Alex Ovechkin approves Spencer Carbery hiring

The Washington Capitals are under two months away from the regular season and a little bit over a month away from training camp. Soon players will start coming back into town.

They’ll be able to crack jokes for the next few weeks and skate around. They won’t have to worry about any drills or a coach. Basically they do their own drills. It’s their style.

But that changes on September 20 when Spencer Carbery takes the ice and blows his whistle for the start of training camp at MedStar Capitals Iceplex.

While more eyes will be on the great eight than the Caps new bench boss regardless especially as Alex Ovechkin inches closer to the record, Ovechkin did give his stamp of approval of the new hire to Russian outlet Sport Express:

“We already knew [Carbery]; we have a great relationship. I was happy about this appointment because he knows me [and] many guys on the club who’d previously played in Hershey. I don’t think we should expect any problems.”

Carbery took his success from the Hershey Bears to the NHL level as an assistant coach with the Toronto Maple Leafs and turned their power play into the best in the league. He will have a bit more to work with over here.

The Caps had the league’s best power play in the early 2010’s. Ovechkin was a big part of that. But back then Ovechkin still was in the midst of hitting those prime years. Now he turns 38 three days before training camp.

Still, that doesn’t stop the Great Eight from believing the team will be in “optimal shape” when it’s go time:

“Last season, we were undermined by injuries. Both Nicklas Backstrom and Tom Wilson returned only in the middle of the season. It was a little hard after their return; it took time to adapt. But now I think everything will be fine. We will approach the season in optimal shape. The main thing is that everyone is healthy.”

It’s time to get to work. The season is almost here.