Caps go for 4 at the Garden
By strungout | October 11, 2007
Eh…I just want to see some fights.
From Last December 30th…
Due to an injury to Boyd Gordon…Brian Sutherby might get a sweater for the evening.
Even Better!
Come on Friday night!
Topics: Hockey | No Comments »
Schultz to Hershey
By strungout | October 9, 2007
Jeff Schultz has been assigned to the Bears according to Walton.
Eminger must be ready to come off IR. However…I’d still expect to see #44 moved at some point this season (somewhat surprised it hasn’t happened yet).
Just a hunch.
Topics: Hockey, Roster Moves, Prospects | No Comments »
3 Wins 0 Losses
By strungout | October 9, 2007
So who out there figured that the defense would be carrying the Caps at all this season?
Anyone?
Bueller? Bueller?
With a 2-1 comeback victory at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum Tuesday, the Caps improved to a 3 win and no loss start to the young NHL season. Back to Back goals from from Victor Kozlov and a feisty Brooks Laich coupled with 30 saves from Olie Kolzig sealed the deal for the good guys. In a reoccurring theme of the season…the Caps once again struggled on the Power Play yet impressed on the Penalty Kill. The Caps are 12 for 12 when skating shorthanded this season. That’s impressive any way you cut it. Coming into Monday’s game the Caps were tied with only 5 other teams in the NHL with zero PP goals scored against…and they are still tied with the Senators, Rangers, Blue Jackets, and Predators after the game with this Islanders. Props to Boyd Gordon, Dave Steckel, Chris Clark, Matt Pettinger, Shaone Morrisonn, Milan Jurcina, Tom Poti and John Erskine for a job well done so far.
The scary part about this mini winning streak to start the season…the offense hasn’t started to fully hit on all cylinders; especially a PP that has really suffered from some early growing pains. Granted they shouldn’t be scoring 50% of the time or anything…but with the offensive players this team has; they should be burying the puck more than the 2 goals they’ve netted so far. A part of that would require them actually shooting the puck…heaven forbid. Yeah Nylander…I’m looking at you. I see you up there.
Once this offense and PP gets clicking…and if the PK keeps up at the pace they have set for themselves…well…things could get every interesting for the Capitals.
Here are the D Men Stats from the past two games. How about that balance in minutes and how about Milan Jurcina?
Pothier is +3 on the season as well.
Next game…Friday @ the Garden.
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Caps 3 Thrashers 1
By strungout | October 5, 2007
Well that’s the way you’d like to see this team start the season (Crappy NHL Boxscores be dammed!!). Nice solid start for the backup goalie, nice sustained offense from the top 3 lines (including 40 shots…without Alexander Semin in the line up), overall good team defense and not allowing the big play from the Thrash, great PK’ing and nice timely defensive plays. Goals from Nylander, Erskine, and Kozlov gave the Caps all the offense they would need in this one. Nicklas Bäckström picked up his first NHL point assisting on Nylander’s first period goal. Congrats to the rookie.
Here are the defensive stats for the first game of the year.
How about 27+ minutes from Top Poti eh? Hopefully he can keep that up for the majority of the season. I knew the Caps were looking to reduce Pothiers’ minutes…but 12:18? Interesting. Mike Green continues to impress…he’s going to be a good one.
Empty has his knee jerks on OFB. You should read them. Really.
Anyways…home opener tomorrow night. Should be fun…especially after a game like tonight.
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Roster Taking Shape….Clymer to Hershey
By strungout | October 1, 2007
Longest. Preseason. Ever.
I know the new CBA has shortened the overall length of training camp but dear lord this has taken forever to get through. Maybe it’s the heightened optimism of the coming season that is causing this uneasiness…whatever it is I’m just glad to know it’s just about time to drop the puck for real. The Caps finished the preseason with a 3-3-1 .500 record and not once “stunk up the joint”. The first Ottawa game was heading in that direction but the Caps kept it tight and ended up only losing 5-4. The 7-5 comeback victory against the Flyers was a thing of beauty.
Overall…the team looks better than last preseason. More defined and, by far, more talented in the offensive zone. Nylander still loves to spin in circles and not show a desire to shoot the puck…but it’s effective. Mind numbing…but effective. Kozlov shows some flashes of skill and great puck possession but I’m still not sold on him being the 1st line center.
Speaking of the line up…all signs are pointing to the following come October 5th in Atlanta. Still one cut to go…but here’s the jist of it.
Ovechkin - Kozlov - Fleischmann
Semin - Nylander - Backstrom
Pettinger - Gordon - Clark
Brashear - Steckel - Laich
Poti - Green
Morrisonn - Jurcina
Pothier - Schultz
Kolzig
Just a few thoughts on the lineup…
-
- Hopefully Backstrom slides into a center position sooner rather than later.
- The 3rd line has looked great all preseason. Could end up being one of the best in the NHL before it’s all said and done.
- Fleischmann won the 1st line RW job with some impressive games. While not lighting up the scoreboard…he showed some good chemistry with Ovie and Kozlov. He could rack up some assists with those two.
- I’m not sold on Schultz actually making the team…but according to reports…he has.
- Steckel appears to have made it. He still has until 3pm tomorrow to find out for sure but he has done nothing to prompt the Caps to send him back to Hershey. I’m happy.
- Green has looked beyond great. He’ll scare you every once and awhile with his deep pinches…but he’s becoming a serious threat on the blue line.
- How about Clymer getting waived? Nice to see the Caps are no longer looking at waiver status when making personnel decisions.
Still one cut to go. I’m going with an Eminger trade or Erskine to the IR.
Anyways…the season is almost here.
Playoffs.
Topics: Hockey, Training Camp, Roster Moves | No Comments »
Eminger, Sutherby, Clark, Steckel, and Hunt Resign
By strungout | July 19, 2007
The Caps announced 5 resignings this week.
Here are the details…
Eminger and Sutherby
Clark
Steckel and Hunt
Good news all around. Nice to have Clark signed before the last season on his current contract…this assures him not hitting the open market after this coming season along with locking up the Captain for 4 years. I still do not expect Eminger to be here when the season starts…but I wouldn’t completely surprise me if he was still here.
We all know how I feel about Steckel: Room For Steckel?
Topics: Hockey | 1 Comment »
Prospect Camp Day 3 - On Site at Kettler
By strungout | July 13, 2007
Of course I leave early and miss a Backstrom game winning double overtime winning goal. Thank you hockey gods…seriously.
Anyways…here are a few shots from today.
Joe Finley Rules
Godfrey’s goal.
More of a breakdown in a bit
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Well…after catching a 12pm showing of The Transformers I’m now stuck with an hour and a half of killing time waiting for some more hockey.
It doesn’t get much more exciting than this folks.
-Think back to the morning sessions…a few players stood out to me. Backstrom is just on a different level than most of these guys when it comes to seeing the ice and passing the puck. His drop passes and backhand passing is mighty tasty. I still contend they should play him with Ovechkin as he is going to be looking to set up his wingers. Nylander will likely get the call for now while Backstrom works on learning the NHL…but it wont be too long before Backs is centering that top line.
- I’m not feeling the Perreault love that’s been going around. Trade his rights while the stock is high. Maybe he’ll change my mind tonight.
- Pokulok really intrigues me. He has so much skill for a player his size. Just needs to kick the concussion habit.
- I don’t remember seeing Finley this morning. Don’t know if that’s good or bad.
Ok…more later if I can keep this connection going. I only have but so much duct tape and aluminum foil.
—————————————————-
Well…I’m finally onsite at Kettler today to watch some hockey.
As for action…so far…Drills!
Someone shoot me. Why do I do this to myself? Oh yeah…Hockey.
It’s not all that bad. Hanlon ran the first session and Bruce is currently running the second session. One nice thing about this place I’ve noticed so far is the acoustics. You can hear everything the coaches are saying on the ice. Something that you could hardly ever hear at Piney.
Nothing to really report when it comes to drills. Most of the higher ranked prospects look smooth and somewhat stand out from the others…but until the scrimmage tonight hard to get a feel of how they really look.
The Breakfast with GMGM just let out. Poor Mafki.
Topics: Hockey | 1 Comment »
Day One Thoughts from the Net
By strungout | July 11, 2007
Since I wasn’t able to make it out today…here are the best of the best when it comes to recaps from around the Caps Blogging Nation. (more to be added as they start reporting)
EmptyMaybe from OnFrozenBlog
A nice Rookie Camp thread from HFBoards.com
Washington Post with a sweet article on Nicklas Backstrom
All in all sounds like a pretty nice showing so far from everyone. The players are only going to get better over the next few days by becoming more comfortable with with each other on the ice and with the coaching staff.
Topics: Hockey, Prospects, Rookie Camp | No Comments »
Prospect Camp Starts With A Signing
By strungout | July 11, 2007
The Washington Capitals have signed goaltender Simeon Varlamov to a three-year entry-level contract, vice president and general manager George McPhee announced today. In keeping with club policy, financial terms of the deals were not disclosed.
Varlamov, 19, was a first-round selection of the Capitals, 23rd overall, in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft. The 6’1’’, 183-pound, left-handed catching goaltender spent this past season with Yaroslavl of the Russian Super League.
It appears Varlamov has a clause in his deal to allow him to go back to Russia this coming season if he does not make the opening night roster per Tarik.
Hmmm…Should Johnson be looking over his shoulder?
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Room for Steckel?
By strungout | July 10, 2007
For the past two seasons there has been an unsung hero for the Hershey Bears. He’s a player that has been asked to play against the other top AHL lines night in and night out and in some cases spend more time on the penalty kill in one night than most players play in an entire week. He posted a staggering career high +28 in the regular season (3rd best in the AHL) and topped it off with a +10 ranking in the Calder Cup Playoffs (tired for 4th best). He scored 5 regular season and 3 post season short handed goals. He’s a former first round pick with great size and improving mobility that relates well to the NHL. Dave Steckel has become a huge fan favorite with Bears fans for good reason and soon could be the filling that same role in DC.
But there’s a problem…
Boyd Gordon and Brian Sutherby.
Granted there is a lot of time between now and training camp and moves can still be made…but as it stands today the 3rd and 4th line center spots are held down by number 15 and 16. Gordon is coming off his best season as a pro (7 goals 22 assists and a nice +10 rating) while Sutherby took a step back in overall development with only 17 points (compared to 30 in 05-06). It appears that Gordon has more of a stranglehold on his roster spot due to age and overall productivity at this point but Suds reportedly holds quite a presence in the locker room and bench…good qualities to have for a 4th line role player. Both Gordo and Suds have proven they can play at the NHL level. Steckel has only had a brief taste.
This leaves the Caps with a decision to make. Stick with Sutherby? Go with Steckel? Go with them both?
Ah Ha!! Move one to the wing. Simple solution! Wait….Ben Clymer and Matt Bradley.
In the famous voice of Dan Castellaneta while acting as the distinguished Homer Simpson…
“D’OH!”
However….how can anyone not love the forechecking talents of Dave Steckel?
Topics: Hockey, Training Camp, Roster Moves | 2 Comments »
