A First For Everything

Few players can say they've hoisted the Stanley Cup before enduring the grind of an NHL training camp. But such is the case for Capitals young forward Shane Gersich, who recorded an assist in his third career game last April and saw 10 minutes of action in the second-round series against the Penguins in May.

"I guess it's a little bit different circumstances for me," Gersich said of his unusual path. "Obviously I was fortunate to come in and be a small part of that team, getting to practice with them and play in a few games and do something special. But I don't approach (training camp) any different."
Gersich, 22, played three seasons at North Dakota before officially joining the team that drafted him in the fifth round of 2014. He posted 77 points in 117 collegiate games, then signed with the Capitals on March 23. Just five days later he was thrown on the ice for his first career NHL game. Now, like many young prospects, he's hoping for a similar opportunity in the opener.

"You don't want to get too comfortable," he said. "There's still a lot of work to do. You just want to come in with the mindset of trying to make the team."
While he's aware of the difficult task ahead - the Capitals returned 20 of their 22 players from the Stanley Cup roster - he believes his playoff experience and camaraderie with the veterans will serve him well, whether it's in Washington or Hershey.
"Just being around the group, getting to play in a few games, I think you're more comfortable coming in," Gersich said. "You know the staff, you're more familiar with the guys."

Training camp marks the latest jolt in the roller coaster that's been his early career. But that's life for rookies and young prospects.
While most Capitals are firmly entrenched in their roles, focused on sustaining their championship-motivation and recapturing their chemistry, others are fighting for the chance to contribute to the quest to repeat.
One such player is Brian Pinho. Pinho, who graduated from Providence College, has a similar career trajectory to Gersich's, only without the live-action reps. This is also the first time he's eligible for camp. He played at Providence all four years, amassing 115 points in 156 games, before signing with the Caps on April 4.

Just a few practices in, he too has already noticed the difference in tempo from the college and development levels to the NHL.
"Guys are just able to make plays quicker," Pinho said. He noted the double-edged sword-dynamic of joining the Stanley Cup champions. On one end, the young guys get to learn how to be professionals from the league's best. On the other, there are fewer jobs available.
But focusing on the second part doesn't do you any good, said Spencer Carbery, the new head coach of the AHL Hershey Bears, the Capitals' affiliate. Carbery's been impressed with both players since the rookie tournament and start of training camp, noting their maturity and professionalism coming from a structured collegiate schedule.

He advised that they continue refining their technique during camp, concentrating only on how to become better players and teammates.
"Let the rest of that stuff fall where it may," Carbery said. "Just focus on your game, what you need to do every day to put yourself in a spot where people look at your skill-set, what you do on the ice, and say, 'Wow, we need this guy on our team.'"