The Capitals free agent invite packed a punch at development camp and wants to represent the deaf community as he continues his career.
Oasiz Wiesblatt wasn't at Washington Capitals development camp to make friends. He was there to make an impression.
That was evident in the 3-on-3 tournament to close out camp, as he went in for a big hit and got into a slashing match with no other than top prospect Ryan Leonard.
It's nothing personal for the 20-year-old, who hopes this camp can be the start of a budding relationship with the organization, who expressed some interest in his skillset.
"It sounds like they liked me quite a bit, but anyone can say that and eople can say they like you... just got to make sure that I'm working hard and doing what I can to prove that I can be here," Wiesblatt said.
What makes Washington so special for Wiesblatt is the team culture and camaraderie, along with the high standards and wave of youth coming in.
"It's awesome. These guys want to win and I know that they got a really rich history... I think it would just be really cool to play in Washington," Wiesblatt said. "I know they're a great organization, they've treated me with the utmost respect. First-class organization. I'd love to play here, but who knows?"
Not only that, but it holds sentimental value, too; Wiesblatt was born to deaf parents, and wants to represent that community as he continues his career. He's fluent in American Sign Language.
"I know they have a pretty big deaf community down here, that's something pretty important to me," he said, adding, "My mom went to school here when she was younger, the deaf community is huge to me... I wouldn't be here or be the person who I am today without (my family)."
And it was family that shaped who Wiesblatt is.
The Calgary native was born hearing to deaf parents, Kim White and Art Wiesblatt. He has a younger sister, Oceania, and is the youngest of three brothers: Ocean, Orca and San Jose Sharks prospect, Ozzy.
"I always kind of grew up wrestling (my brothers) and always getting beat up," he laughed, speculating that's where his rough-and-tumble playing style came from.
Wiesblatt was a big part of the deaf and Jewish communities in Canada, even going to summer camp with Capitals prospect Andrew Cristall. All of the boys were interested in hockey, but the family would go through challenges to keep playing, as Wiesblatt's parents divorced, leaving Kim as a single mother to five.
"She's a superhero to me and she's done everything in her power to put me in hockey and the things she's done for me, she's done everything for me," Wiesblatt said. "Every rep, every workout and whatever I do, I do it for her and do it for my family. I just want our family to be successful."
As his mother persevered through adversity to keep the boys in hockey and provide for her family, Wiesblatt and his brothers rose through the ranks. Ozzy was taken in the first round of the 2020 NHL Draft by the San Jose Sharks, while Oasiz thrived with the WHL's Medicine Hat Tigers.
"My brother kind of put the steps in front of me to kind of follow in. That's his career, and I got my own," Wiesblatt said of Ozzy. "He sets a good example for me."
Still, Wiesblatt wanted to make his own mark and set himself apart. So, when he took the ice in the WHL, he decided to pack quite the punch.
He's been a force to be reckoned with, going hard in puck battles, throwing his weight around and dropping the gloves often. After his third year with Medicine Hat, Wiesblatt's production rocketed, as he went from 29 points to 60 while racking up 115 penalty minutes in 2022-23.
Though he's listed at just 5-foot-7, Wiesblatt plays well beyond his size.
"(I have) the compete and the drive that I have to beat someone. I don't really care," Wiesblatt said about going up against bigger opponents. "I think about going through them."
This past season, he gave everything he had and finished with 26 goals and 65 assists for 91 points, along with 95 penalty minutes, in 63 games.
"I think my vision and my playmaking abilities and just the way I play (are big parts of my game), I just feel like a confident player who can do what he wants and I can also play physical," Wiesblatt said of his game. "I love playing physical. I love getting in scraps, love getting in corners, love playing in front of the net. I like taking cross-checks. So I'll take anything, do anything to score a goal, really. I don't know. I try to do everything."
Now, the goal is to bring that hard-working mentality and chippiness to the Capitals organization.
"I can hit, fight, play on the PK, play on the power play, get points... I know I'm a smaller guy, so I know I got to do a lot of different things," Wiesblatt said. "Not scared to fight at all, so I say that's something pretty high in my repertoire, my bag of tricks.
"These guys kind of respect their players and they like to develop their players," he added of D.C. "I just want to be developed and want to be coached by good coaches and want to be around a good team."
The next step is getting an invite to main camp, and then going from there.
While he knows there are still ways to go toward making the NHL, and while he doesn't know what the future necessarily holds, he's ready to put in the work, no matter what level he ends up at.
"If they say go to the AHL, then I go to the AHL. Or if I go back to the WHL, then we're going to win a championship," Wiesblatt said. "It's a pretty exciting year coming up... just kind of focus, week by week, day by day, just work hard and keep my head up and head down. Just focus and just keep winning.
"Every rep, you gotta go 100 percent in every workout, every rep, every time you're doing something with Wendy (Marco) or whatever you do, I think you just got to go 100 percent and if you fail, then you fail at that 100 percent. And you just keep going and just keep improving like that," he added.
