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On Sunday, the Washington Capitals soared to a 5-2 win in their opening preseason game over the Boston Bruins at TD Garden. While there isn’t much room for newcomers in the 2025 Capitals lineup, the possibility exists for players to push for a bottom-six role to start the season and/or position themselves to be the first name relied upon for an injury recall from the minor leagues. With that thought process in mind, here are three Capitals players who impressed in the win over Boston last weekend.
Center Hendrix Lapierre
While Sonny Milano’s four-point effort has garnered much of the praise following Washington’s win, center Hendrix Lapierre excelled with a goal and two assists while skating a forward-best 16:15 of ice time, skating alongside Milano and Anthony Beauvillier. It was an important performance for a 23-year-old forward pushing for a roster spot.
“I don’t have a ton of experience in pro hockey, but I’ve learned I’ve made mistakes,” Lapierre said on Sep. 19. “Throughout all that, you kind of figure out what it takes [to stick in the NHL]. When you get to camp and it’s your fourth or fifth camp, it’s not the same feeling as your first or second camp. Last year, my camp just wasn’t good enough. So, this year, I can come in, focus on working extremely hard, and showing everyone how bad I want it. ”
Related: Hendrix Lapierre Is a Capitals Forward Prospect to Watch
Lapierre has skated in 150 professional contests for the Hershey Bears in the American Hockey League (AHL) since the 2022-23 regular season. He has recorded 79 points in 113 regular-season contests, averaging 0.69 points per game (P/G). In postseason play, he amassed 31 points in 48 games, a 0.64 P/G average, as the Bears claimed back-to-back Calder Cups in 2023 and 2024.
Entering the 2025-26 campaign, Lapierre has plenty of pro experience and should have a good opportunity to locate a roster spot in Spencer Carbery’s lineup with a good training camp in 2025. Still, he certainly has competition, such as Ivan Miroshnichenko and Andrew Cristall, in the fight for lineup minutes.
Winger Eriks Mateiko
Eriks Matieko did not register a point in the game against the Bruins, but the 19-year-old forward was consistently on the attack. He finished the game with four shots on goal in 13 minutes of ice time. Matieko was credited with two hits and caused two turnovers as he made his presence felt in the opening preseason matchup.
The 6-foot-5 forward will likely learn the ropes of professional hockey as part of a significant youth movement for Hershey in the AHL this upcoming season. Still, it is promising to see the Latvian forward with an impressive outing and using his size against pro competition, even if he didn’t register a point in the box score.
Defenseman Ryan Chesley
Ryan Chesley scored once on three shots in Sunday’s matchup at Boston. The young defenseman logged 20:10 of ice time alongside defensive mate Leon Muggli, a 2024 Washington draft choice. On his goal, Chesley started the breakout to Milano with a pass from behind the goal line before outskating Beauvillier up the ice and presenting an open stick for Lapierre to hit for the redirection goal. It was a highlight reel-worthy play showcasing Chesley’s speed and hockey sense.
While there isn’t much room in a loaded Capitals’ defensive unit alongside Jakob Chychrun and John Carlson to start the 2025-26 season, a strong training camp could be significant for the 21-year-old blueliner as he positions himself as an emergency call-up option. The defenseman worked his way into four AHL games before Hershey transitioned into attempting to win their third straight Calder Cup with a veteran-heavy roster.
Chesley arrived in Washington after three seasons at the University of Minnesota. He recorded 20 points in 40 NCAA games last season as part of the Gophers’ leadership group, before amassing three points in the four professional contests for the Bears to end his 2024-25 campaign.
Capitals Return Home on Thursday
Washington returns to the ice on Thursday night when the Capitals host the Philadelphia Flyers for a 7 p.m. puck drop at Capital One Arena. It will be the second of six preseason games on Washington’s schedule ahead of the 2025-26 NHL regular season.
