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.

In the third period of Saturday’s scrimmage, Forsberg and his teammates found themselves pinned in their own zone clutching a one-goal lead. After Team Red’s Matt Bailey failed to rifle a shot from the circles home, Forsberg dropped down to the slot and used a perfectly timed stick-check to deny T.J. Syner a rebound on a yawning net.

As the puck then found its way to the side boards, Forsberg hustled over to try and dig the puck free. He didn’t hesitate to push and shove with some of his opponents, even barking encouragement at his North American teammates — though not in any language they could understand.

“Jobba,” Forsberg aggressively yells at the 13 second mark. “Hårt där! Hårt där!… Bra!” Friend-of-the-blog Jacob Ware tells us that translates to the following in English: “Work! Hard! Hard!… Good!”

When I asked Forsberg after the scrimmage how he developed such advanced defensive skills for his age, he credited his Allsvenskan league team, Leksands Idrottsförening.

“I play with men over there,” the 17-year-old Forsberg explained. “Their standards are a bit higher than playing with the juniors. If I want to fit in, I have to learn these things.”

Filip continued,”We work a lot on [defense] back home in Sweden, and also on the national team we work a lot on it. If you can’t defend, you can’t win games. You have to be good in both.”

Which is why with a minute left in the scrimmage, Adam Oates, the coach of Team White, sent Forsberg out to close out the game.

In a sequence of about 30 seconds, Forsberg deflects a shot from the point, dives and nearly blocks another, and then blocks a third with his skates.

Despite his hustle, Team Red’s Syner scored on a broken play in front of the net and sent the game to overtime.

Forsberg may have an edge over some prospects who have not had a chance to play with older teammates, but he remains cognizant that he has plenty to work on before he makes the transition to the NHL.

“I have to get stronger and more heavy, better prepared physically, because it’s tough over there but it’s a couple steps even tougher in the NHL,” Forsberg said. “First of all, I need to work on my strength on my body. There are big guys, and also a little smaller rink here. It’s something you have to get used to because this is how it’s going to be in the NHL.”

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.

Photos from Fanfest

Adam Oates addresses the crowd.

P.A. man Wes Johnson unleashes the fury.

Garrett Haar walks out of the locker room.

Sergei Kostenko warms up.

Ribeiro signs for a fan.

Caps great Ron Langway signs autographs.

Puck drop.

Galiev fires off a shot.

Filip Forsberg (right) fights for the puck.

Patrick Wey delivers a crushing check.

Red celebrates Galiev’s goal.

Red celebrates another goal, this time from Riley Barber.

O’Donoghue scores White’s first goal.

Caps GM George McPhee speaks to reporters during the first intermission.

Ribeiro talks to the media.

A t-shirt toss from the Red Rockers at Kettler.

Radio play-by-play man John Walton calls the game for a live video stream on the team’s website.

Red celebrates Syner’s late goal.

Miller wins it.

Tom Wilson and Galiev embrace.

Max Iafrate (right) after the win.

Haar smiles after the victory.

Coach Adam Oates laughs after calling Ribeiro a “rapper.”

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.

Photos

Russian goalie Sergei Kostenko walks out of the locker before the scrimmage.

Goalie prospect Brandon Anderson.

Bears coach Mark French behind the bench.

Adam McKenzie of the Air Force Academy.

Tom Wilson (red) fights for the puck.

Wilson waits for a faceoff.

Wilson battles for the puck.

Filip Forsberg congratulates his teammates on a goal.

Adam Oates walks to the locker room.

Wilson makes his way down the hall.

Connor Carrick celebrates a goal.

Wilson jaws with the other team.

Stan Galiev (red) knocks over the net.

Wilson has a laugh.

Max Iafrate congratulates Kostenko on the victory.

Garrett Haar laughs after the win.

As does Galiev.

Forsberg signs an autograph for a young fan.

Scouting director Ross Mahoney talks to reporters.

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.

Photos

Filip Forsberg looking moody before puck drop.

Aussie free agent invitee Nathan Walker reaches for the puck.

Tom Wilson (red) plays defense.

The red team celebrates a goal.

Stan Galiev (red) in a fight for the puck.

Forsberg (white) gets tangled up near the boards.

I think Adam Oates wants to kill me.

Max Iafrate gets stuck on the opposing team’s bench after a check.

Kostenko receives congratulations after the first period.

Galiev races up the ice.

Free agent invitee Greg Miller scores a rather unorthodox goal.

Patrick Wey celebrates another Red goal.

Forsberg sliding butt-first into Sergei Kostenko after getting taken down on a semi-breakaway.

Kostenko makes the save on Forsberg in the ensuing penalty shot.

Another Red goal. Another Patrick Wey celebration.

Wilson scores on yet another penalty shot.

Forsberg reacts to a faceoff.

Red goal. Noticing a trend here?

Wilson (red) battles for the puck.

Wilson takes the puck up the ice.

Oates looks on.

Forsberg watches the action from the bench.

Galiev laughs while taking to reporters.

Oates speaks to the media.

Goalie coach Dave Prior answering questions from the media.

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 of the Fight

Tom Wilson jaws with a member of the white team.

As does Iafrate.

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.

“When we were in the middle of the playoffs I made a note after the games: remember these games when you’re at the draft,” McPhee told reporters in Pittsburgh after the pick. “Remember how intense they are, how physical they are, how demanding they are, and make sure you get someone who wants to play in that kind of stuff.”

At just 18-years-old Wilson still has more room to grow — as a player and perhaps in size — but so far he has impressed during Development Camp with his dominating physical presence, especially when matched up against fellow teenagers.

“The first thing I’ve noticed is that the compete level is really high which is great,” Wilson said of his experience so far in an interview at Kettler Capitals Iceplex Tuesday. “All the guys are competing for spots which is really good to see.”

He continued: “I think I just want to play my game and make a few hits and make things happen out there. I’m still learning trying to take as much from [new coach Adam] Oates as possible and implement that into my game. Just go out there, play my game, try and make things physical and see what happens.”

Though his ability to manhandle opposing players is the most important part of his game now — and probably the key to an NHL career — Wilson wasn’t always able to the play that way. In fact, he says his growth spurt is “fairly recent” and “was tough to adjust” to as he made the transition up to midget hockey.

Now that he does have the size, Wilson is often compared to Milan Lucic, a hulking forward for the Bruins who has notched over 60 points and 25 goals the last two seasons. It isn’t just other people who put him in Lucic’s mold. Wilson himself says the Boston winger is “definitely” the main player he’s patterned his game after.

The Lucic correlation, however, may be a bit of a stretch at the moment. While they both have massive frames (though Lucic has an inch and 20 pounds on Wilson), Lucic is also able to put up big offensive numbers consistently, something Wilson just hasn’t done yet as a single-digit goal scorer in junior hockey. But the upside is there. Though he scored just nine goals as bottom-six forward for the OHL’s Plymouth Whalers in the regular season, Wilson showed a huge increase in production when he was bumped up to a top spot in the playoffs after Plymouth suffered injuries to its forward corps. In 13 postseason games, he tallied 13 points including seven goals.

Wilson laughs as he exists the locker room.

“A couple guys went down who have great shots and that allowed me to get a little bit more playing time, a little bit more power play time,” said Wilson. “Had a few goals, got the confidence, kept it rolling, and just had a good playoff.”

In addition to his physical play during the action, Wilson is also know for his willingness to drop the gloves. As for a former high school rugby player, he is no weakling, though he did decide to stick to hockey because rugby is “a pretty gruesome sport.” In his two years playing junior hockey, he racked up almost 20 fights and TSN analyst Bob McKenzie called him one of the best fighters in this year’s draft class. Wilson insists, however, that he isn’t simply a goon who fights for show.

“I try and pick the right spots in a game to fight,” Wilson said. “If somebody gets cheap-shotted or if one of my teammates goes down, then I’ll step up. Or sometimes guys have problems with the way I play so I have to defend myself. I don’t really go out there and look for it that often.”

Time will tell if Tom Wilson makes in the NHL, whether as a dynamic top-six forward or gritty third- or fourth-liner. For now, he’s just a 18-year-old kid playing the sport he loves with a chance to live his dream.

“After I got drafted to the O[HL] pretty high, it sort of set in that maybe I could make this a career and run with it,” Wilson said.

“I’ve been pretty lucky,” he added.

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.

Photos of Day Two’s Scrimmage

Tom Wilson disses out a hit.

Stan Galiev waits for a faceoff.

New top pick Filip Forsberg battles for the puck.

Forsberg goes for a ride.

Bears coach Mark French delivers some instruction.

Wilson with the puck.

Larry Courville, the head coach of new the Caps’s new ECHL affiliate, the Reading Royals.

Goalie prospect Steffen Soberg.

Garrett Haar speaks to the media.

Forsberg watches from the bench.

2012 draft pick Chandler Stephenson (white) fights for the puck.

Wilson carries the puck out of the defensive zone.

And plays some defense.

Caps GM George McPhee watches the action.

Wilson leaves the locker room.

Oates barking some orders.

Galiev watches the action from the bench.

Wilson has a laugh on the bench.

Thomas Di Pauli waits for a faceoff.

Chandler Stephenson looks on.

Olie Kolzig talks after the sessions.

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.

Photos

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!

Photos From Day 1′s Scrimmage

Free agent invitee Brent Tate prepares for the drop of the puck.

2012 third-round pick Chandler Stephenson goes for a ride.

Red gets on the board.

Stan Galiev celebrates the goal.

Andrew Ammon, a free agent invitee, tallies for the white team from what we expect is not the most comfortable position.

The white team celebrates another goal.

Norwegian goalie prospect and 2011 fourth-round pick Steffen Soberg after the victory.

Stephenson congratulates Soberg.

Hershey Bear Cameron Schilling speaks to the media.

Galiev talks to the press.

Adam Oates holds court for the first time at Kettler.

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.

2012 Capitals Development Camp Roster

Chandler Stephenson LW
5’11”, 190 lbs.,  4/22/94 Regina (WHL)

Riley Barber RW
5’11”, 194 lbs., 2/7/94 USNDTP (USHL)

Jaynen Rissling D
6’4”, 223 lbs., 9/21/93, Calgary (WHL)

Garrett Haar D
5’11”, 190 lbs.,  8/16/93, W. Michigan University (NCAA)

Filip Forsberg C
6’1”, 188 lbs.,  8/13/94, Leksand (SWE-2)

Steffen Soberg G
5’11”, 187 lbs., 8/6/93, Manglerud (Norway)

Tom Wilson RW
6’3”, 205 lbs., 3/29/94, Plymouth (OHL)

Cameron Schilling D
6’2”, 182 lbs., 10/7/88, Miami Univ. (NCAA)/Hershey (AHL)

Stanislav Galiev RW
6’1”, 186 lbs., 1/17/92, Saint John (QMJHL)

Patrick Koudys D
6’2”, 198 lbs., 11/15/92, RPI (NCAA)

Travis Boyd C/RW
5’10”, 185 lbs., 9/14/93, Univ. of Minnesota (NCAA)

Greg Burke LW
6’3”, 205 lbs., 5/1/90, New Hampshire (NCAA)

Patrick Wey D
6’2”, 205 lbs., 3/21/91, Boston College (NCAA)

Connor Carrick D
5’11”, 187 lbs., 4/13/94, USNDTP (USHL)

Christian Djoos D
5’11”, 158 lbs., 8/6/94, Brynas Jr. (SWE-Jr.)

Thomas Di Pauli LW
5’11”, 188 lbs., 4/29/94, USNDTP (USHL)

Caleb Herbert C
5’10″, 185 lbs., 10/12/91, Univ. of Minnesota-Duluth (NCAA)

Brandon Anderson G
5’11”, 170 lbs., 7/13/92, Brandon (WHL)

David Civitarese C/RW
6’2”, 204 lbs., 6/25/89, Colorado Col. (NCAA)/Hershey (AHL)

T.J. Syner C/LW
5’9”, 173 lbs., 10/13/88, U. of Mass. (NCAA)/Hershey (AHL)

Taylor Stefishen LW
6’0”, 185 lbs., 8/15/90, University of Calgary (CIS)

Barry Almeida LW
5’8”, 183 lbs., 11/20/88, Boston Col. (NCAA)/Hershey (AHL)

Any thoughts? Personally, I’m excited to see Wilson in action and check out how Galiev is progressing.