With the start of Washington Capitals training camp just days away, 20 of the organization’s greenest players shipped off to Annapolis for four days of on-ice work at the team’s annual rookie camp. Staged at McMullen Hockey Arena, the home of the U.S. Naval Academy’s club hockey program, the camp, which kicked off Friday and wrapped up Monday, let drafted prospects and early-career pros get up to speed before Washington’s training camp opens.

While most NHL teams choose to have their rookies participate in formal prospect tournaments — the most prominent events are held in Traverse City, Michigan, and Penticton, British Columbia — or play games against close geographical rivals, like the Philadelphia Flyers and the New York Rangers did this year, Washington is one of two teams to keep its rookie camp strictly to practices. (The New York Islanders is the other.)

The risk of injuries before the season even starts, combined with a desire to have players enter training camp at full strength, rather than having been worn down by playing games, led the Capitals to make the switch several years ago.

“I’ve been on both sides of it,” said Hershey Bears coach Todd Nelson, who was behind the bench for rookie camp along with Washington’s player development staff. “I’ve been up to the Traverse City tournament, Penticton, when I was with Edmonton. Those are highly competitive games. What you see is a lot of guys get injured.

“I think with this format, we’re working on just pro habits, getting them up to speed. The tempo. Understanding it’s not junior hockey anymore, it’s not college. You want to be a pro. That’s the whole thing, just trying to get them to be a pro on and off the ice. I think it was a really quality camp.”

“Training camp is obviously a different notch up and a little bit better, but we’re all working really hard out here,” Cristall said. “We all want to earn a spot to get to main camp. It’s really good to get some skates in before.”

Cristall’s focus since being drafted has been on improving his skating and strength, and the 5-foot-10, 180-pound winger has taken strides in both areas over the last year. He quipped that he’s still hoping to grow an inch, but he’s added a few pounds of muscle since the draft.

A stint practicing with Hershey during the American Hockey League playoffs gave the 19-year-old an up-close look at professional hockey, and after a dedicated summer of work on the ice with skating coach Barb Aidelbaum and in the gym, Cristall arrived in Annapolis with a significant goal for the next few weeks.

“I think the goal is obviously to make the team,” Cristall said. “Coming into camp, you want to give your best foot forward and try to do your best and have a lofty goal. Obviously it’s going to be hard to do that, but that’s what I’m trying to do.”

Every player states that as their goal when training camp begins, but Cristall is better positioned to potentially surprise the Capitals than he was a year ago. In addition to his work over the summer, the work on the ice in Annapolis — from the structure of the sessions to the detailed attention from the coaching staff — is aimed at preparing every player to perform at their peak during training camp.

“Not having a rookie tournament, I think there’s pros and cons to it, but you get to battle against these guys every day,” said defenseman Cam Allen, a fifth-round pick in 2023. “It’s a respectable setting as well. They’re all good guys. Everyone’s going hard. Everyone’s trying to make the team and move on. I love the competitive nature of it all.”

Cristall is one of only four players at this year’s rookie camp who went through Washington’s training camp last year. Entering an NHL training camp for the first time can be an intimidating experience, but after spending four days as a cohort, getting to know each other and getting ready, the Capitals’ rookies are prepared to try to make an impact.

“Just getting them to feel comfortable as a group,” Nelson said. “Some of these guys, it’ll be their first NHL training camp. I’ve been through that, it’s nerve-racking. You get a bit nervous. I think it’s good for us to get away and come here as a group and spend the four days together. I think the guys are all feeling pretty good about going into main camp.”