois, Alex Tuch, Jonny Brodzinski, Matt Roy and Martin Fehervary, along with prospects Lynden Lakovic, Terik Parascak, Petr Sikora and Eriks Mateiko.
The workout opened with skills coach Kenny McCudden running drills, with goaltending coach Scott Murray also leading sessions. From there, the group moved into a full-ice scrimmage, then a small-area game in the neutral zone, and finished with skating reps.
Strome looked sharp throughout the skate. The 29-year-old was showing off his hockey IQ and quick hands, and he appears strong heading into the season as he looks to bounce back while building chemistry with the team’s new forward additions.
Brodzinski also made an impression. Washington’s opening-day free-agent signing didn’t come with the same spotlight as some of the other moves, but he stood out as a veteran depth piece with speed, smarts and the ability to get to dangerous areas and finish chances.
Jenner brought energy and a smile, and his two-way game and grit were on display. He and Dubois, who were teammates in Columbus, were clearly enjoying the reunion.
Desharnais drew attention too, and not just because he’s 6-foot-7. As a stay-at-home defenseman, he was noticeable for the way he read the ice, controlled the tempo and consistently tried to make the right play. He also looked like an easy fit in the room, smiling through the entire skate.
Tuch is already beginning to settle into a leadership role after his sign-and-trade brought him to Washington earlier this summer. He skates well, moves the puck effectively and can create offense in a hurry, which showed up during the scrimmage.
And there was a promising sight on the blue line front for the organization as well: Mateiko was back on the ice after a skate cut to the Achilles in January ended his AHL season with the Hershey Bears early. He’s back skating now and working toward being ready for training camp, a good sign for a prospect with plenty of upside.
In Other News...
Blue Jackets Still Have A Marchenko Situation To Watch
The Blue Jackets are still sorting through the Kirill Marchenko situation, but the expectation for now is that he reports to training camp and gets back to business with Columbus. General manager Don Waddell acknowledged there has been trade interest, yet he also made it clear nothing appears close, which is enough to keep the storyline simmering without pushing it into crisis mode.
For the Capitals, the more immediate roster watch is on Rasmus Sandin and his recovery from ACL surgery. Chris Patrick offered a cautiously optimistic update, saying the defenseman could be back sooner than expected even if the start of the season remains in doubt, and that leaves Washington with one more early-season lineup question to monitor as camp approaches. [Read more 🡒]