The Washington Capitals were out of breath after an intense workout at MedStar Capitals Iceplex on Monday, as Alex Ovechkin, Tom Wilson, Pierre-Luc Dubois and more familiar faces took the ice for an informal practice that speaks volumes ahead of training camp.
The skate provided a first glimpse at Ovechkin and Dubois on a line together, as the two were on the same team for an intrasquad scrimmage. The two were working well together as Dubois continued to impress with his stickhandling and playmaking ability. His skating is also strong, and the two set each other up for some quality chances during the session.
Ovechkin, meanwhile, continues to get back into the swing of things. His shot is as strong as ever, and he was also making strong plays and getting involved on the defensive side of the game. His skating remains a constant as it's been in recent years, as he relies more on power than speed.
When it comes to skating and conditioning, though, the two players that stood out were Jakob Chychrun and Wilson, who is back in town after training up in Canada.
Chychrun has been showcasing his upper and lower-body strength on his social media, but on the ice, it takes center stage as he impresses with his speed, stamina and finesse.
Wilson has also picked up the pace, and he was leading his pack during skate tests to close out the session.
In other team news, Ethan Bear also returned to skate with the team for the first time since clearing the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program earlier this offseason. He was in high spirits and appears to be in good shape and ready for training camp, though it'll take time to get back into the full swing of playing.
Training camp officially opens on Sept. 19.
