The position-by-position training camp previews continue with assistant coach Todd Reirden’s defensemen, a group that returns all seven of its regulars from last season but is expected to look a little different with Dmitry Orlov poised to get a new partner and crack the top four. Washington’s training camp opens Friday.
RETURNING PLAYERS (8)
Karl Alzner, John Carlson, Taylor Chorney, Aaron Ness, Matt Niskanen, Dmitry Orlov, Brooks Orpik, Nate Schmidt.
OFFSEASON NHL ADDITIONS (1)
Darren Dietz (Montreal Canadiens/St. John’s IceCaps).
OFFSEASON NHL DEPARTURES (2)
Ryan Stanton (Colorado Avalanche, free agent), Mike Weber (St. Louis Blues, free agent).
ROOKIE TOURNAMENT PARTICIPANTS (8)
Madison Bowey, Christian Djoos, Connor Hobbs, Lucas Johansen, Tyler Lewington, Jonas Siegenthaler, Colby Williams, Dmitriy Zaitsev.
REMAINING INVITEES (2)
Hubert Labrie, Joey Leach.
STORYLINES
A new top four: As the Capitals were waiting for Orlov to re-sign, which finally happened on Wednesday, coaches and management spoke of him playing in an elevated role this season. After he spent the majority of last season on the third pairing, Orlov is expected to play in the top-four, potentially paired with either Carlson or Niskanen. If Orlov’s new partner is Niskanen, that could mean Carlson is reunited with Alzner, a longtime pairing before Barry Trotz’s tenure started two seasons ago and the duo was split. Orlov’s expected promotion in the lineup likely also means veteran Orpik will be playing less, possibly on a third pair with either Schmidt or Chorney.
Staying healthy: Washington’s blue line was riddled with injuries last season, as Carlson and Orpik, the top pairing going into the year, missed a combined 67 games. Alzner had sports hernia surgery this offseason and partially tore his groin in the Capitals’ final game of the playoffs, but he said earlier this summer that he expected to be fully healthy for the start of training camp. He was the only Capitals player who needed offseason surgery. After Carlson broke his ankle during the season, he shined in the postseason with five goals and seven assists, and he said in August that he doesn’t anticipate any lingering issues with the injury this year.
Surging prospects: Before the start of last season, the organization had a plan for its young defensemen, that they’d spend the entire season in the American Hockey League. Now that Bowey, Lewington and Djoos have a season with the Hershey Bears under their belt, expect them to be competing for call-ups when injuries hit. Bowey is considered to be the closest to NHL ready, projected to have a legitimate shot at making Washington’s roster in 2017-18. Siegenthaler, a second-round pick by the Capitals in 2014, will be playing his first season of North American hockey with the Bears this year.
