Ballston – Friends in Cold Places

An Upgraded MedStar Capitals Iceplex – Welcomes Players and Fans

As we first reported in August 2018, the former Kettler Capitals Iceplex was undergoing a transformation into the new MedStar Captials Iceplex (MCI) . Mounmental Sports entered a new agreement with MedStar which included new naming rights for the ice rink that sits on top of Ballston Quarter mall.

Because we are always at the rink – we were able to watch part of the transformation. Our home-away-from home is all pretty again!

One of the most notable changes to the ice rink is the switch from red to blue in honor of MedStar’s color scheme. We began to see the change last week as the Capitals logo was peeled from the wall behind the bleachers in the Caps rink. Then came the patching and painting and a huge new logo. It is flashy and just what a Stanley Cup Championship team deserves!

No matter where you look, the MedStar stamp is everywhere – from doors to posters.

All the signs have now been changed to a blue background with the signature logo applied – even the daily schedule for the ice rinks includes the logo.

You will also be seeing a new backdrop for the media sessions:

Be sure to give Medstar Iceplex a follow to find out about upcoming open skates and other activities.

Kettler Becomes the New “MCI” (MedStar Capitals Iceplex)

Monumental Sports announced a new partnership with MedStar that also means a new name for Kettler Capitals IcePlex (KCI). Welcome in the new MedStar Capitals IcePlex – already affectionately named MCI by long-time Caps friends. The name change may take a while to get used to saying. Last August, Verizon Center was renamed Capital One Arena after a new partnership was forged with Capital One. A year later, many of us still refer to it as the Verizon Center…or the old MCI Center.

Here is part of the official announcement outlining the partnership:

MedStar Health and Monumental Sports & Entertainment (MSE) announced an expanded, innovative and fully-integrated medical partnership that will make MedStar the naming rights partner for the 2018 Stanley Cup Champion Washington Capitals, Capital City Go-Go, Washington Mystics, Washington Wizards, and Washington Wizards District Gaming (DG) training facilities. Specifically, the Capitals training facility will immediately become MedStar Capitals Iceplex. The new practice facility, opening this fall at the St. Elizabeths campus in southeast Washington, D.C., for the Wizards, Mystics and Go-Go, will be named MedStar Wizards Performance Center. The Wizards District Gaming training facility immediately becomes the MedStar Wizards District Gaming Studio.

The new partnership will ensure that training facilities have the most current and safe practices in place for all the players. The Capitals training staff already provides excellent care for the team and this just adds another layer of protection for the health and well-being of players. The complete press release is available here.

MedStar Capitals Iceplex had a bit of an uplift this summer on the Caps rink. The Capitals’ ice now includes the team logo. The new MedStar name isn’t up yet, but we can expect to see that in place before the start of training camp in September and the new season in October.

Saturday was ALL about CAPS Fans, Photos Celebrating the Caps

The Washington Capitals put the word out on Friday that there would be a grand sendoff for the boys at Capitals Kettler Ice Plex in Ballston, VA. We came to wish the Caps success as they headed into the desert to face the Vegas Golden Knights. In the end though, it was all about the fans who have waited a very very long time for this moment and were crazy with CAPS FEVER!!

And the fans turned out in a HUGE way. The Capitals said there were around 6,000 in attendance. They arrived in droves, some like us as early as 8:30! That’s some dedication there! Including our favorite PA Wes Johnson! Continue reading “Saturday was ALL about CAPS Fans, Photos Celebrating the Caps”