Sammi’s Daily: Capitals Rookie Camp, McMichael & Eller, New Goalie Gear

ARLINGTON, V.A. — The Washington Capitals are returning to the ice on Friday for formal work with the start of rookie camp. Top prospects will be taking part in the camp, while also gearing up for training camp starting in six days.

Meanwhile, as informal skates continue, Washington is seeing several familiar faces return and stand out, and the Capitals goaltenders have also gotten to debut their new gear.

Across the NHL, teams are also hosting their own camps and seeing their rookies take part in tournaments while also finishing up free agency.

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

Washington Capitals

• Connor McMichael stands out, Martin Fehervary returns to D.C. and everything else to know from the latest Washington informal skate. (WHN)
• Charlie Lindgren, meanwhile, revealed his 2022-23 gear setup and debuted his new Capitals pads. (WHN)
• Speaking of Washington goalies, Darcy Kuemper wasn’t on the ice for Thursday’s skate but was in Vegas for the NHL Player Media Tour. (WHN)
• New data showed the true impact of the Capitals injuries, as players combined for over 1,000 days missed due to injury in 2021. (WHN)

NHL

• Has Ron Hextall made all the right decisions for the Penguins? Well… maybe, maybe not. Pittsburgh Penguins (PHN)
• Here’s how Juraj Slafkovsky and more did in the Canadiens’ first rookie showcase game against the Sabres. Montreal Canadiens (MHN)
• Mackenzie Weegar didn’t hold back while discussing the Panthers and Flames and says that his new club in Calgary is way better than Florida. Calgary Flames (CHN)
• Mat Barzal is ready to sign an extension with the Islanders, but there’s a hold-up. What is it? New York Islanders (NYIHN)

Sammi’s Top Shelf Takes

• Anthony Mantha turns 28 today. He will be an integral piece of the puzzle this year, and Washington will need him to put up top-6 numbers.
• Lars Eller has looked impressive in these informal skates. He’s positioning himself well, showcasing his skating and speed and working hard around the net. It’ll be a critical contract season for him, so expect big things from him as he looks to maintain his spot in the lineup s well.
• Per The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun, Zdeno Chara hasn’t made a decision regarding his next move yet.
• One rookie to watch at camp: Bear Hughes. He’s still looking for an ELC and entering an AHL deal with the Hershey Bears. Could be a steal one day.