In August 2023, it was announced that Washington Capitals defenseman prospect Cam Allen would miss significant time after needing to undergo shoulder surgery. It was a long road to recovery, but the 19-year-old blueliner was at Capitals rookie camp this week. He is back to where he was before the injury, and he addressed when he felt more like himself again on Monday. Allen said, “As the recovery goes on, once you hit that mark where you can play, you’re kind of at the highest risk of reinjuring it…I felt great, but it was more as the months went on and the percentage of it happening again goes down, talking to the doctors, giving me some self-confidence and reassurance that it’s all good…I feel 100%.”
Allen stated that he is going to try and make the Capitals. If he does not this time around, he is not eligible to go to the AHL with the Hershey Bears. He would be returned to the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) to suit up for the Guelph Storm.
Cam Allen’s Time in the OHL and His Rookie Camp Experience
Cam Allen started his junior hockey journey with the Storm in 2021-22. In 65 games, the Capitals prospect scored 13 goals and registered 24 assists for 37 points. He followed that campaign with a 2022-23 season of 25 points in 62 games (five goals and 20 assists). Most recently, due to his shoulder recovery, Allen was only able to play in 25 games. In that span, he netted two goals and provided seven assists for nine points. In the playoffs, Allen has accrued two assists in 15 games for Guelph.
The Capitals drafted Allen in the fifth round (136th overall) in the 2023 NHL Draft. Due to his shoulder surgery last year, this is the first opportunity he could attend Capitals rookie camp. It has been a good experience for him.
“It’s been awesome,” Allen said, “…a lot of good battles. Not having a rookie tournament, I think there’s pros and cons to it, but I’m going to get to battle against these guys every day. It’s a respectable setting as well. They’re all good guys, but everyone’s going hard. Everyone’s trying to make the team and move on. So yeah, I love the competitive nature of it all.”
Capitals Training Camp Starts This Week
Now that Washington Capitals rookie camp is finished, next up is the organization’s training camp. Media Day for training camp takes place on Thursday, September 19 at MedStar Capitals Iceplex in Arlington, Virginia. Once training camp begins, the countdown continues for Washington’s first preseason game. They take on the Philadelphia Flyers at Capital One Arena on Sunday, September 22 at 3:00 P.M. The team will play six preseason games, with their finale on October 5 at home versus the Boston Bruins. The other remaining home preseason matchup is Friday, September 27 against the Columbus Blue Jackets at 7:00 P.M.
Once preseason is done, the regular season kicks off with the home opener on Saturday, October 12 against the New Jersey Devils. Hockey is almost fully back. A special 2024-25 campaign is on the horizon.
