"It'll speed things up a bit, but at the same time it's going to be more condensed to make sure we're getting the team atmosphere here that we want because lot of guys will be gone, [and] obviously Barry," Holtby said. "It condenses the time that we have before the season to make sure we're on the same page here. That's going to be a challenge."
Holtby, who helped the Capitals win the Presidents' Trophy, said he was dealing with a knee injury during their Eastern Conference First Round series against the Philadelphia Flyers. No offseason procedures were necessary and the knee is fine, Holtby said.
Besides getting back on the ice a few weeks earlier than he normally would in the summer, preparation for the World Cup doesn't change much for Holtby.
"It brings different challenges to it, but the main thing is making sure I use the time before our season starts here to make sure I'm ready for the real season," Holtby said.
The Capitals were eliminated in the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs by the eventual Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins, which has only made Holtby hungrier for a championship.
"The expectation I have is a Stanley Cup," Holtby said. "Personal things aside, it doesn't really matter. It's focusing on winning games here with the Capitals every day at a time and see what we can accomplish this year. Everything else doesn't make a difference."