In the room

In the Room is moving

2008-05-27T23:53:35Z

So we unveiled a new look for the website today. Part of the deal with the new, well, deal is this blog will have a new home. The new address is http://www.washingtontimes.com/weblogs/in-the-room/ for those who want bookmark it. I would have had something up earlier today about Matt Bradley, but there were some technical issues with the move. His contract is for $3 million, or $1 million per -- a nice annual raise of almost 43 percent for Bradley, who also told me he just got married. Also, as a spoiler alert: I have been working on a list of my predictions for what the 2010 Olympic rosters could look like for the "big seven" countries (although Slovakia is in danger of making it the big six.) It was going to be posted the day after the World Championships ended and then I was going to put it up today with the unveiling of the new site, but the new site also means new blogging software, so look for it in a couple days. - Corey Masisak

Few papers making a full Stanley Cup commitment

2008-05-23T17:25:47Z

Despite a compelling series between the Red Wings and Penguins, it appears that most major newspapers are passing on covering the Stanley Cup Final. According to the Globe and Mail, only eight major dailies outside of Detroit and Pittsburgh will be covering the event. In Canada, only the Toronto papers and two papers in Vancouver will be sending writers. Among the no-shows: The Washington Post (you'll notice that Tarik is at Indy), Newsday and both the Philadelphia Inquirer and Philadelphia Daily News. The New York Times and Los Angeles Times decided to cover the series only after seeing which teams are involved, according to the Globe and Mail. While it is true that hockey still does not get as much attention from newspapers as other major sports, the lack of coverage of the finals has more to do with the state of the newspaper industry than the NHL. Travel budgets are being slashed like crazy, making it hard for editors to justify. The decision by the Philly papers to pass on the series is surprising. At last check, they were located just five hours from Pittsburgh and in the same state. Southwest Airlines: $49 from Philly to Pittsburgh. Just sayin'. For the record, Washington Times hockey writer Corey Masisak will be covering the games in Pittsburgh (he has family in the area) but will not be making the trip to Detroit (unless there is a Game 7). - Tim Lemke

Longer update

2008-05-22T21:07:24Z

OK, I just typed up the quotes from the Alzner/McPhee teleconference. Since I am sure everyone is starved for Caps info, here is what they had to say: KARL ALZNER ON HIS EXPECTATIONS: My expectations are the same as last year. I know I am going to be nervous and I am going to be excited at the same time. I'm going to give everything I have. I want to stand out and try to make a good impression and make it tough for the coaches and the staff to not want to send me down and keep me there. That is my main goal. ON PLAYING IN HIS FIRST NHL PRESEASON GAME AND LAST SEASON: Hearing the coaches and some of the players say that the first period was the fastest period they had ever seen, it put my mind at ease that I fit in for that game and that period. That was a big thing for me. I came back to junior and tried to work on the little things to polish up and round over that my game could be better. I think for the most part I did that the entire season. ON WHAT HE WANTS TO POLISH UP: I want to be more of an offensive threat. I don't think I am good enough on the offensive blue line. A guy who you guys are very familiar with -- Mike Green -- he always seems to find lanes and get [the puck] across the line. I want to be able to do that more like him and a little bit less like me right now. GEORGE MCPHEE ON KARL ALZNER: He is what he was when we drafted him. He's a very, very smart, reliable defenseman who is good defensively. That is where you have to start with defensemen. He doesn't take penalties. He takes a lot of pride in being good defensively. We love the way he plays the game and we're always looking for that type of defenseman. We think there is offensive upside there and he mentioned that as well. He shoots the puck really well, and it might take a little bit to develop that, but I think he just needs to develop some confidence in that part of the game and he'll be fine. I think he will transition very well. He played in our rookie game and an NHL [preseason] game and he did just fine when we had him here last September. The ability to read the play is most important and he has great hockey sense. He makes good reads, he doesn't get caught out of position and he anticipates very well. He is very patient and he doesn't get running around. He is really just a poised player who in that part of the game is more mature than most players at that age. He obviously has all those intangibles that you look for in a player. He is going to do real well at this level. Whether he starts with our team is up to him. If he's ready, he'll start with our team and if he's not, he'll go to Hershey until he is. He's a good player, and it is easy to make room for good players. I don't know how to characterize it properly other than to say if he comes to camp and if he is good enough to play here and make us a better team, then he will play. If he is a month away or three months away, then he'll play in Hershey until he is ready to make us better. We're completely open-minded. This is a good team now and we like where we are going, but we'll make room for someone who will make us better. We expect that he can make us better. ON THE AGREEMENT WITH HERSHEY: We're really happy that we've extended the deal. Hershey has been perfect in every way that you would want it to be. Whether it is a great fan base, a great building to play in, a strong, well-managed franchise, convenient travel from Washington to Hershey and vice versa where our fans can go see our young players and their fans can come see the players when they get to the NHL. We're getting good players out of it, and we got a really good coach out of it. We're really pleased and I hope the people of Hershey are really pleased as well. ON INJURED PLAYERS: [Pothier] is still symptomatic but he is improving. He is in a difficult spot with that injury and we'll just do what is in the best interest of the player. We'll monitor it throughout the summer and we'll see how he is in September. If he can play, he'll play and if he can't, he won't but it will be his decision. Michael Nylander was cleared May 5th and he had considered playing in the World Championships but he just thought to play it safe and be completely healthy for next year. Chris Clark has made some very good progress with his injury, so all of the news is encouraging and we expect both of them to be 100 percent by camp. ON NEGOTIATIONS WITH CRISTOBAL HUET AND MIKE GREEN: We're talking. It is a busy time of year and we're talking to a lot of people. It is kind of an exciting time for managers as we head toward the draft. There's a lot more discussions going on with other managers. There are discussions going on with agents about players. We haven't in the past really commented on the status of negotiations and we'll keep it that way, but we're certainly talking to everyone. - Corey Masisak

Quick update

2008-05-22T20:06:58Z

Just got off the teleconference with Karl Alzner and George McPhee and wanted to pass along a couple of quick updates. McPhee said Alzner will play professionally this year either for the Caps or in Hershey, so going back to juniors is almost certainly out of the question (he has nothing left to prove at that level so this should not be a surprise). McPhee said if Alzner is ready and will make the team better, he will stick coming out of training camp and if not, he'll spend some time with Hershey. Depending on what happens with Brian Pothier and Steve Eminger, there could be an interesting numbers crunch on the blue line during camp. Speaking of Pothier, McPhee said he is still dealing with symptoms from the concussion that ended his season. He did say Michael Nylander was cleared to play May 5 and contemplated playing for Sweden in the World Championships. McPhee also said Chris Clark has made progress with his groin injury and expects both he and Nylander to be ready for training camp. - Corey Masisak

Capitals sign Alzner

2008-05-22T18:48:08Z

More news that Corey passes along from the Caps:

ARLINGTON, Va. – The Washington Capitals have signed defenseman Karl Alzner to a three-year entry-level contract, vice president and general manager George McPhee announced today. In keeping with club policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed. Alzner was the Capitals' first-round choice, fifth overall, in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft.
Alzner, who will turn 20 on Sept. 24, recently completed his fourth season with the Calgary Hitmen of the Western Hockey League (WHL) and was named the WHL Player of the Year and Defenseman of the Year in 2007-08. He is a finalist for the Canadian Hockey League Player of the Year, which will be announced at the CHL Awards Show Saturday night. The captain of the Hitmen, Alzner recorded 36 points (seven goals, 29 assists), a +26 rating and just 15 penalty minutes in 60 games in the regular season.
A two-time gold medalist at the IIHF World Junior Championship with Canada, Alzner captained the Canadian team in 2007-08 and was named one of the team's top three players by the coaching staff. Alzner also represented Canada in the 2007 Canada/Russia Super Series and played for the WHL team in the 2006 Canada-Russia Challenge.
Alzner is rated as Washington's top prospect by The Hockey News and Hockey's Future. Those publications rank him as the NHL's No. 9 and No. 12 prospect, respectively.
Alzner will attend Washington's summer development camp, to be held July 7-12 at Kettler Capitals Iceplex in Arlington, Va.

Capitals extend affiliation with Hersey

2008-05-22T16:40:31Z

Corey Masisak is on the road but passed along this press release from the Capitals:

Washington Capitals Extend Affiliation with Hershey Bears
ARLINGTON, Va. – The Washington Capitals and the Hershey Bears of the American Hockey League (AHL) have extended their affiliation agreement through the 2009-10 season with an option for 2010-11, Capitals vice president and general manager George McPhee and Hershey president and general manager Doug Yingst announced today.
The Bears, one of the AHL's elite franchises, recently completed their third season as Washington's AHL affiliate under the current agreement. Hershey has qualified for the playoffs each of the last three years and won the Calder Cup as the champions of the AHL in 2005-06 and advanced to the Calder Cup finals in 2006-07.
Thirteen former or current Bears -- Chris Bourque, Frederic Cassivi, John Erskine, Eric Fehr, Tomas Fleischmann, Boyd Gordon, Mike Green, Brooks Laich, Quintin Laing, Sami Lepisto, Joe Motzko, Jeff Schultz and David Steckel -- skated for Washington this past season, as the Capitals won the Southeast Division and qualified for the playoffs for the first time since 2003. Washington goaltender Brent Johnson also played one game for the Bears this past season on a conditioning stint.
The Capitals recent success with Hershey extends beyond the players and to the coaching staff as well. Washington, searching for a new head coach 21 games into last season, promoted then Hershey bench boss Bruce Boudreau to lead the NHL squad. Boudreau, who coached Hershey the previous two seasons, guided the Capitals to one of their most successful campaigns in team history. In his 61 games behind the bench, the Capitals posted a 37-17-7 record and ended the regular season on a seven-game winning streak. Boudreau is a finalist for the Jack Adams Award, which is presented annually to the NHL coach who has contributed the most to his team's success.
The Bears home arena, Giant Center, seats 10,500 for hockey and is located less than 140 miles from Verizon Center. In addition to sharing a common fan base with the Bears, the Capitals have also held summer development camps, parts of training camps and two NHL preseason games in Hershey.
The Capitals and Bears were previously affiliated for seven seasons from 1977 to 1984, including the Bears' 1980 Calder Cup championship. The Capitals also have an affiliation with the South Carolina Stingrays of the ECHL.

The L.A. Kings are on the clock?

2008-05-04T17:54:03Z

In case anybody around here hasn't heard about this, the Tampa Bay Lightning are not leaving much to the imagination about who they might select with the No. 1 pick in the forthcoming draft. Steven Stamkos has been considered pretty much a lock to go No. 1 since long before Tampa Bay won the right to select him, but now it would appear to be pretty close to official. The Kings pick second and the Thrashers third, with just about every draft projection I've seen having a group of three or four defensemen being the guys slotting in behind Stamkos. L.A. took Thomas Hickey last year, but the Kings could add Drew Doughty (Karl Alzner's partner at the WJC), Alex Pietrangelo or Zach Bogosian to Hickey and Jack Johnson to potentially have a dynamite defense corps in front of Jonathan Bernier in a few years. Maybe the Kings would waiver on taking a third defensemen in the top 5 in four years, but the Thrashers should be happy to collect another high-end blueliner to put with Tobias Enstrom in the future, because Atlanta is clearly lacking in the back end. - Corey Masisak

It's official: Ovechkin will play

2008-04-29T20:55:11Z

Just got word that Alex Ovechkin's insurance issues have been officially cleared up and he will play for Russia in the upcoming IIHF World Championships in Quebec and Halifax. Ovechkin's mates bested Canada 6-2 in an exhibition game last night, and that was without him, Sergei Fedorov, Alexander Semin and Alexander Radulov. Not only are the Russians one of the favorites at this tournament, but they could throw out a scary good group of forwards in Vancouver at the 2010 Olympics. How does a first two lines of Ovechkin-Datsyuk-Kovalev and Kovalchuk-Malkin-Semin sound? Of course, the Russian Federation will have plenty of the guys who play in the Super League involved, but there is going to be plenty of star power and forward depth (don't forget guys like Radulov, Alexander Frolov and Maxim Afinogenov as well). If it is the last Olympics with NHL players, it could be one to remember. - Corey Masisak

More on Jagr

2008-04-29T20:11:13Z

I wrote a little about Jaromir Jagr today, but there was some stuff I wasn't able to get to or expand upon properly. He really is a fascinating character, one of the unique personalities in the history of the sport. One day he is reflective and can provide great insight, the next immature and brooding. I talked to Dave Molinari, who has covered the Penguins for a long time and really is one of the best in our businees, about Jagr and the jersey retirement thing earlier this season. He didn't think Jagr's No. 68 would be going up any time soon. Most teams in the NHL are very selective about who joins that club (and to be honest, the Caps are in danger of being one of the three or four teams that just has way too many of them considering the franchise's success). One guy whose opinion I respect greatly told me you shouldn't have more jerseys in the rafters than Stanley Cup banners, and I think that holds true for almost every franchise. Pittsburgh won two Cups (and might have won a couple more) in the early 90s and only Mario Lemieux's No. 66 hangs at Mellon Arena from that era. Michel Briere, who died after a long battle with injuries sustained in a car crash after his rookie season in the early 70s, is the only other player in team history to have his jersey retired. Jagr is clearly the second-best player in Penguins history, but he wasn't clearly the second-best player on those two Cup teams. Those teams were loaded with Hall of Fame talents, and Jagr was just a kid who didn't become a full-blown superstar until the mid-90s. There is also the falling out to consider. While there is plenty of contempt between Caps and Penguins fans, I am a little surprised the two fan bases don't connect more on the one thing they have in common: Their strong distaste for No. 68. Because the Penguins have been so strict with the jersey retirement thing, it won't surprise me if Jagr doesn't earn that recognition. The Penguins have a Ring of Honor in the arena, and he is already part of that. Lemieux and Briere will probably be the only two for the forseeable future, although it is a good bet that the next guy is on the team right now. If there was handicapping to be done on which current NHL players whose jerseys will be retired, there are the obvious older guys like Joe Sakic, Peter Forsberg, Mike Modano and Martin Brodeur. But I think it is fair to say Alex Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby have already climbed near the top of that list despite their youth. Anyway, I am going to be out of the loop for a few days, but here is some of the leftover quotes I collected about Jagr. I was a little surprised to see both Michal Rozsival and Petr Sykora talk about him as a leader. I think the players from the Czech Republic have a slightly different opinion of him than some of the other guys would. BRANDON DUBINSKY Jags and I play a little bit of the same style. We both hold onto the puck down low and try to create scoring chances by holding guys off beating them to the net. That was one of the attributes I bring to the line is being able to get the puck down low and hang onto it and let him get open to get it to him. [Straka] is kind of the glue. We try to slow things down, but we know we can give it to him and he's fast. He gets the puck up the ice well, and he's one of those responsible guys who always tries to make sure things go smoothly. Q: Were you star struck at all? Maybe the first time around – this is my second time playing with him. Earlier in the year I was and then they switched it up. It wasn't so much who we were playing with this time, it was just about getting the team back on a winning track. MICHAL ROZSIVAL I think he is a totally different guy. When he played [in Pittsburgh], he was more about himself. Now he is totally different guy. He is like a new person. Now he is trying to help other guys, working with the younger guys and try to teach to them some of his tricks. I remember what it was like here. It could just be there was so much pressure on him here all the time to be a 100-point scorer, he had to think about himself more. PETR SYKORA Obviously he went through a pretty tough season for his standards, but pretty close to 80 points is still a good season. The team is different now because there is not just one line who gets all the power-play time and the good scoring opportunities. Now they have three lines to share the ice time. HAL GILL He's picked up his game. He's obviously really skilled and really talented. He's so strong and big and he's got a lot of weapons. He is certainly someone you notice when he's out there. Age catches up with all of us, but I don't think it has slowed him down too much. When you get older, you get smarter. He relies on his teammates more often, and it makes him a better player at times. He's so strong on his skates. You can get caught, because if he catches you trying to lean on him one way, he is pretty good at spinning the other way. It is part of what makes him so effective.

Photo by Getty Images

-- Corey Masisak

State of the NHL: Goaltenders

2008-04-27T23:02:46Z

Since the Caps have a rather large void between the pipes right now, I thought a quick glance at each of the 30 teams and their goalie situations was in order (I had a couple of hours to kill before Game 2 of the Penguins-Rangers series and I chipped away at it during the game). I'll add a list of the top UFAs at the position tomorrow, but needless to say the list is neither deep nor impressive. Cristobal Huet will be making plenty of money if he decides to wait until July 1st or 2nd to sign. WASHINGTON Starter: ??? Backup: Brent Johnson, signed through 2008-09 Top prospects: Simeon Varlamov, Michal Neuvirth Skinny: Can they afford Huet and is he willing to stay in D.C.? Will Kolzig consider coming back? Do the Caps go after Jose Theodore or Dan Ellis if either makes it to the open market, or do they explore a trade? Do they bring in a short-term option to split-time with Johnson until the kids are ready? It could be a summer of questions in net in the District. ANAHEIM Starter: J.S. Giguere signed through 2010-11 Backup: Jonas Hiller, RFA Top prospect: Jean-Philippe Levasseur Skinny: Ducks are set with Giggy for the near future and Hiller will likely be back. Expect Anaheim to be in the market for a goalie in the draft to develop. ATLANTA Starter: Kari Lehtonen, RFA Backup: ??? Top prospect: Ondrej Pavelec Skinny: Lehtonen should be back, but can he ever stay healthy? Pavelec looked great in a start against the Caps, and could be his backup if Johan Hedberg isn't brought back and the Thrashers don't go outside for a veteran. BOSTON Starter: Tim Thomas, signed through 2008-09 Backup: Manny Fernandez, signed through 2008-09 Top prospect: Tuukka Rask Skinny: If Fernandez is healthy next year, Claude Julien will likely deal with questions about his rotation. Thomas can be great but also erratic, and Fernandez makes about four times as much money. BUFFALO Starter: Ryan Miller, signed through 2008-09 Backup: ??? Top prospect: Jhonas Enorth Skinny: Jocelyn Thibault is a free agent, so a backup is needed. The Sabres need to A) lock up Miller and B) get Enroth across the pond to Rochester. CAROLINA Starter: Cam Ward, signed through 2009-10 Backup: ??? Top prospect: Justin Peters Skinny: John Grahame is a free agent, so a backup is needed. The Hurricanes could take a goalie pretty early in the draft this year as well. Ward was better this year than last but still not at his 2006 Stanley Cup run level. CALGARY Starter: Mikka Kiprusoff, signed through 2013-14 Backup: ??? Top prospect: Leland Irving Skinny: Kiprusoff isn't going anywhere anytime soon. Curtis Joseph is a free agent, so a backup is needed. Irving will probably need at least a year in the AHL. CHICAGO Starter: Nikolai Khabibulin, signed through 2008-09 Backup: ??? Top prospect: Corey Crawford Skinny: The Bulin Wall is aging but probably has one more contract in him. Patrick Lalime is a free agent, but the Blackhawks could let Crawford take his place although Khabibulin's health is always an issue, so a veteran may be added. COLUMBUS Starter: Pascal Leclaire, RFA Backup: Fredrik Norrena, signed through 2008-09 Top prospect: Steve Mason Skinny: Either Leclaire or Mason will be the goaltender for a long time, but the Blue Jackets need to figure out which one it is. COLORADO Starter: ??? Backup: Peter Budaj, signed through 2008-09 Top prospects: Trevor Cann and Billy Sauer Skinny: Jose Theodore is a free agent, and has played his way into another nice contract. Do the Avs re-sign him, or is this a possible landing spot for Olie Kolzig as a 1/1A situation with Budaj? Colorado has loads of cap space, so that shouldn't be an issue. DALLAS Starter: Marty Turco, signed through 2009-10 Backup: ??? Top prospect: Tobias Stephan Skinny: Trading Mike Smith for pending free agent Johan Holmqvist opens up a spot behind Turco. The Stars could be in the market for a goalie of the future in June. DETROIT Starter: Chris Osgood, signed through 2010-11 Backup: ??? Top prospect: Jimmy Howard Skinny: The Red Wings are a team to watch. Dominik Hasek is a free agent and could retire (again), Osgood is signed but at a very cheap rate and Howard is almost too old to be a prospect anymore. They could go with those two or be a dark horse in the Huet/Theodore/Ellis sweepstakes. EDMONTON Starter: Mathieu Garon, signed through 2008-09 Backup: Dwayne Roloson, signed through 2008-09 Top prospect: Jeff Deslauriers Skinny: Roloson took this team to the Cup finals in 2006, but Garon outplayed him this season. They have one more year together to battle it out, but the Oilers could be looking for some young blood. FLORIDA Starter: Tomas Vokoun, signed through 2010-11 Backup: Craig Anderson, signed through 2008-09 Top prospect: Tyler Plante Skinny: The Panthers are set for the next few seasons with Vokoun. Developing someone to challenge him after that is on the to-do list. LOS ANGELES Starter: Jason LaBarbera, signed through 2008-09 Backup: ??? Top prospect: Jonathan Bernier Skinny: The Kings used seven guys last season, which pretty much sums it up. Bernier is going to be the guy, but how soon? L.A. left Dan Cloutier and his $3.1 million salary in the minors for most of the year, and he's got one more left. Don't count this out as a spot for Olie Kolzig. MINNESOTA Starter: Niklas Backstrom, signed through 2008-09 Backup: Josh Harding, signed through 2008-09 Top prospect: Anton Khudobin Skinny: There will be decisions to be made after next year, but the Wild are good for another season. Finding someone to replace Harding as the potential Next Guy is on tap. MONTREAL Starter: Carey Price, signed through 2009-10 Backup: Jaroslav Halak, signed through 2008-09 Top prospect: Price Skinny: The Habs are set for the next decade with Price. Halak could draw some interest on the trade market, and Montreal will probably look for a veteran No. 3 (think Brian Boucher-type) to stash at Hamilton. NASHVILLE Starter: ??? Backup: Chris Mason, signed through 2009-10 Top prospect: Pekka Rinne Skinny: Dan Ellis grabbed the No. 1 gig for the Predators, but he is a free agent and needs to be re-signed. Mason is locked in for two more years at $3 million, and going with him and Rinne could be Plan B, but Nashville is expected to spend this offseason with new ownership. NEW JERSEY Starter: Martin Brodeur, signed through 2011-2012 Backup: Kevin Weekes, signed through 2008-09 Top prospect: Jeff Frazee Skinny: Marty's still the man in New Jersey, but there will be questions again this season about getting him more rest during the regular season. Weekes was supposed to be the answer, but Brodeur still played 77 games. N.Y. ISLANDERS Starter: Rick DiPietro, signed through 2020-21 Backup: ??? Top prospect: Jase Weslosky Skinny: The Isles are set for three more presidential elections with DiPietro, but backup Wade Dubielewicz is a free agent. New York won't be spending a high pick on a goalie anytime soon, but a late-round project as long-term insurance would be a good idea. N.Y. RANGERS Starter: Henrik Lundqvist, signed through 2013-14 Backup: ??? Top prospect: David LeNeveu Skinny: King Henrik is locked up, but backup Stephen Valiquette is a free agent and one-time mega-prospect Al Montoya was shipped to Phoenix. The Blueshirts will be looking for a more reliable caddy than LeNeveu. OTTAWA Starter: Martin Gerber, signed through 2008-09 Backup: ??? Top prospect: Brian Elliot Skinny: As you may have heard, Ottawa GM Bryan Murray has a goalie on the trading block. He'll take a bag of used pucks for Ray Emery if he can get it. Maybe Gerber can be the guy, but it didn't look like it the second half of this season. The Senators could be in on the Huet/Theodore/Ellis sweepstakes if they can afford it. It would be close to Montreal for Huet's family. Consider this another potential destination for Kolzig as well. PHILADELPHIA Starter: Martin Biron, signed through 2008-09 Backup: Antero Nittymaki, signed through 2008-09 Top prospect: Jakub Kovar Skinny: The Flyers are good to go next season with deciding Biron's long-term value high on the priority list. PHOENIX Starter: Ilya Bryzgalov, signed through 2010-11 Backup: Mikael Tellqvist, signed through 2008-09 Top prospect: Al Montoya Skinny: In case anyone forgot, the Caps had first dibs on Bryzgalov and passed, presumably to not upset Kolzig. The Coyotes were quite happy with his performance and inked him to a 3-year extension. Phoenix went from zero goalies of the future to two by adding Bryzgalov and Montoya, which is a pretty good year's work. PITTSBURGH Starter: Marc-Andre Fleury, RFA Backup: ??? Top prospect: David Brown Skinny: Fitting Fleury in with the other high-priced kids on this team could take some creativity, but he has eased concerns about his ability to be a franchise guy in the past couple months. Ty Conklin was a great story, but it is a free agent. Dany Sabourin is under contract, but a more capable backup could be sought. SAN JOSE Starter: Evgeni Nabokov, signed through 2010-11 Backup: ??? Top prospect: Thomas Greiss Skinny: Nabokov was great this season even without a real backup for most of the season. Brian Boucher is a free agent, and the Sharks didn't seem to have much confidence in the kids so a veteran option could be nabbed. ST. LOUIS Starter: Manny Legace, signed through 2008-09 Backup: Hannu Toivonen, RFA Top prospect: Marek Schwarz Skinny: Another team close to playoff contention but some question about the long-term answer in net. Legace had a nice year but will be 35 and a pending free agent after next season. Toivonen hasn't reached his potential and Schwarz may not be ready to yet. TAMPA BAY Starter: Mike Smith, signed through 2008-09 Backup: Karri Ramo, signed through 2008-09 Top prospects: Ramo, Riku Helenius Skinny: The Lightning think they have their solution with Smith. The two Finns are now the fallback options, although Ramo looked pretty good at times this past season. Marc Denis could be bought out sooner rather than later. TORONTO Starter: Vesa Toskala, signed through 2009-10 Backup: Andrew Raycroft, signed through 2008-09 Top prospect: Justin Pogge Skinny: Toskala was really good after some early troubles, while Raycroft was really bad. He could be bought out if they Leafs want a better option there. If they are really going to rebuild, Toskala could become trade bait (if Huet is too expensive and Kolzig won't come back, the GM to be named in Toronto could be getting a phone call from George McPhee). VANCOVER Starter: Roberto Luongo, signed through 2009-10 Backup: ??? Top prospect: Cory Schneider Skinny: Curtis Sanford is a free agent, so a caddy for Luongo is needed. Schneider could be that guy. This would be close to home for Kolzig, but only if he were willing to take a big pay cut and be a true backup. - Corey Masisak

Offseason Depth Chart

2008-04-26T18:08:13Z

Thought this might be worth putting up here, and it can be updated throughout the summer when needed. I took out the unrestricted guys, but left the RFAs because they are still under the Caps control. Sure, there are other guys in the system but these are the guys who could be a factor at some point in the near future for the Caps. Guys in red are RFAs. Guys in blue are in the minors (for now). Guys in green are injured until further notice.

LEFT WING	CENTER	RIGHT WING	DEFENSE	DEFENSE	GOALTENDER
Alex Ovechkin	Nicklas Backstrom	Viktor Kozlov	Mike Green	Tom Poti	Brent Johnson
Alexander Semin	Michael Nylander	Chris Clark	Shaone Morrisonn	Jeff Schultz	Simeon Varlamov
Donald Brashear	Brooks Laich	Eric Fehr	Milan Jurcina	John Erskine	Michal Neuvirth
Tomas Fleischmann	David Steckel	Quintin Laing	Brian Pothier	Steve Eminger	Daren Machesney
Chris Bourque	Boyd Gordon	Andrew Gordon	Sami Lepisto	Karl Alzner
	Kyle Wilson	Francois Bouchard	Josh Godfrey	Joe Finley
	Mathieu Perreault	Ben Clymer
	Andrew Joudrey

Unrestricted Free Agents Sergei Fedorov Olie Kolzig Cristobal Huet Matt Cooke Matt Bradley Frederic Cassivi - Corey Masisak

Mike Green to play for Team Canada

2008-04-26T00:27:24Z

I saw Mike Green in the mall after the Caps wrapped up their season-ending meeting at K-Plex in Arlington and he said he was looking forward to having a full summer to train for the first time in a few years after those deep playoff runs with Hershey. Well, his time back home in Calgary is on hold for at least a little while longer. Green has been added to Canada's roster for the IIHF World Championships, which starts next week in Quebec City and Halifax. According to this story , Alex Ovechkin, Alexander Semin, Sergei Fedorov and goalie Simeon Varlamov are all on Team Russia's roster. Ovechkin said the other day that he wasn't sure he could play because he needed to insure his pending 13-year, $124 million contract. Rick DiPietro did not play for Team USA last year because of similar insurance concerns. Bruce Boudreau also said Ovechkin had been playing with an unspecified injury, so he will also have to be healthy enough to play in the tournament. I would expect Nicklas Backstrom to be on Sweden's team, and Michael Nylander might even be an option, although he said he was focused on trying to play for the Caps when I talked to him the day of Game 7 against the Flyers and didn't want to talk about the Worlds. Milan Jurcina could also be on Slovakia's entry if he is healthy enough to play. Also, I am at Mellon Arena for Game 1 of the Penguins-Rangers series. While the "white-out" thing looks cool, I do have to the say the Caps "red-out" was more impressive because the fans did it on their own. Passing out t-shirts, like the Wizards did for Game 3 last night and like the Penguins did tonight, cheapens it a bit to me. But that is just me. - Corey Masisak

From the cutting room floor

2008-04-24T18:19:17Z

So yesterday was a wild scramble at K-Plex trying to talk to as many people as possible before they dispatched to places such as Moscow, Calgary, Gavle and Regina. There was also a lot of newsworthy stuff, and trying to cram it all in a story in the newspaper with quotes wasn't easy. Here are some of the quotes that didn't make it. MATT COOKE It feels like it shouldn't be over, like it is almost surreal. Anytime you lose it is like that, but to have it end the way it did was just unfortunate. I think with the success we had down the stretch and in the playoffs, and with the guys that got that confidence, this team is bound for success. We already know there is no problems in this dressing room. For me, the most satisfaction is team success. I am not a guy who is going to go out and put points on the board every night, but I bring some other elements to the table that help out other guys on the table. Definitely, I would like to stay here if everything worked out. SERGEI FEDOROV Q: Thought about the future yet? It is just not important at the moment. I just have to settle down and let everything sort of soak in and go from there. I have to talk to my family and figure out what to do next. I don't want to make my decision on my own. Q: Could you have imagined this type of year for yourself in November? It was pretty gloomy in Columbus. It was fun playing with the guys and everything, but as far as everything else was just average. I just tried to come to work and work hard. When I got traded I was completely upside down. I had to remember a lot of things I have done well in the past. CHRIS CLARK Q: What is next for you? Rehab of some sort -- I am not sure of my exact plan yet. I haven't sat down with [trainer Greg Smith] and figured it all out yet. Q: How tough were these past few months? In the beginning we were losing and it was hard because I felt I could help the team. The last half of the season was a great ride that I was a part of but I wish I could have been on the ice with the guys. MIKE GREEN Q: Is it hard to process how big this contract is you are about to sign? Well, maybe a little bit just because of where I came from. Where I grew up it wasn't like that, but a lot of hard work went into that to where we are now. I am excited, but it is not all about that. Q: But it will be nice to buy a fancy car? A: Yeah, it will be nice to be able to afford some stuff. I do like my toys. BRUCE BOUDREAU On all of the guys playing through injuries: It just shows the courage of some of these guys. It just shows the warrior-ness in them. CRISTOBAL HUET I think the team is going in the right direction and the future sure looks bright here. GEORGE MCPHEE Everyone is focused on the [pending] free agents, but it is not like it use to be in this league. There are a lot of free agents. We wanted to keep [Dainius Zubrus] last year but we thought the contract demands were just a little out of our range so we replaced him [Viktor Kozlov] and it went well. We're going to make it a good team. We really like whay we have now and if the decision is made not to keep someone, we are going to replace them with somebody better. Q: What about the assistant coaches? We'll talk to them and see what they want to do and go from there. Q: How quickly do you need to know about Pothier and Clark? The sooner the better, but there is no timeline to put on it. They are ready when they are ready. Q: Could Pothier's career be in jeopardy? It could be, and it is too bad. I'll have a discussion with him about what he wants to do. He may say, 'Hey, I just can't do it,' or 'I want to try it again.' Q: Will this summer be even busier than previous ones? It is that way with every club. It is a different business and there is a lot to do. Things can change in a hurry, but the good news is we have a terrific young core with lots to build on. Those young players will be even better next year. On Sergei Fedorov possibly retiring: When you are that age, people contemplate it. People thought Brett Favre was washed up, but he was a pretty good player last year. I remember Adam Oates when he was hitting 35 or 36 would say this might be my last year. Well, he played until 40. I don't think you ever evaluate players based on their age. You evaluate them on how they perform. - Corey Masisak

Record ratings

2008-04-23T22:53:26Z

Last night's Capitals game set yet another ratings record on Comcast SportsNet.

The overtime Game 7 loss to the Flyers averaged a record 170,000 household viewers in Washington, D.C and Baltimore, including a peak of 255,000 households between 9:45 and 10 p.m. An average of 130,00 households tuned in from Washington, and a record 40,000 tuned in from Baltimore. For the entire playoff series, Comcast SportsNet averaged 81,000 households, for a 3.5 rating.

Capitals ratings rose 75 percent this year on Comcast. From Dec. 26 until the end of the season, ratings rose 166 percent over the same period last season.

-- Tim Lemke

McPhee: Boudreau "is our coach"

2008-04-23T18:18:45Z

Well, check that off the offseason list of to-do things for George McPhee and the Caps. McPhee wouldn't discuss specifics, but he said Bruce Boudreau is under contract and will be the Caps coach for "a long time." There have been no decisions made about the assistant coaches yet. Boudreau said his son, Brady, has made Team Maryland, a traveling hockey team, so his family will likely look for a house in Maryland. As for the other issues at hand, Eminger said he is open to returning, but he wants to be somewhere where he will play. McPhee said Steve Eminger will be qualified, so the Caps won't be losing him for nothing. I was told Olie Kolzig was here earlier, but one player said he wasn't in the team meeting. Kolzig told a team spokesman he "just needs some time" before talking about the situation. Brent Johnson said he defenitely wants to come back next year, and there are no lingering hard feelings about the way things shook out at the end of the year. Michael Nylander said he was 10-14 days from maybe being able to play after shoulder surgery. For those of you that don't get the first edition of our newspaper, I had a story about Nylander in there. I was going to put the quotes on here yesterday but there was a lot going on. Here are the quotes: "Definitely," Nylander said when asked if he thinks he can play again this season. "We are just taking it day-by-day, but so far it is ahead of schedule. I want to take it day-by-day and practice more and more and just try to get back in shape and have everything ready to play." "It has been positive every time I went to the doctor, and I am very excited about the situation and the team," Nylander said. "It has been unbelievably exciting time for the team. It went all the way down to the last game [to make the playoffs] and it was tough. It was even tougher to sit outside and watch. You want to be in there playing, but it is exciting." "I feel like normal again," Nylander said. "I will be able to just go out and play without hesitation or any restriction. It feels good and I hope it continues." Also, McPhee acknowledged that Brian Pothier's concussion problems could be career threatening. He is also concerned about Chris Clark's groin, but didn't think it was as serious at Pothier's situation. Clark said he hasn't set up an offseason rehab plan, but he will likely go see the same specialist Brian Sutherby went to with a similar problem. Boudreau said Shaone Morrisonn has been playing with a broken jaw, Boyd Gordon has been playing through a torn hamstring, Mike Green had a hip pointer and a foot injury and Alex Ovechkin has been dealing with "something," but neither he nor Ovechkin would divulge what the injury was. Also not to be lost in the shuffle, Nicklas Backstrom was named a finalist for the Calder Trophy , It will likely be one of the closest votes for an award in recent memory, with as many as six guys likely getting first-place votes. So, that's a lot of stuff to digest. I'll go back through the tape and see if I missed anything. I am going to be following the Penguins-Rangers series because there are plenty of feature stories to keep me busy. Then there will be some vacation time mixed in, but plenty of Caps news to keep me busy as well I am sure. It has certainly been a wild ride. - Corey Masisak