The Washington Capitals released their promotional schedule for the 2021-22 season on Tuesday.

There are several amazing giveaways, but the highlight is most definitely the Tom Wilson “Castaway”-inspired bobblehead. The Capitals will be giving those away to fans on Oct. 27 against the Detroit Red Wings.

Bobble Tom rocks WILLLLLSOOONNNNNNNN The Volleyball around his waist. The volleyball has the Capitals’ Weagle logo printed on it instead of the blood-splattered hand from the movie.

The 2021-22 #ALLCAPS Promotional Schedule is here!

Full Details https://t.co/pglOOl5uZi pic.twitter.com/szK7sGJfwo

— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) September 21, 2021

Wilson originally rocked the costume for Halloween in 2015.

Wilsonnnn!!!! Happy Halloween pic.twitter.com/8lui8Ew6uI

— Tom Wilson (@tom_wilso) October 24, 2015

Here’s a closer look at the bobblehead.

If this bobblehead feels familiar, that’s because it is. The Capitals were set to give this bobblehead away on March 24, 2020, but the pandemic canceled that game, presumably leaving the Capitals with 20k Tom Wilson bobbleheads in storage.

IT’S WILSONNNN!

All-fan Tom Wilson bobblehead giveaway, courtesy of @CapitalOne on March 24 for #CapsBlues.

https://t.co/NnM4dL2pXn pic.twitter.com/9AsNoQuHvp

— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) March 2, 2020

Other highlights include the Capitals 2021-22 schedule magnet giveaway set for Opening Night against the New York Rangers.

The team will be giving away a festive holiday sweater T-shirt on Dec. 6 against the Anaheim Ducks as well as a John Carlson bobblehead in the navy blue W third jersey March 22 versus the St. Louis Blues.

Another special offering is this Capitals pride fannypack which will be available during Pride Night on March 3 vs. the Carolina Hurricanes. Fans must purchase group tickets to be able to receive the gift, which is INCREDIBLE.

Here’s the full press release from the Capitals:

Capitals Announce 2021-22 Promotional Schedule

ARLINGTON, Va. – The Washington Capitals announced today the team’s promotional schedule for the 2021-22 season presented by Capital One, highlighted by several all-fan giveaways, theme nights and unique gift with purchase opportunities.

All fan giveaways include a 2021-22 schedule magnet presented by GEICO on Oct. 13 vs. the New York Rangers, a Tom Wilson bobblehead presented by Capital One vs. the Detroit Red Wings on Oct. 27, a lavender “I Fight For” rally towel presented by Leidos on Hockey Fights Cancer night on Nov. 14 vs. the Pittsburgh Penguins, a festive holiday sweater T-shirt on Dec. 6 vs. the Anaheim Ducks, a John Carlson bobblehead in the blue W third jersey presented by Capital One on March 22 vs. the St. Louis Blues, and a team poster in honor of Fan Appreciation Night presented by Bud Light on April 28 vs. the Columbus Blue Jackets.

In addition, a Kids Game will occur on Jan. 16 vs. the Vancouver Canucks and a Youth Hockey Night will take place on March 20 vs. the Dallas Stars, including giveaways for youth hockey players and children in attendance.

The Capitals will also offer an array of special group ticket events. Each special group ticket will receive a unique gift with purchase item or experience specific to the group theme. Special group ticket events include Educators’ Night featuring a block calendar on Oct. 23 vs. the Calgary Flames, Scout Night featuring a Capitals Scout Patch on Oct. 29 vs. the Arizona Coyotes, First Responders Night featuring a commemorative challenge coin on Nov. 8 vs. the Buffalo Sabres, Capitals Canine Night pawsented by Pedigree Foundation featuring a to be announced item on Jan. 24 vs. the Vegas Golden Knights, Law Enforcement Appreciation Night featuring a commemorative challenge coin Jan. 26 vs. the San Jose Sharks, and Pride Night featuring a Capitals Pride fanny pack on March 3 vs. the Carolina Hurricanes. Fans must purchase a special group ticket to receive the item and are limited to one item per ticket. For more information on special group ticket events and their gift with purchase, visit WashCaps.com/SpecialGroups.

Capitals full season ticket members will be provided an opportunity to purchase select gift with purchase items at a special discounted price, while supplies last. Information about purchasing opportunities will be communicated by the Capitals Membership Services department throughout the season.

In addition, the Capitals College Series Nights will offer Capitals fans a hat in their school color with the purchase of a college series ticket. This year’s schedule will feature: George Mason University on Oct. 19 vs. the Colorado Avalanche, the University of Maryland on Oct. 29 vs. the Arizona Coyotes, James Madison University on Nov. 8 vs. the Buffalo Sabres, Virginia Tech on Dec. 2 vs. the Chicago Blackhawks, West Virginia University on Dec. 19 vs. the Los Angeles Kings, George Washington University on Jan. 10 vs. the Boston Bruins, the United States Naval Academy on Jan. 24 vs. the Vegas Golden Knights, the University of Virginia on Feb. 2 vs. the Edmonton Oilers, Virginia Commonwealth University on Feb. 28 vs. the Toronto Maple Leafs, American University on March 15 vs. the New York Islanders, Georgetown University on March 28 vs. the Carolina Hurricanes and William & Mary on April 12 vs. the Philadelphia Flyers.

Fans must purchase a special college series ticket to receive the hat and are limited to one item per ticket. For more information on college series tickets, visit WashCaps.com/CollegeSeries.

The Capitals promotional calendar also features community-focused games dedicated to Hockey Fights Cancer, Black History, Chinese Heritage, Military, and Women in Hockey themes.

For more information visit WashCaps.com/promotions.

It’s no secret that the two big names from the Capitals prospect pool that fans want to see make an impression this preseason are Martin Fehervary and Connor McMichael.

On a team that has the vast majority of NHL spots already locked down, Hershey Bears head coach Scott Allen believes that it will be up to the two youngsters to prove over the next few weeks that they not only belong at the next level but can stay there.

Fehervary is the more likely of the two players to make the Capitals out of camp due to two spots opening up on the left side of the Capitals defense. During the summer, the Capitals traded Brenden Dillon in a salary dump to the Winnipeg Jets for two second-round picks and Zdeno Chara recently signed with the New York Islanders. Caps general manager Brian MacLellan spoke in May about how he had confidence the young defender was ready to graduate to the NHL in 2021-22 and he made the moves over the offseason to prove it.

“I think Marty’s ready,” MacLellan said. “I think he’s ready to be a full-time player. How high he plays in the lineup will be up to him. I think we’re counting on him to play right away and we’ll make adjustments after that.”

Fehervary was responsible for most of the offense via the Hershey blueline last season, recording 17 points in 24 games for the Bears. Allen has had a firsthand look at what the young defender can do as they both arrived in Hershey at the same time in 2019.

“Marty is a very strong kid first and foremost,” Allen said. “He’s an excellent skater, another guy that has a fair amount of confidence in his game and his ability. I truly believe the toughest position to break into the National Hockey League and stay in the NHL is as a defenseman. So, I expect some growing pains but it’s gonna be up to him to have a strong camp and prove that he is not only capable of playing in the NHL, but staying in the NHL and that’s when the whole consistency factor comes in.”

McMichael had a great 2020-21 that saw the 20-year-old forward, who wasn’t even supposed to be allowed to play in the AHL last season, end up leading the league’s best team in scoring with 27 points (14 goals) in 33 games.

“I think very highly of Connor McMichael,” Allen said. “The biggest thing for any pro is consistency and I think he learned a lot about that last year and it was really good for him. He had to step up his game playing against older, stronger, more mature players and he learned what it takes on a daily basis to be the best he can be and that’s gonna be the challenge for him here.”

McMichael will likely have a tougher road to be able to break camp with the big club due to how cemented the forward positions on the club are. Twelve forwards are under NHL contract.

“I’m going to leave that up to him,” Allen said. “This week and the next few weeks through camp and the preseason games here in Washington are going to be big. I think he certainly looks a little stronger and it applies on the ice. Some guys when they train and put on weight and get stronger sometimes it doesn’t necessarily apply to their game on the ice but I think I’ve seen it [with him] in these last three days for sure. Certainly, he’s a very confident player, he’s very good with the puck. He’s certainly improved without the puck which is a big part of playing in the National Hockey League. You have to be responsible without the puck on both sides of the puck and I think he’s certainly taken that and run with it. I’m excited to see what he’s able to do. He’s one of those guys that playing with even better players, he gets even better also.”

Capitals Training Camp starts Wednesday and both players will be in attendance.

Headline photo: Elizabeth Kong/RMNB

Washington Capitals head coach Peter Laviolette has done the whole “meeting new faces” process a handful of times in his career as an NHL bench boss, but normally that happens before you coach an entire season with your new team.

Due to the pandemic and the restrictions placed on teams last season, Lavy is only now meeting scouts and other members of the Capitals organization for the first time.

In Mike Vogel’s ‘Break the Ice’ podcast, Laviolette details how last season was like none other he has gone through.

“Last year was a really different experience,” Laviolette said. “All teams dealt with the restrictions that we had to go through because of COVID. Some of the things that went on, we were broken up into groups and sent to meetings in four different parts of the locker room by TV, or the power play meeting, the penalty kill meeting. You don’t even meet as a group anymore.

“Everything goes out [digital] and we’re counting on the players to watch these things,” he added. “To having no fans in the building, to not really getting to meet anybody in the organization, especially for me coming in as a new coach. There’s always that time where you get to meet people and the only people I ever got to meet were the ones inside of our world that traveled on the plane that had access to the locker room.”

Laviolette went into further detail about that process and how it’s really only just now starting for him.

“Even now, Training Camp is here and I’m meeting the scouts for the first time,” Laviolette said. “Meeting people from the front office. There’s still a lot of people that I haven’t met. I went over to Alex Ovechkin’s house the other night for a cookout and I met his wife for the first time. This is the first wife — this is just a week ago — this is the first wife that I’ve met in the organization from the players. So you don’t have any of that unity inside of the room. There is none of that bonding, getting to know people, and trying to understand them a little better, what they’re maybe going through. Just from a team standpoint, it made it very difficult.”

The Caps bench boss and noted motivato hopes the People Side of the game can come back this season.

“It was just a different year and hopefully it’s in the rearview mirror and things can stay on the course that they’re at right now,” he said. “People can come back and you get to see the human side of things a little bit more.”

Headline photo: Elizabeth Kong/RMNB

The Caps top draft pick in the 2021 draft was Vincent Iorio, a defenseman from the Brandon Wheat Kings of the WHL. He’s one of three players from that 2021 draft class at this year’s Rookie Camp.

Iorio has spent the past three seasons with the Wheat Kings and in his latest campaign recorded 12 points in 21 games. He hopes to be involved in the Caps main training camp that starts later this week.

The big, mobile defenseman is focused on getting better and listening to coach feedback at Rookie Camp. An experience that he says there is “nothing better than being here right now” about.

“Obviously the pace is a lot faster here so they really want me to adjust to it well and I think I’ve been doing a pretty good job so far with that,” Iorio said. “First and foremost as a defenseman when you get the puck up top you don’t have as much time as you usually think you do, so dusting the puck off, really just eliminating those extra stickhandles is going to be really important for me and really taking away time and space for the forwards, especially if I do get the chance to play at the main camp.”

Iorio says he emulates his game after Caps defenseman John Carlson and is excited to hopefully get the chance to meet other Caps stars.

“Obviously, I emulate my game after John Carlson,” Iorio stated. “From what I’ve heard he’s an excellent guy, he’s a great person so hopefully I get the opportunity to chat with him. I’m just gonna be in a little bit of shock seeing guys like Ovechkin, Oshie, and Kuznetsov, so it’ll be really good.”

Team Canada held a National Junior Summer Showcase in early August and Iorio joined fellow Caps prospects Hendrix Lapierre and Garin Bjorklund in attendance.

“It was another really hard camp,” Iorio remarked. “We were expected to do a lot of things and I think that’s why Hockey Canada is Hockey Canada. You play to represent the country you’re from and the crest on the front of your jersey so for me it was just really taking everything in. I learned a lot even from the guys that were there, the coaching staff there as well. All these bits and pieces that I’m taking from different people is what’s going to help me develop for the future.”

Iorio knows that to take the next step he still has work to do.

“Lower body strength is one thing that I really needed to work on and I still need to work on,” Iorio said. I do need to work on everything but really breaking down certain things and making sure that I stay low throughout my whole shifts and making sure that I maintain the perfect amount of efficiency when I skate.”

Headline photo: Elizabeth Kong/RMNB

The Washington Capitals announced on Monday that they’ve hired Dr. Aimee Kimball as the Senior Director of Team and Organizational Development. Kimball will help with player development and help mentor both pro and minor league players.

Kimball previously spent 10 years with the Pittsburgh Penguins and the last five seasons with the New Jersey Devils. She currently serves as the Mental Performance Coach for the USA Hockey Women’s National Team for the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, China.

NEWS | The Washington Capitals have hired Dr. Aimee Kimball as the senior director of team and organizational development.https://t.co/hzNDJjqOXY

— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) September 20, 2021

“We are excited to welcome Aimee to our organization,” Capitals general manager Brian MacLellan said. “Aimee brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to help us maximize the potential of our players. We feel her addition to the hockey operations staff will be a benefit to our organization.”

In an interview with the Washington Post’s Samantha Pell, Kimbell explained that she wants to help the players become “mentally stronger.” Though she’s not a licensed psychologist, Kimbell received a Ph.D. from the University of Tennesee, specializing in sport psychology.

Kimball: “I’m someone who can help them become mentally stronger. What I think many of the athletes realize is they often get to this point based on skill and this might be one of the first challenges they face, and it is helpful to have somebody.”

— Samantha Pell (@SamanthaJPell) September 20, 2021

Here’s the press release from the Washington Capitals:

Capitals Hire Dr. Aimee Kimball as Senior Director of Team and Organizational Development

ARLINGTON, Va. – The Washington Capitals have hired Dr. Aimee Kimball as the senior director of team and organizational development, senior vice president and general manager Brian MacLellan announced today.

Kimball brings 15 years of NHL experience, 10 with the Pittsburgh Penguins and the last five with the New Jersey Devils. In her role, Kimball will provide skilled direction and support in the areas of player development falling outside the standard skills (strength, and on-ice training). In addition, Kimball’s work will include the proper formulation, accumulation and presentation of all player development related information and plans. Her work will span all phases of player development: pre-draft evaluation of players, development of players after draft and working with both minor league players and NHL players. Kimball also currently serves as the Mental Performance Coach for the USA Hockey Women’s National Team for the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, China.

Kimball earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology at the Pennsylvania State University. In addition, she has earned a master’s degree in sports sciences with an emphasis in sports behavior and performance from Miami University, a doctorate in education with an emphasis in sports psychology and cultural studies from the University of Tennessee and an executive MBA from the Miami University Farmer School of Business.

Headline photo: Elizabeth Kong/RMNB

One of the big names at Capitals Rookie Camp is 2020 first-round pick Hendrix Lapierre.

Lapierre is coming off quite an eventful season as he attended Capitals Training Camp for the first time, the Canadian World Junior Team Camp, and 30 combined regular season and playoff games for the Chicoutimi Sagueneens of the QMJHL.

Lapierre was traded this summer by a retooling Chicoutimi to the Acadie–Bathurst Titans. But before he returns to New Brunswick, he has his sights set first on trying to prove he’s more than just a junior player.

The 2020-21 season saw Lapierre record 31 points in 21 regular-season games and another 12 points in nine playoff games. Most importantly, it was a fully healthy season for a player who dropped a bit in his draft year due to injury concerns to his head and neck. Now, Lapierre believes he’s had a “big summer” and has something to prove.

“I think I had a really good summer in terms of training, nutrition, sleep, stuff like that so I definitely feel really good right now,” Lapierre told reporters on Sunday after Day Two of Capitals Rookie Camp. “Lots of confidence, too, I think. I think that’s a good thing, the mental side of things and right now I feel confident in my abilities and in my general play.”

Lapierre went into a little more detail on what he feels like he did this summer to make it a great one.

“Before I was always big on nutrition and sleep, but I really think I took the next step this summer and I really, really feel the benefits of it,” Lapierre said. “Same thing with the mobility side of things. You know normally maybe start the season and things are really tight, but right now I just feel good on the ice. I feel like I can move better, whether it’s with my speed, my acceleration. I watched a lot of videos too just of my games last year, trying to see maybe patterns that I could improve so I think it was a big summer.”

The young center was a part of the Canadian World Junior Camp last year but was part of an early round of cuts in December before the tournament began.

“I wasn’t really satisfied with my camp last year,” Lapierre remarked. “There was a couple things that I had to improve, especially little details. Everyone there has talent, you can’t really stick out from anyone because of that. You really have to do the small details correctly and there were a couple things where I wasn’t really satisfied and I had a lot of time to think about it after lots of quarantine, lots of videos, and stuff like that.”

Lapierre is eligible to make the 2022 Canadian World Junior team and that’s certainly one of his goals. An even bigger one is to prove that he can play at the professional level.

“I’m ready to play,” Lapierre said. “I had a big summer and I’m confident. I told them that and I really want to prove that I’m not only a junior player right now, that I can play at the next level. I know it’s gonna be tough, it’s the National Hockey League, there are lots of really, really good guys but I have nothing to lose so I just want to go for it and be the best player I can be and we’ll see what happens.”

Headline photo: Elizabeth Kong/RMNB

Two groups of Washington Capitals players took the ice before the start of the final Rookie Camp skate on Monday. There was only one player still missing.

Nicklas Backstrom, who scuffled down the stretch last season, has not returned. The Swedish center is entering his 15th season in the NHL.

Capitals Training Camp begins later this week.

Training camp opens this week and the #Caps veterans are on the ice at MCI prior to rookie camp. I see everyone on the NHL roster but Nicklas Backstrom. pic.twitter.com/Ybs4LSUula

— Tarik El-Bashir (@Tarik_ElBashir) September 20, 2021

According to The Athletic’s Tarik El-Bashir, these are the 35 players that took the ice during the two sessions: one for veteran players and another for Hershey skaters.

Group 1 (Veterans)

Forwards
Alex Ovechkin
Evgeny Kuznetsov
Tom Wilson Anthony Mantha
Lars Eller
TJ Oshie
Daniel Sprong
Connor Sheary
Garnet Hathaway
Nic Dowd
Carl Hagelin
Michael Sgarbossa

Defensemen
John Carlson
Dmitry Orlov
Justin Schultz
Michal Kempny
Nick Jensen
Trevor van Riemsdyk
Matt Irwin
Dylan McIlrath
Cody Franson

Goaltenders
Ilya Samsonsov
Vitek Vanecek

Group 2 (Hershey skaters)

Forwards
Garret Pilon
Brian Pinho
Beck Malenstyn
Axel Jonsson-Fjallby
Joe Snively
Shane Gersich

Defensemen
Martin Fehervary
Alex Alexeyev
Lucas Johansen
Eddie Wittchow

Goaltenders
Pheonix Copley
Zach Fucale

Michal Kempny did some extra conditioning after the skates were over.

Kempny once again is staying on the ice long after everyone else exited. He's coming off Achilles and knee injuries.

— Tarik El-Bashir (@Tarik_ElBashir) September 20, 2021

As for Backstrom, the longtime setup man of Alex Ovechkin is coming off a hip injury he suffered last season.

Despite a strong start where he led the team in goals during the first half of the season, Backstrom appeared to hit a wall at the very end of the year. He sat out the second-to-last game of the season due to what was termed a lower-body injury and was a nonfactor against the Bruins in the playoffs, tallying only one point, an assist, in five games.

After the Capitals’ season concluded, Backstrom turned down an opportunity to play for Team Sweden in the 2021 World Championship. Aftonbladet’s Per Bjurman reported that “Bäckström has a problem with his hip.”

“He has an injury which I think caught up with him at the end and made it worse,” Capitals GM Brian MacLellan said during a Breakdown Day interview. “He struggled to be at 100 percent. Nick had a great year. He led our team. He was top 20, 21 in scoring. Really happy with the year he had. Unfortunately, he got worn down at the end.

“We don’t know (if he’ll need surgery),” he added. “I think they’re going through it now with the trainers. They’re going to talk to some doctors and see what the plan is moving forward to manage it.”

Backstrom spoke on his injury with href=”https://www.gd.se/logga-in/nicklas-backstrom-om-rekorden-familjen-och-drommen-att-avsluta-i-brynas-det-ar-tanken”>Gefle Dagblad over the summer.

“I had surgery on [my hip] six years ago and then it was fine,” Backstrom said. “Now, to be honest, it’s so-so.”

Backstrom underwent an arthroscopic procedure on his hip in June 2015. “I’ve been in pain since sometime in November (2014) so we had to fix it,” Backstrom said then.

According to El-Bashir, Backstrom “eased his way into camp” that year.

Backstrom, of course, was battling a nagging injury at the end of last season. Coming off a hip injury back in 2015, he eased his way into camp/season. We'll see what happens but I suspect this bears watching.

— Tarik El-Bashir (@Tarik_ElBashir) September 20, 2021

It appears that may be what’s happening again and a storyline to watch heading into the 2021-22 season.

Headline photo: Elizabeth Kong/RMNB

From August 13 to September 13, Boyan Demchuk — a Toronto-based producer, designer, and video editor — released a new jersey design concept for every team in the NHL. Entitled the DARKOUT jersey series, Boyan made every club’s jersey color either black or an overexaggerated dark shade of its brand color. Then utilizing stripes, high-contrast colors, and sometimes neon, Boyan tried to use parts of the franchise or city’s history to come up with creative, memorable solutions.

Several highlights include the Florida Panthers (Miami Vice colors), Toronto Maple Leafs (logo includes Needle), and the Calgary Flames (gradient stripe on chest). Boyan’s DARKOUT Capitals sweater includes the team’s Weagle logo on the crest and utilizes jersey concepts from the team’s navy blue third jersey from last season.

Boyan tells RMNB that the Dallas Stars’ blackout jersey from last season was what motivated his series. His designs are presented below with permission.

Follow him on Instagram for more designs.

Anaheim Ducks

Arizona Coyotes

Boston Bruins

Buffalo Sabres

Calgary Flames

Carolina Hurricanes

Chicago Blackhawks

Columbus Blue Jackets

Colorado Avalanche

Dallas Stars

Detroit Red Wings

Edmonton Oilers

Florida Panthers

Los Angeles Kings

Minnesota Wild

Montreal Canadiens

Nashville Predators

New Jersey Devils

New York Islanders

New York Rangers

Ottawa Senators

Philadelphia Flyers

Pittsburgh Penguins

San Jose Sharks

Seattle Kraken

St. Louis Blues

Tampa Bay Lightning

Toronto Maple Leafs

Vancouver Canucks

Vegas Golden Knights

Washington Capitals

Winnipeg Jets

What jersey concepts are your favorites? Let us know in the comments below.

Photo: @boyan.demchuk

Alex Ovechkin was featured on the cover of Ok Magazine Russia for the month of September.

A GQ-esque Ovechkin rocks a black turtleneck and shows off a Hublot Spirit of Big Bang Meca-10 Black Magic watch on his left wrist.

Ovechkin’s Capitals teammates were very impressed by his handsome good looks in the shoot. Carl Hagelin even referred to Ovi as “George Clooney jr.”

In the feature story, Ovechkin talks about his family and hockey career. The most interesting tidbit was a story Ovi shared about signing his entry-level contract with the Capitals in 2005 while still in Russia. It was chaos.

“It turned out, at that time, I signed a contract with Avangard Omsk,” Ovechkin said per a translation by RMNB’s Igor Kleyner. “That was the lockout season in the NHL, so I signed a two-year deal with Omsk, but I only stayed there around two weeks. I got a call from Washington and was told that the lockout is ending and I need to sign a contract right away. At 10 o’clock Omsk time we ran to the hotel – we had to find a fax machine. Signed the contract, and faxed it to America. The next day I had to tell the team about my decision. I arrived in Moscow, I had no more than ten days to say goodbye to my parents and friends. And that’s it, I flew to America. Naturally, I did have a moment: where am I going? I don’t know anybody there, and nobody knows me.”

Headline photo: Ian Oland/RMNB

On Saturday, 19 young prospects and free agent invites battled for a chance to impress during Capitals Rookie Camp.

With the Capitals main roster mostly set, there’s only an outside chance that these rookies will make an appearance in the regular-season line-up. But for many, this was the first time fans were able to watch the rookies in action, with Capitals practices re-opening to the public for the first time since the start of the pandemic.

Attendees at Saturday’s Rookie Camp included two of the Capitals’ most recent draft picks, defensemen Vincent Iorio (55th overall) and Dru Krebs (176th overall). Center Haakon Hanelt was absent from the practice.

Twenty-year-old Connor McMichael was one of the main draws at the practice. McMichael, who made his NHL debut last season, dazzled in the World Juniors and ended last season as the Hershey Bears’ leading scorer.

McMichael worked over the summer with famed NHL trainer Gary Roberts, in a high-performance training camp alongside NHL stars like Steven Stamkos and Connor McDavid, where he focused on gaining strength. McMichael revealed he had gained five or six pounds of muscle over the offseason.

Defenseman Bobby Nardella, who the Capitals signed to a two-year deal at the start of the summer, was the only player in a navy blue jersey amidst the red and white jerseys.

Nardella, who scored 33 points (7 goals, 26 assists) in 47 games for Djurgardens IF in the SHL last year, said that he was working on his conditioning after recovering from shoulder surgery performed during the offseason.

“I’m kind of taking it day by day. […] It was just a lingering thing that I think happened a few years ago and it kind of flared up in Sweden, I was dealing with it there. I got it looked at again and we decided that surgery was necessary after the season,” Nardella said.

Nardella had planned on going to the Hershey Bears after the SHL season ended, but in light of the timing he decided to have shoulder surgery at the end of the SHL season so he could recover in time for the start of this season.

The Rookie Camp continues through Monday.

Photos

Headline photo: Elizabeth Kong

As Capitals Rookie Camp got underway on Saturday, defenseman Bobby Nardella was the only rookie on the ice in a non-red or white jersey.

Nardella, who was loaned to Swedish Hockey League team Djurgardens last season, decided to have surgery on a nagging shoulder injury at the end of the SHL schedule so that he would be prepared to play at the start of this season.

He is not 100-percent yet.

After a successful campaign in Sweden, the 25-year-old defender, who signed a two-year extension with the Caps this summer, decided to go through with the surgery instead of returning to Hershey at the end of the AHL season.

“I’m kind of taking it day by day,” Nardella said. “It was just a lingering thing that I think happened a few years ago and it kind of flared up in Sweden, I was dealing with it there. I got it looked at again and we decided that surgery was necessary after the season.”

The former Notre Dame Fighting Irish rearguard believes that taking the risk and playing overseas in a new environment last season made him a better hockey player.

“I was on the power play for pretty much the whole year, top two pairs so I got to play a lot,” Nardella said. “Learned a lot, got better at hockey for sure. In the D-zone it’s really hard to defend there because there’s so much ice you gotta cover and guys can skate so well. So I think my agility and body positioning, defending guys down low [got better].”

On a team with multiple former NHL players, Nardella racked up 33 points in 47 games to lead Djurgardens in scoring.

“Offensively, you just had a little bit more time so plays kind of develop a little better because there’s more space.”

Nardella should be one of the first names the Caps call upon if they are in need of a fill-in on the blueline this season. He hopes to be fully healthy by the time Hershey opens up their training camp later this fall.

Headline photo: Elizabeth Kong/RMNB

The Washington Capitals took fans behind the scenes of a meeting management held with prospects before the start of Rookie Camp on Saturday.

The 20 players participating were treated to two speeches: one by Steve Richmond, the Capitals’ Director of Player Development, and another by Capitals head coach Peter Laviolette.

After listening to it, you’ll probably want to run throw a brick wall because I’m about to.

Richmond started the meeting with these observations.

Steve Richmond: Fellas, you’re here because our scouts believe there’s something in you that can help the Capitals. We’re looking for players. We don’t care where you come from, your background. We’re looking for players. You’re being judged every minute you’re here. You’re here for one thing: you’re here to make the Washington Capitals. That’s your goal. If that’s not your goal, you should leave. Respect the room. Respect all the people. We care about (you). We want you guys to be so successful and we will do everything we can to help you get to that goal. As long you guys get back to us, we’ll keep giving to you. So hey, enjoy the camp, play well, and best of luck.

Next, Laviolette identified the two things he thought were the biggest pieces of advice he could give these young kids, using his own experiences as a father as an example.

Peter Laviolette: I was thinking about everything that Steve said here. I have two boys that are your age. If I was going to give them advice as they’re coming into a training camp like this I’d tell them, first and foremost, be the hardest worker every day. You can control that. You can control how much you put in and how hard you work every day. The next thing I would say to them is: be a good person. Be a good teammate. Be good to the people you’re working with. It’s a real classy organization. There’s a lot of great people here. They’re really excited to have you in camp. Thank you.

It’s simple but inspiring.

Laviolette mentioned last season that he was constrained as a motivator and a teacher with all the NHL’s COVID-19 protocols. Now Capitals players will be getting the full experience. And perhaps the juice that comes with it.

Headline photo: Elizabeth Kong/RMNB

Connor McMichael was drafted by the Washington Capitals 25th overall in June 2019. In the two years since, McMichael has had a bunch of success. He scored 47 goals and tallied 102 points in 52 OHL games during the 2019-20 OHL season, won a gold and silver medal with Canada during the 2020 and 2021 World Junior Championships respectively, led the Hershey Bears in points during the 2020-21 season, and made his NHL debut with the Capitals in January 2021.

Now Connor’s trying to push his way onto a contending team that has 12 veteran forwards under NHL contract.

It won’t be easy, but McMichael has put in the work to at least make the decision difficult on management.

“I had a really good offseason,” McMichael revealed to reporters, including RMNB, after Day 1 of Capitals Rookie Camp. The sessions feature 20 prospects and lasts through Monday. The skates are open to the public.

“I feel like I worked on my lower-body strength,” McMichael said. “I was able to protect the puck a lot more. Hopefully able to make the next jump. That’s one of the biggest things I need to work on is protecting the puck against bigger and stronger guys. I think I took big strides there and I’m looking to show it here in camp.”

McMichael trained with Gary Roberts at the former NHL star’s high-performance training camp. Roberts was a notoriously hard worker who was very careful what he put in his body during his NHL days.

“I did a lot of workouts that I normally don’t do before,” McMichael said. “Just some little things you’d pick up on. Nutrition. He fed us breakfast and lunch so that was a pretty sweet gig.

“I had some kale, some eggs. Just all the good stuff,” McMichael said laughing.

But it was being aound superstars like two-time Stanley Cup champion Steven Stamkos and fellow Connor Mc, Connor McDavid, that left a big impression on the Capitals’ top prospect. According to Connor, the superstars gave him tips here and there.

“It’s cool,” McMichael said. “Those guys are obviously good players and they’re still great players. Being on the same ice as them is pretty cool. Just watching those guys day in and day out, it’s cool to be around them and watch how they grow their game and pick up on little things from them in general.

“They’re more lead-by-example with how hard they work and what they do after skates. It benefitted me a lot.”

Over the summer, McMichael put on a lot of muscle — five or six pounds — after the Capitals told the young forward during his exit interview that they wanted to see him bulk up more. He’s confident where his overall skills are at, but believes the added muscle and strength would allow him to win more puck battles and stay on the puck at the NHL level.

“[The Capitals] are really confident in my game and they just think I need to get a little bit stronger,” McMichael said. “And I agree.

“I put on five or six pounds this summer. I think that’s a good weight for me. I still feel fast but I also feel stronger. It’s a good weight. Maybe fluctuate one or two pounds here and there.”

If McMichael doesn’t land a roster spot with the big club this fall, he will return to the American Hockey League’s Hershey Bears where he dominated last season. But he’ll just be one injury or one call-up away from another big-league opportunity where he could stay for good.

Headline photo: Elizabeth Kong/RMNB

Alex Ovechkin received an outpouring of love on his birthday, Friday. The future Hall of Famer, who returned to the United States from Russia last week, turned 36-years-old.

Less than a week before the start of Capitals training camp, Ovechkin spent the day surrounded by his family — his wife, Nastya; and his two sons Sergei and Ilya, his friends, and his Capitals teammates. After a likely skate at MedStar Capitals Iceplex in the morning, Ovechkin first celebrated at home, blowing out candles of a birthday cake they got him.

Ovechkin, beaming from ear to ear, kissed his family before blowing out the candles.

[Sobbing] [Weeping] [Crying] pic.twitter.com/9NQzcLi5tM

— jan (dad) (@lesbijans) September 17, 2021

Later in the night, Ovechkin drove to DC for a dinner with his friends and Capitals teammates, including Evgeny Kuznetsov, Dmitry Orlov, and Ilya Samsonov.

The night ended at Echostage — Ovechkin’s a huge fan of house music — where the group took in a show at Echostage by Lost Kings. Earlier this month, Echostage was voted the best club in the world.

The VIP Ovechkin got on stage and danced.

Later, an over-exuberent Ovechkin picked up one of the DJs and danced with him up on his shoulder.

Birthday Ovi is the best Ovi.

So @ovi8 is a fuckin legend. @StoolBackstage @wearelostkings @echostage pic.twitter.com/Ye4AF6pI4O

— Dante (@DanteTheDon) September 18, 2021

Hope you had a good one, big guy.

Zdeno Chara, 44, has opted not to retire and has signed a one-year deal with the New York Islanders.

The signing will keep Chara on the East Coast and near his family, who has remained in Boston since the defenseman left the Bruins in 2020.

ESPN’s Kevin Weekes was the first to report the news.

#Isles Transaction: The team has agreed to terms with defenseman Zdeno Chara on a one-year contract.https://t.co/RrJtVWH8RQ

— New York Islanders (@NYIslanders) September 18, 2021

Chara moves on from the Capitals, who he spent the 2020-21 season with. The Norris Trophy-winning rearguard signed a one-year contract with Washington a week before training camp, leaving his beloved Bruins that he captained and won the Stanley Cup with in 2011. The Norris Trophy winner met with head coach Peter Laviolette in Longboat Key, FL, during the previous offseason.

Chara, who was not guaranteed a jersey every night by the Bruins, got one in Washington and played 55 of 56 games last season. Chara formed one of best third pairings in hockey with Nick Jensen and was a crucial member of the Capitals’ penalty-killing unit (84.0% kill rate) that ended the year fifth-best in the league.

Chara, the tallest player ever to play the game (6-9), was a beloved teammate in Washington and played in his 1600th career game last season, becoming the 13th NHL player ever to do so.

Chara wrote on Instagram after that game:

Last night was a special night.

Not just because of the milestone, but everyone who was part of it.

I am blessed and lucky to still be playing this game, but I wouldn’t still be here without the love and support from my wife Tatiana and 3 beautiful children Elliz, Ben & Zack. I love you!

Playing this game is a privilege, and I am honored to be part of the @capitals team with such a classy Owner, Management, Coaching, and Training staff. And, of course, I’m so grateful for all of my teammates who I care about so deeply.

Seeing everyone rally around “1600” for me was very special. We build relationships and that’s what makes a great team, that’s what makes a brotherhood.

Thank you so much guys, it was a meaningful night.

The signing puts Chara on the team that he got the grumpiest against last season. Chara fought twice during the 2020-21 campagin, dropping his gloves both times with Islanders captain Matt Martin.

The 2021-22 season will be Chara’s 24th in the NHL. He began his career with the Islanders in 1997-98 and spent four seasons there before being traded to the Ottawa Senators.

Here’s the full press release from the Islanders:

Islanders Agree To Terms On One-Year Contract With Chara

The New York Islanders have agreed to terms with defenseman Zdeno Chara on a one-year contract.

Chara has played 1,608 NHL games, recording 666 points (207 goals, 459 assists) with the Washington Capitals, Boston Bruins, Ottawa Senators and Islanders. The Trencin, Slovakia native was originally drafted by the Islanders in the third round (56th overall) of the 1996 NHL Entry Draft.

Prior to joining Washington for the 2020-21 season, Chara served as the captain of the Boston Bruins for 14 seasons. Among active NHL players, Chara ranks first in plus/minus (+293), penalty minutes (2,000) and second in games played (1,608). His 481 points with the Bruins (148 goals, 333 assists) ranks third among defensemen in Boston team history, behind Hall of Famers Ray Bourque (1,506) and Bobby Orr (888). He won the Norris Trophy as the NHL’s best defenseman in 2008-09 after recording a career-high 19 goals and 31 assists in 80 games with Boston. He was the recipient of the Mark Messier Leadership Award in 2010-11 for his exemplary leadership both on and off the ice. He is a six-time NHL All-Star (2002-03, 2006-07, 2007-08, 2008-09, 2010-11, 2011-12) and recipient of the Golden Puck as Slovakia’s Player of the Year three times (2008-09, 2010-11, 2011-12).

Chara won the Stanley Cup with Boston in 2011, becoming the second European-born captain to win the Stanley Cup (Nicklas Lidstrom) and the first and currently only from Slovakia. Chara has recorded 70 points (18 goals, 52 assists) in 200 career playoff games, the most games played among active defensemen.

Chara has represented Slovakia in international play on several occasions, including three Olympics (2006, 2010, 2014). He served as alternate captain for Team Europe at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey, scoring two goals in six games to help the team to a second-place finish at the tournament.

Screenshot: NBC Sports Washington

Winnipeg Jets defenseman Brenden Dillon skated with his former teammates on Thursday, but that wasn’t the only thing he did in DC that day.

Dillon attended the Washington Football Team game later that night with Tom Wilson. The two hockey players were joined by their significant others, Emma Dillon and Taylor Pischke. They took photos from their posh seats in the lower bowl of FedEx Field.

“Gotta work on my selfie skills,” observed Wilson, who centered the second photo on a standing fan on the sideline. He added “What a game” on his Instagram Story.

The Washington Football Team beat the New York Giants 30-29 in the final seconds of the game on Thursday. After quarterback Taylor Heinicke led the team down the field, kicker Dustin Hopkins hit a 43-yard field goal after missing a previous attempt which was negated due to the Giants being offside. The win improved the WFT’s record to 1-1.

DUSTIN HOPKINS FOR THE WIN BABY pic.twitter.com/OOSMMnuiHr

— Washington Football Team (@WashingtonNFL) September 17, 2021

Wilson and Dillon are just the latest hockey players to attend a WFT game this season. During Week 1, the Capitals’ Russians including Alex Ovechkin, Dmitry Orlov, Ilya Samsonov, and Alex Alexeyev, took to a luxury box to watch the game from upstairs.

Headline photo: @taylor_pischke

Alex Ovechkin turned 36-years-old on Friday.

The legendary goal-scorer has been receiving tributes from across the globe today including his wife Nastya, the Capitals, KHL Dynamo Moscow, and this here hockey blog. It’s basically like a national hockey holiday.

Here’s what you might have missed.

Nastya Ovechkina

“Happy birthday, our beloved @aleksandrovechkinofficial ,” Nastya wrote on Instagram. She posted multiple personal family photos.

Ted Leonsis

The Capitals’ owner, who is notoriously fond of The Great 8 and basically sees Ovi as his second son, posted on Twitter that, “Time flies when we are having fun! 36 is the new 26.”

Happy Birthday @ovi8! Time flies when we are having fun! 36 is the new 26. #ALLCAPS #Gr8 https://t.co/LzHAnCBGV6

— Ted Leonsis (@TedLeonsis) September 17, 2021

Washington Capitals

The Capitals posted two tributes: one serious and one the dumb meme route, as is apparently their brand now.

NHL

The NHL took the opportunity to remind us just how dang good Alexander Ovechkin is as a hockey player. Spoiler alert: HE’S REALLY GOOD.

Moscow Dynamo

Moscow Dynamo, Ovechkin’s Russian hockey team who he serves as an advisor to, wrote some kind words in his native Russian.

“We wish this guy to take Olympic gold, break Gretzky’s record and put on a sweater with the letter ‘D’ again ,” Dynamo wrote. “The pupil of the Moscow Dynamo and the best Russian hockey player of our time, Alexander Ovechkin, turns 36!”

KHL

The KHL kept it simple with a cute photo of Ovi with his son.

Happy birthday, @ovi8 pic.twitter.com/peTGBbqzAW

— KHL (@khl_eng) September 17, 2021

(Did you know that Ovi is not only a Stanley Cup champion but a Gagarin Cup champion, too? Dynamo won it all during the 2012-13 season when both Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom played for the team during the lockout.)

Russian National Team

The Russian Hockey Federation posted a special message for Ovi.

“Alexander Ovechkin – 3⃣6⃣,” they wrote. “Happy birthday to the legendary striker, three-time world champion (2008, 2012, 2014), Stanley Cup winner. We wish you new challenges and, of course, new victories! #russiainmyheart #hockey #hockeyrussia”

RMNB

Finally, I wrote this from the heart on the RMNB IG and included a bunch of photos I either took or were a part of.

If the message gets cut off on mobile, it reads:

@aleksandrovechkinofficial, a lot of people have extended you well wishes for your birthday. But to us, the best way to celebrate today is to share our experience. You are a normal, fun-loving, enthusiastic, and dedicated person who just also so happens to be good at the game of hockey. TBH, this is your greatest accomplishment. Despite the fame, fortune, and attention, you are you – without ego or pompousness. You have two beautiful sons and a kind wife @nastyashubskaya, who supports you. But you’ve built more than a wonderful family: you helped bring the first Stanley Cup championship team to this area and helped create one of the biggest hockeytowns in the United States (it was not even remotely like this before). You’ve made so many of our followers fall in love with hockey. You’ve captured the imagination of so many people. You’ve pushed the boundaries of what is possible in hockey, benefitting players in future generations. And you’ve done it all with that big gap-toothed smile.

As for us, you’ve been kind. You scored a hat trick on our blog’s birthday and wished US a happy birthday afterward. You’ve rocked our Not Be Suck shirt. You’ve taken our camera and taken photos of us, making us feel like the big deal, which we totally are not. You’ve given our followers shoutouts. You’ve done all of this even though, let’s be honest, RMNB can be annoying and hyper critical sometimes.

Now, over the next five years, we get to watch you break Gretzky’s record (you’re going to do it, don’t tell us different), maybe bring some more championships to DC, and retire as a Capital. The pleasure watching you play has been all ours. We, as fans, we’ll never completely be able to pay you back for the impact you’ve had on this area. But maybe these words are a start. Happy birthday, Big Guy.

Happy Birthday, Ovi!

Headline photo: Ian Oland/RMNB

Tom Wilson once said that the “last place” he’d own real estate was in Pittsburgh, PA. Now, the boxing company he invests in, BASH, totally does.

Wednesday, BASH announced that it’s opening its first franchise in Pittsburgh.

“PITTSBURGH – ARE YINZ READY?!” BASH wrote. “We are THRILLED to announce BASH’s 1st franchise – bringing the 6 core punches to the #6Burgh itself: Pittsburgh, PA! Grown locally, rooted in community, & dedicated to the fight for more – the #BASHFam is no stranger to the grind. We live for it. So, when evaluating spots for our first franchise, it’s no surprise that the City of Bridges always rose to the top. Hello #Pittsburgh, get ready to #justBASH.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by BASH Boxing (@bash)

“Owning a BASH Boxing franchise is a dream come true,” Haley Ascham-Miller, the BASH Pittsburgh investor, said in a release.
“Never in my life have I felt such a strong connection to not only a workout, but a community that makes you stronger physically, mentally, and emotionally. From the day I set foot in the Rosslyn studio, I knew that BASH was something I wanted in my life forever. Bringing this workout to Pittsburgh was a no-brainer; both BASH and our city promote community, resilience, hard work, grit, & family. It’s an honor to merge our hometown values with the brilliance of the BASH brand, and I’m thrilled to see what the future holds.”

The Pittsburgh location is expected to open in 2022.

“Wow! Amazing news!” Wilson said in the comments of the Instagram post. When Haley asked Wilson if he could call up some of his NHL friends to drop by, the big body-checker said, “I’ll see what I can do.”

It’s unknown if Wilson’s chilly reception outside of Washington — he was named the most hated man in hockey over the summer — will have any negative effect on the expansion of the BASH brand he has supported since 2019 (though some promoters would say any promotion is good promotion!). Wilson has long drawn the ire of Penguins fans for his physical play and trash-talking.

Here’s a few moments that might stick out to Penguins fans:

• In 2015, Wilson shoved Evgeni Malkin during warmups, leading to a line brawl which saw Wilson and roommate Michael Latta throwing hands on the Penguins bench.
• Two seasons later, the Penguins added more toughness, AKA Ryan Reaves, and the two players continued their storied rivalry of trash-talking and face-punching.
• Wilson was suspended three games for a headshot he delivered to Zach Aston-Reese in the 2018 playoffs.
• The Penguins looked for retribution from Wilson the next season and the Capitals forward knocked out Jamie Oleksiak in a brutal fight on the first shift.
• In 2021, Wilson injured Mark Jankowski with a late hit.

The hatred ran so deep that Sportsnet reported that a Penguins fan posted Wilson’s home address on Twitter after the Aston-Reese hit. “Good to know,” a fellow fan responded.

Wilson, who fosters puppies in his free time, frequently stops by the Arlington BASH location for workouts and promotes the gym on his personal Instagram, which has 206k followers. He recently even got his 56-year-old head coach, Peter Laviolette, to throw on a pair of gloves.

But while the BASH website sells a Tom Wilson line of merch on its website, there are no other mentions of the controversial NHL enforcer on its website. That means that Pittsburghers hoping for a good workout would have to look hard to find the Wilson connection, suggesting there’s a remote chance it will affect business.

In the end, if BASH works in Pittsburgh, it will likely work anywhere. And Wilson could follow in the footsteps of other NHL players before him like Tim Horton, who had a local company turn into a national chain.

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin traveled to Chicago to take part in NHL Media Day on Thursday. And at the event, The Great 8 ran into a familiar foe. Ovechkin renewed acquaintances with Pittsburgh Penguins forward Sidney Crosby — his biggest rival since entering the league in 2005.

While the two competitive, future Hall of Famers have won the Stanley Cup and been named league MVP multiple times, their relationship on the ice has oscillated between respectful and frosty over the years as the Capitals and Penguins have battled for league supremacy. The two have traded big hits, hugs, face washes, and handshakes. There’s also been some major drama too. For instance, Crosby and the Penguins skated off the ice to avoid shaking the Capitals’ hands after losing the 2011 Winter Classic in Pittsburgh while Ovecnkin challenged Crosby to a fistfight in 2018 as the two argued at the benches. “We’re not best buddies,” said Crosby in February 2020.

With all that history, kind words between the two stars have been few and far between. But on Thursday, Crosby sent some major love Ovechkin’s way and revealed he’s rooting for Ovi to break a record most thought was unbreakable two decades ago.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Washington Capitals (@capitals)

Crosby hopes Ovechkin breaks Wayne Gretzky’s all-time goals record of 894. Ovi, who signed a five-year extension with the Capitals in July, sits 164 goals behind The Great One, meaning he needs to average 33 goals per season to reach the mark.

“I hope he does (break the record). I told him today that I hope he does,” Crosby said to ESPN’s Greg Wyshynski. “It would be awesome. He’s in range.

“He can score anywhere from inside the blue line,” he added. “I just hope that all his goals that he gets are against the other teams, as he’s trying to add towards it.”

The two players both interacted together on Media Day and were even captured by the Capitals laughing during a joint interview. “We are sure everyone will react very calmly to this photo,” the team wrote on Instagram.

Photos: @Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin (@ovi8) spent the day participating in the 2021 @NHL @PR_NHL Media Tour in Chicago ahead of the 2021-22 NHL season. pic.twitter.com/8Xsdn9XBw8

— CapitalsPR (@CapitalsPR) September 16, 2021

Crosby, who as a young player was commonly referred to as The Next One, has long received love and support from fellow Canadian Wayne Gretzky, which makes his comments even more jarring. Gretzky predicted that Crosby would be the one who would shatter his records.

“I was living in LA. He was at a summer camp,” Gretzky said in 2005. “It was mostly 17 or 18-year-old kids who were going to be high first-round picks. Some second-round picks. So it was a lot of good talent out there. The one youngster that caught my eye the most, [Crosby] was only 14 at the time. Honestly, I was so impressed by it, the next day I got on the ice to play with him. I just wanted to be able to be out there with him and see it first hand.

“He’s more talented than any 14 or 15-year-old I’ve seen in a long time. I think the last guy I saw a guy that good at that age was Mario Lemieux. But you could tell, he had a passion for the game and excitement for hockey that I hadn’t seen in a long time. All in all, I think if there’s anyone out there who is going to have an opportunity to come along and excite the fans and take it to another level, he’s the guy.”

As for Ovechkin, he reiterated to ESPN that he’s taking Gretzky’s goals record day-by-day and that he’s trying not to think about it.

“Because it’s too far,” Ovechkin said. “It’s a long way. And it’s a hard way. Whatever happens, happens.”

Headline photo: @CapitalsPR

The NHL announced the broadcasting schedule of its new national TV partners, ESPN and Turner Sports, on Thursday.

The Washington Capitals will land on national TV 13 times next season, including its Opening Night game against the New York Rangers on October 13.

The Capitals-Rangers game will be air on TNT. NBC Sports Washington is not expected to carry the game locally.

The Capitals will also play two games each on national TV against Eastern Conference rivals Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, and Boston. The second game against the Penguins in April will be aired on network TV (ABC).

Here’s the full press release from the Washington Capitals:

Washington Capitals 2021-22 National TV Broadcast Schedule

ARLINGTON, Va. – The Washington Capitals will have 13 nationally televised games during the 2021-22 season, the National Hockey League announced today. The broadcast includes one game on ABC, three on ESPN, four on ESPN+/Hulu and five on TNT.

Information regarding the Capitals’ local broadcast schedule with NBC Sports Washington will be announced at a later date.

ESPN, the world’s leading sports entertainment brand, features eight U.S. television networks, direct-to-consumer ESPN+, ESPN Radio, ESPN.com, endeavours on every continent around the world, and more. ESPN is 80 percent owned by ABC, Inc. (an indirect subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company) and 20 percent by Hearst.

Turner Sports, a division of WarnerMedia, is an industry leader in the delivery of premium sports content across all platforms, widely recognized for its expansive partnerships with the NBA, Major League Baseball, the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship and the National Hockey League. The Turner Sports portfolio also includes Bleacher Report, the #1 digital destination for young sports fans driving engagement and video views across all social platforms and the B/R app, with premier brands including House of Highlights, B/R Football, B/R Gridiron, B/R Kicks, B/R Betting, B/R Walk-Off, and B/R Gaming.

Headline photo: Elizabeth Kong/RMNB