The Washington Capitals concluded their 2023 development camp Thursday morning with a three-on-three scrimmage tournament. The Half Rink games were played vertically and contested by five different junior teams. The tournament replaced what had historically been an outright scrimmage between just two teams at previous development camps.
Team Gray, led offensively by Andrew Cristall and Alex Suzdalev, emerged victorious at the end of the games. Their prize was a replica of the Lombardi Trophy (Super Bowl) with a badly taped puck on it. Those interested happily lifted the trophy and skated it down the rink while the fans in attendance applauded their efforts.
Other highlights of the games included the two first-round picks at camp. 2022 selection Ivan Miroshnichenko scored plenty of goals for the Red Team and 2023 selection Ryan Leonard ended his impressive camp with plenty of goals for the Blue Team.
rosters
red team
Bogdan Trineyev “C”
Ivan Miroshnichenko
Simon Tassy
Ryan Leibold
Dylan Anhorn
Aaron Trotter (G)
white team
Oscar Magnusson “C”
Ryan Chesley
TJHughes
Patrick Thomas
Ryan Hofer
Garin Bjorklund (G)
blue team
Brent Johnson “C”
Ryan Leonard
Max Burkholder
JackRogers
Jason Murray
Mitchell Gibson (G)
green team
Haakon Hanelt “C”
Ludwig Persson
Jake Karabela
Cam Allen
Brett Hyland (inj.)
Chase Clark (G)
gray team
Joaquim Lemay “C”
Alex Suzdalev
Andrew Crystal
Ian Pierce
David Gucciardi (inj.)
Antoine Keller (G)
Photo review
Free agent Aaron Trotter
Antoine Keller, seventh-round draft pick 2023
Mitchell Gibson, 2018 fourth-round draft pick
Garin Björklund, 2020 sixth-round draft pick
With it only being a 30-minute warm-up for the five keepers, Chase Clark, the 2021 sixth-round draft pick, seemed to be having an absolute blast. After another goalkeeper repelled a fantastic save during practice, Clark jumped in the air to celebrate.
Boards were installed to create two mini ice rinks on either side and an open area for benches in the middle.
The games lasted five minutes each, there was constant close-range action and there were many goals. The red team, which featured Ivan Miroshnichenko, last season’s first-round draft pick, seemed to light the lamp most often.
Miroshnichenko played spirited hockey, scoring a string of goals and at times playing noticeably physical. The Russia winger even brought in 2023 first-round pick Ryan Leonard hard.
Bogdan Trineyev, 2020 fourth-round draft pick
Free agent Ryan Leibold
Free agent Dylan Anhorn
Free agent Simon Tassy
After being named the team’s inaugural member of the 2023 draft class, Leonard led the blue team.
Free agent Max Burkholder
White’s team was highlighted by defenseman Ryan Chesley, the Caps second-round pick in 2022.
2022 sixth-round pick Ryan Hofer
Free agent TJ Hughes
2020 selects Oskar Magnusson for the seventh round
At the end of the tournament, the gray team secured the championship in extra time with a goal by Dartmouth’s Ian Pierce.
Free agent Ian Pierce
The 2021 fourth-round pick is Joaquim Lemay
The tournament’s championship trophy was an intricately crafted replica of the Lombardi (Super Bowl) trophy, with a hockey puck affixed to the top.
One by one, the gray team held up the trophy.
Ian Pierce
Andrew Crystal
Alexander Suzdalev
Antonio Keller
After the final game, Leonard took time to greet the fans and presented a puck to 15-year-old Grayson. Grayson is a passionate Caps fan who had a great time at camp last week. Grayson’s mom, Susan, reached out to tell us a little more about this amazing interaction.
“He started following the Caps a few years ago when he got the opportunity to skate with the Washington Blind Hockey Club,” Susan said. “Grayson is mentally challenged but knows his capitals well, he knows all the players, coaches, announcers and stats. He loves watching Caps games on his iPad and, like all of us, enjoys replaying the 2018 Stanley Cup Parade over and over again. Many players took the time this week to meet Grayson, take photos and sign autographs for him, which Susan says is what they love so much about the Capitals organization.”
Photos: Alan Dobbins/RMNB