ARLINGTON, V.A. - Washington’s practice on Saturday finally brought the Capitals’ power play into focus, and the first look at the two units offered an early snapshot of how this group may be built this season.
Assistant coach Ray Bennett met with the team for the first time to go over the power play, and special teams became the main event. The Capitals skated with what they hope will function as 1A/1B units, and the setup showed a clear preference for keeping one familiar group intact while letting the other unit sort out its chemistry.
The top group stayed exactly where it was expected to be: Dylan Strome, Pierre-Luc Dubois, Tom Wilson, Alex Ovechkin and Jakob Chychrun. That continuity was part of the plan, giving Washington a stable core as Bennett begins shaping things in his new role.
The second unit brought more change, with Alex Tuch, Jordan Kyrou, Ilya Protas, Ryan Leonard and Cole Hutson forming the group. Tuch and Wilson are also a top penalty kill pairing, adding another layer of familiarity to the mix.
Coach Spencer Carbery said the decision to keep that first unit together was deliberate.
"A lot of communication, a lot of barriers are broken down," coach Spencer Carbery pointed out. "They know each other extremely well."
That comfort showed up quickly as both units worked through the new system. The second group, despite its new faces, looked like it found a rhythm fast, with Hutson handling quarterback duties, Kyrou working the half wall and Tuch stationed in the bumper spot.
The Capitals’ first preseason action comes Sunday, when they head north to face the Boston Bruins. That game will feature a mixed group of veterans and prospects.
In Other News...
Ovechkin's Camp Injury Just Put Washington's Early Season Focus In Doubt
Alex Ovechkins start to training camp has been a little quieter than Washington expected, with the Capitals captain listed as day-to-day because of a lower-body injury. The early omission has already trimmed into his ramp-up for the season, and it has put a familiar spotlight on how carefully the team manages its most important player when the calendar turns toward October. Coach Spencer Carbery and Ovechkin have both addressed his condition and his readiness, but for now the focus is simply on getting him back to full speed.
The Capitals are treating the situation cautiously, especially with preseason games offering the first real test of where the group stands. Ovechkin has missed recent practices and the team is still monitoring him before making decisions on his next appearance, which leaves Washington with a little less certainty than it would like at this stage. For a club trying to build early-season rhythm, any lost time for Ovechkin is worth watching closely, even if the injury is still being described in the most manageable terms. [Read more 🡒]