Pheonix Copley, G: The 26-year-old will back up Holtby, at least to begin the season, after going 15-17-6 with a 2.91 GAA, .896 save percentage and two shutouts last season with Hershey in the AHL. Copley played two NHL games (one start) for the St. Louis Blues, going 0-1-0 with a 4.32 GAA and .829 save percentage. … Ilya Samsonov, G:The Capitals' plan for Samsonov, who was selected with the No. 22 pick in the 2015 NHL Draft, is to begin the season with Hershey after playing for Magnitogorsk in the Kontinental Hockey League the past three seasons. The 21-year-old was 12-9-1 with a 2.31 GAA, .926 save percentage and three shutouts last season. … Shane Gersich, F: Selected in the fifth round (No. 134) of the 2014 NHL Draft, the 22-year-old had one assist in three regular-season games and played in two Stanley Cup Playoff games for the Capitals last season. He signed a two-year, entry-level contract March 23 following his junior year at the University of North Dakota.