Washington Capitals drastically cut their training camp squad by 20 players

The Washington Capitals cut 20 players on Sunday, which resulted in some significant roster changes for their training camp, as the group is getting ready for the upcoming year. With less than two weeks until Opening Night, The Capitals are narrowing down their options in order to concentrate on players who are most likely to make the final roster.

Fourteen of the twenty players who were cut went straight to the Caps AHL affiliate, the Hershey Bears. Five more were placed on waivers; if no NHL team claims them, they will report to the Hershey Bears. Ilya Protas was also sent back to the OHL by the organization so he could gain more experience. Among those eliminated were five players who participated in Washington's most recent preseason match, an 8-4 defeat against the Columbus

With only 31 players left in Washington's camp, the team can now operate with a single practice unit due to the smaller camp roster, which encourages competition for the remaining spots. Following the injuries to veterans Nicklas Backstrom and TJ Oshie, 29 healthy players are competing for 23 spots on the Washington team's opening night roster.

The competition picks up steam as the Capitals approach their last week of preseason play. The players who have an opportunity to make an impact will be determined by the next round of cuts, which is part of Washington's strategy to assemble a team that might have some success in the NHL this year.