RoadRunner alumni defenseman Aaron Gens is participating in the NHL’s Washington Capitals Development Camp this week in Arlington, VA. The camp runs July 9-14.
Gens posted 20 points (2g-18a) in 36 games during his senior year at the University of Alaska (Fairbanks) before appearing in seven games with Lake Erie of the AHL. Gens brother, Matt, was a ninth-round draft pick of the Vancouver Canucks in 2002 and played in five career AHL games with Milwaukee.
During his time as a RoadRunner, spanning parts of 4 seasons, Gens set franchise records for games played (171), single season plus-minus (+41), and penalty minutes (339). He was named “Most Improved” in 2007, and in 2008 he was named the RoadRunners “Most Valuable Player” and also “Defenseman of the Year”. The NAHL also acknowledged him as “Defenseman of the Year” in addition to naming him to the All-NAHL team and All-South Division team in a year where he led all NAHL blueliners with 58 points.
Capitals development camp is an annual week-long summer session with onand off-ice workouts designed to help Capitals prospects improve their games and allow the Capitals to evaluate their progress. All on-ice sessions, including the five intrasquad games, are free and open to the public. Attendees include Capitals prospects who are under contract and recent Capitals draft picks who have not been signed yet, including highly touted first round draft pick Filip Forsberg. The camp will be overseen by first year Head Coach and Hall of Famer Adam Oates.
Gens is the second RoadRunner to attend a Capitals camp. Defenseman Chris Bond attended the camp in 2010.