Dima speaks with Igor after Saturday’s scrimmage (Photo credit: Chris Gordon)

At his third Capitals Development Camp last week, Russian defenseman Dmitry Orlov not only showed off a little bit of his well-known offensive side, but a hard-hitting, physical game as well, laying out a couple massive checks during the week. And though the soon-to-be 20 year-old has begun to adjust his game to the North American style of play, Orlov said getting used to the change in language and cultural will still take some time.

For now, Dima is heading back to his hometown of Novokuznetsk, where his training for next season will resume, before heading back to Washington in September. After the final scrimmage of camp on Saturday, RMNB’s Igor Kleyner was able to talk to Orlov, who dished on his new English teacher, his hopes for next season, and more.

"Boom!" (Photo credit: Chris Gordon)

Igor Kleyner – Now that the Dev. Camp is over, what are your impressions?

Dmitry Orlov – Well, this was my third camp, and I think for me it was the best of them all. I am leaving in a very good mood.

Igor Kleyner – Are you paying attention to what is being said about you in the media and on the internet? You have become quite a center of attention around here.

Dmitry Orlov – Yes. Of course I follow the news, obviously for now just the Russian sites. Of course it’s nice when they write about you. Nevertheless, I realize I have plenty more to learn and a lot of room for growth in order for me to make it here in the NHL.

Igor Kleyner – So the objective for this year is not to go back to Hershey?

Dmitry Orlov – Even if I go back to Hershey, I would really like to try myself in Washington this year and I am going to do everything I can to achieve that.

Igor Kleyner – But, honestly, what would be your personal preference — to stay here, be the team’s seventh defenseman, and probably spend most of the season in the press box, or go back to Hershey to play a lot of minutes every game, possibly on the team’s top defensive pair?

Dmitry Orlov – You know, frankly, I don’t know what is a better option for me. I can’t look into the future and tell you what would be better

Igor Kleyner – And if you are in Hershey, what are your plans for this year’s living arrangements? Are you still going to be roommates with Dima Kugryshev?

Dmitry Orlov – I am not sure. There is still plenty of time to take care of that.

Igor Kleyner – And where are you guys living right now?

Dmitry Orlov – We have been staying in the hotel right here, but we are leaving now. Our flight is at 5 o’clock, so we are leaving at 2:30.

Igor Kleyner – Have you managed to make any new friends among your potential future teammates?

Dmitry Orlov – Well, it’s a bit difficult for me to interact, I have to do it through Stas and Dima, but I do know a few good guys here who are in this camp for the second or third time like me and we have a good relationship.

Igor Kleyner – How is your English improving?

Dmitry Orlov – I am trying… (Smiles)

Igor Kleyner – So what is you favorite approach to studying English?

Dmitry Orlov – My agent gave me Rosetta Stone course, I read and listen to the disks. I also try to listen to what the guys around me say. Of course speaking is still very difficult for me, but I already understand some, even if it’s just a few words here and there. More and more when I listen to the explanations, I catch a few familiar words, and I then understand.

In front of a sparse Monday morning crowd, the Capitals’ rookies took to the ice for their second day of Rookie Camp. The prospects were put through a extended practice that consisted mostly of tedious timing drills. The usual suspects, guys like Cody Eakin and Marcus Johansson, impressed the coaches with their skill while RMNB worship idol, Stanislav Galiev, showed-off his blazing speed. Trevor Bruess also showed improvement throughout the session, darting easily through the timers that were set up to record their speed.

Bruce Boudreau noted that all of the players were in great condition for camp. And it’s true. The boys were moving faster and looking less winded after each and every drill. However, the session ended with the dreaded set of Herbies, which we can only describe as the worst suicides on earth. The sprints included skating back and forth repeatedly across varying widths of the ice, full throttle. By the end, all of the players were doubled over, struggling for air.

During the drills, I did manage to notice that Galiev and Dmitry Kugryshev spent most of practice standing together, speaking in their native Russian. Sadly, they were separated for most of the session from their fellow countryman, Nikita Kashirsky whose group spent more time training off-ice today.

Not long after the rookies left, the veterans made their way out of the locker room. There were many new members joining the skate today like Brooks Laich, Michal Neuvirth, John Carlson, and Andrew Gordon. They put together their own makeshift practice, including a very informal scrimmage of white versus black. There were a lot of smiling faces as the guys returned to work. It was nice reminder that we’re less than a month away from Opening Night!

Make sure to check out all the photos from the day of hockey below. Photos of the Caps veterans are on the very bottom.

Pictures From Day 2 of Rookie Camp

Photos from the Caps Informal Practice

Here's Nikita as a sophomore when he played for the Norwich Cadets.

Photo by David Albers of naplenews.com

Here at RMNB, we love to  write a lot about Alex Ovechkin, Semyon Varlamov, Alex Semin, Dmitri Orlov, Evgeny Kuznetsov, Stanislav Galiev, and Dmitri Kugryshev (did I forget anyone?), but we’ve overlooked the 8th (and the least-known) Russian in the Caps  system, Nikita Kashirsky. Now that he has been officially invited to rookie camp to form another awesome trio of Russians, we’ll fix that immediately.

Kashirsky, 24, is a Muscovite (just like me Ovi). As a kid, he started playing hockey at Dynamo and was a left winger. In the past, when Ovechkin was asked about who his favorite line-mates were at the Dynamo school, Kashirsky’s was one of the first names he always mentioned.  

“We grew up together,” Kashirsky said of his relationship with The Great 8 in an interview with Corey Masisak last year. “We played in Dynamo since we were 8 years old. We’ve been friends since then, I guess. We became really good friends around the age of 14 or 15. Since then we’ve always been really close. We come to each other’s house, spend the weekends and stuff. We’ve been like brothers since that time.”

At age 17, Nikita packed his bags and moved to DC, where he played for the the AJHL’s Washington Junior Nationals while attending Georgetown Prep. After 2 years of that, he attended Norwich University (during Ovi’s rookie season) where he passed up opportunities to go pro so that he could get his degree. Once he graduated college, Kashirsky came back to try out for the Capitals.

Even though he had pro tryout contracts with the Springfield Falcons (an Oilers farm club) and the Manitoba Moose (Canucks), he stayed as a sweet part of the ECHL pie [Ed. note -  File this sentence under "Fedor-isms we don't understand"]. And finally, during this year’s Calder Cup finals, Tim Leone of The Patriot-News reported that the Bears and Kashirsky agreed on a two-way AHL/ECHL deal.

From what I’ve read, Kashirsky’s well-educated and a very Americanized guy (maybe he could rub off on Semin).  Alesandro Seren Rosso of RussianProspect.com also writes of Nikita:

[He] is a player which is more famous because of his close friendship with Caps’ superstar Alexander Ovechkin than for his actual hockey career. He was an All-Star…in the ECHL. But that doesn’t mean that he doesn’t have the potential. Kashirsky has good hands and showed in the past that he can score spectacular goals. On the other hand, though, his skating isn’t on par with the NHL level.

As he skated in one Caps development camp without being signed to an NHL contract, one could assume that the doors for the pro competition are closed for him. But it’s not like that, I think. We’ve seen many players with less talent getting regular spots in the NHL. Kashirsky needs to further work over his game to achieve his dream of playing with his friend Alex.

After a disappointing 2009-10 campaign, where he finished with 16 games and only three points with the Manitoba Moose of the AHL, Nikita will have another chance to showcase his talent in the NHL’s farm league, this time with the Hershey Bears. One of this season’s tasks will be for him to help rookie Dmitry Kugryshev in dealing with the new environment, giving him some hand from a country mate.

But this means also that the Caps will have a full year to scout him. It will be a key season for Kashirsky and he might earn a spot in the NHL if he shows his full potential night in, night out, and not only in a game or two. Consistency will be the key.

But it’s hard not to love this guy. First, we love his enthusiasm as he congratulates his Stingray teammates after a 4-0 victory over the Charlotte Checkers. On this night, he had a hat trick.

Sure, Nikita’s skating ability might need some work, but he sure looks fast here:

At least his stick-handling’s sick. Doesn’t it remind you of a certain someone?

Plus this guy really knows how to dress for Christmas:

Finally, we have the ultimate proof of his famous childhood friendship!  Here’s Nikita and a star-spangled Alex Ovechkin.

OMG. So. Precious.

If you’d like to read more on Kashirsky, check out: NHL.com article (December 2009) | Washington Times article (July 2009) | HFBoards thread