ANNAPOLIS — The future of the Washington Capitals took to the ice this weekend, as rookies and prospects prepared to push for a roster spot at the team’s preseason development camp in Annapolis.
In drills led by the Capitals’ player development staff and the coaches of the minor-league affiliate Hershey Bears, the rookies flashed their potential.
Andrew Cristall showed off the smooth skating that made him a second-round pick in 2023. Ryan Leonard demonstrated the high hockey IQ that earned him an NHL call-up last spring. Ilya Protas, the younger brother of current Capitals forward Aliaksei Protas, impressed with a unique blend of size and speed.
A development staff featuring former NHLers like Olie Kolzig, Brooks Orpik, Braden Holtby and Jim Slater took the prospects through a series of drills. It’s a way to ease the youngsters into the upcoming season.
By the end of Sunday’s practice, the previously energized rookies were sluggish after another intense training session.
“It’s huge,” defenseman Leon Muggli, a 2024 second-round pick, said. “The guys are so experienced playing on their own. Then for a young guy to come in and get the experience from them, get tips from them, it’s huge for development.”
Nearly two dozen prospects aged 18 to 26 participated in the weekend’s activities.
Time with the coaching staff — and the other top prospects — is invaluable for the young Capitals. This year’s draft picks got their first taste of NHL coaching at a development camp in the summer.
This weekend’s training was a massive step up in intensity, several players said.
“But I’m ready for it, and you’ve just got to make a good first impression and be consistent throughout the week, and you never know what can happen,” Lynden Lackovic, Washington’s most recent first-rounder, told reporters on Friday. “I’m real happy with the work that I put in, and I guess it’s time to show that now.”
The young Capitals didn’t neglect the off-ice work either. The prospects had a day off on Saturday and used that time on a team-building exercise. They visited a confidence course at the nearby U.S. Naval Academy — navigating obstacles and rope bridges as a group.
“It was super cool. They said it was their easiest one — wasn’t too easy for everyone,” Terick Parascak, Washington’s 2024 first-rounder, said Sunday. “But it was super cool to see what they do and do something a little different than you’re used to. It was a good time.”
Defenseman Ryan Chesley, a 2022 second-rounder who spent last season with the AHL Hershey Bears, recorded the fastest time. Winger Ryan Leonard and defenseman Cam Allen were also impressive, according to Parascak.
The off-ice work could pay dividends on the ice in the future.
“It’s really important to get to know the guys, even to go out for dinner together. It’s a team sport. You have to know each other,” defenseman Leon Muggli, a 2024 second-round pick, said. “You know the guy; you know who you’re going to war with. You’re willing to battle for the guy.”
The Capitals’ NHL roster is aging. Alex Ovechkin turns 40 this month and could retire after the upcoming season.
Alternate captains Tom Wilson, 31, and John Carlson, 35, aren’t getting any younger, either.
The Capitals will eventually have to rely on the current rookies and prospects to lead a franchise that has made the postseason in 16 of the last 18 seasons.
The transition is ongoing. Nine Capitals made their NHL debuts last season, including 2023 first-rounder Ryan Leonard, who practiced with the other prospects in Annapolis. Cristall and Protas could join him on the NHL roster with a strong preseason.
Washington’s rookie camp concludes Monday. The prospects will have a few days off before returning to the Capitals’ facility on Wednesday for the start of training camp with the rest of the NHL roster.
• Liam Griffin can be reached at lgriffin@washingtontimes.com.
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