Capitals Notebook: Mantha, Nearly All Roster Players Back As Informal Skates Continue

Rasmus Sandin, Charlie Lindgren and more players have also returned to the District.

The Washington Capitals are seeing the majority of their roster take the ice ahead of training camp, and Anthony Mantha leads a new wave of players that arrived in D.C. on Thursday.

Mantha, along with Rasmus Sandin, Trevor van Riemsdyk, Martin Fehervary, Connor McMichael, Sonny Milano and Charlie Lindgren, were present at MedStar Capitals Iceplex for informal skates on Thursday.

They join a number of key players who have already been back for some time, including Alex Ovechkin, T.J. Oshie, Nicklas Backstrom, Dylan Strome, Evgeny Kuznetsov, John Carlson, Nic Dowd, Nick Jensen, Alex Alexeyev, Darcy Kuemper and more. Prospects Joe Snively, Vincent Iorio, Alex Limoges, Alexander Suzdalev and Andrew Cristall have also been participating in the skates. Hendrix Lapierre is also back.

Mantha is coming off a busy offseason, one where he worked with a mental coach and nutritionists. He has lost nearly 10 pounds — and counting — and is determined to bounce back and prove himself in a contract year following an underwhelming 2022-23 season of inconsistency.

"I don't think I was present and involved enough for my team. Whether it's points, checking or all the little details," Mantha told RDS. "I want to be ready this year."

"I need to have a big season. There's no hiding the fact that this is the last year of my contract and I'd like to bounce back," he added. "It's practically a second chance after last season. I've had other seasons that we're so good... I know how to come back strong."

Sandin has been busy training as well and recovering following a knee injury suffered at the 2023 World Championships. He did not require surgery.

Washington has a week to go until the start of training camp, which officially starts on Sept. 21.