Sammi’s Daily: Ovechkin Talks Russia, Hagelin Update, Capitals & NHL News

The Washington Capitals are officially less than a month away from the start of training camp, as the team announced that on-ice sessions will kick off on Sept. 22. All the while, some players are already back in town for informal skates.

Across the rest of the league, teams are putting the final touches on their offseasons. That includes signing stars and addressing depth needs. At the same time, some players and stars are still looking for their next landing spot.

Here are all the latest news and notes from D.C. and across the NHL:

Washington Capitals Links

• Washington officially begins its return to the ice in mid-September, as the team announced dates for rookie camp and Capitals training camp. (WHN)
• Carl Hagelin is making progress at Washington’s informal skates, Dmitry Orlov returned from Russia more updates from Washington’s informal skates. (WHN)
• Alex Ovechkin responded to the possibility of Russia being excluded from the 2024 World Cup of Hockey. (WHN)
• Speaking of the Capitals captain, we got his first look at him in NHL 23, and it’s giving us nostalgia. (WHN)

NHL Links

• With Robin Lehner out for the entire 2022-23 campaign, the Golden Knights desperately had to solve their goaltending problem — and they believe they found their guy in Adin Hill. Vegas Golden Knights (VHN)
• Connor McDavid and Connor Bedard put on a show as the generational talents took the ice together at BioSteel NHL CAMP. (WHN)
• The Islanders didn’t get their hands on a big star this offseason, so who will get time with Mat Barzal? New York Islanders (NYIHN)
• P.K. Subban, Evan Rodrigues and more big names are still on the market — could San Jose be their next destination? San Jose Sharks (SJHN)

Sammi’s Top Shelf Takes

• The NHL 23 gameplay trailer is officially out, and it looks like the game has a few exciting upgrades to look out for, including last-chance puck movement, improved speed for the league’s top skaters, better AI and more. Check it out here.
• It’s great to see Hagelin out on the ice and working his way toward a comeback. And, if he does come back, it’ll mean a more intense battle for that opportunity to stay in the lineup between the likes of Marcus Johansson, Connor McMichael and Lars Eller following a busy offseason and some big upgrades.
• Speaking of injuries, Alex Alexeyev is also out there skating in a non-contact jersey. He underwent shoulder surgery in June and isn’t likely to be ready for the start of camp (his 4-5 month timeline lays out an expected October return), but don’t count him out for some NHL minutes this season.
• Happy 36th birthday to former Capitals netminder Justin Peters. He played just 12 games with the club in 2014-15, going 3-6-1 with a .881 save percentage and 3.25 GAA.