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Photo credit: Chris Gordon
When Filip Forsberg was selected by the Washington Capitals 11th overall in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft, many draft experts praised his skill and scoring, projecting him as an offensive engine for his future team.
On Saturday during the Capitals’ final scrimmage of Development Camp, Forsberg showed off another part of his game which should put him on the fast track to the NHL: his defense.
The teams shake hands following the game. (Photo credit: Chris Gordon)
As has become tradition, Kettler Capitals Iceplex was packed to capacity Saturday for the final scrimmage of the team’s Development Camp and annual Fanfest. On a mid-July morning, hundreds were jammed into the team’s practice facility to watch prospects and college and free-agent invitees duke it out for the last time. Fans also took advantage of autograph sessions with Caps prospects and new Capitals center/rapper Mike Ribeiro, who met the media for the first time yesterday.
As for the game itself, Team Red won in thrilling fashion, pulling out a 4-3 victory in overtime. After red pulled their goaltender, T.J. Syner scored in the final minute of the third period. In overtime, Max Iafrate set-up free-agent invitee Greg Miller for a slam-dunk one-timer in the slot. Stan Galiev and Riley Barber also scored for the red team. Daniel O’Donoghue, Taylor Stefishen, and David Vallorani tallied white’s three goals.
Below, check out my shots from the final day of camp.
Forsberg speaks to the media after the scrimmage. (Photo credit: Chris Gordon)
The Caps prospects and invitees to Development Camp played their fourth scrimmage today, but once again some of the most interesting moves were made off the ice. First-round draft pick Filip Forsberg signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Capitals today, and goalie coach Dave Prior expressed disappointment in prospect Steffen Soberg‘s 2011-12 season.
Despite the fact Forsberg has one more year on his contract with Leksand of the Swedish Allsvenskan League, he stressed that he wanted to commit to the team. “It was a dream come true,” he told CSN’s Chuck Gormley. “I got a good first feeling from the Capitals and I thought it was a good decision to get it done right away.”
Team White won the scrimmage 4-1, with White’s goals scored by David Civitarese, Connor Carrick, Barry Almeida, and Chandler Stephenson on a penalty shot. Team Red’s lone goal was scored by T.J. Syner.
Below the jump, check out Chris Gordon’s photos from the day.
Sergei Kostenko’s mask features a surprising amount of English on it, not all of which makes sense.
Day four of Caps Development Camps got a lot more interesting than the previous day, with a fight, two penalty shots, and nine goals.
Team Red beat Team White in Thursday scrimmage by a final score of 6-3. Team Red’s goals were scored by Matt Bailey, Greg Miller, Cam Wojtala, 2012 first round pick Tom Wilson, and two from David Vallorani. Team White’s three goals were scored by David Civitarese, Michael Quinn, and Christian Djoos.
Russian draftee Sergei Kostenko played in his first scrimmage after arriving yesterday from Russia and impressed with his performance for Team Red today, stopping tough shots through three periods, including a penalty shot attempt by blue-chip prospect Filip Forsberg.
My photos from today are below.
Caps Development Camp had its first fight today, coming after the final buzzer sounded on Thursday’s scrimmage, which Team Red won 6-3. Max Iafrate, son of former Cap Al Iafrate, dropped the gloves with 2012 third-round draft pick Chandler Stephenson after a scrum in front the white team’s net. The bout came after the squads were jawing at each other in the waning minutes of the game. (Some gems from Tom Wilson: ”What are you, 25? Let the kids play!” and ”Why you do us all a favor a take some skating lessons, [expletive]!”)
“Oates said he didn’t want us fighting, but when your [freaking] adrenaline gets flowing…” Iafrate told reporters at Kettler Capitals Iceplex immediately following the scrap. “I guess fight when the opportunity knocks. You don’t look for it.”
“I was playing the game,” Iafrate continued. “He kind of hit me after I put the puck down the ice. I kind of like swung my foot to try to trip him. Then he cross-checked me.”
Caps Head Coach Adam Oates was not impressed.
“I did talk to the guys [after practice]. I really don’t want that,” Oates said. “We’re all here under the Capitals umbrella. I know you want to show your stuff and there’s plenty of time for that down the road. But they still get frustrated at times and I understand that as well.”
Check out my photos of the scrap below.
Photos by Chris Gordon
We know the Capitals have plenty of skill players, but when the team drafted Tom Wilson last month they added something else: a big, bruising forward who isn’t afraid to push people around. In the first two scrimmages of Washington’s Development Camp this week, that something was on display as the 6′ 3″, 205-pound winger bounced around the ice making a myriad of hits and occasionally jawing with prospects on the opposite team. This, it seems, is exactly what Capitals General Manager George McPhee was looking for when he took Wilson 16th overall, somewhat ahead of his projected draft slot.
2012 first-round pick Tom Wilson absorbs a big hit. (Photo credit: Chris Gordon)
Day two of Caps Development Camp took place today, with timed tests for the prospects in the morning and a scrimmage in the afternoon, but it was what was said off the ice that was most interesting. Olaf Kolzig talked about a possible lockout, Stan Galiev talked about gaining nearly twenty pounds, and Max Iafrate brought us the distressing news that his father now listens to rap music.
Connor Carrick had the quote of camp however, explaining what Adam Oates’ first day as coach was like. “He’s nervous, we’re nervous, everybody’s nervous so nobody’s nervous.” Somebody put that to music, we’ve got a new hit for Carly Rae Jepsen.
In regards to the scrimmage, Team Red avenged Team White after their 3-1 loss yesterday, and won today, 2-1. Australian Nathan Walker scored the white team’s lone goal, while the red team’s two tallies were scored by Aaron Gens and David Vallorani.
RMNB’s Chris Gordon was there to capture all the action. Check out his photos below the jump.
Photo credit: Chris Gordon
There were 46 prospects invited to Caps Development Camp, but arguably the two that DC fans most wanted to see were brand new 2012 draftees Tom Wilson and Filip Forsberg. Wilson has been billed as a power forward in the mold of Milan Lucic, while Forsberg is a high-talent offensive player who the Caps were lucky to draft eleventh overall.
Both impressed on the first day of Development Camp, Forsberg with his skating skill and Wilson with the physicality we’d heard all about, hitting hard all throughout the scrimmage that took place in the later half of the day. RMNB’s Chris Gordon has got plenty of photos of the future Caps stars below.
Adam Oates, clearly thrilled, coaches his first game as the Caps’ bench boss, albeit not a real one.
Today was the opening day of the Capitals Development Camp, and new coach Adam Oates‘s first day on the ice as head coach. The first day featured a scrimmage, some goals, and glandular freak Tom Wilson destroying everyone like Godzilla let loose on Tokyo – and there’re still five days left to go! We assume at the end of the week they will all burst out of their cocoons and fly away as hockey butterflies.
After both sets of prospects had a chance to practice in the morning, all of them came to the ice for the first of five scrimmages that will take place this week.
Team White won the scrimmage today, 3-1, with Greg Miller scoring the red team’s lone goal. The white team’s three tallies were scored by Greg Burke, Travis Boyd, and Andrew Ammon.
RMNB’s Chris Gordon has pictures of all the action below the jump!
Here comes one of the best parts of the offseason. The Caps have announced details for the 2012 Development Camp. All the on-ice stuff is open to the public, and it’s your chance to get to know some future stars before the cold hard world corrupts them. Plus, Mike Ribeiro will be there.
Here’s the schedule. The roster is past the jump. There’s even more on the Caps site.
Monday, July 9
Group A on ice at 9 a.m.;
Group B on ice at 10:45 a.m.;
Scrimmage at 3 p.m.
Tuesday, July 10
Group A on ice at 9 a.m.;
Group B on ice at 10:45 a.m.;
Scrimmage at 2:45 p.m.
Wednesday, July 11
Group A on ice at 8:50 a.m.;
Group B on ice at 10:50 a.m.
Thursday, July 12
Group B on ice at 9:15 a.m.;
Group A on ice at 10:45 a.m.;
Scrimmage at 3 p.m.
Friday, July 13
Scrimmage at 9:45 a.m.
Saturday, July 14
Scrimmage at 10 a.m.
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