"Cap" For a Day: Capitals Host Media Fantasy Camp

Nearly 50 local media personalities across television, web, print, and radio recently strutted through MedStar Capitals Iceplex for a purpose dissimilar from their typical day job. They traded in their recording devices, notepads, and microphones for a pair of hockey skates and sticks for a unique opportunity.

For the first time since 2019, the Washington Capitals hosted a "Media Fantasy Camp," which gave their media members the chance to try a different profession for a day: Caps ice hockey player.

As each media member entered a locker room, their stall waited for them. A nameplate with the person's last name was hung up along with a pair of skates and a helmet, looking similar to how it is presented in the actual Capitals locker room.

The players made their way from their temporary locker rooms and into the Caps room where they had a series of off-ice sessions waiting for them.

New Capitals coach Spencer Carbery kicked off the afternoon by giving the media a motivating and welcoming pre-game speech.

"I want everybody to have a blast and to take advantage of all the information and the coaches," said Carbery to the media. "This is your day to be a 'Cap,' and it will be a great day out on the ice."

Carbery also noted the importance of all the people sitting in front of him. Even with him new to the organization, the media's work around the team never goes unnoticed.

"What that means to a franchise, what that means to the community," said Carbery. "What that means to our entire team, coaches, players, management. So, all your coverage, like I said, it is critical to the success of a sports franchise."

Following Carbery, Capitals Assistant General Manager & Director of Legal Affairs Don Fishman, as well as Assistant Video Coach Brett Leonhardt, held two separate presentations.

Fishman went through the ins and outs of the salary cap and discussed the complexity of negotiating contracts for restricted and unrestricted free agents.

Leonhardt provided insight into how the coaching staff utilizes video throughout a game and provided some clips used from the past season to analyze offensive zone faceoffs.

When both were finished, they left the room open for questions. These were journalists and the media they were talking to, so not one question went without hesitation and in rapid fashion.

When those sessions concluded, it was straight to the facility gym for a quick warm-up with Caps Strength & Conditioning Coach Zack Leddon.

As cones were set up, media members began their circuit training. One by one, each member jogged, jumped, and hurdled through each cone, greeted by clapping and passionate enthusiasm.

The media members share a common trait with a hockey team: they are a unit through their profession and fully have support from one another.

Legs and arms were warmed, and it was time to get on the ice, quite possibly the largest test of the day.

Not one smile left a media member's face as they entered through the rink doors to enter the ice surface. Staring directly across from them is their typical media room, only this time, it was entirely empty.

The ice was split into three sections focusing on three areas: shooting, skating, and stickhandling.

The media were joined by Monumental Sports Network Analyst, Capitals alum, and team red coach Craig Laughlin, Capitals alum, radio personality, and team white coach Ken Sabourin, Capitals defenseman Alexander Alexeyev, forward Joe Snively, and forward Alex Limoges.

Once everybody got used to being on skates again or for the first time, the competitive juices were ignited. The media were set to scrimmage. Red team vs. white team -- a 30-minute game. May the best media team win.

As the puck dropped, "Intern John," radio host for Hot 99.5 got the jams going early for team red.

As the game dragged along, more bodies tumbled to the ice than goals scored in the first couple of periods.

One of the stars of the game was Sammi Silber from The Hockey News, as she attempted team white's comeback with a two-goal performance.

Team red's bench needed a kick-start and what better than coach Laughlin screaming in your ear.

"Gotta wake up the bench here," Laughlin exclaimed, hoping for some much-needed energy.

The wakeup call worked as team red was victorious over team white, 5-3. Team red got a multi-goal game from Tarik El-Bashir from The Athletic.

"I think we just have to go over some video," said Silber. "I think the boys really pulled together in this one and we turn the page and go forward."

Even in a win, players will always wish they could have played better.

"I was a minus-three," said Brandon Alter of Capitals Outsider. "Coach stuck me on the bench. I told him, 'Hey, coach, I'm not helping the cause you got to keep me to the bench, and he did.'"

Following the scrimmage, the two teams lined up for a traditional post-game handshake to conclude Caps Media Fantasy Camp.