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Sunday Caps Clips: Oil Country Comeback

J.P. — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 15:04:08 -0000

More photos » by John Ulan - AP

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Your savory breakfast links:

Recaps and other assorted musings on last night's big comeback win from Corey (blog, article), Tarik (blog, article), Vogs, Peerless, Washington Examiner, Cult of Hockey and The Copper and Blue.
Alex Ovechkin "might come across as a rodeo clown" at times (per a guy who's from a town that knows rodeo), but let the rest of the world underestimate his intelligence at their peril. [Edmonton Journal]
Amidst the AO media blitz that has engulfed the team for the past few days, it's good to see Nicklas Backstrom get some well deserved ink (err, pixels). [Edmonton Sun]
Did I mention the AO media blitz? [Edmonton Sun]
Reunited and it feels so good... since the Caps got the win. [Washington Times]
Tom Poti calls Alex Burrows a diver... post-game, where he can't get the additional two minutes for unsportsmanlike (i.e. where such comments belonged). [Canwest]
"Sources say" that if Atlanta decides to deal Ilya Kovalchuk, the Caps will be among the half-dozen teams most aggressively pursuing a trade for the Russian superstar. [Ottawa Sun]
Hey, have you heard the one about how the Caps have crappy defensemen and lousy goaltending? [The Hockey News]
Given the last bullet point, it's pretty incredible that the Caps are 11th in the League in team GAA and give up the 12th-fewest shots per game, isn't it?
Finally, happy 59th birthday to Bill Clement (and his hands of cement).

Recap: Canucks 3, Caps 2

Becca H — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 06:16:22 -0000

More photos » by Darryl Dyck - AP

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

Just three nights after putting together a dominant team win over Colorado, the Capitals failed to connect, failed to perform as a team for 60 minutes and failed to collect two points.

It wasn't all bad. A few individuals played well, and the first period in particular was filled with energy and a ton of cycling in front of Roberto Luongo - along with a 2-1 lead. But we all knew that a one goal lead against a Canucks team that can certainly score was just not going to hold without a superhuman defensive performance tonight, and the Caps had neither the offensive mojo nor the superpowers to hold off Vancouver for 60 minutes.

Despite all that, there's no question that the theme of the night was missed opportunities. It started early with Backstrom whiffing on an open net way back when it was still a 0-0 game. Then there were the blown chances with the extra man, the failed penalty shot, the extended attack time in the first period - all of which could have changed the course of the game. They didn't, and the game goes into the books as a loss.

Ten more notes on the game:

The power play was abysmal. There's no other way to look at it. The Caps were trying to be too fancy and too fine in their passing, and while Vancouver did a good job of slowing them down, the Caps certainly didn't test them much. And here's a boggling stat - with all the firepower the Caps have, they generated one - one - shot in 8 minutes with the extra man...while giving up 3 shots to the shorthanded Canucks.
Most of the top forwards for the Caps looked off tonight, but the exception was definitely Alexander Semin. As invisible as his teammates were, he seemed to be everywhere and finished the night with a goal, 7 shots, 4 others that missed or were blocked, a takeaway and a great shorthanded chance.
It was a weird night for the goalies. Both gave up fluky goals and had some big rebounds, but both also made some high quality saves - Theodore early on, Luongo late in the game. Luongo ultimately won the battle, such as it was, but it's tough to pin too much of the blame for the loss on Theodore all the same.
Karl Alzner had exactly the kind of night Karl Alzner needed to have - calm, cool and solid, despite playing his first NHL game in his hometown. Just over 15 minutes of work and a solid, if quiet, performance for Alzner.
Also quiet tonight was Alex Ovechkin...except for him, quiet equals bad. There were brief moments, a few moves here and there, some sneaky shots that are just vintage Ovechkin - but mostly he was invisible, and didn't have a shot on goal until late in the third. Whether it was some nagging injury or the coverage by the Canucks or a combination, it's hard to say. Even superhuman beings have off nights, though, right?
Of all the people who would have stepped up on a night like this, Chris Clark might not have been anyone's first (or second...or tenth) choice. He did have an excellent night, though - when he was on the ice. So why did he only get 8:31 of ice time?
The whole game seemed to be in anticipation mode, with both teams keenly aware of the firepower on the other side and therefore hesitant to make mistakes. Lots of neutral zone play, lots of tiny battles along the boards, and not a ton of shots on either side - especially for Vancouver, who finished the night with just 20.
Nicklas Backstrom was 10-for-16 (63%) in the faceoff circle tonight. He was the only Cap to finish above 50%, and the only Cap who took more than two draws to finish above 40%. And no, none of that is a typo.
As visible and effective as Kyle Wilson was the other night in Denver, he was the complete opposite tonight - and somehow managed to be a -1 in just over 8 minutes of work. One up, one down. He's fitting in just fine.
Is it crazy to say that John Erskine had a pretty decent night? He seemed to be moving his feet (as much as Erskine ever moves his feet) and was in good position more often than not.

So blown opportunities lead to a blown game on the road - and there's no rest for the wicked, as the Caps return to action tomorrow night against a struggling Oiler team.

And maybe that's a good thing. Maybe getting right back in the saddle will erase the bitter taste this one leaves in all of our mouths. Maybe they'll be as angry and frustrated as we are and want to make up for it against a team that's ripe for the picking. Maybe they'll take their performance in the opening twenty minutes against Vancouver and stretch it into a full game.

They'll have to try - because sitting on top of the league like they've been doing, there's only one way to go. No ifs, ands, or maybes about it.

Game highlights:

Friday Caps Clips: Caps @ Canucks Game Day

J.P. — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 11:45:41 -0000

via the shoebox next to my desk

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Your savory breakfast links:

Previews of tonight's rare visit to Vancouver from Vogs, CSN Washington, the CP, and NHL.com, and be sure to check out our SB Nation partner Nucks Misconduct for coverage from the other side of tonight's match up.
The Caps are 5-2-1 all-time in Vancouver on Fridays and won their only Friday road match-up between the teams in December (back in 1979), so they're pretty much a lock tonight.
Alex Ovechkin is an absolute rock star in Vancouver. [Kelowna.com, and again]
He's also "hockey's most exciting and engaging player" (narrowly edging out Jeff Schultz for those honors). [Vancouver Sun]
The Canucks are ready for the challenge of stopping him (Ovechkin, not Schultz, whom they know better than to think they can stop. [Kelowna.com, and again]
David Koci walks. Ridiculous. [FanShot]
One thought on how to prevent the next cheapshot: don't put yourself in a position to be cheap-shotted. [Ed Frankovic's Blog]
Really nice piece on Brendan Morrison's comeback season. [TSN (video), h/t @nateewell]
Despite the infrequency with which the Caps play there, Vancouver is familiar turf for many in the organization. [Washingotn Times]
Read yesterday's news today at the Washington Post. If you don't get it... eh. [WaPo]
SI's Pictures of the Year feature contains an entry featuring the Caps (and no, it's not this one). [SI]
Several Caps talk rookie dinner. [Caps365 (video)]
Tim Gleason on AO: "I hit him so hard, but it didn’t really move him. He’s a solid human being." [Canes Country]
If it's possible for both teams to lose a trade, the Caps and Pens sure did with the Jaromir Jagr deal. [Puck Daddy]
Speaking of trades, Corey has thrown together a shopping list. [In The Room]
One more trade-related note: the Caps aren't about to trade the problem contract they just got out from under for someone else's problem contract. [Hockey Or Die!]
Not sure how I missed this one, but as of a week ago, Mike Green was Canada's top-rated blueliner... [CTV]
... and as of this week, Nicklas Backstrom is the game's third-rated pivot. [CTV]
Worried about how participating in the Olympics might impact a player's NHL production thereafter? Don't be. [Behind the Net]
Alexandre Giroux vs. Mike Duco II: American League style. [Patriot-News]
John Carlson's still getting rave reviews in Hershey. [John Walton Hockey]
Dmitri Orlov and Dmitry Kugryshev have both made Russia's WJC squad. [Russian Hockey Fans]
Finally, happy 37th birthday to Jeff Nelson, happy 58th to Bernie Wolfe, and happy 64th to Jean Pronovost.

Ovie And The Caps Come To Town: Canucks-Capitals Preview

Sean Zandberg — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 08:00:21 -0000

More photos » by Luis Alvarez - AP

Hey Canucks, watch your knees! Ovechkin's out there!

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CAPITALS (21-7-6) VS CANUCKS (19-15-0)

GAME TIME: 7:00 PST

TV: TSN

THE ENEMY: Russian Mob: aka Japers' Rink

UPDATE (11:00 AM): Thought this was funny. Sami Salo talking about his son loving Ovechkin: "Maybe when I’m retired I’ll buy him an Ovechkin jersey," Sami said. "He doesn’t have to wear mine, but I’m not going to buy him an Ovechkin jersey as long as I’m playing for the Canucks." - Vancouver Sun

UPDATE (1:42 AM): Wanna see a pic of Cody Hodgson carrying the Olympic Torch in his hometown of Markham Ontario? Check it out. Back seems fine. Faker. (I kid)

*************************

Changes will be made to the Canucks' roster when they play Washington tonight. For starters, Kyle Wellwood will replace Darcy Hordichuk. Once again, Alain Vigneault kept Hordichuk's minutes to an ultimate low last game (2:22), and Darcy had got into a tussle with George Parros. Aaron Rome will take the place of Mathieu Schneider. He is 14 years younger then Schneider and I would bank on him being more reliable in his own end as well. Schneider has struggled here, and it appears that rumors of his future with the team are about to begin.

Rome has scored 6 goals and 7 points in 7 games with the Moose this season. Pretty good for a defenceman! Welcome back, Rome. Make it count! Vigneault, according to the Province, would not say what his defensive pairings would be against the Caps, but the pairings at practice were: Mitchell with Salo, O'Brien with Ehrhoff and Rome with Bieksa.

So how about those Capitals?

More after the jump...

Well, they are duking it out with Pittsburgh right now for who is the best team in the NHL. The Penguins lead them by one point after beating the Flyers on Thursday night. Yeah, the Penguins, who only have 1 OT loss to their credit. The Capitals boast an impressive 11-5-3 road record this season. They have won 8 of their last 10, out-scoring their foes 39-22 in the process. No one is even close to scoring as many goals as they have this season (124). The Canucks have scored 106 goals. The Caps' 95 goals against puts them in the middle of the NHL pack. The Canucks have allowed 88.

Who's cookin' for Washington? Duh!

-Ovechkin has 3 goals and 8 points in his 5 games back since his suspension for knee-ing. Can we contain him?

-Nicklas Backstrom has 4 goals and 7 assists in his last 6 games played

-Alexander Semin has 2 goals and 7 points in his last 6.

-Tomas Fleischmann has 5 goals and 3 assists in his last 6.

-Mike Green has 3 goals and 3 assists in that span.

-Brendan Morrison has cooled off of late, with only 2 assists his his last 6 games played.

COMPARATIVE STATS

GOALS PER GAME AVERAGE: Capitals 1st overall, Canucks 5th

GOALS AGAINST PER GAME AVERAGE: Canucks 10th, Capitals 13th

5 on 5: Capitals 1st, Canucks 3rd.

POWER PLAY: Capitals 1st, Canucks 3rd. That could be the game story in this one.

PENALTY KILL: Canucks 20th, Capitals 21st

SHOTS PER GAME: Capitals 6th, Canucks 12th

SHOTS AGAINST PER GAME: Canucks 10th, Capitals 13th.

FACEOFF %: Capitals 6th, Canucks 11th.

There are a lot of categories there where the 2 teams match up pretty evenly. Regardless, the Canucks cannot be coming out flat, trading chances in a wide-open game, or turning the puck over against a monster team like Washington. Hell, look how bad it was against the Ducks. I expect a much better and consistent effort from Vancouver tonight. They are going to need it. The Caps have had 3 days off.

-Roberto Luongo has a 15-10-3 record in 30 career games against Washington, with a 2.26 GAA, .930 save percentage and two shutouts. -Canucks.com

-The last time these 2 teams played eachother was in Washington, October 13, 2008. Ovechkin was kept off the scoresheet, but Michael (I priced my ass out of the NHL) Nylander and Mike Green made the Canucks pay in a 5-1 route. The Capitals out shot the Canucks 35-10! Are you kidding me? True story.

Capital Ups and Downs: Week 11

J.P. — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 16:00:16 -0000

by Chris O'Meara - AP

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Our weekly look at individual Washington Capitals' ups and downs:

Goalies	Trend	Notes
Michal Neuvirth		Didn't get much help Saturday night... and needed an awful lot the way he played. Now an ugly 0-2-0/4.56/.845 on the (NHL) season.
Jose Theodore		He'll need to be better than 1-1-0/2.97/.872 in Varly's absences, whenever they are.
Semyon Varlamov		Followed up a 26-save shutout - his second whitewashing in four starts - with a trip to the IR. On the plus side, the Caps have the luxury of being extra cautious with him... for now.

Defensemen
John Erskine		The wear and tear is wearing and tearing Erskine down to the point where he seems nearly worn and torn out.
Mike Green		The return of "Game Over" Green Friday night couldn't save a week full of turnovers and blown assignments... with Team Canada no doubt watching.
Milan Jurcina		After a minus-eight stretch in his previous six games, an even week (with a scratch thrown in) may qualify as a "good week," but the Caps need more out of Juice.
Shaone Morrisonn		Returned from injury with a zero-point, one shot on goal, minus-one week in which he averaged under 18 minutes of ice time. Sounds about right.
Brian Pothier		On injured reserve with a rib injury. It's a shame, as he was coming off a three-goal, four-assist, plus-11 November.
Tom Poti		Minus-three for the week (and that includes a plus-one in Tampa), and on the ice for six of the 12 goals the team allowed for the week.
Jeff Schultz		A plus-two week has him fourth in the League in plus/minus, and three four-block games speak further to the blueliner he's becoming.

Swingman
Tyler Sloan		Scratched twice, Sloan's NHL time is running out with Laing's pending return and perhaps a recall of Karl Alzner for the blueline.

Forwards
Keith Aucoin		His most recent recall was short and relatively unproductive, which, fittingly, makes it the Keith Aucoin of recalls.
Nicklas Backstrom		Two goals, two assists, plus-four and an epic OT shift against Carolina, the "wow" moments are coming with greater frequency with each passing week.
Matt Bradley		A happy and healthy new baby gets an up arrow, especially when supplemented with a great interview.
Chris Clark		If the captain isn't contributing on the scoreboard, he's gotta be doing other things... like not letting his team put up three poor efforts in a row (including a pair against the League's two worst teams).
Eric Fehr		A goal in Tampa followed by three point-less games, Fehr will look to go from scorching hot to cold to just plain consistent.
Tomas Fleischmann		Another Cap forward looking for consistency, Flash posted a goal and three helpers this week and now has seven points in his last six games (after picking up just one in his previous six).
Alexandre Giroux		If it wasn't for Nylander's departure, Giroux being returned to Chocolatetown would qualify as great news. As it is, it's merely very good news.
Boyd Gordon		In the past two months, Gordo has played 5:55 of hockey. Sigh.
Mike Knuble		Off to a slow start since returning from the IR with a minus-three rating in two games. No doubt it takes some time to get back to game speed, but a finger injury shouldn't inhibit one's ability to crash the net.
Brooks Laich		Like his new-found mentor Knuble, Laich had no points and was minus-three for the week... but he played all four games.
Quintin Laing		Q's getting closer to returning, but when he comes back, who sits?
Brendan Morrison		No points, three shots on goal and a celebration on a puck he shot wide... ouch.
Michael Nylander		Hasta la vista, baby.
Alex Ovechkin		Returned from suspension with three multi-point games (seven points overall) and 23 shots on goal in four games.
Mathieu Perreault		Food poisoning sidelined him in Buffalo and one point in his last ten games might sideline him a little more frequently going forward. Update: Perreault has been returned to Hershey.
Alexander Semin		Two goals, three assists, plus-four and 20 shots on goal in three games, a "passenger" in the fourth. That's our Sasha!
David Steckel		Followed up his first goal of the season with no points, a minus-two rating, two shots on goal and diminishing ice time (less than ten minutes per game for the week) in four games. The face offs are still there, though (67.4% for the week).

Recap: Maple Leafs 6, Caps 3

J.P. — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 03:51:26 -0000

More photos » by Frank Gunn - AP

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

As well as the Caps played over the first twenty minutes of Saturday night's 6-3 loss to Toronto, they only held a 2-0 lead heading into the first intermission, having failed to convert on at least a trio of other prime scoring opportunities (chances for Brendan Morrison, Alexander Semin and Alex Ovechkin immediately come to mind). Cash in on any of those, and maybe the Leafs go away. Convert on two or three and the rout would've been on.

That's not what happened, of course, and by the start of the second period the team's fatigue began to show (this was the Caps' third game in four nights and the second of back-to-backs that included some travel headaches in between games). Before the period was six minutes old the game was tied, and only a soft Nicklas Backstrom goal nearly halfway through the period broke up a string of a half dozen consecutive Leafs goals that concluded with a tally that you'd hope Michal Neuvirth can somehow forget.

Ten more notes on the game:

The last time a Caps goalie gave up six goals in a game was the last game of last season, and Neuvirth probably had the worst sixty-minute performance by a Caps netminder since then. Yes, he had his moments, but on a night when his teammates needed him to steal a game for them - or at least keep them in it - he wasn't up to the task.
That said, he didn't get much help, as the team in front of him allowed 36 Toronto shots on goal, gave the Leafs a lengthy 5-on-3 power play (of which they only needed 17 seconds to score), and repeatedly failed to tie up opponents in front of the net.
On a positive note, the Caps' top line dominated the first half of the game, combining for all three goals, a trio of helpers and a plus-six rating. They fell off a bit after that (and Backstrom's failure to win a key draw in his own zone - or at very least to tie up Matt Stajan - led to the game-winning tally), but the Ovechkin-Backstrom duo was as good as it gets early.
It's tough to stand out amongst a group of blueliners who collectively had an awful night, but that's exactly what John Erskine did. Ersky was credited with four giveaways and a penalty, but the scoresheet doesn't even begin to tell the story of how bad he was. Dishonorable mention here goes to Mike Green, who didn't impress any Team Canada reps tonight.
Over their last three games, the Caps power play has scored once and been scored upon twice. That's not good, but neither is this: the power play is now 18.6% successful in the games AO has played and 40.6% in the eight games he's missed.
Mike Knuble and Brooks Laich were each minus-two tonight, following up a minus-one apiece Friday night. Given that Laich has one goal in his last 11 games and Knuble has only lit the lamp in one of his past eight games (which includes his time on IR, of course) and that the Caps have looked more like a one-line team over this past week, perhaps it's time to put Knuble back up on the top unit and push Alex Semin to the second line.
Backstrom's goal made him the Caps' fifth double-digit goal scorer on the season. Morrison's in the on-deck circle with nine and Eric Fehr's in the hole with eight.
No Cap played less tonight than David Steckel, who got only 9:14 of ice time (but did manage to be on the ice for three goals against... ouch).
Not to keep harping on Erskine, but given the recent schedule and the back-to-backs, why not dress Tyler Sloan in his place? At least he's got legs. Oh, Toronto's truculent. Nevermind.
No one in the game had more hits than Chris Clark's three. Really?

Over the past two nights, the Caps have played the two worst teams in the entire NHL (point-wise, at least), and they needed overtime to beat one at home and got beaten handily by the other on the road. And yet there they still sit atop the League standings. Funny what can happen on any given weekend in the NHL...

Game highlights:

Game Preview: Chicago Blackhawks @ Buffalo Sabres

Rafal Ladysz — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 18:03:54 -0000

More photos » by Don Heupel - AP

10 days ago: Washington Captials left winger Alex Ovechkin, of Russia, bottom left, misses an open net as Buffalo Sabres goalie Ryan Miller is caught out of position during the first period of the NHL hockey game in Buffalo, N.Y., Wednesday, Dec. 9, 2009. Sabres defenseman Steve Montador, right, watches the play. (AP Photo/Don Heupel)

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You've got to be lucky to be good and good to be lucky. The Buffalo Sabres were a little of both Wednesday becoming the first team in 11 months to shutout the Washington Capitals. While they did an excellent job of keeping Alexander Ovechkin and company outside of the perimeter, Buffalo was fortunate on a few chances that Washington sent wide of an empty net. And Ryan Miller was there to snag the great opportunities that did head on goal.

All in all, it was the type of win that solidifies a squad as a contender with shot blocking, active sticks and back-checking doing the job. Chicago brings their own brand of firepower into HSBC Arena as the schedule hasn't gotten easier. Substitute Ovechkin, Alexander Semin, Nicklas Backstrom and Mike Green with Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews, Marian Hossa and Duncan Keith.

The Blackhawks defeated Buffalo last year by a 4-1 scoreline but the Sabres have won three of the past four get-togethers. Chicago is 5-0-1 against Eastern Conference oppositions thus far and Buffalo is 5-0 facing the West. This should be an interesting match-up, not to mention very exciting.

Five thoughts on each team below.

Patrick Lalime and Cristobal Huet are your starting netminders. It was assumed Miller would be in for this one giving the back-up tomorrow's showdown in New York. I can see why Lalime is eager to get his first win of the year against his former team but the Sabres will have to play similar to their shutdown format against Washington. Motivation for the goaltender means nothing if he's hung out to dry.
Chicago has really taken it to another level since the return of Toews and introduction of Hossa. They are 11-2-1 with their captain back in the line-up and the Slovakian has seven points in as many games. By the way, Toews also has 13 points in 14 matches.
Paul Gaustad has begun skating with the team showing progression but there's no timetable for his return. Regardless, this is a great sign as the Sabres have struggled in the face-off circle without Goose. Mike Grier is expected back possibly Saturday after visiting his mother. In practice yesterday, Tim Connolly felt hip pain and wasn't able to withstand the whole session. Lindy Ruff suspects it's nothing serious and that the center should play. Who knows with Connolly though?
Overpaid defenseman Brian Campbell is back for the first time in a different jersey. Last year's contest between these franchises was in Chicago so it'll be his only visit since abandoning Buffalo. Expect tons of boo-birds for Campbell and I'm sure Blackhawks fans aren't happy either with the dollars-to-points ratio.
A goal and an assist were earned by Nathan Gerbe in his first call-up from the AHL. It was only a matter of time before someone got the go-ahead from Portland. As he was instructed to, Gerbe crashed the net despite his lack of size and threw the puck on it from down low for his first career NHL goal. We'll see what he has up his sleeve this time.
Cristobal Huet owns a 14-6-2 record with a .907 save percentage and 2.18 GAA. Known as somewhat of an enigma, Buffalo would be wise to get pucks at him from various angles and positions. Put the puck on net and good things will happen. The Sabres can't waste time attempting pretty plays and cute ideas.
In response to a third period benching Monday, Derek Roy sprung a pair of assists and tenacious two-way efforts against Washington. Leading the team in points, the 26-year-old needs to bring that intensity and skill routinely.
Buffalo native Patrick Kane has his sights on a career campaign with 28 points already in 29 games. He's played the Sabres twice registering one goal. Kane said he expects to get booed in reference to the cab driver incident from the summer.
Ranked third and sixth in penalty killing, it'll be intriguing to see if either can break through with the man-advantage. Thomas Vanek has four powerplay goals while Toews is up to five. Today would be a good time for Vanek to end his scoring slump. Please?
Yet to win with Miller on the bench, Buffalo is in for a fight with these Blackhawks who can beat a goaltender in bunches. I hope Lalime is ready because it could be a long evening if he's even a little rusty and the Sabres play the first frame laid back.

Normally, you'd hope to get a lighter match after taking on the Washington Capitals. However, this is a huge opening for the Buffalo Sabres. What better way to prove themselves as a threat than beating both Washington and Chicago in succession?

Pick 'Em: Best Capitals Draft Pick of the Decade

David M. Getz — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 18:00:27 -0000

by Nick Wass - AP

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Readers who venture outside the friendly internet confines of the the Rink may have noticed that, in anticipation of ~~the end of the decade~~ 2010, Puck Daddy has been compiling the best and worst of the last decade, including the ten biggest goon moments, the best and worst contracts, and NHL's best and worst decisions. Yesterday saw Ryan Lambert of The Two Line Pass take a look at the five best and five worst draft picks of the last ten years.

Being a Capitals blog we figured it would make for some interesting discussion to ~~pilfer the idea~~ alter their framework every so slightly to suit our favorite team and take a look at some of studs and duds of recent Washington draft classes. To make things a little more interesting, we decided to eliminate lottery picks, which in essence means no Alex Ovechkin, no Nicklas Backstrom, and no Karl Alzner.

To start things off, let's take a look at the five worst:

5. Jakub Cutta (Defense, 2nd round, 61st overall, 2000)

Cutta was billed as a guy with an ideal frame, but a project nonetheless. At the time of his draft people knew there were questions about his skating, his ability to move the puck out of the zone at the next level, and whether he would ever use his 6'3'', 214 frame as effectively as possible. The problem was, nothing ever really panned out. The skating never became NHL caliber, there wasn't any offense to speak of as a pro, and while Cutta laid out a big hit every once in a while, he was far from an intimidating physical force. All told Cutta saw action in eight games over the course of three seasons with the Caps, earning himself a minus-5 rating. By 2006 Cutta would be back in his native Czech Republic, and he's been splitting time between his homeland and Russia for the past few years. It's not always fair to look back and evaluate a pick using 20/20 hindsight, but the fact that Paul Martin was taken with the 62nd pick certainly doesn't make this one any easier to swallow.

4. Josh Godfrey (Defense, 2nd round, 34th overall, 2007)

Yeah, it's still early, but thing don't look very good for Godfrey, who's now in his second season with the ECHL's South Carolina Stingrays. Part of us wants to say that the blue line is stacked at Hershey, that Godfrey's still young, and that he was drafted as an offensive defenseman who would have to spend a lot of time working out the kinks in his own end before he had a chance at the NHL. Another part of us says that guys who spend more than one season in the ECHL don't usually do much at the NHL level - and that's not enough for someone picked 34th overall. The fact that, other than Kings prospects Wayne Simmonds and Oscar Moller, no one picked after Godfrey has seen much NHL playing time helps keep him from rising on this list - for now.

3. Keith Seabrook (Defense, 2nd round, 52nd overall, 2006)

Also an offensive defenseman, the Capitals were hoping Seabrook would one day be a powerplay quarterback, or at least an offensive threat from the blue line. However, Seabrook underwhelmed offensively, first by scoring 13 points (two goals) in 37 games at the University of Denver and then by scoring 17 (four goals) in 59 games with the WHL's Calgary Hitmen - all while failing to make marked progress in his own end. In 2008-09 Seabrook finally became the offensive force people thought he was capable of being by registering 55 points (fifteen goals) for the Hitmen, but questions persisted about whether it was because he was growing in to his talent or because he was an overage player. Currently in the Calgary Flames organization, Seabrook still has a chance to become an NHL player, but never came close to getting a contract, let alone a game, with the Caps.

2. Joe Finley (Defense, 1st round, 27th overall, 2005)

The Caps would eventually sign Finley in the summer of 2009, but his future seems to be up in the air. After playing as a forward in camp, Finley's back on the blue line with South Carolina this season. If Finley ever makes it to the NHL, it's almost certainly going to be in a limited role as an enforcer...and you don't aim to draft a part-time enforcer in the first round. 36 of the first 45 players taken in the 2005 draft have played in the NHL, and has four of the five and seven of the ten taken after Finley. The issue at this point wasn't the talent pool. It was the selection.

1. Sasha Pokulok (Defense, 1st round, 14th overall, 2005)

How could it be anyone else? There's no way the Caps should have been picking 14th in 2005, but they sure didn't do themselves any favors in picking Pokulok. Billed as a physical specimen with skating ability and offensive upside, Pokulok was beset by concussion problems each of his three years in the Capitals organization. In the end, Pokulok wasn't able to stick in Hershey, let alone Washington, earning himself the dubious (and unfortunate) title of "Worst Capitals Pick of the Decade".

Honorable Mentions: Steve Eminger, Ted Ruth, Maxime Daigneault, Boyd Gordon

Now that that's over, let's take a look at the five best:

5. John Carlson (Defense, 1st round, 27th overall, 2008)

He's played just three games at the NHL level thus far, but is there any reason to think Carlson won't be a very, very good NHL defender? With size, skill, and smarts he's bested every challenge thrown his way since the draft, finishing second in the OHL in scoring among defensemen and second among rookies last year, and registering 18 points in 24 games for the Bears this year. Carlson may very well be a top pairing guy in the very near future, and in a league that prizes two way defensemen as highly as the NHL does that's a heck of a return on the 27th pick.

4. Johnny Oduya (Defense, 7th round, 221st overall, 2001)

Hey, we said these guys were going to be Capitals draftees, we never said anything about whether the team signed him. With only one point and an minus-1 rating, Oduya's slumping this year but he's nonetheless a legitimate top-four guy defenseman in the NHL, something that can only be said for a handful of the 200 players taken before him.

3. Alexander Semin (Left Wing/Right Wing, 13th overall, 2002)

At September's Capitals Convention members of the team's scouting staff were insistent they'd been lucky with Semin, who has grown three inches and added thirty-five pounds since the time he was drafted. Even if there was some luck involved, Semin is a elite offensive player who may just be the most naturally talented guy in the NHL. Picking thirteenth overall you expect to get an NHL caliber player - but getting a guy with Semin's ability in that spot is a steal. He might not have the career top 2002 pick Rich Nash will, be there's no doubt Semin was the most talented player available at the this spot - and your GM picking that guy is all you can ask for.

2. Semyon Varlamov (Goalie, 23rd overall, 2006)

We'd be lying if we said there wasn't a part of us that was still scared Semyon Varlamov was going to burn out (insert obligatory Jim Carey reference here), but what he's doing at his age, well, that just doesn't happen very often. The Capitals get credit here for being willing to use their first round pick to take a netminder in what was regarded as a weak draft between the pipes. The next time you want to criticize George McPhee for going off the board, remember that sometimes the risk pays off.

1. Mike Green (Defense, 29th overall, 2004)

Twenty-ninth overall isn't exactly scraping the bottom of the barrel, but no one expected this. Fifty-one goals and 159 points in his last 180 games, a historically great season, a Norris Trophy nomination at age 23, and comparisons to Paul Coffey would make Green a great pick just about anywhere, but at the end of the first round it's practically criminal. Thank the Lord the Stars saw something they liked in Mark Fistric.

Honorable Mentions: Mathieu Perreault, Oskar Osala, Braden Holtby

While the issue of the worst draft pick seems pretty cut-and-dry (seriously, if anyone thinks it's someone other than Pokulok, we'd love to hear why), the best pick is up for debate - and we want to know what you think. Vote in the poll, and let us know who you picked in the comments section.

Poll

So, who's the best Capitals draft pick of the decade?

Game Preview: Washington Capitals @ Buffalo Sabres

Rafal Ladysz — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 16:29:06 -0000

More photos » by Don Heupel - AP

16 days ago: Buffalo Sabres center Derek Roy, right, celebrates his goal as Sabres defenseman Henrik Tallinder, of Sweden, skates over during the first period of the NHL hockey game against the Montreal Canadiens in Buffalo, N.Y., Thursday, Dec. 3, 2009. Buffalo won 6-2. (AP Photo/Don Heupel)

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There's good and bad news for this Wednesday clash. The good is that Buffalo has twice bounced back from shutout defeats and are surely upset about this previous predicament coming on home ice. Lindy Ruff referred to it as an embarassment. The bad news is they're taking on the Washington Capitals, one of the teams that have blanked the Sabres, boosted by the return of Alexander Ovechkin but that's not the lone concern.

Forget about Ovechkin, Alexander Semin, Nicklas Backstrom and Mike Green for a minute because their abilities are well noted. Washington's offense is on the verge of prominence leading the league in goals (111) and in the standings with a 19-5-6 record. While much of that is purely because of two Russians, a Swede and a Canadian, there are others adding their names into the conversation.

Brooks Laich hacks and whacks at rebounds unconcerned with the abuse he's going to take. After a difficult season split between Anaheim and Dallas, Brenden Morrison found a solution by joining the Capitals. Tomas Fleischmann and Eric Fehr are both on track for career years. Despite Mike Knuble's injury, that's eight individuals the Sabres will have to shadow which is a lot to demand.

Without the services of Paul Gaustad and possibly Mike Grier, those assignments will be tremendously difficult to handle.

Five things to consider about both Washington and Buffalo:

Washington has lit the lamp 38 more times than Buffalo but the Sabres have allowed 20 goals fewer. It will be a matter of finding out which style stands out stronger: the desperate defense or the potent offense. The Capitals have picked up the slack on the back-end though conceding just six goals in the past four games. I get the feeling Ryan Miller's going to have to be exquisite again.
Derek Roy and Tim Connolly are averaging 0.77 points per game. Six Washington skaters have a better ratio so let's count them off: Backstrom (1.1), Ovechkin (1.45), Green (1.03), Semin (1.19), Laich (0.83) and Fleischmann (0.89). Morrison (0.76) and Fehr (0.75) aren't trailing far behind themselves. Knuble was at 0.78 before being sidelined. May the panicking ensue.
Back-to-back regulation losses aren't ordinary with Ryan Miller but Buffalo has one goal in two games. If that wasn't too negative, they didn't out-shoot New Jersey which is a positive we have taken from losses. No, they were out-hustled, out-gunned and out-worked by the Devils' 37-22 shot advantage. On a separate note: congratulations goes to Martin Brodeur for tying Terry Sawchuk's shutout record of 103.
Want more proof that Fleischmann and Fehr aren't in over their heads with these performances? The Czech native returned from a frightening blood clot which was in his leg to go on a nine-game point streak and now has five points in three games. Meanwhile, Fehr is on a seven-game run courtesy of five goals and five assists. Seems like the potential of these two early draft choices is being fulfilled.
Buffalo's richest salary owner, Thomas Vanek, has a goal in seven games or two in ten matches or three goals in the last 11 games. Half of his scoring came during the opening five contests in October. Any way you look at it, stability is unaccounted for in the Austrian. The 25-year-old had 20 goals at this checkpoint last season. Eight won't cut it whatsoever.
Ovechkin enjoys the city of Buffalo whether it be because of his constant success against them or executing cheap-shots into the boards. And Washington went on to win both instances after he was thrown out of the game. So much for taking hits for the team working out. Am I right Patrick Kaleta? What do you say Daniel Briere?
A sinking ship, the Sabres' powerplay has plummeted to 21st in the league. Penalty killing is excellent and it'll need to continue that way to protect Miller from the No.1 powerplay unit. The options they have are incredible and this is a moment where 60 minutes of non-stop work will be the only way out with two points.
Travis Zajac beat Miller with a shot that went through the netminder Monday night. There's a phrase we haven't been able to mention ~~weekly~~ monthly. As far as the pre-game rituals go, Miller is extremely focused and ready for showtime. With some of the game's finest stars coming his way, he'll have his hands full; not that it bothers him.
Indecisive recently, Buffalo's defense can't second-guess themselves because a glimmer of hesitation is the bread and butter of Washington's forwards. Turn-overs and odd-man rushes result in goals to this Capitals bunch unless Miller dives in. Tampa Bay played the puck, not the body on Monday and fell 3-0 to their Division rivals. Buffalo mustn't do the same.
Expected to start in goal for Washington is Jose Theodore but nothing has been confirmed.The former Canadien has stopped 72 of 76 shots in winning his last two. If Semyon Varlamov goes, he'll bring his 12-1-2 record and set his sights on shutting out Buffalo for the second time in two weeks. Note: Varlamov's first career NHL defeat came at the hands of the Sabres last April in a 5-4 overtime decision.

Buffalo must find their positional sense to fend off the Southeast giants. The saying goes "A-B-C, it's easy as 1-2-3." For the Buffalo Sabres, it's easy as stopping one (Ovechkin), two (Semin), three (Backstrom), four (Green), five (Laich), six (Fleischmann), seven (Fehr), eight (Morrison) and nine (Theodore/Varlamov). No room for blunders in this, a tall order.

The first of six -- Tampa Bay hosts Washington (preview)

John Fontana — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 17:27:14 -0000

More photos » by Steve Nesius - AP

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WHERE: St. Pete Times Forum, Tampa,. Florida
WHEN: 7:30 PM EST
MEDIA: Sun Sports (cable), 620 WDAE (radio)

First place, Southeast Division. First Place, Eastern conference. 29 games, 42 points.

The Washington Capitals are the mountain to climb for any team looking to show they are due some respect. They're the mountain to climb is you want to show the world you are legit. That's exactly how the Lightning should be approaching this game - as outsiders in the NHL standings, trying to prove something to themselves and the world.

The popular memo in Tampa is that Alex Ovechkin is back. And angry... I'll skip that, thanks. Yes, Ovechkin is one of the premiere players in the world but he's not the entirety of the Washington Capitals threat. Mike Green on defense, Alexander Semin Nicklas Backstrom, Brooks Laich... They're all a threat in one way another (as is the rest of their roster), and all contributing to the Capitals this season.

But even the Capitals are behind someone in the President's Trophy race this season: The San Jose Sharks.

And who beat the San Jose Sharks? Oh yeah, that's right, the Tampa Bay Lightning did.

From our side of things, the question really is the message that Rick Tocchet will be sending the team with who starts in net tonight. Is it Jekyll-and-Hyde Mike Smith, who is coming off his shutout win against the Islanders and has a habit of falling flat coming off victories? Or is it Antero Niittymaki, the more steady-hand in net who has a 29-6-4 record against the Southeast division all-time? Smith's spectacular inconsistency is not what the Bolts should be hoping for in net if coach Rick Tocchet decides to go with him as starting goalie.

[Note by John Fontana, 12/07/09 1:12 PM EST ] It will be Mike Smith in net tonight.

And will the Lightning's defense, regardless of who starts in net, stand up in front of their own goal or hang their netminder out to dry?

The Capitals boast the #1 power play unit int he league, with a near-quarter conversion rate (24.6%). Their penalty kill rate is a lot lower but still sound enough at 79%. The team is averaging nearly 32 shots on goal a night (31.7) and allowing nearly 31 (30.5).

Odds are Semyon Varlamov starts in goal for the Capitals tonight. He's 11-1-2 on the season with a .920 save percentage and a 2.36 GAA.

This is the first of ~~eight~~ six meetings between the teams. The question is, will the Lightning approach this game as playoff-caliber, or just another one of 82?

Other Previews

Tampa Bay Lightning official team preview

TSN

Japers' Rink

SB Nation - Nicklas Backstrom

Sunday Caps Clips: Oil Country Comeback

Recap: Canucks 3, Caps 2

Friday Caps Clips: Caps @ Canucks Game Day

Ovie And The Caps Come To Town: Canucks-Capitals Preview

Capital Ups and Downs: Week 11

Recap: Maple Leafs 6, Caps 3

Game Preview: Chicago Blackhawks @ Buffalo Sabres

Pick 'Em: Best Capitals Draft Pick of the Decade

So, who's the best Capitals draft pick of the decade?

Game Preview: Washington Capitals @ Buffalo Sabres

The first of six -- Tampa Bay hosts Washington (preview)

Tampa Bay Lightning Projected Lines

Forward Lines:

Defense:

Other Previews