Articles in Washington Capitals

NEW YORK/TORONTO (March 27, 2024) – The National Hockey League Players’ Association and National Hockey League announced today that defenseman Ethan Bear of the Washington Capitals will be unavailable to his Club for an indefinite period while he receives care from the Player Assistance Program of the NHLPA and NHL.

Under the terms of the joint program, he will return to the Club when cleared for on-ice competition by the program administrators.

via Sportsnet's YouTube page,

Watch as the Washington Capitals organization, teammates, and fans inside Capital One Arena honour forward T.J. Oshie with a tribute video and silver stick for reaching 1000 games played in the NHL.

NEW YORK (March 22, 2024) – Washington Capitals forward Tom Wilson has been suspended for six games, without pay, for high-sticking Toronto Maple Leafs forward Noah Gregor during NHL Game No. 1095 in Washington on Wednesday, March 20, the National Hockey League’s Department of Player Safety announced today.

The incident occurred at 12:13 of the third period. Wilson was assessed a double-minor penalty for high-sticking.

Under the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement and, based on his average annual salary, Wilson will forfeit $161,458.32. The money goes to the Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund.

For a full explanation of the decision, complete with video, please click on the following link: https://www.nhl.com/video/topic/player-safety/wilson-suspended-six-games-6349501300112

Wilson received a double minor for high sticking.

via the Toronto Maple Leafs,

The Toronto Maple Leafs announced today that the hockey club has acquired defenceman Joel Edmundson from the Washington Capitals in exchange for a third-round selection in the 2024 NHL Draft (previously owned by the New York Islanders) and a fifth-round selection in the 2025 NHL Draft (previously owned by the Chicago Blackhawks). The Capitals are retaining 50% of Edmundson’s salary.

Edmundson, 30, has collected 110 points (29 goals, 81 assists) in 521 career regular season games with Washington, Montreal, Carolina and St. Louis. The Brandon, Manitoba native has also registered 21 points in 75 career playoff contests.

added 6:51pm,

NEW YORK/TORONTO (March 2, 2024) – The National Hockey League and National Hockey League Players’ Association announced today that Washington Capitals forward Evgeny Kuznetsov has been cleared to resume practicing with the team and has entered the follow-up care phase of the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program. Kuznetsov has not yet been cleared to return to game action.

Kuznetsov’s care continues to be administered pursuant to the player assistance program.

from Laura Vozzella and Meagan Flynn of The Washington Post,

A plan by Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) and the owner of the Wizards and Capitals to move the teams to Northern Virginia faced heat on both sides of the Potomac on Monday: A powerful Virginia Democrat said she considers the proposal dead, while D.C. Mayor Muriel E. Bowser (D) doubled down on insisting that she would enforce the teams’ lease to try to prevent their early exit.

The dual pushback led executives with Monumental Sports & Entertainment — billionaire Ted Leonsis’s company that owns the teams — to hastily convene a briefing with reporters Monday afternoon to assert that the plan to move to a new megacomplex in Alexandria’s Potomac Yard was fully on track. Still, the tension emanating from both sides underscored how the foundation for the teams’ move is far from solid, with support in the Virginia legislature uncertain. Meanwhile, Bowser alluded to the possibility of legal action in D.C. to enforce the teams’ existing lease at Capital One Arena downtown.

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NEW YORK/TORONTO (Feb. 5, 2024) – The National Hockey League and National Hockey League Players’ Association announced today that forward Evgeny Kuznetsov of the Washington Capitals will be unavailable to his Club for an indefinite period while he receives care from the Player Assistance Program of the NHLPA and NHL.

Under the terms of the joint program, he will return to the Club when cleared for on-ice competition by the program administrators.

The slippage this year compared to extraordinarily steady goal-scoring rates across the prior 16 seasons has been breathtaking. For most players, this is the sort of age decay we would expect, but for perhaps the best goal scorer in the history of the sport, it’s stunning. And as it pertains to Ovechkin’s chase for true greatness, he remains 64 goals behind Gretzky for the all-time lead – a gap that Ovechkin could have once covered in a single regular season, but a gap that now may require him to play for longer than anticipated.

-Travis Yost of TSN where you can read more on this topic.

via Fox5 Washington,

Monumental Sports & Entertainment CEO Ted Leonsis, Virginia Gov. Youngkin, and other local leaders announced Wednesday an ambitious plan for a public-private partnership that aims to relocate the Washington Capitals and Washington Wizards to a newly proposed entertainment district in Alexandria's Potomac Yard.

This groundbreaking move, set for 2028, hinges on the proposal being finalized.

The project would span 70 acres and would include a new global headquarters for Monumental Sports & Entertainment, a state-of-the-art arena for the Capitals and Wizards, an expansive Monumental Sports Network media studio, practice facilities, a performing arts venue, and an enhanced Esports facility.

Leonsis emphasized the project's significance in a statement, saying, "Our commitment to evolving our teams and deepening community ties is unwavering. This expansion into Virginia offers an unparalleled opportunity to foster creativity and lead in sports and technology."

via the Washington Capitals,

Washington Capitals alternate captain Nicklas Backstrom and president and general manager Brian MacLellan have released the following statements on Backstrom’s injury:

“Given my ongoing injury situation, I decided to take some time and step away from the game. This is a difficult decision, but one that I feel is right for my health at this time. I want to thank my teammates, the organization, and fans for their unwavering support throughout this process. I ask for privacy at this time as I determine my next steps and viable options moving forward.”

– Nicklas Backstrom

The Caps are 1-2-0.

from Tom Gulitti of the NHL/s website,

Carl Hagelin announced his retirement Wednesday after 11 NHL seasons.

Hagelin, who won the Stanley Cup with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2016 and 2017, hasn't played since sustaining a left eye injury when he was struck with a stick blade during practice with the Washington Capitals on March 1, 2022.

The 35-year-old forward also twice underwent surgery on his left hip while spending all of last season on long-term injured reserve with Washington.

"It's been an amazing ride but it ends here," Hagelin posted on Instagram. "Unfortunately, my eye injury is too severe to keep playing the game I love. I'm extremely grateful for all the memories hockey has given me and I've loved every single day of it."

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via the Washington Capitals,

The Washington Capitals have promoted Brian MacLellan to president of hockey operations & general manager and Chris Patrick to associate general manager. In addition, the Capitals have appointed Dick Patrick to the position of chairman of the Capitals.

from Tom Gulitti of the NHL's website,

Spencer Carbery has almost another month to wait before opening his first training camp as an NHL coach on Sept. 20, but he is eager to get to work with the Washington Capitals.

"We're champing at the bit here," Carbery said last week. "When things first happened, there's a lot of obligations and you're trying to just get settled in … Now that that stuff has all been taken care of, now it sort of gets to, 'Let's get this thing rolling.'"...

In general terms, what will these structural adjustments be?

"We're going to make a few alterations to our neutral-zone play, a couple things in the defensive zone, and then also some of our O-zone tactics and forecheck, we'll make a few subtle adjustments there which aren't going to be massive changes but little tweaks that are going to be important to highlight and make sure everybody is on the same page in the details of it."

Evgeny Kuznetsov showed the kind of positive impact he can have two seasons ago when he had 78 points (24 goals, 54 assists), but he wasn't as consistent last season when he had 55 points (12 goals, 43 assists). What can you do to help him get back to the level he was at two seasons ago?

"I think he's a very, very important player for our team. What he's capable of when he's on his game is world class and that's my challenge to help identify parts of his game, things I can help him with, put him in positions to have success. I have a real appreciation for the game that he plays and the style of play. I think understanding and appreciating the impact that he can have on a nightly basis when he's on his game, there's not a lot of players that can do what he can do. I'm going to do everything I can to help him get back to that level."

more Q & A

via the Washington Capitals,

The Washington Capitals have re-signed forward Tom Wilson to a seven-year, $45.5 million contract extension, senior vice president and general manager Brian MacLellan announced today. Wilson's extension will begin with the 2024-25 season and will carry an average annual value of $6.5 million. Wilson is under contract with Washington through the 2030-31 season.

"Tom possesses all the intangibles needed to win in this League and we are extremely pleased to sign him to a long-term contract, giving him the opportunity to finish his career in a Capitals' uniform," said MacLellan. "Throughout his career, Tom has improved every facet of his game through his drive and competitiveness. We feel his work ethic and leadership qualities will be a tremendous asset to our organization for years to come."