Capitals share Thanksgiving and show off-ice chemistry

The team kept it light on the ice, a short skate with kids and relatives circling through drills and photos before everyone scattered to kitchens and guest rooms.

This is a group with a Black Friday game ahead, yet they carved out time for a true family morning, something this room has leaned on during a choppy 2025 start.

For Ryan Leonard, it is the first big holiday away from Amherst and Boston College, a long way from home for a 20 year old who jumped straight into the NHL last spring.

Leonard spent part of the afternoon on FaceTime with his family, then headed to Pierre Luc Dubois' place for turkey and, apparently, a scouting report on stuffing.

The two already have history as roommates from last season's nine game audition and into this year, where Dubois has tried to shepherd Leonard through the league's chaos.

Hendrix Lapierre chose a different vibe, leaning on old Hershey ties instead of current linemates.

In the room though, the message was clear, nobody spends the day alone, not the taxi squad, not the new call up, not the guy rehabbing an injury.

There is a subtle hockey benefit here, since bonds like this often show up in small area plays, trust on wall battles, and those brave middle lane drives Leonard already loves.

Rookies who feel anchored off the ice usually stop forcing things on it, and Leonard's shot volume and five goals in twenty one games point toward that confidence settling in.

Lapierre is another good example, a 23 year old first round pick who has bounced between Hershey and Washington yet still owns 31 career NHL points and a Calder Cup MVP on his resume.

In a season defined by Alex Ovechkin history watches and questions about where this franchise goes next, Thanksgiving served as a reminder that the future is already here, eating together and looking out for one another.