Top 3 Capitals Training Camp storylines
Washington Capitals Training Camp is well underway. They’ve already hit the ice. Tomorrow will be the first preseason game as they’ll host the Buffalo Sabres at Capital One Arena.
With what’s been going on the last few days, it’s time to take a dive into the top 3 storylines of training camp so far.
#3 Top line Mantha
This is going to make a lot of Caps fans mad. But it may make the true fans excited. It’s been one week since I dropped this article telling Caps fans to calm down with the Anthony Mantha hate. What we learned over the summer was in addition to hiring the mental health coach he’s also lost weight.
That weight loss was on display at the very beginning of the Group A skate test of training camp. He led the pack during the skate test which is the equivalent of “suicides” in basketball and football. Doing it on ice skates is another skillset that shouldn’t be overlooked.
In the Group A line rushes, what do we see?
That’s right a top line of Alex Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom, and Mantha himself. Whether this is the line on opening night remains to be seen but it’s cool seeing Spencer Carbery try some things out already.
#2 Healthy players
One year ago we all knew the Capitals would be starting the season without two of their biggest guys in Nicklas Backstrom and Tom Wilson. This year is a lot different. Not only are both Wilson and Backstrom healthy but so is most of the team.
The only two notable injuries thus far is Max Pacioretty and Evgeny Kuznetsov. With Kuznetsov, it’s not severe and he’s still on the ice. Pacioretty? We knew when the Capitals signed him that he wouldn’t be fully healthy to start the season. Having two straight achilles injuries will do that.
Pacioretty of course is not on the ice for training camp and Brian MacLellan said that there is no timetable yet for his return. When the Caps signed him in free agency it came with performance based incentives if he could play as much as possible. So if he needs more motivation to return, there it is.
Wilson feels great and not only did he get a full summer of training in, he also got re upped for seven more years after this season. It was very important for both sides to get a deal done.
Backstrom being out there on the top line is very inspiring for anybody looking to make a comeback. And he’s done talking about his hip.
#1 Spencer Carbery era is underway
The Spencer Carbery era is here and unlike his predecessor it seems like a majority of the players are all in with him if not all of them. And he’s got players hitting the ground running ever since he blew the whistle for the first time on Thursday.
The first two days had a lot of stuff. From skate tests, two on two, three on three, small area games, and breakaways. He’s got an intensity to his coaching style that should rub off on the veterans and the youth instead of just the veterans.
Everyone has noticed it and loves it. Tom Wilson was one of them:
“His energy, his passion, his excitement, you feel it in the group… guys are flying around the ice, competing hard. He just has that presence that you want to wake up; you want to put in the work. Just a youthful kind of excitement.”
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That energy, passion, excitement and intensity is exactly what a team that missed the playoffs last season and wants to get back in needs.