While the most serious action of the 2024-25 season lies just a day away from the Washington Capitals, the team’s final full day of practice before Game 1 of their first-round series against the Montreal Canadiens turned into a fun family affair.
The Caps welcomed their kids onto the ice after the end of the skate, keeping things as light as possible before what the team hopes is a deep playoff run.
Head coach Spencer Carbery talked about why the club decided to do so at his post-practice media availability.
“I think sometimes we overthink it as coaches and as people that are in management,” Carbery said. “Athletes — I know this firsthand from our guys because I’ve been around them all year long — you can be an extremely intense competitor, an extremely hard worker, someone that takes your craft extremely seriously, and you can also be a great family man and you can also enjoy your time at the rink.”
The Capitals have held several family skates this season, which is something Carbery says the team has made a priority.
“That is something that is so important to not only our team specifically, but our organization and the way that we want our culture to be here and want players to feel,” he said. “I thought today, being Easter Sunday, it’s an important holiday for a lot of young families, and us having practiced today, felt like it was a good time to be able to get everybody to the rink post-practice and enjoy some time together.”
Among the many kids participating in the skate were Alex Ovechkin’s two sons, Sergei and Ilya. The two mini Ovis took shots with John Carlson’s son, Lucca Carlson, on third-string goaltender Clay Stevenson.
“I think this is the last day that we can spend time with the kids and skate with them,” Ovechkin said. “Because tomorrow is Game 1 and everything is going to be on hockey.
“Family first, obviously, right now we have some stuff to do video-wise, practice, but I think it’s great thing to do with the family. Skate a little bit, enjoy, and, yeah, tomorrow, Game 1.”
Wanting to keep things loose in a highly competitive environment was a theme for the Capitals after they got off the ice.
“It’s awesome,” Trevor van Riemsdyk said. “I think it puts things in perspective. Obviously, it’s going to be an intense, fun, stressful series against a really good team, but at the end of the day, when you have your family to come home to, that’s what’s most important. I think it allows you to lay it on the line and go for it.”
Many of the kids on the ice will likely be in attendance on Monday at Capital One Arena. Game 1 between the Capitals and Canadiens is set for a 7:00 pm puck drop.
