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Washington Capitals: Top 5 players to watch this preseason

ByMichael Marzzacco|
ARLINGTON, VA - JUNE 29: Capitals prospect goalie Ilya Samsonov during camp at Kettler Capitals Iceplex on June 29, 2016 in Arlington, Va. (Photo by Ricky Carioti/The Washington Post via Getty Images)
ARLINGTON, VA - JUNE 29: Capitals prospect goalie Ilya Samsonov during camp at Kettler Capitals Iceplex on June 29, 2016 in Arlington, Va. (Photo by Ricky Carioti/The Washington Post via Getty Images)
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BOSTON – MARCH 10: Yale Bulldogs’ Joe Snively scores a break away goal, beating Harvard University Crimson’s Merrick Madsen and Adam Fox during second period action. The ECAC quarterfinal men’s ice hockey game was played at the Bright-Landry Center, March 10, 2017. (Photo by Matthew J. Lee/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)
BOSTON – MARCH 10: Yale Bulldogs’ Joe Snively scores a break away goal, beating Harvard University Crimson’s Merrick Madsen and Adam Fox during second period action. The ECAC quarterfinal men’s ice hockey game was played at the Bright-Landry Center, March 10, 2017. (Photo by Matthew J. Lee/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)

#5 Joe Snively

Joe Snively is the local prospect that will be highlighted throughout the preseason. He’s a smart kid, having studied at Yale and he’ll look to be one of the former Ivy League players looking to make an impact at the NHL level.

Snively grew up in local Herndon, VA and had the same dentist as Alex Ovechkin. At one point inside the waiting room, the two hockey players encountered each other and Snively got Ovechkin to sign his hockey gloves.

Snively made his Capitals debut in Monday’s preseason game against the Chicago Blackhawks. He assisted on Washington’s third goal of the game scored by Aliaksei Protas.

https://twitter.com/Capitals/status/1173754539738112000

Last season with Yale, Snively recorded 36 points (15 goals, 21 assists) including an NCAA career-high five goals on the power play. He led Yale in points in all four years of his college career and finished with 58 goals and 81 assists for 139 points in 129 college games. His efforts was rewarded by the NCAA by receiving a nomination for the Hobey Baker Award as the top college player in the country.

NASHVILLE, TN – SEPTEMBER 8: Kody Clark #71, Connor McMichael #24 and Joe Snively #91of the Washington Capitals celebrate a goal against the Nashville Predators during an NHL Prospects game at Ford Ice Center on September 8, 2019 in Antioch, Tennessee. (Photo by John Russell/NHLI via Getty Images)
NASHVILLE, TN – SEPTEMBER 8: Kody Clark #71, Connor McMichael #24 and Joe Snively #91of the Washington Capitals celebrate a goal against the Nashville Predators during an NHL Prospects game at Ford Ice Center on September 8, 2019 in Antioch, Tennessee. (Photo by John Russell/NHLI via Getty Images)

The Capitals signed him back in mid-March following his senior year and he immediately went to Hershey to further his development. Snively appeared in nine games with the Bears to close out the season and added seven points (2 goals, 5 assists).

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