The happiest man in the U.S. was spotted in St. Cloud, Minn., on Wednesday. That's where Nate Schmidt was when he officially signed a two-year, one-way deal with the Washington Capitals worth $1.62 million.
Helping coach defense at a U-17 Minnesota Hockey camp, he apologized to reporters on a conference call for a raspy voice, explaining, "I get just as fired up as the players do."
Schmidt has much to be fired up about.
After a year of junior hockey, three years at the University of Minnesota, and two more shuttling between Washington and Hershey, Pa.