Young Washington Capitals fan surprised with team visit courtesy of Make-A-Wish trucc

ARLINGTON, Va -- The Washington Capitals welcomed a new temporary teammate on Wednesday, and she made a strong impression.

Sixteen-year-old Kalen Anderson from Alberta, Canada joined the team at MedStar Capitals Iceplex to begin her two-day Make-A-Wish experience.

Anderson’s day began with a contract signing with assistant general manager Don Fishman. That was interrupted when Kalen’s favorite Capital -- T.J. Oshie -- walked in to surprise her.

“I like froze,” Kalen said. “I couldn’t believe it. It’s just insane.”

The pair watched practice together and near the end Oshie brought Kalen onto the ice and introduced her to the team. It was a return of sorts for both. Oshie, who is on long-term injured reserve, had not been on the ice in months and Kalen was dressed as a goalie.

“I haven’t been playing net in a while and it’s so nice to be back,” she said. “And especially with the guys I look up to. It’s just crazy.”

Oshie and his teammates took shots on Kalen, who more than held her own. Then they finished with a shootout drill.

“Kalen stopped all the 5-hole (attempts) in the shootout, so she may been watching film, I don’t know. A little pre-scout before we got out there today,” Oshie joked. “But no, she was great. Honestly great for me to be back on the ice and what an awesome way to come back out with the fellas, having Kalen next to me.”

“It was cool. The shootout,” Kalen said. “It was so cool.”

Anderson became a fan of the Capitals and Oshie when she was playing an EA hockey game and was “drafted” by the Capitals.

“She learned all the Capitals players and started watching them on TV when she was eight or nine years old,” her father, Ken, said.

He explained that Kalen saw an Oshie interview when he was talking about his dad, and how much he loved his dad, and he became her favorite player. Her dog is named Oshie.

Kalen was a goalie for the U18 AA Sherwood Park Fury during the 2022-23 season. In November of 2023, at the age of 15, Kalen was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer, Synovial sarcoma, a cancer that can come from different types of soft tissue, such as muscle or ligaments.

She had five surgeries and began chemotherapy treatments. Kalen was later sent to Florida for two months to receive a specialized radiation treatment and the continuation of her chemotherapy.

“Every time the doctors would come, that’s her first question. She said, ‘When can I get back on the ice?’ And they told her the same thing every time, ‘Not for a while,’” her father said. “She had T.J. Oshie’s jersey hanging in her hospital room and her team jersey.”

In May of this year, Kalen learned that her cancer was in remission. She has returned to hockey but has had to switch from goalie to right wing, the same position as Oshie.

Kalen’s wish was granted through Make-A-Wish Mid-Atlantic. On Thursday, she will participate in a ceremonial puck drop ahead of the Capitals Hockey Fights Cancer Night and then watch a portion of Washington’s game against the Colorado Avalanche with Oshie.

Her reaction to Wednesday’s events?

“Feeling great,” Kalen said. “That was unreal.”