Japers' Rink

Game Day Open Thread - Panthers @ Caps

2009-11-07T22:00:39Z

Next Game

Florida Panthers
@ Washington Capitals

Saturday, Nov 7, 2009, 7:00 PM EST
Verizon Center

Recap: Caps 4, Panthers 1

posted by CapsChick about 15 hours ago

130 comments | 0 recs

Complete Coverage >

Tonight's probable netminders:

	GP	MIN	W	L	O	EGA	GA	GAA	SA	SV	SV%	SO
Semyon Varlamov	7	377	5	1	0	0	20	3.18	194	174	.897	0

	GP	MIN	W	L	O	EGA	GA	GAA	SA	SV	SV%	SO
Scott Clemmensen	3	127	2	0	0	0	9	4.25	67	58	.866	0

Have at it, people.

Saturday Caps Clips: Injuries Mount in Victory; Panthers @ Caps Game Day

2009-11-07T14:45:32Z

More photos » by J Pat Carter - AP

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Your savory breakfast links:

Recaps and other assorted musings on last night's win from Corey (blog, article), Tarik (blog, article), Vogs, Litter Box Cats, Examiner, Ed Frankovic, Peerless, Puckhead and Fight For Old D.C..
Preview of tonight's back-end of the home-and-home with the Kitties from NHL.com, and be sure to check out our SB Nation partner Litter Box Cats for coverage from the other side of tonight's match up.
A post on "the Hershey mentality" from Friday morning. Prescient. [RockTheRed.net]
Dan Levy of The Sporting Blog picks Alex Ovechkin as "The Next Best Player Who Won't Win A Championship," clubbing the franchise along the way. [Sporting News]
The always humble Brett Hull: "You just watch (Alex) Ovechkin, he reminds me – I don’t want to say he reminds me of me – but he goes to all the places that I used to go. It’s so fun to watch him." Good thing you stopped short of saying he reminds you of you. [The Globe and Mail]
AO is featured prominently in Express Night Out's "Best of 2009." [Express Night Out]
Mike Green will be on "Caps on the Fly" on Monday, so headed on out to the Hilton Garden Inn if that's your thing. [Capitals]
I'd point you to NHL.com Senior Editorial Director Phil Coffey's "D.C.'s now a hockey town" post, but you already read it last week under a different byline.
A bit more on Matt Bradley's magic concussion-reducing lid. [Examiner]
Great look at life on the road for Da Bears. Go read it. [OFB]
Is the Cap (property) with the best shot at fifty-in-fifty... Cody Eakin? [NHL.com]

Recap: Caps 4, Panthers 1

2009-11-07T03:49:12Z

More photos » by J Pat Carter - AP

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[AP Recap - GameCenter - Game Summary - Event Summary]

The Capitals came into Sunrise, Florida minus one Russian superstar and caught in a three-game losing streak. They would come away from the game down a few more men, but with a win that could be one of the most satisfying of the season.

Sure, there were a few lapses that we've grown accustomed to seeing. A few too many passes, a little less focus around their own net, same old, same old. But overall the Caps buckled down and not only took an early lead but held it, built on it and shut down the Panthers until the game was nearly over.

Ten more thoughts on the game:

As if losing Ovechkin to an injury wasn't bad enough, the Caps' lineup became even more depleted - and depleted quickly - as both Mike Green and Jeff Schultz left the game with undisclosed injuries before we were even halfway through. Thank goodness for Boudreau's ESP, dressing a defenseman as a forward just in case...that's why he did it, right?
The defenseman in question was, of course, Tyler Sloan, who picked up his second goal in as many games and then slid seamlessly back to the blueline when called upon to finish the night a +3.
No one is necessarily saying it's easy to replace a pane of glass. Still, how on earth does it take ten minutes?
In the past few days all eyes have been on Alexander Semin, waiting to see if he would take over the reins with Ovechkin on the sidelines. Tonight's effort was much better, but this time around it felt like he was trying to do too much on his own. Not a bad night for Semin, but not quite there yet, either.
Coming into another team's building with a depleted lineup and a losing streak, the Caps needed to play simple, tight defense - and they did that. Lots of sticks and bodies in passing lanes, few odd-man rushes and 15 blocked shots; a workmanlike effort when one was needed.
And when the defense wasn't there, when the shots got through, it was Jose Theodore coming up big. Sadly it was a fluky bounce on the power play that prevented this from being the perfect game he deserved, but a stellar effort by Theo nonetheless.
If this is the kind of performance we get out of Brian Pothier after being benched, bench him more often. After a mediocre to downright lousy start to the year, Pothier had his best game in a long time with a goal, two assists, three shots, two hits and two blocked shots.
Was this the night we finally saw the Laich-Morrison-Knuble line click? Hard to tell, but they certainly generated some great chances, as well as two of the four goals.
The Caps proved that they could be (mostly) disciplined and perform (relatively) well on the power play, taking only two penalties and capitalizing on one of their two chances with the extra man. And how about that aggressive penalty kill on that five minute major, huh?
Okay, about that. This is the second time in less than a year that Shaone Morrisonn has been given a five minute penalty and a game misconduct for a hit from behind in the last ten minutes of a Panthers game. Which could be a suspension, according to Bruce. Which...is not good.

This kind of game was exactly what the Caps needed, particularly after the horrific end to their last game. They proved they can work hard, hold a lead for a whole game, stay (mostly) disciplined and still come through with offense from likely and unlikely sources. The trick now is carrying this effort into yet another thrilling meeting with the Panthers, right back here in the District.

Hey, let's do this again tomorrow, shall we?

Game highlights:

Game Day Open Thread - Caps @ Panthers

2009-11-06T22:00:34Z

Next Game

Washington Capitals
@ Florida Panthers

Friday, Nov 6, 2009, 7:30 PM EST
BankAtlantic Center

Friday Caps Clips: Caps @ Panthers Game Day

posted by J.P. about 11 hours ago

111 comments | 0 recs

Complete Coverage >

Tonight's probable netminders:

	GP	MIN	W	L	O	EGA	GA	GAA	SA	SV	SV%	SO
Jose Theodore	10	535	3	2	4	0	26	2.92	279	253	.907	0

	GP	MIN	W	L	O	EGA	GA	GAA	SA	SV	SV%	SO
Tomas Vokoun	11	646	3	7	1	0	32	2.97	395	363	.919	2

Have at it, people.

Rink Roundtable: What to Do With Alex Semin

2009-11-06T19:00:42Z

via The Hockey News

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"When he's on his game, he can be [the man]. There is no question. His skill level is on par with Alex [Ovechkin]'s. It is a matter of putting it together every single night, but he has the tools to do that and the ability. [Ovechkin's injury] is an opportunity for him, as it is for some other guys." - Brendan Morrison on Alexander Semin

One game into this "opportunity," Alex Semin is doing anything but making the most of it. But Semin's inconsistency - breathtaking skill mixed in with mind-numbing mistakes and ill-timed injuries - are hardly anything new, and as he approaches Restricted Free Agency this summer, it's fair to ask questions about his future with the organization. So we're asking - and answering - 'em.

J.P.: The issue of the day is what to do with Alex Semin. I suppose it comes down to three questions, which we'll tackle in turn: 1) Should the team actively pursue trading him? 2) If so, will they actively pursue trading him? And 3) If they don't trade him, how can they get a more consistent effort out of him that is somewhat commensurate with his undeniably great skill set?

Question 1: Should the Capitals actively pursue trading Alex Semin?

David M. Getz: Yes, starting immediately. We're not at the point where it makes sense to just dump him off completely, but I've personally had enough of his act. When he was 22 it made sense to look at him and say, "You know, if the Caps just get him to play more consistently and stop making bonehead plays we're going to have one of the league's best offensive wingers here." Three years later we're still waiting for him to do it. Simply put, it's not going to happen. Let some other team deal with him and get what you can in the meantime.

In the end, asset management is what it's about and I think the return in terms of pieces and the cap space the team gets if they don't get a huge return is worth more to this team than Semin.

JP: As an asset management issue, though, dealing Semin would be difficult in that while everyone marvels at the Caps' organizational depth on the blueline and in goal, they're pretty shallow up front. Who in the system legitimately projects to be a scoring-line forward? Osala maybe? Perreault? Possibly Johansson? Hard to imagine anyone else, and even those three are generously included.

If you move Semin, you're left with one guy in the entire organization who's a regular 30+ goal threat. Trading Semin - unlike trading Morrisonn, Jurcina, or even Neuvirth - is most definitely not trading from an area of strength, so you'd have to be pretty careful there.

DMG: I agree. Moving Semin's a big blow in terms of raw goal production, and having that second guy with elite offensive talent provides a dimension very few teams have. If the Caps move Semin I think they have to get back, at the very least, a guy who can score in the mid-twenties in goals and who does things to help the team win even when he's not scoring. If you throw in that guy with Knuble, Laich, Morrison, Backstrom, and Fleischmann I think you have enough scoring depth. If you can't get that guy, I think you keep Semin for now. Otherwise you're cutting off your nose to spite your face.

I agree that the team's forward prospect depth isn't great, but I still think moving forward that the team can use the roster spot and, more importantly, cap space they'd otherwise be spending on Semin more efficiently, be it by making a trade or picking up a free agent.

Stephen Pepper: Make it known that the organization will listen to offers for Semin, and then sit and wait for the right package.

Not long ago on this blog, we surmised that five penalties taken is roughly equivalent to a goal against. Is the downside of Semin's pechant for taking obstruction penalties even close to the level of his offensive capabilities? I don't think so. But it has reached the level where it may be reasonable to deal him for a return that is more responsible and consistent, if not as stellar with the curl and drag.

Without him, the entire power play is altered, and in my view greatly diminished. And virtually no one in the league has a more accurate shot and better, heavier release than Alex Semin. Other GMs should be groveling at the feet of George McPhee for an opportunity to acquire him. Ultimately, you win by scoring goals. This ain't ~~soccer~~ futbol.

So they shouldn't "actively" pursue a deal.

Tuvan Hillbilly: I don't think they should actively pursue trading him. I truly believe that the cohesiveness of the team, especially as concerns Ovechkin and Backstrom, would be affected. On numerous occasions Ovy has talked about how he and Semin are just on the same page when they play together and simply understand what each other is doing without even having to discuss it. Yes, his propensity for stupid mistakes is maddening, but he could very well be one of - if not the - most gifted players on the ice today, and if the Caps were to give up on a great player everytime he did something maddenlingly stupid, well... Ovechkin makes turnovers at the blueline, too. 'Nuff said.

CapsChick: I'm also not firmly in the "trade Semin" camp - not yet, at least.

There is a lot of anger piled on him right now, and understandably so, but I still believe he is the most skilled player in our lineup and a potentially valuable asset. When he shows up - and it's more often now than it used to be - he has the ability to completely change a game on one shift. Sure, there are parts of his game that need improvement and he still needs to mature a bit; but players (and men in general) mature at different rates. How long did it take Kolzig to stop throwing hissy fits after every goal?

DMG: I don't think Kolzig's a good analogy. Semin's problem isn't that he cares too much and can't control his competitive nature, it's that some night he just looks like he doesn't care enough, he makes stupid plays and he hasn't shown very much, if any, improvement. Is it possible he grows up? Sure. But I wouldn't bet on it. I think he is who he is. He hasn't changed thus far and I don't think he'll do it in the next six months.

CC: I think he has shown improvement, or glimpses of it - particularly when Sergei Fedorov was around. Maybe it was just fear of being admonished by one of his idols, maybe it was him actually learning from Feds, maybe it was a combination of both. But the fact that he was able to show that growth tells me he has the potential to continue it. He just has to decide he wants to.

Don't forget, Semin was the guy who stepped up and carried the load when Ovechkin had his slow start last year - and one game into the Ovechkin injury is not enough to convince me that he's worthless. He was one of the best players in two of the last three playoff series, including a very physical Philly series that proved he's willing to play with an edge.

I think we give him to the end of the year, postseason included, and see what happens. Like the team, he has a lot to prove - and like the team he's still got 67 more games to prove it.

JP: If you wait that long, don't you risk having waited too long? Here's a guy who's an RFA this summer, whose agent is on another planet, and who would seem to be a perfect candidate to bolt for the KHL. Talk about asset management, if George McPhee loses Semin for nothing, isn't it a rather epic fail?

DMG: Not necessarily. It comes down to what the potential return is. If the Caps can get guys who help them or in the near future, I think they should make a move. If all other teams are offering back are picks, over the hill players, or mediocre prospects I can see the value in keeping him for this year's playoff run.

JP: Alrighty then. Putting aside your answers to the last question... Question 2: Do you think that the Caps will pursue a Semin trade?

DMG: Not during the season. Too many moving pieces: you lose that offensive depth, you're limited in who you can pursue to replace him, you have to wonder about the effect on the locker room, etc. Just too much to all work out in a constantly changing landscape.

JP: I tend to agree that it won't happen, in part because of just how bold it would be (in terms of cajones, it's probably even bolder than firing Boudreau would be), and GMGM tends to be pretty conservative. I don't think it's overstating it to say that trading a talent like Semin is a potential career-ender for a general manager.

Then again, if things on the contract extension front aren't looking so hot leading up to the trade deadline and there's some interest, it's got to be an idea McPhee entertains.

CC: I think this next month is going to be important in deciding that. Because right now it's hard to say the Caps will trade one of their most skilled players for doing things - granted, with higher frequency - that the whole team is guilty of doing. If the team improves and he doesn't, there may be some sniffing around for a trade.

Still, I honestly don't see it happening; highly skilled player, best friend of the face of your franchise (though we'd all agree that AO would, if given the choice, rather win without Semin than lose with him), potential 30-40 goal scorer, homegrown guy...that's a tough person to trade.

TH: Honestly, no, I don't think it will happen. Not discounting the fact that agents will always put the best spin on things, I don't think Gandler was talking out of his - well, you know - with his comment that "it's clear that the Capitals want to see Alexander in their line-up."

JP: So whether or not we think the Caps should be exploring a trade option, we're pretty much all on the same page in that it's unlikely to actually happen. That being the case, here's the who-knows-how-many-million dollar Question #3: how can the Caps get a more consistently strong effort out of Alex Semin?

SP: The coaching staff should focus more on getting Alex Ovechkin to become ever more defensively sound and aware. I think Pierre LeBrun was right this week. Then Semin will follow suit. If Ovechkin is held to task and responds, Semin may take the admonishments more seriously. Right now, if Ovechkin blows coverage or cherry picks way up ice, why should Semin have to play more conservatively?

Who did Boudreau first call out in practice, on his very first day on the job? Ovechkin. He needs to remember that day, now for the good of the team (rather than mostly, at the time, to establish himself as coach).

JP: I buy that (I've always been an accountability guy, especially on the point of AO's defense). But here's my two-part "how to fix Alex Semin" plan, sure to work and solve all of our frustrations with the uber-talent: 1) Get him back killing penalties (a season ago he averaged 1:31 per game on the kill, but he's all the way down to 0:27 this year, including almost no time in the last five games). We've discussed before how much it focuses him, and focus is precisely what he needs (added bonus: it might actually, y'know, help the struggling PK); and 2) Have McPhee and Boudreau pull Ovechkin aside and ask him how to get through to Semin and follow it. Rely on AO to give the right answer, and if he doesn't have an answer... well, there's your answer.

TH: I think the key to making Semin respond is through lateral pressure from his teammates, rather than top-down pressure. Ovy and Backy will have more influence on him than Bruce. Far-fetched as it may seem, even a call from Feds (or even a comment by Feds in the Russian press) may have some effect.

CC: I think his teammates could be hugely important in this, but someone has to have the guts to step up and tell their friend he's screwing up their game.

But I also think it's a combination of teammate pressure and Bruce actually being willing to do something risky and bench one of his top guys, whether it's for a whole game or just a period. This goes back to the whole question of doing something that could lose a game in the short run but pays dividends in the long run, like the instigator penalties; sends a message that's stronger than just skating the guy hard in practice the next day, or calling him out in media that Semin doesn't pay attention to or respect.

DMG: Having Ovechkin talk to him is the one and only thing I can see working. Coaches have tried being hard on him; coaches have tried letting him do his thing. They've tried playing him with his buddies, they've tried punishing him by taking time away from his buddies. They brought in Fedorov to work as a mentor. Hanlon benched him at times. None of it seems to have really made a substantive, long-term change. I can buy Ovechkin making the difference, but if that doesn't work, I don't see what will. At that point, it's time to cut ties.

November Prospects Update: Forwards

2009-11-06T17:05:03Z

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Yesterday we took a look at the Capitals' goaltending and defense prospects, and today we turn our eyes to the organization's young forwards, a group whose strength is based more in the quantity than quality. That's not to say the Caps don't have some pretty skilled youngsters in the forward ranks, because they do. But while the blue line has guys like Karl Alzner and John Carlson and the future in goal looks to be either Semyon Varlamov or Michal Neuvirth, the forward corps lacks guys with high ceilings at the NHL level and doesn't have any blue-chips. Despite the uncertainty, there's not necessarily reason to be worried because while it's doubtful all of the Capitals forwards prospects (even the good ones) will become successful NHL players, it's also unlikely that at least a couple won't.

The prospects and their early season numbers, after the jump.

Jay Beagle (Center/Right Wing) - Much like last season, Beagle's plugging along and contributing in a checking role for the Bears. Beagle's NHL potential probably tops out at about a 13th or 14th forward, and the Caps won't be rushing him to the NHL any time soon, but he could get in a couple games if injuries necessitate a recall.

Jay Beagle	Lge	Age	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	SOG	PCT
Hershey	AHL	24	12	1	3	4	-4	6	0	0	-	18	5.6

Francois Bouchard (Left Wing/Right Wing) - After a solid first professional season in 2008-09 (35 points; 15 goals in 64 games with the Bears), Bouchard's running at a point-per-game pace so far this season thanks to a late-October surge. Even more impressive is the fact that only one of Bouchard's point (an assist) has come with the man advantage. On the flip side, a large part of his production is due to his 27.8% shooting percentage - don't expect that to last.

Francois Bouchard	Lge	Age	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	SOG	PCT
Hershey	AHL	21	11	5	6	11	4	4	0	0	-	18	27.8

Trevor Bruess (Left Wing) - He's getting playing time in Hershey, but aside of a fight with Binghamton's Paul Baier he hasn't done a whole lot.

Trevor Bruess	Lge	Age	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	SOG	PCT
Hershey	AHL	23	8	0	0	0	1	11	-	-	-	8	0.0

Joel Broda (Center) - Obviously you can only discern so much about a guy who's still playing in juniors, but it's hard not to be encouraged by Broda's numbers. In 2008 the Capitals picked him in the fifth round, after a season where he recorded 31 goals and 53 points in 73 games with the Tri-City Americans and Moose Jaw Warriors; in the 2008-09 season Broda recorded 53 goals and 87 points in 67 games while splitting time between Moose Jaw and the Calgary Hitmen. While he's not scoring at the prodigious pace he was last season, Broda's again producing at better than a point-per-game.

Joel Broda	Lge	Age	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	SOG	PCT
Calgary	WHL	19	16	8	9	17	2	23	5	0	-	-	-

Greg Burke (Left Wing) - Having his 2008-09 season cut short by a shoulder injury and playing in just eight games for the USHL's Cedar Rapids RoughRiders, doesn't seem to have slowed Burke down too much: he's played in all seven of the University of New Hampshire's games this season.

Greg Burke	Lge	Age	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	SOG	PCT
University of New Hampshire	HE	19	7	0	2	2	-2	2	0	0	0	9	0.0

Stefan Della Rovere (Left Wing) - Everybody's favorite NHL-pest-to-be is picking up right where he left off last season, dropping the gloves, adding some offense, and captaining one of the OHL's best teams - and that's all good news for a Capitals team that needs some more sandpaper in the lineup. Della Rovere's also been named to the OHL's Subway Super Series team, Canada's most prestigious sandwich-themed junior hockey tournament.

Stefan Della Rovere	Lge	Age	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	SOG	PCT
Barrie	OHL	19	16	5	7	12	5	31	2	0	-	-	-

Phil DeSimone (Center) - An offensive force when he was drafted out of the USHL, DeSimone is still looking to fulfill his potential at the collegiate level, although he did increase his point total from 13 to 18 and his goal total from three to seven from his freshman to sophomore year.

Phil DeSimone	Lge	Age	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	SOG	PCT
University of New Hampshire	HE	22	7	0	2	2	-6	10	0	0	0	8	0.0

Cody Eakin (Center) - Eakin's not a big guy (though he's a pretty tough one), but he is a terrific skater with good offensive instincts who also receives accolades for his two way play. Eakin's progressed nicely for the Swift Current Broncos in his WHL career, going from 17 points in 2007-08, to 48 points in 2008-09, to 23 through his team's first nineteen games of this season. Those might not sound like world-beating numbers, but consider this: 18 of Eakin's 2009-10 points are goals, a total that has him tied for the WHL lead. It's also telling that the Capitals have already inked Eakin to a professional contract, and there's a good chance he'll get a game or two in Hershey at the end of this season.

Cody Eakin	Lge	Age	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	SOG	PCT
Swift Current	WHL	18	19	18	5	23	-1	27	9	3	-	-	-

Joe Finley (Left Wing/Defense) - He's been playing defense in South Carolina (who list him as a defenseman), but the Capitals still list him as a forward, so we will too. At 22, Finley's a bit old for someone with NHL hopes to be plying his trade in the East Coast League, especially given that the experiment with moving him to wing appears to be on the back burner.

Joe Finley	Lge	Age	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	SOG	PCT
South Carolina	ECHL	22	7	1	1	2	3	20	0	0	-	7	14.3

Andrew Gordon (Right Wing) - just two years ago the Capitals, unhappy with Gordon's performance in the AHL, briefly demoted him to South Carolina. Last year Gordon became an important piece of Hershey's Calder Cup team and got in a game in with the big club. This year Gordon's ascent has continued: he's averaging over a point a game, sports a plus-5 rating, and has only taken one penalty: a fight against Brian Lee. Gordon's probably never going to be a top six forward at the NHL level, but we'd sure like to see what he could do on a Caps energy line - the sooner, the better.

Andrew Gordon	Lge	Age	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	SOG	PCT
Hershey	AHL	23	12	7	9	16	5	5	5	0	-	36	19.4

Anton Gustafsson (Center) - The Capitals couldn't find room for him to get playing time in Hershey and it didn't look like he'd be getting playing time in Sweden's highest league either, and a a result, the Caps wound up lending Gustafsson to Borås HC, a team in Sweden's second division. Gus is getting playing time there, and has picked up four assists and nine shots in four games, although is winning only 47% of his faceoffs.

Anton Gustafsson	Lge	Age	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	SOG	PCT
Borås HC	Allsvenskan	19	4	0	4	4	0	2	0	0	0	9	0.0

Jake Hauswirth (Center/Right Wing) - one of the biggest surprises of 2008's prospects camp earned himself a contract this past summer. His transition to the pro game is going well and, although a call-up to the Capitals is in no way in the near future, Hauswirth could work his way up the ladder to Hershey later this season or in 2010-11.

Jake Hauswirth	Lge	Age	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	SOG	PCT
South Carolina	ECHL	21	7	1	3	4	2	0	0	0	-	6	16.7

Dmitri Kugryshev (Left Wing ) - In large part thanks to a shooting percentage that's only half of what it was last year, Kugryshev isn't scoring at the same rate he did in 2008-09, when he was Qubec's leading rookie scorer, and a 34 goal, 74 points campaign earned him the QMJHL Rookie of the Year award. That doesn't mean he's not putting up points, though, and the goals should come in time.

Dmitri Kugryshev	Lge	Age	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	SOG	PCT
Quebec	QMJHL	19	18	4	13	17	5	18	0	0	1	52	7.7

Marcus Johansson (Center/Left Wing) - this past summer's first round draft pick is playing for Farjestads, currently one of Sweden's best teams. Even better, he's leading the team in goals and scoring (which isn't too much of a surprise considering some of the moves he has), though a lot of that has to do with an undoubtedly temporarily high shooting percentage. He's playing center right now, but there's been talk that Johansson might move the wing when he comes to North American, something his -1 rating and 40% faceoff win rate are advocating.

Marcus Johansson	Lge	Age	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	SOG	PCT
Farjestads	SEL	19	10	6	4	10	-1	10	2	0	1	20	30.0

Oskar Osala (Left Wing)- It took him until the seventh game of the season to record his first point, but since then Osala's come on strong, with five points in his last six games. You can never have too many big bodies up front (Osala goes 6'4'', 220) who can contribute on the score sheet, so here's hoping Osala keeps piling up the points and earns himself another trip to D.C..

Oskar Osala	Lge	Age	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	SOG	PCT
Hershey	AHL	21	12	3	2	5	-3	15	0	0	-	39	7.7

Mathieu Perreault (Center) - Like Osala, he started off slow (no point in his first five games for Hershey), before coming on strong. Unlike Osala, Perreault's size (allegedly 5'10'', 174) will always be a concern. But if he plays with smarts, skill, and determination he did on Wednesday, something tells me the Caps will be able to live with it.

Mathieu Perreault	Lge	Age	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	SOG	PCT
Hershey	AHL	21	12	1	3	4	-4	6	0	0	-	18	5.6
Washington	NHL	21	1	0	2	2	2	0	0	0	0	2	0.0

Kyle Wilson (Center) - after two solid offensive seasons in Hershey (a total of 58 goals and 61 assists), but no chance to come up and show what he can do in the NHL we're starting to wonder if and when he's going to get that opportunity.

Kyle Wilson	Lge	Age	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	SOG	PCT
Hershey	AHL	24	12	2	5	7	-1	2	1	0	-	30	6.7

Friday Caps Clips: Caps @ Panthers Game Day

2009-11-06T11:46:22Z

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Your savory breakfast links:

Preview of tonight's game against with the Kitties from Vogs, NHL.com and Peerless, and be sure to check out our SB Nation partner Litter Box Cats (a personal fave) for coverage from the other side of tonight's match up.
Alex Ovechkin was back on the ice yesterday, and he and Bruce Boudreau talked a bit about the injury, then Bruce ranted a bit more about Wednesday night's loss. [In The Room]
Penalties are killing the Caps. If I had a nickel... [Washington Post, Washington Times]
Hey, y'know who's got a real opportunity to shine with Ovechkin out? Alex Semin. [Sporting News]
Is AO the most marketable NHLer since The Great One? [Sports Agent Blog]
It's good to know that Ovi has friends in high places. [NBC Washington]
AO may have a $10k cell phone, but can he get a good signal in the Verizon Center? My bet is no. [Washington Post]
Semyon Varlamov might be getting a lump of coal of sorts in his stocking on Christmas (and yes, I know that Russians celebrate Christmas on January 7). [From The Rink]
The Caps' road whites as the fourth-best jerseys of the decade. Too bad the hometown fans never get to see 'em. [Puck Padre]
A look back at Brendan Morrison's college career. [NHL.com]
Good stuff on Caps prospect Marcus Johansson. [FanPost]
Want to see "Brendan Witt" and "chess" in the same blog post? Click through. [Behind The Net]
Happy 38th birthday to Sergei Berezin and happy 46th to Brian Curran.
Finally, a nice tribute to a Caps fan who's off to the great rink in the sky. Put in a good word for the boys in red, won't you? [OFB]

The "Risk" of Alex Ovechkin

2009-11-05T20:30:29Z

More photos » by Luis Alvarez - AP

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For years we've dealt with people like Don Cherry decrying the physical, in-your-face style practiced by our very own Alex Ovechkin. It seems we get a new rant every week about how Ovechkin's going to get "cut down" because he plays with - and right on - the edge.

We're still waiting for it to happen, and it's not like other teams haven't had a chance. The fact that he's gone four years and change without all that many attempts on his life would seem to tell a different tale; the fact that most players in the league probably respect and/or fear Ovechkin enough to not try it would seem to show that his "edge" is just fine with them.

It gets old, to say the least.

But now with #8 sidelined with an injury, this story takes on a new twist and a new camp becomes vocal - we'll call it the "Rick DiPietro" defense, and it's mouthpiece is, if you can believe it, PJ Stock.

See, he believes that this injury is an omen, that the Caps are handcuffed by Ovechkin's long-term, multi-million dollar deal. After all, Ovechkin plays a physical style; he's injured right now. Ergo, his physical style will lead to multiple injuries which will lead the Caps to wish they'd never signed this horrific albatross of a contract.

"It's not this particular injury that is my concern. It is injury number seven in year four that slows him down a bit. An injury that slows him down enough for the organization to question his worth. An injury that slows him down enough for fans and media to question his worth."

Please don't let the facts get in the way of a good story, PJ. (By the way, did you really write this earlier this week, or have you had it sitting on the shelf, ready to go, like a pre-written obituary?)

Question his worth? Ovechkin's style is part of what we love about him, not what we fear. It's not likely that even a single fan is sitting around wringing their hands, worrying about his fragility because of one fluke injury. There are guys around the league with shorter deals whose tendency to bruise like a peach would make their contracts seem far more risky.

Alex Ovechkin is now in his fifth year as an NHL pro. He's appeared in three strenuous, physical playoff series. He rarely takes off a shift or passes up a chance to hit someone. And in that time, while playing like a man possessed, a bull in a china shop, a freak of nature - he has missed exactly three games due to injury.

Even with this injury there's nothing concrete; we don't know the extent of it, or the number of games it will cause him to miss. He has missed one this season, looks poised to miss two more this weekend, and then? No one knows. It all just seems a little soon to declare Ovechkin to be a long-term bust.

"I love the Great 8 but am concerned for the Capitals in the long run."

Long-term contracts are always risky and will always be risky. Sometimes they work out and sometimes they don't - you can point to Rick DiPietro's glass everything as concrete proof that sometimes they really don't work out. But to say that one injury is a sign that the Caps will regret this contract is to ignore the facts. Because everyone knows the style of game Ovechkin plays - it wasn't a mystery when the Caps inked him to thirteen years and it's not a mystery now.

Could this style eventually lead to more injuries and more missed time by the Russian winger? Of course. Is there also the possibility that, as he develops and matures, the physical aspect will become more fine-tuned and less "hit what moves"? Of course.

And if given the chance, even with this injury, do we think the Caps would make the same deal all over again?

Of course.

Because high risk, higher reward is the Capital way - and you won't find someone with much more potential reward than Alex Ovechkin.

November Prospects Update: Goalies and Defensemen

2009-11-05T17:30:31Z

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With the first month of the hockey season gone, we've reached a point where performance and statistics, while still suffering from the problem of small sample size, have enough validity that they can be fairly analyzed. With that in mind, we thought it might be a good time to check in on the Capitals organization's prospects and see how they've started the season off.

Below are the team's goaltender and defenseman prospects and how they've performed so far this year:

Goaltenders

Dan Dunn - Dunn, a tall netminder whom the Capitals picked in the sixth round of the 2007 draft, is in his third season with St. Cloud State. The good news is that he's playing more than he has in his first two and his numbers look pretty good. The bad news is that he's still not starting in goal for the Huskies, currently splitting time with freshman Mike Lee.

Dan Dunn	Lge	GP	MIN	W	L	T	GA	GAA	SA	SV	SV%	SO
St. Cloud State	WCHA	3	182	2	1	0	6	1.98	79	73	.924	0

Braden Holtby - Holtby started the season in Hershey, moved to South Carolina when Michal Neuvirth got healthy, and even spent a couple of days in Washington (albeit for salary cap purposes). He started off hot in Hershey but hasn't done as well with the Stingrays.

Braden Holtby	Lge	GP	MIN	W	L	O	GA	GAA	SA	SV	SV%	SO
South Carolina	ECHL	3	183	1	1	1	11	3.60	101	90	.891	0
Hershey	AHL	3	178	2	1	0	3	1.01	90	87	.967	1

Michal Neuvirth - Most Caps fans are, at this point, painfully aware of Semyon Varlamov's early season struggles, last night's solid performance notwithstanding. What they might not be aware of is that Neuvirth is having problems of his own down in Hershey. There's no reason to worry at this point, and the young Czech will almost certainly start putting up better numbers before too long, but it's hard not to be a little bit disappointed.

Michal Neuvirth	Lge	GP	MIN	W	L	T	GA	GAA	SA	SV	SV%	SO
Hershey	AHL	5	299	2	3	0	15	3.01	136	121	.890	0

Defensemen

Karl Alzner - Alzner's numbers aren't eye-popping, but when are they ever? Better question: why isn't he in the NHL yet?

Karl Alzner	Lge	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	SOG	PCT
Hershey	AHL	12	0	1	1	7	4	0	0	0	8	0.0

John Carlson - Carlson just keeps on impressing at every level of play and he's been a beast in the AHL so far this year, putting up eight points to go along with a nice plus-6 rating. Not to mention he has yet to take a single penalty. I'd say we should expect the Capitals to find a spot for him in 2010-11, but this time last year I would have said the same about Alzner for the 2009-10 season.

John Carlson	Lge	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	SOG	PCT
Hershey	AHL	12	1	7	8	6	0	1	0	-	30	3.3

Josh Godfrey - Godfrey hasn't been able to stick in the AHL which, although owing in part to the depth of the Hershey blueline corps, is not a good sign. We've recently criticized George McPhee's asset management and with Mike Green, Jeff Schultz, John Carlson, and Karl Alzner looking like the defensive core of the future and Godfrey struggling to make the AHL team, it might be time to look into trading him for a draft pick or grit in the bottom six.

Josh Godfrey	Lge	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	SOG	PCT
South Carolina	ECHL	7	0	2	2	-3	10	0	0	0	10	0.0

Eric Mestery - Mestery didn't look very good in this summer's prospect camp, but the 2008 second rounder has always been considered a project. He's currently playing his trade for a mediocre Lethbridge Hurricanes team, for whom he sports a team-worst minus-8 rating, though is also chipping on offense.

Eric Mestery	Lge	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	SOG	PCT
Lethbridge	AHL	16	2	5	7	-8	21	2	0	-	-	-

Patrick McNeill - Relatively unheralded and definitely overshadowed, McNeill's put up some pretty good numbers for Hershey over the last couple years. His NHL prospects aren't very strong, but he's a nice guy to have in the organization.

Patrick McNeill	Lge	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	SOG	PCT
Hershey	AHL	11	1	4	5	1	4	0	0	-	19	5.3

Dmitri Orlov - The Caps second round draft pick from last season impressed both the team and fans in camp over the summer. At the moment he's in the KHL, playing with Novokuznetsk Metallurg, but expect him to be in North America (though not a Caps uniform) next season.

Dmitri Orlov	Lge	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	SOG	PCT
Novokuznetsk Metallurg	KHL	19	1	1	2	0	8	0	0	1	21	4.8

Patrick Wey - Drafted out of the USHL and now playing at Boston College, Wey is a defenseman capable of moving the puck in an already-big (6'2'', 200 pounds) and very projectable frame. Given that he was a fourth round pick and has only played a handful of games so far we can't draw too many conclusions, but it is nice that he's cracking the BC lineup.

Patrick Wey	Lge	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	SOG	PCT
Boston College	HE	4	0	0	0	-	2	0	0	0	2	0.0

Be sure to check back tomorrow for an update on how the organization's forwards have fared in the young season.

Thursday Caps Clips: No Ovechkin, No Win

2009-11-05T11:45:59Z

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Your savory breakfast links:

Recaps and other assorted musings on last night's loss from Corey (blog, article), Tarik (blog, article), Vogs, Joe B., Ed Frankovic, Peerless, and Fight For Old D.C..
Good news! Alex Ovechkin's injury isn't even among the ten most impactful early season hurts. [The Hockey News]
"Playoff hockey" in November? Maybe not as crazy as it sounds. [HomerMcFanboy]
Bruce Boudreau officially endorses Mike Green for Team Canada, which is certainly not "an about face from last spring" for Gabby (seriously, who writes this stuff?). [NHL.com]
Is Green as high as fourth on the Team Canada depth chart? [Hockey Or Die!]
Nicklas Backstrom on Grate Patrol. [Hockey Mom]
The "Gifted" Paradox. [Peerless]
Brendan Morrison's "Survivorman" adventure, now with video. [FanShot]
Perhaps the weirdest set of hockey cards I've seen yet, given that it contains this Alex Ovechkin card and this... fish? [The Beckett Blog (bonus: for more on the fish, click here... you know you want to)]
They're going to miss Michael Nylander in Grand Rapids. With any luck, we'll get the chance to miss him here, too. [Griffins]
What do you get the Caps fan who has everything? Not this. [Amazon.com via @nateewell]
In his dreams, perhaps, Keith Aucoin envisioned notching a hat trick against the Devils last night. Well, his dream came true... sorta. [Patriot-News]
Speaking of Aucoin, happy 31st birthday, Keith, happy 51st to Paul MacKinnon, and happy 52nd to both Nelson Burton and Rollie Boutin.

Recap: Devils 3, Caps 2

2009-11-05T03:24:16Z

More photos » by Rich Schultz - AP

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[AP Recap - GameCenter - Game Summary - Event Summary]

In the wake of the news that the Capitals would be with without Alex Ovechkin for the near future, CapsNation was flooded with rally-the-troops prose about how the team would re-double its efforts, with every man giving an extra 10% on top of the 110% they were supposedly already giving on a nightly basis. And that may still happen if and when they face a team that doesn't suck every drop of energy out of an already lifeless building by clogging the center and middle of the ice like they were the Beltway at rush hour.

But it sure didn't happen tonight.

To be sure, the bottom two lines, most of the defense and the netminder were all pretty solid. But the players on whom the burden of Ovechkin's absence most squarely falls failed to make use of their skill at best and failed to make use of their brains at worst.

Ten more notes on the game:

Let's start with Alexander Semin, he of the "prime opportunity... to prove he can produce consistently and that he is worthy of a long-term contract at season's end." The ~~"Other"~~ "Only" Alex waited until the 3:19 mark of the third period to register his first shot on goal of the game, ended with just three, and took three separate offensive-zone stick penalties. To his credit, Bruce Boudreau finally benched Semin at the end of the game, but the damage had been done.
Semin wasn't the only top-six forward to commit a bad penalty, though, as Brendan Morrison got nabbed for a third-period offensive-zone hook and Mike Knuble took a questionable boarding call earlier in the period while the game was still tied. All five Caps minors on this night were committed by skill forwards, and four of them were in the offensive zone. Inexcusable (and Gabby said as much post-game).
The Devils are a well-disciplined team, but to draw just one minor penalty all night speaks to a lack of effort from these same skill forwards.
We need a positive note right about now, so here's one - Mathieu Perreault positively shone in his NHL debut. Deuces were wild for the diminutive pivot, who had two assists, two shots, two takeaways (no giveaways), a pair of faceoff wins (out of four draws) and a plus-two rating, all in just 10:30 of even strength ice time. His saucer pass to Tyler Sloan was a thing of beauty, and his effort on the six-on-five goal (in Semin's place, to boot), was stellar.
Sticking with the positives, Semyon Varlamov stopped 24 of the 25 even strength shots he faced, getting beaten only on Brian Rolston's pass from behind the net that bounced off of Mike Green in front.
Rolston's goal may have been fluky, but I'd hesitate to call it lucky given the effort Jamie Langenbrunner made seconds earlier blowing up Shaone Morrisonn in the corner and keeping the puck in deep.
John Erskine played his first game since October 12 and looked a bit rusty. Or maybe that's just John Erskine and I'm misremembering.
It's certainly worth pointing out that Nicklas Backstrom had a big night in the faceoff dot, winning 15 of 24 draws (63%), including the pivotal one moments before Tomas Fleischmann scored with the goalie pulled to cut the lead to one.
It's unclear what led to the Chris Clark/Rod Pelley fight (perhaps an earlier scrum around the Caps' net after Pelley put a stick on Varly), but good on the captain for dropping the mittens there (and setting himself up to complete the Gordie Howe Hat Trick in the third... if only).
Any time you allow a mediocre-at-best power play to beat you twice in the third period, your penalty killers didn't do their job well enough.

And so the Ovechkin-less stretch gets off to a rocky start at The Rock. One would have to imagine that the team will produce a markedly better effort on Friday night in Sunrise against a drastically inferior Florida team. But this Caps team isn't in a position to take anything for granted... including, for some of the players, getting a sweater for that game.

Game highlights:

Game Day Open Thread - Caps @ Devils

2009-11-04T22:00:39Z

Next Game

Washington Capitals
@ New Jersey Devils

Wednesday, Nov 4, 2009, 7:00 PM EST
Prudential Center

Wednesday Caps Clips: Caps @ Devils Game Day

posted by J.P. about 10 hours ago

218 comments | 0 recs

Week to Week, The Caps Can Become a Greater Team

posted by Stephen Pepper 1 day ago

97 comments | 7 recs

Complete Coverage >

Tonight's probable netminders:

	GP	MIN	W	L	O	EGA	GA	GAA	SA	SV	SV%	SO
Semyon Varlamov	6	319	5	0	0	0	17	3.20	162	145	.895	0

	GP	MIN	W	L	O	EGA	GA	GAA	SA	SV	SV%	SO
Martin Brodeur	11	671	7	4	0	0	27	2.41	306	279	.912	1

Have at it, people.

From Hunter to Hunted

2009-11-04T19:30:29Z

More photos » by Luis Alvarez - AP

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"Run, chase, hunt down, hit, whatever word you want to use that would be correct." - Ken Hitchcock on whether his team was targeting Alex Ovechkin on Sunday

As outraged as you might have convinced yourself you are at the "revelation" above, that opposing teams might enter a game against the Capitals with a strategic objective to engage the team's stars physically is hardly news. Recall Ranger defenseman Marc Staal prior to last spring's first round playoff series:

"I think if you get physical with [Ovechkin] - and also with guys like Semin and Backstrom - kind of get them frustrated and off their game a little bit, as much as we can, we have to do it. Maybe getting it in the back of his mind that he's going to get hit every time he shoots it or comes down the wing; that's what we want."

When we discussed the integrally-related topic of team toughness a week ago, we noted the following:

That the Caps aren't physically intimidating opponents is no surprise. George McPhee acknowledged this would be the case this past offseason when he said, "If people want to screw around, then you beat them up on your power play" - the Caps skill, theoretically, is their deterrent. The problem with that approach (putting aside the obvious issues the Caps are currently having with the extra man) is that it's only effective if the officials make the right calls... and if your skill players get up after they've been fouled. And Mike Green almost didn't on Saturday night.

In the season's first weeks the Rangers, Islanders and Flyers all ran the Capitals' top defenseman with more-or-less unanswered impunity. Now the best player on the planet is on the trainer's table. Sure, part of the story over the next couple of Ovechkin-less weeks is the team's ability to replace AO's offense, tightening up defensively, and so on. But the bigger-picture story is preventing - or at the very least combating - opponents from continuing to take runs at Ovechkin, Green and other Capitals.

George McPhee and his foot soldiers like to cite the Red Wings as an example of a team that has gotten by without needing any on-ice policemen, but even those Red Wings went out and signed Brad May this past off-season because, as Detroit GM Ken Holland noted, "in 82 games some nights you have to protect yourself. We usually protect ourselves with a good power play, but if things get out of hand, Brad can play on our fourth line and bang some people. He has a dimension we don't have right now with fisticuffs." Added Wings head coach Mike Babcock, "He provides a physical presence. We don't feel we have much of it.... Sometimes, it's a priority."

For this Caps team, a physical presence has become a priority. It has become, perhaps, the priority.

McPhee has expressed a willingness to acquire "that element" if it's needed. I'd say that need has been made clear. Painfully so.

The Little Things that Make a Good Team Great

2009-11-04T16:30:28Z

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"A lot of these games, we've escaped. We haven't played our best hockey. I think what we have to worry about is more the process - how we're winning games. Don't think about the result, think about the process. If we go about that the right way, we'll come out on top most nights" - Brendan Morrison, after the Capitals 4-3 overtime loss to the Islanders on Friday night.

It goes without saying that winning is the end game in professional sports and that, accordingly, wins will get you an awful lot of leeway when it comes to performance analysis. That's why every critique of the Capitals this season has included a caveat acknowledging their record (8-2-4 at the moment), and why Bruce Boudreau is ready to point out the team's point total when he takes questions from the media. It'd be easy to sit back, look at the Capitals wins column, and conclude this team's style of play, though fraught with issues about consistency, discipline, and effort, is good enough to make them a legitimate Stanley Cup contender. That may very well be the case - but I wouldn't bet on it.

Why? Well, for one thing the game the Capitals are playing right now - only ratcheting up their game against top tier opponents - is a dangerous one. A team can't perform at it's highest level if it doesn't keep its focus and intensity level up day in and day out, just as an individual player can't perform at his best without practice. No matter how many times the Caps have a strong showing after coming out flat against a weaker opponent (or a series of weaker opponents, as the case may be), it's hard to believe they're capable of "turning it on" at will because, as skilled at the team is, the timing, concentration, and understanding it takes to win in a league like the NHL, where margin for error is minimal.

Say, for the sake of argument, that the Capitals are capable of taking the ice and playing their best hockey at will, consistent efforts or no - should we then be satisfied with the team's progress, confident that they'll be a force to be reckoned with in the postseason even if we're frustrated by their performances in the meantime? The answer, pretty clearly I think, is 'no' because this team, right now, hasn't proven that they're good enough to win the Stanley Cup. Constant improvement in all facets of the game, more so than picking up wins, should be the team's focus at this point.

Making the changes the Capitals need may hurt the team in the short term, but fortunately for the Capitals they're in a position where a temporary drop off in performance isn't going to hurt them too much because they're not in danger of missing the postseason. The Alexander Ovechkins, Mike Greens, and Nicklas Backstroms of the world can come to training camp and work on ironing out the smaller flaws in their game - say, a hitch in their stride, or an imperfection in their wrist shot technique - because they know they're going to make the team. An unimpressive preseason won't do them on. On the other hand the Chris Bourques and Quintin Laings of the world have to come to camp and try to get the job done with their existing skill sets, imperfections and all, because a bad camp means they're no longer in the picture. By the same token a team like the Capitals can afford to spare a few points to refine its game, a luxury few NHL teams have.

For the time being Bruce Boudreau and his coaching staff should deflect attention away from the final score and on to specific areas of the team's play that need work and hold players accountable. Put the emphasis on cycling the puck in the offensive zone, dumping and chasing effectively enough to wear out opponents, tightening the penalty kill box, and making smart decisions with the puck. Cut ice time from a defenseman who makes a bad pass through his own slot, a winger who doesn't backcheck, and anyone who shows a lack of effort. The team's play is going to be different by necessity while they wait for the best player in the world to recover from injury, so why not use the time to enact on-ice changes - to try to win games the way "normal" teams have to win games? Break the bad habits now, in November, when the games don't mean all that much, rather than waiting for April and May and hoping the problems fix themselves. The team at this point doesn't require a complete overhaul, just some well-timed, well-placed tweaking, but it still needs some work.

In that sense what the Capitals need is a renovation and, as is the case with a renovation, it's not going to be easy or seamless. Difficult changes will have to be made, someone's feelings will get hurt, you may have to part with something you love, your neighbors will question your decisions, and, truth be told, there's a very good chance it'll like like crap in the meantime. But if you go in knowing what areas to improve and how to do it, you're going to be better off in the end.

Most importantly, though, Boudreau and George McPhee need to remember what happens when you wait too long and renovation is no longer an option: you're forced to rebuild.

Wednesday Caps Clips: Caps @ Devils Game Day

2009-11-04T11:41:31Z

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Your savory breakfast links:

Preview of tonight's first game sans Alex Ovechkin from Vogs, NHL.com and Peerless, and be sure to check out our SB Nation partner In Lou We Trust for coverage (and an epic preview) from the other side of tonight's match up.
Refresh your memory as to the last match-up between these teams, less than a month ago. [SB Nation]
Press scrums with AO, Bruce Boudreau, Nicklas Backstrom, Brendan Morrison, Chris Clark and Mike Green on the injury heard 'round the NHL world and what it means going forward (bonus quick hit with Mathieu Perreault on his recall at the end). [Caps365 (video); Washington Times article; Washington Post's article; NHL.com's article]
Y'know, for all the horrendous misinterpretations and/or misuse of Boudreau's comments regarding the length of Ovechkin's absence from the lineup (from "Capitals' Ovechkin expected to miss one game" to "Ovechkin out up to two weeks"), I'm surprised no one's jumped on AO saying he's going to "take some coke" and claim that the Great Eight has a drug problem.
"Ovechkin's recovery time from an upper-body strain presents a prime opportunity for "the other Alex" - Alexander Semin - to prove he can produce consistently and that he is worthy of a long-term contract at season's end." [Washington Times]
To that end, Semin's agent is quoted as saying: "I don't believe in discounts." I wonder if he makes the same percentage on a KHL deal as an NHL one. [Examiner]
More on Semin's chance to step up. [OFB]
It's not that Ovi doesn't get hurt, it's that he doesn't feel pain. Or something. [Examiner]
Is the League's discipline office asleep at the wheel ~~yet again~~ on this one? [Ed Frankovic's Blog]
Five players who must step up in the two-time reigning MVP's absence. [Fight For Old D.C.]
Pictures from yesterday's practice (yes, they did actually skate yesterday). [Caps In Pictures]
Regarding that practice, I'm going to throw a flag on placing "news" and "Eric Fehr left practice early" next to each other. [In The Room]
Here are your new lines (for the moment, at least). [Capitals Insider]
Brian Leetch - the last defenseman to have a 100-point season - throws some love Green's way. [CP]
Speaking of Green, he "appears to be just hitting his stride and should be left standing when the final cuts [for Team Canada] are announced, if not among the top six, at least as a power play specialist." Huh. [CTV]
Pierre Lebrun took the opportunity to post some moron's rant about the Caps (you'll never guess who "the worst defender in the NHL" is) and respond by basically blaming the entirety of the team's supposed defensive woes on A.O. Um, ok. [ESPN]
LeBrun's on a roll. Regarding AO's new deal with IMG for representation he writes, "It has to be a bit of an acknowledgment that Ovechkin and his family made a mistake to part ways with [former agent Don] Meehan." Really? [ESPN]
More weekly power rankings are out, with the Caps down two spots to fourth here at SBN, up one to fourth at FOXSports, up five to third at Y! and holding at fifth at SI.com and sixth at CBSSports.
Hey, people - be thankful the Caps don't have a meddling owner and stop telling The Boss how to run his team (leave that to us bloggers). [Ted's Take]
Speaking of The Boss, here's this week's Hockey This Morning spot. [XM204 (audio)]
The Caps raised nearly $25k for Hockey Fights Cancer. Bravo. [Hockey Mom]
More Ovie-tine, please! [Flickr via @clydeorama]
"10 Things You Should Know About Matt Bradley." [Capitals]
Yesterday was "Washington Capitals Day" in D.C., and it was such a big story that the team didn't even put out a release on it until the day was almost over. [Capitals]
Some interesting notes on dasher board advertising around the League. [NEI Nuclear Notes]
Finally, happy 31st birthday to Rick Berry.

"That would be correct. That's the name of the game. Why, is that against the rules now?... Run,...

2009-11-03T19:40:08Z

"That would be correct. That's the name of the game. Why, is that against the rules now?... Run, chase, hunt down, hit, whatever word you want to use that would be correct."

- Ken Hitchcock on whether the Blue Jackets were targeting Alex Ovechkin on Sunday

Week to Week, The Caps Can Become a Greater Team

2009-11-03T18:32:00Z

More photos » by John Bazemore - AP

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Caps Nation must be crestfallen. The official, and officially vague, news that Alex Ovechkin is week to week forces us all to contemplate life without Alex.

Well, one Alex that is. And that's hinting at one reason why, though the health and speedy recovery of the leader of the Washington Capitals is front of mind, this calamity presents an opportunity to be seized. A moment to galvanize the rest of the group in the room. Make no mistake, these are exciting times for the Caps. They will grant us far greater insight into whether or not this 2009-10 team is Stanley Cup-worthy than any individual honors can.

Had Mike Knuble's and Quintin Laing's heroic efforts in the third period (putting aside the former's minor infraction) on Sunday vs. Columbus resulted in victory, I would have deemed that win the most significant to date in this campaign, and perhaps it would remain amongst the most significant victories by season's end. We saw glimpses of comprehensive effort and desperate play. A new clarity of vision. There was no backstop in #8.

The Penguins, not so long ago, lost their leader in Sidney Crosby from, essentially, January 18, 2008 to March 27, 2008, a span of thirty-one games (he was, of course, in the lineup for three games between March 4th and March 9th, including the "Black and Gold" weekend that Caps fans will not soon forget). The Pens forged an impressive 16-8-4 record during that stretch of the season.

But what's most significant is that, before that high-ankle sprain forced Crosby out of the lineup, his team was a respectable 26-17-4 (earning an average of 1.19 standing points per game). From January 19, 2008 to the end of the 2007-08 season, the Pens went 21-10-4 (an average of 1.31 standing points per game), surging to a #2 seeding in the Eastern Conference.

Further to the point, look at how the Pens' "secondary" scorers' production improved in the absence of #87:

2007-08 Scoring Through January 18, 2008

Player	GP	G	A	PTS
Petr Sykora	55	13	13	26
Ryan Malone	51	10	8	18
Jordan Staal	56	5	4	9
Maxime Talbot	38	7	4	11

2007-08 Scoring After January 18, 2008*

Player	GP	G	A	PTS
Sykora	26	15	22	37
Malone	26	17	16	33
Staal	26	7	8	15
Talbot	25	5	10	15

* Regular season only.

So may this 2009-10 Caps supporting cast improve itself.

It's time for Alexander Semin to shoot first . . . and reclaim his own superstar status.

It's time for Tomas Fleischmann (perhaps on a top line?) to possibly crack the 20-goal per season pace, and beyond.

It's time for Chris Clark to find some semblance of an offensive game again, working consistently with more offensively-gifted linemates.

It's time for the coaching staff, and the members of the power play squads, to invent new strategies of extra-man attack.

It's time for the organization to again test it's heralded offensive depth, including those waiting in Chocolate Town for just this moment.

It's time for the defense, currently sitting at 21st in the league in GA/G, to get a little tighter, a little meaner, its passes crisper, its checking more, well, finished. Those top scoring lines won't as easily get that goal back. Ditto for Messrs. Theodore and Varlamov.

It's time for a sixty-minute effort, and not a "fifty-one minute" one.

In short, it's time to get one step closer.

Caps recall Perreault, re‑assign Aucoin

2009-11-03T14:43:34Z

Caps recall Perreault, re‑assign Aucoin

"The Washington Capitals have recalled center Mathieu Perreault from the Hershey Bears of the American Hockey League (AHL) and assigned center Keith Aucoin to Hershey, vice president and general manager George McPhee announced today." - Press Release

Tuesday Caps Clips: All Ovechkin, All the Time

2009-11-03T11:39:36Z

photo by keviikev via flickr.com

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Your savory breakfast links:

Alex Ovechkin is "week-to-week" with an "upper-body strain." [Capitals]
Vogs on "Life Without Ovi." [Dump and Chase]
J.P. on life without Ovi: Get busy living, or get busy dying.
Other takes on the news of the day from The WaPo, The Times and Peerless.
Slava Malamud spoke with AO on his injury (translated after the jump).
Great work by the editors who ran headlines like "Capitals' Ovechkin expected to miss one game" based upon Bruce Boudreau's assertion that "he's more probable for the weekend than he is for Wednesday." Psst... it's called "the healing process" and the way it usually works is the more time off an injured player gets, the more likely he is to play again.
In other AO news, he has become a "global icon" who apparently has "transcended the sport of hockey" and signed with IMG Worldwide "for exclusive worldwide management, sponsorship, licensing and marketing representation." It's probably all an elaborate ploy by IMG, though, to facilitate getting their mitts on Jeff Schultz. [Puck Daddy, D.C. Sports Bog, Washington Times, Washington Business Journal]
He also was named the second star of the month for October. Jobbed. [Capitals]
How clutch was Alex in October? There were none more clutch (tip o' the lid to Nicklas Backstrom, Jose Theodore and Alexander Semin for their respective months of clutchosity as well... sorry, felt I needed to invent a word there). [USA Today]
Michael Nylander appeared on HNIC Radio yesterday afternoon with Jeff Marek and Kelly Hrudey. Not much new, but he did mention that he's heard that there may be "interest from a few teams." [CBC.ca (audio)]
If The Boss agrees "for the most part" with a post that claims that the Caps "lack backbone," does that mean that he thinks the team's soft? I doubt he'd say that. [Ted's Take]
Gabby on his book release in the latest edition of "Behind the Bench." [Capitals]
In the first round of weekly power rankings, the Caps are up a spot to third at the National Post, up three to third at The Sporting News, up three to fifth at ESPN and holding at fifth at TSN and CBC and fourth at Sportsnet.
Nice piece on the Ovechkin/Mike Richards rivalry. [TSN via YouTube (video)]
Despite the inconsistency, Mike Green's off to a pretty good start. [Puck Prospectus]
The Caps are currently out-shooting their opponents by a slim per-game margin, but should they end up in the red in this area, take heart - some pretty darn good teams have been outshot by their opponents. [Behind The Net]
Though he's a long shot to make Team USA (heck, I didn't even know he was eligible... maybe being born on the fourth of July earns you automatic citizenship), Mike Knuble must be put on the squad so we can see "Yankee Knuble Dandy" and, of course, "Knuble-eve in Miracles?!" headlines. [From The Rink]
Are the Caps sending someone to Finland to scout Peter Forsberg? [The Fourth Period]
Apparently, Rolling Stone doesn't know that the Caps exist, which is somewhat ironic given how irrelevant the once-great mag has become. [D.C. Sports Bog]
Capitals Singles Night at Bar Louie before the Wild game? This has to be the worst idea the team has come up with in years. I mean, do they really want Brooks Laich to be late to the game? [Capitals]
Alexandre Giroux was named AHL Player of the Month for October. Hopefully he's in a position to repeat in November, December... [John Walton Hockey]
Bear Tracks and an Andrew Joudrey article. [LDN]
Jason Bacashihua is currently 4-0-0/1.00/.962 for the Bears. [John Walton Hockey]
The Vancouver Canucks have signed Matt Pettinger. Atta boy, Princess. [Canucks]
In other Vancouver-related news, Glen Hanlon has stepped down as head coach of the Belarus national team. Rough couple of weeks for Hugs. [The Hockey News]
And in other Olympic hockey news, someone named Tracee Hamilton chimes in on Sochi 2014. [Washington Post]

[In today's edition of Sport-Express, Slava Malamud catches up with Alex Ovechkin to see if he can get some insight into his injury. There are no earth-shattering revelations, except that maybe the entire Russian Olympic team has been jinxed.]

Sounding the alarm isn't really included among the duties of a sports reporter, but since we aren't afraid to jinx things with praise, well.... basically, at the rate they are going Russia will need to send to Vancouver an Olympic team made up of some KHL clubs, a medical team from a medium-sized hospital and a shaman from the Republic of Sakha. (come on, I know you meant a Tuvan shaman, Slava- TH). I can only call the adversity inflicted upon the potential Olympians as nothing else but unprecedented.

It hasn't even been a month since the start of the NHL regular season and injuries have already claimed Andrei Markov (torn tendon- out for several months), Sergei Gonchar (wrist- out at least until December), Ilya Kovalchuk (broken bone in foot, not expected to return before the end of November), and Evgeni Malkin (sprained shoulder- out two to three weeks). Such trifles as Alexander Semin's illness (exactly what it was they will not say, but it is well-known that the team did have a case of the swine flu), which caused him to sit out a couple of games, are not even worth mentioning.

And now, during a Sunday game in the U.S. Capital, that very thing which the Russians have had enough of happened again. It is difficult to say exactly when it happened. Perhaps at the beginning of the second period, when Ovechkin skated by Jason Chimera and the latter nudged the former with his shoulder. Apparently that was in retaliation for when the Russian boarded the Canadian forward during the first period. Ovechkin shoved Chimera with his hands, a scuffle ensued, during which Alexander was grabbed and dragged, and finally he went to the penalty box, lightly supporting his left arm. Coming out on the ice, he collided in the offensive zone with Raffi Torres, fell to the ice and grimaced in pain and immediately came off the ice and went to the locker room. He missed the rest of the game.

If you assess the situation solely on appearances, you could assume that Alexander injured his left arm or shoulder. After the game he talked a bit with the press and gave an interview to Sport Express.

Alexander, what happened? Were you injured by Chimera, Torres or somebody else?

"I can't say. I can't even discuss the exact moment in order to not divulge what exactly my injury is."

Then can you at least give the official version-is it upper or lower body?

"Upper body."

How serious does it feel?

"I don't know, but I would say that it is "day-to-day". I'm going in for some tests tomorrow and then everything will be clear."

What's happening to all the Olympic team players? You guys are just having some bad luck.

"I can't understand it myself. Perhaps some girl has put a hex on us."

Yesterday afternoon Moscow time Ovechkin underwent testing, after which he confirmed to your Sport Express reporter that his injury is not very serious.

"They'll give a more exact diagnosis later" said Alexander "but the doctors said that there is no serious damage."

Can you give some estimation of when you might return?

"It's 100 percent that I'll miss the next game, and then we'll see."

Ovechkin Week-to-Week

2009-11-02T22:32:30Z

Ovechkin Week-to-Week

"Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin suffered an upper-body strain in Sunday evening’s game against the Columbus Blue Jackets and his status is week-to-week, the team determined Monday. Ovechkin, the NHL leader in points (23) and goals (14) and the league’s Second Star of the Month for October, is expected to miss the fifth game of his five-year career on Wednesday at New Jersey. He has only missed two games due to injury in his first four seasons. Ovechkin played just 7:43 of Sunday’s overtime loss to Columbus and was held without a point for just the third time this year. He was examined and treated by the team’s medical staff and underwent an MRI exam on Monday. The two-time reigning most valuable player will travel with the Capitals this week to continue to receive medical treatment." - Press Release