Professional hockey players come from all over the world. They come from South Africa, Canada, Kazakhstan, Norway and there is even one from Washington, D.C. Well, okay, two come from the Washington area. Jeff Halpern from Bethesda signed with the Capitals as an undrafted free agent in the 1990s. When the Caps declined to sign him two years ago, he joined the Dallas Stars, who have him in a five-year, $10 million contract.

That leaves Stephen Werner, the first professional hockey player born in Washington, D.C. Local hockey fans have watched his progression with anticipation, looking for a sign that D.C. is just as capable of rearing hockey players as places with year round outdoor ice. The Capitals drafted Werner in the third round in 2003, and waited while he finished college as a star player for U-Mass Amherst.

Last spring, he graduated and joined the Caps minor league system. After starting the season at the lower level with the ECHL South Carolina Stingrays, Werner earned a promotion to the AHL Hershey Bears. After putting up five points in eight games in Hershey, however, Werner was lent to the Springfield Falcons last week.