Training Camp Primer: The Rookies You May Not Know

Yesterday the Caps released the rosters for rookie and training camps and while there are obviously plenty of familiar names, there are plenty of folks with whom you may not be as well acquainted (for example Dan "number 64 on the ice and number one in your hearts" Kronick). To help out, here's a rundown of who's who amongst the folks you might see out at Kettler over the next couple of weeks and not recognize.

First, the rookies (the vets will follow before training camp). Since you may not know much about anyone not named Backstrom or Alzner, this will be a comprehensive run-down of the kids that will be arriving later this week (including the guys you know). If a player is listed as drafted by the Caps, clicking on his name will take you to posts we've written here referencing that player (if there are any) and clicking on his draft info will take you to his hockeydb profile. Otherwise, clicking his name will take you straight to his profile.

Forwards

• Backstrom, Nicklas (drafted by the Caps in 2006)
• Beagle, Jay
• Bouchard, Francois (drafted by the Caps in 2006)
• Gordon, Andrew (drafted by the Caps in 2004)
• Guerin, Marty
• Joudrey, Andrew (drafted by the Caps in 2003)
• Kronick, Dan
• Lacroix, Maxime (drafted by the Caps in 2006)
• Leffler, Brett (drafted by the Caps in 2007)
• Lynes, Luke (drafted by the Caps in 2006)
• Maxwell, Tommy
• Morin, Travis (drafted by the Caps in 2004)
• Perreault, Mathieu (drafted by the Caps in 2006)
• Pinizzotto, Steve
• Taylor, Justin (drafted by the Caps in 2007)
• Werner, Steve (drafted by the Caps in 2003)
• Wilson, Kyle

Defensemen

• Alzner, Karl (drafted by the Caps in 2007)
• Collins, Sean
• Dovgan, Viktor (drafted by the Caps in 2005)
• Godfrey, Josh (drafted by the Caps in 2007)
• Hunt, Jamie
• Lepisto, Sami (drafted by the Caps in 2004)
• McNeill, Patrick (drafted by the Caps in 2005)
• Pokulok, Sasha (drafted by the Caps in 2005)
• Seabrook, Keith (drafted by the Caps in 2006)
• Sloan, Tyler

Goalies

• Machesney, Daren (drafted by the Caps in 2005)
• Neuvirth, Michal (drafted by the Caps in 2006)
• Varlamov, Simeon (drafted by the Caps in 2006)

Most noticeably absent are Joe Finley, Oskar Osala, Teddy Ruth and Phil DeSimone - the Caps' only top 100 overall picks of the last three drafts who won't be in town for rookie camp. Still, there's a lot of talent there and rookie camp should prove to be a nice appetizer for the main course a week later (though perhaps the main course won't be served until Opening Night and full camp is more a hearty soup after the salad of field greens that is rookie camp - choose your food metaphors carefully...).

UPDATE (9/5, 12:05 pm): Sk84fun's comment contained a lot of great additional information, so I figured I'd throw it in here verbatim (but note Sk8's disclaimer in the comments - since we don't proofread, I don't know why our commentors should feel the need to):

Along with those drafted by the Caps, I think clarification about free agents vs contracted players is useful.

Several of the players not drafted are under contract as they were signed as free agents.

Collins in the spring of 07.
Hunt in the spring of 06.
Pinizzotto in the spring of 07.
Wilson in the summer of 07.

2 free agents attending camp, Sloan and Maxwell, are not under contract with the Caps, but do have AHL contracts with the Hershey Bears for the 07-08 season.

The other 3 free agents all played NCAA hockey last season: Kronick, Guerin and Beagle. Beagle played for the ECHL championship Idaho Steelheads after leaving UAA last season. Beagle and Kronick both attended the Caps summer development camp and earned invites back to rookie camp. Kronick was a teammate of Andrew Gordon's at SCSU.

Other than Osala who is playing pro in Finland, the Caps draft picks that are not on the roster are players retaining their NCAA eligibility. It is important to make that point for those that may think there is reason to be concerned that those players are not attending...IMO, there is no reason to be concerned given USHL camps have started, college semesters have started, and the players would have to pay their own way because of the NCAA rules.