Capitals players were skating for a long time before the official start of camp Sunday. But their most recent game experience varies. Here's how each guy spent the NHL lockout
Michal Neuvirth wants to be the No. 1 goaltender for the Washington Capitals. He made it clear at the end of last season that he'd try to beat out playoff starter Braden Holtby.
It's August and the Washington Capitals have been quiet since hiring Tim Hunter as assistant coach and Brett Leonhardt as video coach. But that didn't stop Michal Neuvirth from making some August news with comments he gave to the Czech website iSport.cz.
Another opportunity has passed the Washington Capitals by. That's five now in the Alex Ovechkin era, starting with the Game 7 loss to Philadelphia in 2008. The one Saturday night at Madison Square Garden might hurt more than any of them, though, because this time the Caps played The Right Way for a solid month — winning playoff hockey. Unlike past seasons, there wasn't a single game they weren't present and accounted for.
Alex Ovechkin sat at his stall in full uniform, interviews long over. It wasn't hard to judge the look on his face; he was a defeated man after the Washington Capitals' season ended Saturday night with a 2-1 Game 7 loss in the Eastern Conference semifinals to the New York Rangers.
Troy Brouwer knows Braden Holtby thrives amid distractions. Game 7 against the New York Rangers isn't a concern.
It appeared as if the Washington Capitals were finished when they blew a chance to put the Boston Bruins away in six games. Their season seemed over when they lost to the New York Rangers in triple overtime in Game 3. And then again when they lost the lead with 7.6 seconds left in regulation in Game 5 and proceeded to fall in overtime.
Braden Holtby loves it when teammates block shots, going out of his way to show his appreciation. But the Washington Capitals' rookie goaltender knows what can go wrong when players don't get in front of pucks.
Playing one-goal games is life as usual for the Washington Capitals. That's playoff hockey, for the past few months. Trapping and trying to hold the lead, the Caps surrendered it with 6.6 seconds left.
