SKATE SHAVINGS - News and Notes From Caps' Morning Skate

Down The Road A Piece - The Caps embark upon their first preseason road journey on Saturday when they make a quick hop up to Philadelphia to take on the Flyers. It's the first of three straight road games for the Capitals, who will visit New Jersey on Monday and Boston on Wednesday before facing the Flyers again in Friday in D.C. in their exhibition finale.

The Caps are traveling only a handful of regulars on Saturday, and they'll face a Flyers lineup that looks like what will likely be Philly's opening night group.
Washington's game group for Saturday night in Philly did not conduct a morning skate; they held meetings while the non-game group took to the ice for a Saturday morning practice session at MedStar Capitals Iceplex.
What Is Hip? - Caps center Nicklas Backstrom spoke to the media for the first time since the start of training camp on Saturday afternoon. He says he feels better, but he wouldn't commit or offer any timetable as to when his ongoing rehab of a hip ailment would transition from off-ice to on the ice.
Anyone with a cursory ability to read tea leaves has already deduced that he is highly unlikely to suit up for Washington's Oct. 13 season opener. The most illuminating quotes from the session had nothing to do with his ailment. Backstrom and the Caps have said that the veteran center won't be rushed back into action, and he was asked whether the strong preseason showings of young pivots Connor McMichael and Hendrix Lapierre ease the pressure of hurrying back into the lineup.
"It's great to see," says Backstrom. "I watched a little bit of the preseason games and they both looked great. They're both very mature for their age, how they play, and [they're] very responsible. It's good for us. It's all about depth in this league, and when you have guys like that, they can step up and fill that role."
Backstrom was also asked about being along for the ride with Caps captain Alex Ovechkin as he pursues Wayne Gretzky's all-time career goals standard of 894. Ovechkin is 165 goals away from surpassing The Great One, and he signed a five-year contract extension over the summer.
"I absolutely think it's realistic," says Backstrom of his longtime teammate's chances. "I've said this before; if anyone can do it, it's him. That's the kind of hunger he's got and that's the kind of goal-scorer he is.
"It's awesome for this organization and for the city of Washington to be able to sign him for five more years, seeing him here and hopefully not just to break the record, but more importantly to win another Stanley Cup."
Roster Cuts - Just ahead of the opening of AHL Hershey's 2021 training camp and just before departing for Philadelphia, Washington announced several more roster cuts on Saturday afternoon.
Forwards Kody Clark, Shane Gersich (requires waivers), Kale Kessy, Mason Morelli and Riley Sutter and defensemen Cody Franson, Lucas Johansen (requires waivers), Dylan McIlrath (requires waivers) and Eddie Wittchow along with goaltender Hunter Shepard have been reassigned to AHL Hershey. Additionally, defenseman Bobby Nardella will continue his rehab in Hershey.
Saturday's cuts leave the Caps' camp roster at 37 players (23 forwards, 10 defensemen and four goaltenders).
In The Nets - Ilya Samsonov will start for Washington on Saturday with Pheonix Copley dressing as the back-up. Samsonov is expected to play the entire game for the Caps.
Samsonov got his feet wet in the preseason in Wednesday's loss to New Jersey, yielding two goals on eight shots in the third period of a 5-4 setback. Samsonov is 5-0-0 in career regular season appearances against Philadelphia, with all five of those victories coming last season.
Martin Jones is expected to start in goal and go the distance for the Flyers. After spending the last six seasons in San Jose, Jones signed with the Flyers as a free agent on July 28 and is expected to share the netminding chores with Carter Hart this season.
All Lined Up - Here is how we believe the Capitals and Flyers will line up for Saturday's preseason game in Philadelphia:
WASHINGTON
Forwards
39-Mantha, 92-Kuznetsov, 49-Leason
62-Hagelin, 26-Dowd, 21-Hathaway
73-Sheary, 59-Protas, 40-Pilon
45-Jonsson-Fjallby, 23-Sgarbossa, 91-Snively
Defensemen
6-Kempny, 57- T. van Riemsdyk
46-Geisser, 2-Schultz
42-Fehervary, 3-Jensen
Goaltenders
30-Samsonov
1-Copley
Philadelphia
Forwards
28-Giroux, 14-Couturier, 11-Konecny
25-J. van Riemsdyk, 48-Frost, 86-Farabee
23-Lindblom, 19-Brassard, 89-Atkinson
21-Laughton, 44-Thompson, 62-Aube-Kubel
Defensemen
9-Provorov, 94-Ellis
6-Sanheim, 70-Ristolainen
3-Yandle, 61-Braun
Goaltenders
35-Jones
32-Sandstrom