Twenty-three players took to the ice at McMullen Arena in Annapolis, Md. as the Capitals opened up their 2025 Rookie Camp on Friday. The group was led on the ice by director of player development Steve Richmond and Washington’s player development team of Olie Kolzig, Brooks Orpik and Jim Slater. Former Caps goalie Braden Holtby and Hershey goalie coach Juha Lehtola were also on hand to assist with the netminders, and first-year Hershey coach Derek King and assistants Nick Bootland and Patrick Wellar were also on the scene.

By this time next week, most of these young players will be participating and competing against full-fledged NHL players in the Caps’ main training camp, which gets underway Sept. 18. Sixteen of the 23 participants are Washington draft choices.

Following Friday’s opening session, a trio of recent Caps’ draftees – one from each of the Caps’ last three drafts – took some time to speak with the media.

As Washington’s first-round choice (27th overall) in the 2025 NHL Draft earlier this summer, 18-year-old left wing Lynden Lackovic is the newest to the organization of the three; he was drafted less than three months ago and his only prior exposure to the organization was the team’s annual summer development camp in July.

“It’s definitely different,” says Lackovic of the difference between this weekend and July’s camp. “I’m having fun so far, but it’s a lot more competitive, I feel. And you know the pace is really high, but I think my game adapts to that, and so far, so good.”

But even that brief exposure – combined with this weekend’s camp in Annapolis – can go a long way toward preparing players for what’s ahead next week.

“It’s definitely a step for sure, a step up,” says Lackovic. “But I’m ready for it, and you’ve just got to make a good first impression and be consistent throughout the week, and you never know what can happen. I’m real happy with the work that I put in, and I guess it’s time to show that now.”

Lackovic has played the last three seasons for Moose Jaw of the WHL. With a Dec. 12, 2006 birthdate, he’ll be eligible to play in the AHL as early as 2026-27.

Ilya Protas is the younger brother of Washington forward Aliaksei, who had a breakout season with 30 goals and 66 points in 76 games. Ilya Protas was the Caps’ third-round choice (75th overall) in the 2024 NHL Draft, and he had a monster season of his own with OHL Windsor last season, amassing 50 goals (third in the OHL) and 124 points (second in the OHL) in 61 games. He also added five goals and 25 points in a dozen Memorial Cup Playoff games.

Protas has OHL eligibility remaining, but he could also begin his pro career this season. Protas told reporters he’s been working hard all summer, with his brother mentoring him as always.

“Just what my coach told me to do – it was my brother – so what he told me to do, I did,” says Protas. “And probably most of it was conditioning and physical, and stuff in the gym. Because my next step, I want to make it to pro hockey, and I’ve got to be ready; like my body and physicality is a big part of it. But on ice, we are doing what we did last summer, because me and him had successful years. And we keep doing what we did.”

Asked whether Aliaksei was a demanding coach, Ilya responded with a smile.

“Yeah, sometimes when it doesn’t go great,” he says. “But we always kind of beat on each other at the practices and kind of yell; he yells more at me for sure. But it’s always understandable because preseason, offseason is always a tough time. He is always hard on himself for sure, and you see how he works and you’ve got to work the same way with him.”

Not all of the 23 players here in Annapolis this weekend will be extended an invitation to next week’s main training camp, though most are virtually assured of a slot. But all 23 of them dream of playing in the NHL someday, and although they’re aware it’s the tallest of tasks, they dream of making the varsity roster this fall. One or two may actually do so, and others are not far off.

“I want to make the team; that’s my main goal,” says Protas. “But I want to play pro this year, and I think that’s going to be my biggest step. So I’ve got to be ready for it and getting prepared for it.”

At training camp last season, Andrew Cristall nearly cracked the Washington roster with a sterling performance in camp and in his exhibition showings. Cristall – the Caps’ second-round choice (40th overall) in the 2023 NHL Draft – was one of the last players cut. Cristall got into four of the six preseason games – including the finale – and he scored in each of his first two preseason contests and added an assist in his third game, finishing camp with two goals and three points.

Although the competition might even be stiffer as he attempts to crack the roster again this season, Cristall is a confident player who draws even more confidence from his preseason showing a year ago, and his performance in his final season of junior hockey. Cristall led the WHL in scoring in 2024-25 with 132 points (48 goals, 84 assists) in just 57 games, and he now prepares to embark upon the first season of his professional hockey career.

“I think a good amount [of confidence],” he says. “I think through the [2024] preseason that I was year and another good year in the [WHL], I think I can bring confidence from both of those things. But then again, you’ve got to prove it every day. Whether it’s a skate like this or a preseason game or whatnot, you’ve got to prove it every day and earn it. So you can pull that confidence, but you don’t really want to get too complacent, and you always want to keep pushing.”

Cristall is now a three-year veteran of Washington’s summer development and late summer rookie camps. He is quite familiar with the lay of the land and the organization, and his focus is on making a run at a roster spot and getting ready for his first pro season.

“I’m on a little bit of a newer program with my speed and my skating, and I think it’s helped a lot,” says Cristall. “I feel a lot faster. We’re testing every two weeks with our sprints and on-ice sprints as well, and when you see numbers and things like that improving, it only helps your confidence. So, a little bit of that but also in the gym and on the ice, just trying to get bigger and get that weight up for battles in the corners.”

And the battles for roster berths.