SB Nation - Sergei Fedorov

Tuesday Caps Clips: Anxiously Awaiting an Update

J.P. — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 11:37:56 -0000

More photos » by Gerry Broome - AP

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Your savory breakfast links:

Recaps and other assorted musings on last night's win (in the standings, at least) from Corey (blog, article), Tarik (blog, article), Vogs, Joe B., Ed Frankovic, Peerless, Examiner, Fight For Old DC, Storming the Crease and Canes Country.
Plenty of additional coverage of the Alex Ovechkin hit/injury from Capitals Insider ("slight limp" and "not using crutches"... reason for cautious optimism?) Puck Daddy, The Hockey News, SportingNews, OFB, ESPN, FanHouse and Red and Black Hockey.
One wonders if Bret Hedican would have openly called AO a "joke" (before even seeing last night's hit, no less) if he still had to face him eight times per year. [@hedicanbret]
Mike Green is scheduled to be on NHL Live! today. [NHL.com]
A handful of great Caps nuggets from the always solid Elliotte Friedman. [CBC]
Semyon Varlamov doesn't get a mention for which rookie has meant the most to his team, but is definitely a legitimate Calder Trophy candidate. Eh, we'll take it. [Puck Daddy]
Varly "almost certainly" will make Team Russia, per Ken Campbell. [The Hockey News]
Plenty of new power rankings are out, with the Caps holding at third at SportingNews, holding at fourth at Sportsnet, holding at fifth at TSN, holding at sixth at ESPN and CBSSports, and down one to fourth at The Hockey News.
AO's Men's Journal spread is apparently about to hit newsstands, and it sure sounds as if the photo shoot was fun. [Reliable Source]
Video of Quintin Laing's awesome mouth-wired-shut interview on CSN. [FanShot]
Mo, Mo and Movember moustaches. [D.C.Sports Bog]
As many as a half-dozen Caps prospects could be headed to the World Junior Championships. [Washington Times]
More on some Caps prospects. [Hockey's Future]
Sergei Fedorov defers to Ovechkin, Evgeni Malkin and Ilya Kovalchuk. [FanShot]
Bear Tracks! [LDN]
Finally, thanks to everyone who made November another record-setting month here at The Rink - visits were up nearly 10% and page views were up more than 17% over our record-setting October. Here's to an even better and bigger December.

Saturday Caps Clips: Too Little, Too Late; Caps @ Maple Leafs Game Day

J.P. — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 14:30:28 -0000

More photos » by Luis Alvarez - AP

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Your savory breakfast links:

Recaps and other assorted musings on last night's loss from Corey (blog, article), Tarik (blog, article), Vogs, Washington Examiner, Joe B., Ed Frankovic, OFB, Fight for Old DC and Tic Tac Toe Hockey (pictures).
Preview of tonight's Caps/Leafs tilt from NHL.com, and be sure to check out our SB Nation partner (and good buddies) Pension Plan Puppets for the very best coverage from the other side of tonight's match up.
Is Alex Ovechkin the best left wing in NHL history? Proteau says yes, Pelletier says not so fast. Gotta give a fellow JP the nod on this one.
Very cool behind-the-scenes stuff from Hockey Night in Canada's Jim Hughson prepping for tonight's game. [CBC]
Interesting question: Does star power matter for the NHL in the U.S.? To bring it home a bit, I'll ask this: If the Caps had the same record and recent success but had done so without Alex Ovechkin, would there be as much interest in the team? [Puck Daddy]
Tomas Fleischmann gets a little recognition from Pierre LeBrun. [ESPN]
A nice look at Chris Clark's resurgence from OFB's intern. Sidenote: OFB's intern needs to negotiate a new title, one that doesn't have "OFB's" or "intern" in it. [OFB]
George McPhee did a phoner with Toronto's sports radio station yesterday and touched on a number of topics, including his change of heart regarding head shots (spoiler alert: it's pretty much because he's now got kids playing the game). [FAN590 (audio)]
Today (or yesterday) in Matt Bradley Week news: a feature as FanHouse's Fight of the Week. [FanHouse]
AO is Russia's third-richest athlete. [Alex Ovetjkin]
The Caps will hold their first "Caps Care Casino Night" in January, "where fans will be able to mix and mingle with the entire team along with coaches, alumni and owners." My guess is that Caps alum Rick Tocchet will not be there. [Capitals]
And a good time was had by all at Hockey n' Heels. [Hockey Mom, OFB]
The cases for and against five countries winning the gold in Vancouver. [The Hockey News]
Some interesting stuff from Sergei Fedorov (including a couple of mentions of old Caps teammates), who's still making headlines in North America from an ocean away. [Hot Ice]
Finally, in case you're wondering, the Caps have visited Toronto for a Hockey Night in Canada twice since the lockout and won both games (December 23, 2006 and December 6, 2008).

Finding That Dahlen In the Rough: The Busts and the Best of McPhee's Reclamation Projects

Stephen Pepper — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 16:00:13 -0000

More photos » by Gregory Smith - AP

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Early success earned Capitals GM George McPhee a reputation for discovering and fulfilling "reclamation projects." There's no fixed definition for the scope of that category of player, but my working definition would be: acquisitions of established NHLers once known or projected as being at least modestly gifted and who, following either significant injury or prolonged struggles, or both, are given another chance to demonstrate that they've got something left in the tank.

More so than ever in the salary cap era, when nearly every contending franchise must push its payroll near the cap ceiling to accommodate the varied needs of a would-be champion, a successful reclamation project, ideally one that entails limited financial risk, is a key component of a winning team. It's almost as important as astute drafting and trade deadline swaps.

So, we've compiled a list of McPhee's top five best reclamation projects, and top five busts. First, the busts.

"The Busts"

5. Sergei Berezin - Left Wing

Berezin's arrival in Washington, at the 2002-03 trading deadline, and subsequent performance encapsulates all of the ways in which the "Jagr plan" went horribly wrong in D.C. He fit squarely into the same category as the offensive corps of skilled but one-dimensional forwards seemingly just past their prime, adding to the developing "country club" atmosphere in Washington.

Dealt by Chicago for the Caps' 4th round selection in the 2004 draft (defenseman R.J. Anderson, who never played in an NHL game), Berezin's acquisition otherwise cost the remainder of his season's salary. And, with the Blackhawks, he began to regain the scoring touch for which he was known in Toronto, when he potted 37 goals in the 1998-99 season. He scored a goal in each of his first three games as a Capital and looked like he could be a real playoff force. But a mysterious arm ailment dogged him in April, and he was invisible in the post-season, tallying only a single assist in the disastrous first round playoff exit versus the Tampa Bay Lightning. He never played in another NHL contest after that, instead signing with CSKA Moscow the following December.

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	SOG	PCT	TOI
2002-03 (Caps only)	9	5	4	9	10	4	0	0	2	28	17.9	15:41

4. Joe Murphy - Right Wing

Murphy can lay claim to two of the most prized accomplishments of a hockey player's career: (i) being selected 1st overall in an NHL draft (Detroit, 1986) and (ii) winning a Stanley Cup (Edmonton, 1990). And he didn't get his name engraved on the chalice by accident: he scored six goals and 14 points in 22 playoff games that championship spring, on the "kid line" with Adam Graves and Martin Gelinas. In this respect, he was quite a successful reclamation project for then-Oilers GM Glen Sather, who rescued the "talented misfit" from an impatient Red Wings fan base. After reaching an offensive peak two seasons later, his career began to unravel. He played for four different teams and, in November of 1999, was suspended by Boston for insubordination.

McPhee took a chance and signed him in February of 2000, but he proved uncoachable. And uncontrollable.

From the Washington City Paper:

In December of 2000, an injured Murphy accompanied the team to New York City for a match with the Rangers. After the game, he and some teammates went out for a team-sponsored dinner and according to court documents drank a lot of beer and vodka before moving on to a club and drinking more. At the end of the night, Murphy tried to convince a woman to get in his limo, only to get cracked across the head with a bottle by the woman’s male companion. Days later, Murphy was assigned to the team’s minor-league affiliate in Lowell, Mass.; Murphy refused to report to Lowell, was suspended by the team, and never played professional hockey again.

He even filed a workman's comp claim for injuries sustained as a result of that altercation, as long time Rink readers may recall. Read and enjoy.

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	SOG	PCT	TOI
1999-00 (Caps only)	29	5	8	13	8	53	1	0	2	50	10	14:27
2000-01	14	1	5	6	-5	20	1	0	0	22	4.5	12:31

3. Stephane Richer - Right Wing

Richer, who colorfully wore #44 throughout most of his 421 NHL goal career, is a legend in both Montréal and New Jersey, winning the Cup in both locales. Not so amongst the Capitals faithful. McPhee inked him in late August of 2000, looking to fill a perennial scoring hole in the lineup. He didn't make it out of camp, deciding instead to retire, and accrocher ses patins. Or did he? One year later, he signed with Pittsburgh and scored 13 goals and 25 points in 58 games, before being dealt to New Jersey for a final twirl in the Garden State.

2. Andrew Cassels - Center

Bereft of capable bodies to pivot a scoring line coming out of the lockout, particularly one to dish to rookie Alex Ovechkin, McPhee signed a Hartford Whalers legend in Cassels to a one year, $1.5 million deal. Things started out well enough for a team just looking to compete on a nightly basis, but the faster post-lockout game was a bit too much for the former 1st rounder (Montréal, 1987). He was released by January of 2006, registering only two assists in his final ten games as a Capital, and as a NHLer. Though the salary cap was far from an issue for the Caps in those days, McPhee and Cassels negotiated a full release, obviating the need for the player to report to the American league or the team to pay the remainder of his salary.

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	SOG	PCT	TOI
2005-06	31	4	8	12	-3	14	2	0	0	29	13.8	13:13

1. Jeff Friesen - Left Wing

Like the Cassels signing, Friesen was acquired by trade in September of 2005 with New Jersey (for Washington's 3rd round selection in 2006 -- Kirill Tulupov) to bring some scoring punch to a squad largely stripped of offensive skill prior to the lockout. Another winger with Devils Stanley Cup pedigree, McPhee thought Friesen had another 20-goal campaign in him. Instead, inconsistency and groin troubles limited him to 33 games, and just 7 points, in a Caps uniform through March. Perhaps worst of all, he wore (and was permitted to wear) #12.

The salary cap-strapped Devils were able to dump his salary on Washington, but McPhee managed to essentially turn a 3rd round pick into a 2nd rounder (Keith Seabrook), when he, in turn, dealt Friesen to Anaheim.

After a final, dismal 2006-07 campaign in Calgary, Friesen retired in February of 2008, at the age of 31, Cup ring on hand.

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	SOG	PCT	TOI
2005-06 (Caps only)	33	3	4	7	-11	24	0	0	0	64	4.7	14:45

Now, we turn the corner. And two of these five "best" are yours to enjoy on the current roster.

"The Best"

5. Matt Bradley - Right Wing

With his recent heroics at the Garden, it's fitting that we start with Brads. We appreciate that including Bradley in a list of "modesty gifted" skaters may be a bit of a stretch. His Legends of Hockey bio does refer to him as "an offensively gifted forward," and he tallied 33 goals and 83 points in his final junior season. So there's that.

Signed in the frenzied days of August 2005, as teams such as the Caps scrambled to ice a competitive team following a pre-lockout purge, Bradley has emerged into a fixture on the Caps' checking line, part folk hero, part timely playoff goal scorer, all buzzsaw charging down the wing. The Professor is one of those glue guys, the heart-and-soul, whatever you want to call him. He's a bridge between the collective memory of hard-working Caps teams that wore the "old school" stars and stripes and the offensively explosive squad of today. And he's inspiring a new generation of fans.

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	SOG	PCT	TOI
2008-09	81	5	6	11	-1	59	0	0	1	98	5.1	10:37
2009-10 to date	21	4	5	9	4	17	0	0	1	27	14.8	12:20

4. Sergei Fedorov - Center

The Legend was relieved from Columbus Blue Jackets purgatory by McPhee at the March 2008 trading deadline and helped guide the franchise to its first playoff appearance in five years. He was the cultural liaison for the dynamic duo of the Alexes, credited particularly with guiding Alex Semin toward becoming a more complete player (if not instilling in him a greater conservatism and hockey sense). And Fedorov's goal alone in Game 7 of the first round series last April against the Rangers, propelling Washington to its first playoff series win in over a decade, was perhaps worth his $4 million salary for 2008-09.

It's also noteworthy that Feds became the most prolific Russian-born goal scorer in the NHL (finishing last season with 483 career goals) in a Caps sweater.

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	SOG	PCT	TOI
2007-08 (Caps only)	18	2	11	13	-2	8	1	0	1	34	5.9	18:16
2008-09	52	11	22	33	4	50	2	0	2	118	9.3	16:31

3. Brian Bellows - Left Wing

Lodged in my memory forever is Steve Kolbe's warbly shout over the radio waves in overtime of Game 6 of the 1998 first round playoff series, versus Boston: "Brian Bellows caught Bryon Dafoe napping! It's a five-hole goal!" McPhee signed the former North Star great in late March of that spring, when he was toiling for the Berlin Capitals. His production had dropped precipitously since 1993-94, but McPhee's signing gave BB a second life. He played 21 games in the playoffs during that one and only magical Cup run, and tallied six goals and 13 points. Among those 6 post-season tallies was a GTG in the third period of Game 3 of the Finals, knotting the score at one, and sending the Verizon (née MCI) Center crowd into a frenzy, the volume of which this fan has heard matched, possibly, only by the roar of the home crowd watching 2008's first-round game seven against the Flyers.

That following season of 1998-99, however, was a bust for just about every player in a Caps uniform.

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	SOG	PCT	TOI
1997-98	11	6	3	9	-3	6	5	0	2	26	23.1	N/A
1998-99	76	17	19	36	-12	26	8	0	3	166	10.2	15:14

2. Brendan Morrison - Center

This one of our "best" is, admittedly, still a project in progress. But so far, B-Mo has exceeded most everyone's expectations. He's developing into, quite literally, a pivotal role player on the power play. And in scoring at least a point in 13 of 21 games to date, anchoring the second line, he's providing legitimate second pivot production befitting a Cup-contending club.

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	SOG	PCT	TOI
2009-10 to date	21	6	10	16	8	14	2	0	0	31	19.4	16:47

1. Ulf Dahlen - Center

After striking oil with Brian Bellows, McPhee went back to the European well again, signing another former North Star standout in center Ulf Dahlen in August of 1999. Dahlen was skating for HV 71 Jonkoping in the Swedish Elite League, and hadn't played in an NHL game since the spring of 1997. Dahlen anchored a checking line with Jeff Halpern and Steve Konowalchuk, a trio that some in Caps land have declared the greatest checking unit in franchise history. While not translating into any playoff success, Dahlen dazzled fans during the 1999-00 season with his impressive ability to cycle the puck deep, and his trademark open pivot skating style around the net, en route to a 26-7-8 team record at home. And he almost never committed a bad penalty, instead drawing many himself.

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	GWG	SOG	PCT	TOI
1999-00	75	15	23	38	11	8	5	4	106	14.2	12:40
2000-01	73	15	33	48	11	6	6	2	145	10.3	14:48
2001-02	69	23	29	52	-5	8	7	4	141	16.3	16:09

So there you have it. You win some, you lose some. Interestingly, there are no defensemen on this list.

Did we miss any? Disagree on the ordering? Hit us up in the comments.

Thursday Caps Clips: Neuvirth To Get a Start?

J.P. — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 11:42:53 -0000

via Caps In Pictures

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Your savory breakfast links:

In case you missed it in the overnight, Tuvan published a translation of interviews with Alex Ovechkin and Semyon Varlamov following the Rangers game.
On the injury/other front, Jose Theodore might not be available this weekend (which would likely get Michal Neuvirth a start), Alexander Semin is also questionable for the two games and Quintin Laing is out up to six weeks with a broken jaw. Milan Jurcina is getting better, Boyd Gordon is not, and Shaone Morrisonn is day-to-day with an upper-body injury. I think that's everyone. [Washington Post, others]
The Bears have recalled Michael Dubuc from South Carolina and another forward from Kalamazoo of the ECHL. A sign of a recall (or two) from Hershey to D.C. for the weekend? [Patriot-News, @timleone)]
As mentioned above, Laing will be out up to six weeks with a broken jaw (but at least he got Fark'd for his efforts). Here's a look at part of what the next few weeks will look like for Q. [Peerless]
AO misses two weeks, still has nearly the most clutch goals in hockey this season. [The Hockey News]
As far as undersized pivots who have been pleasant surprises for the Caps this fall, Brendan Morrison has to be in the top two. [Washington Times]
Matt Bradley is probably the toughest environmentalist around... [National Geographic]
... and his legend grows. [Washington Times]
Is Brooks Laich the most underrated player in the League? [Bangin Panger]
Pierre LeBrun offers some (solicited) praise for Nicklas Backstrom. [ESPN]
Celebrating Bruce Boudreau's 100th win. [Rock The Red.net]
Speaking of Gabby, how do you name the League's top-nine coaches on the season so far and not have him on that list? [ESPN]
Apropos of nothing, Varly's win on Tuesday night pushed him into sole possession of 22nd in franchise history in wins, breaking a tie with Cristobal Huet and Craig Billington. He could be in the top-14 by New Year's and would need 22 more to be in the top-10 by season's end.
Since you've no doubt been wondering, Sergei Fedorov is currently fourth on his KHL team in scoring with four goals and nine assists in 23 games (and a team-best plus-ten rating) and Viktor Kozlov is tied for fifth on his team with five goals and ten assists in 25 games. And I hear it's really, really great over there and everyone's nice and it rains gumdrops (just in case Michael Nylander's reading).
There have gotta be scores of Canadian kids growing up and patterning their game after Alex Ovechkin (recall that kids like to rebel against their parents), but probably not as many Russian kids emulating Mike Green. Here's one. [NHL.com]
The Sabres have named former Cap Grant Ledyard Director of Youth Hockey Development. [Sabres]
Not directly Caps-related (though we all know the link), a nice story about a kid and one of his hockey coaches. [Autism Speaks via @CapsInPictures]
Finally, happy birthday to a couple of former Caps and Sabres - Ledyard turns 48 and Dean Melanson turns 36.

Friday Caps Clips: Back on Track

J.P. — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 10:37:17 -0000

More photos » by Pablo Martinez Monsivais - AP

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Your savory breakfast links:

Recaps of last night's slump-bustin' win from Corey (blog, article), Tarik (blog, article), Vogs, Joe B., Peerless, Puck Daddy (sorta), Ed Frankovic, Cap Centre, Hockey Mom and Puckhead from the Caps side of things, and The Mercury News for some perspective and quotes from the other side.
Pictures! [Caps In Pictures]
Dmitri Chesnokov caught up with last night's winning 'tender Semyon Varlamov post-game. [Examiner]
Alex Ovechkin was on Washington Post Live yesterday, and he nailed his trademark disheveled-but-dapper look. Wait, did I just critique fashion? [Washington Post]
In case you missed any of yesterday's transactions, Keith Aucoin was recalled (non-emergency, will only have to clear waivers going back if he's up for ten games or thirty days), John Erskine was put on IR, and Anton Gustafsson was loaned to a team in Sweden's second-tier league. [Capitals Insider]
Pierre LeBrun on the Caps' new top line du jour. [ESPN]
The SouthLeast is dead? The SouthLeast is dead! [The Hockey News]
I will say this of the new round of Bruce Boudreau Mercedes ads - at least they're less jinx-y than some of his previous work. [D.C. Sports Bog]
Let it never be said that Brooks Laich isn't a man of extremely fine taste. [SI.com]
Any man who goes paintballin' in shorts is either tough as nails or dumb as bricks. We'll give our guys the benefit of the doubt. [Caps365 (video)]
The Caps may not be off to a great start, but their nuclear advertising partner is. [NEI Nuclear Notes]
Sergei Fedorov keeps on suin' to get some of his money back. [Detroit Free Press]
Finally, happy 24th birthday to Jay Beagle and happy 42nd to Joe Murphy.

Rangers Pregame: Scouting the Capitals

Jim Schmiedeberg — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 19:30:14 -0000

Sure wish the guy on the right was playing tonight

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Taking a look at tonight's opponent, the Washington Capitals

Washington Capitals

Head Coach: Bruce Boudreau

2008-09 Record: 50-24-8

Finished: 2nd in Eastern Conference (Lost Conference Semi-Finals to Pittsburgh)

Last Season vs. Rangers:

Stars:

Alex Ovechkin

#8 / Left Wing / Washington Capitals

Height: 6-2

Weight: 233

Born: Sep 17, 1985

Alexander Semin

#28 / Left Wing / Washington Capitals

Height: 6-2

Weight: 208

Born: Mar 03, 1984

Who's In: Mike Knuble, Brendan Morrison

Who's out: Donald Brashear, Sergei Fedorov, Brent Johnson, Viktor Kozlov

Washington Capitals Season Preview from Japers Rink, the SBNation community for the Washington Capitals.

Capitals Notes: (From the Capitals Insider)

Tom Poti and John Erskine were, to put it delicately, not so good in Philly. And Coach Bruce Boudreau says only one of the pair (or never-again pair, as the case may be) is willing to admit as much.(Washington Times)
Caps' top line is pretty good. (Express, - PDF, p. 16)
8-19-28 the best Caps line EVER?!?! Who knows, but it's probably not the worst. (On Frozen Blog)

2009-10 NHL Season Preview: Washington Capitals

James Mirtle — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 12:00:18 -0000

More photos » by Neil Davidson - AP

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Who's in: Mike Knuble, Brendan Morrison
Who's out: Donald Brashear, Sergei Fedorov, Brent Johnson, Viktor Kozlov

Outlook: The Capitals lost a pair of useful Russians to the KHL in the off-season, as both Sergei Fedorov and Viktor Kozlov took more to play in their homeland. To fill the gap, GM George McPhee signed on Mike Knuble and Brendan Morrison, a pair of veteran North Americans who should be able to more than duplicate Fedorov and Kozlov's combined 74 points last season.

Knuble will be the biggest beneficiary of the move, as he's scheduled to slide in alongside Alex Ovechkin and Nick Backstrom on the top line and will add a welcome presence in front of the net. Morrison, too, could experience a bit of a revival, although his recent history — both injury and performance wise — raises a red flag.

Elsewhere on the roster, expect Semyon Varlamov to challenge Jose Theodore for starting duties from the get go, something that should give the Caps more consistency in goal than they've had since Olaf Kolzig left the picture. Washington's blueline could also be improved with healthy campaigns from Tom Poti and Brian Pothier, along with continued improvement from youngster Karl Alzner, who has earned a full-time role with the big club but may start in the minors due to salary cap concerns.

All in all, barring an injury to Ovechkin, this should be one of the most formidable teams in the Eastern Conference.

X-factor: Semyon Varlamov

For a more in-depth Capitals preview, visit Japers' Rink
For more NHL analysis, check out the McKeen's Hockey Yearbook

Poll

Where will the Caps finish in the Eastern Conference this season?

1

97 votes

2

127 votes

3

51 votes

4

17 votes

5

7 votes

6

5 votes

7

3 votes

8

0 votes

9

1 votes

10

0 votes

11

1 votes

12

0 votes

13

2 votes

14

1 votes

15

13 votes

325 votes | Poll has closed

2009-10 Washington Capitals Season Preview

David M. Getz — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 10:42:03 -0000

More photos » by Pablo Martinez Monsivais - AP

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2008-09 Season Recap: What's really amazing about the Capitals' 2008-09 season is just how much went wrong. The new starting goaltender was inconsistent, finished with mediocre-at-best numbers in the regular season, and was pulled in the first playoff game. The three big free agent signings who had been brought in a year earlier to fill key spots in the lineup failed to make the kind of impact they had in their first seasons in D.C. as Tom Poti missed thirty games, Viktor Kozlov saw his production slip, and Michael Nylander became such a non-entity that he was relegated to the press box for most of the playoffs and sat out the team's final playoff game in favor of Jay Beagle. A largely inexperienced defense corps saw six of its members miss ten games or more due to injury, necessitating 93 man-games from defensemen who started the season in Hershey of the AHL. The second line center position - considered a strength at the season's outset due to the presence of Nylander and Sergei Fedorov - remained unsettled for much of the season. The team's secondary scoring was non-existent at times, and they went through long periods (a.k.a. February and March) looking disinterested and uninspired.

And, despite all of that, they finished with 50 wins and 108 points.

That kind of regular season success is incredible under any set of circumstances, and the fact that the Capitals could perform at that level with so much going wrong should be encouraging to Capitals fans, even in the wake of last year's Eastern Conference Semis Game Seven faceplant that unceremoniously ended the season. It should also put the rest of the NHL very much on its toes.

Make the jump for roster changes, strengths, weaknesses, the team's depth chart, and our predictions.

Who's In:

Mike Knuble, RW - Knuble wasn't the biggest name available this summer, nor was he the flashiest player or the most skilled. But what he was (and is) is the perfect fit for the Capitals - he provides a lot of what the team needs (net presence, grit, size, leadership) where they need it (right wing). Having his 6'3'', 230 pound frame in front of the goal will make things more difficult for opposing goalies during Caps power plays and should give his linemates more space to work with at even strength. And having a knack for collecting and depositing loose pucks around the net won't hurt when he's playing on a line with a guy who has registered nearly a thousand shots on goal over the past two seasons.
Brendan Morrison, C - Morrison is another veteran who was brought in not to change the dynamic of the team or become a go-to guy, but rather to fill a hole and compliment the team's existing core - which is perfect because at this point in his career that's the role Morrison's best suited for. He should provide solid defense on the second line while still being able to keep up with the likes of Alexander Semin, Tomas Fleischmann, Brooks Laich, and Knuble offensively.

Who's Out:

Donald Brashear, LW - There's a part of most Caps fans that will miss watching Brashear drop the mitts for the good guys, but the bottom line on Brash is that his production is going down, his salary is going up, and he isn't getting any younger. Couple those facts with the ability to put a more skilled player from either a defensive (Quintin Laing) or offensive (Chris Bourque) standpoint, and there's no reason to be the slightest bit upset about that fact that Brash will be wearing someone else's red, white, and blue this season... so long as the "team toughness" we've been hearing so much about is, in fact, real.
Sergei Fedorov, C - It's sad to see a legend leave both the Capitals and the NHL, but the reality is that Fedorov, while productive when he played, had durability issues, took too many penalties, and sometimes looked like he had trouble keeping up with the Capitals style of play. They team (some players more than others, no doubt) will miss his versatility and his veteran presence, but we have to think the team will be better off moving forward with a healthy Morrison as the second-line center. We'll always have Game Seven, though, won't we?
Viktor Kozlov, RW - A quintessential example of a player brought in to "bridge the gap," Kozlov was good in 07-08 and barely passable in 08-09 (flunking out of the Dainius Zubrus School of Statistical Inflation). We thank him for his contributions to those two teams (those two tallies in Game Six of the Penguins series were nice), and wish him well in Russia... but we'll gladly take Mike Knuble in his place.

Four Strengths

Elite offensive talent - The Caps' "Young Guns" (Alex Ovechkin, Semin, Nicklas Backstrom and Mike Green) all finished in the top 13 in the League in regular season points-per-game in 2008-09, with Green the only defenseman in the top-60. These kids - not one of whom is yet 26 years old - haven't even reached their respective primes yet. If healthy, the sky's the limit for the quartet.
The powerplay - Piggybacking off that last point, the Caps were second in the league in power play conversion last season when Green missed 14 games, Semin missed 20, and the team lacked consistent net presence (save for Laich). The unit could be even better this year (thanks to Knuble and hopefully healthy years from Chris Clark and Brian Pothier), but even if it's not, it will remain one of the most feared in the League.
Depth on the blue line - At the moment the Capitals have at least eight guys who are clearly capable of taking a regular shift in the NHL, with at least a couple more in Hershey. That doesn't change the fact the team could use another legitimate top-four guy, but it's also an organizational strength very few NHL teams have.
The third line - While we don't know who, exactly, will comprise the third line (especially with Fleischmann and Eric Fehr on injured reserve to start the season), we do know that it will be a strong unit. David Steckel will almost certianly be the center and the wings should be filled out by a combination of Laich, Clark, Fehr, and Bourque (sorry, Matt Bradley Fan Club - we don't see him filling that role long-term). The Caps third line should have everything you look at that spot in the lineup - size, grit, defensive skill, and the ability to chip in on offense - and should ensure the opposition can't afford to take any shifts off.

Four Weaknesses

Discipline - Last year's Caps team took far, far too many penalties that were either lazy, selfish, or unnecessary and, as a result, they were shorthanded as often as just about anyone anyone else in the league. The departures of Fedorov and Brashear should help, but the team still has a lot of guys who take too many bad penalties.
High-end defensemen - Mike Green's just as good as his Norris Trophy Finalist status suggests, and both Tom Poti and and Jeff Schultz are solid defenders who bring a lot of value as penalty killers. After those three, however, there's a pretty steep drop off that inherently results in at least one guy being given more minutes and more responsibility than he should be. The addition - or emergence - of one more top-four defenseman would make a world of difference for this team right now.
Goaltending - Granted, this could turn out to be one of the team's greatest strengths, given the trajectory on which youngsters Semyon Varlamov and Michal Neuvirth find themselves. But at the moment, those two kids have combined to play fewer NHL minutes (playoffs included) than incumbent starter Jose Theodore played either before or after last year's All-Star Break. Competition should drive each of the three to be at his best, but the question mark in goal is certainly real in October... which may or may not matter in April.
Enforcement - Bradley's always willing to throw if need be, but doesn't have the win-loss record to match his heart. John Erskine can certainly handle himself when the rough stuff gets going, but concussions have limited how often he's dropped the mittens in recent years. Enforcement, for now, has given way to team toughness. We'll see if that can last for 82 games.

X-Factor: Bob Woods. If the new assistant coach can overhaul the defense the way some people think he can, the Caps could become the team to beat in the East.

Depth chart:

Left Wing	Center		Right Wing
Alex Ovechkin	Nicklas Backstrom		Mike Knuble
Tomas Fleischmann	Brendan Morrison		Alex Semin
Brooks Laich	David Steckel		Chris Clark
Quintin Laing	Boyd Gordon		Eric Fehr
Chris Bourque	Keith Aucoin		Matt Bradley
Oskar Osala	Jay Beagle		Alexandre Giroux
	Mathieu Perreault		Andrew Gordon
Other
Michael Nylander
Defense
Mike Green		Tom Poti
Jeff Schultz		Shaone Morrisonn
Brian Pothier		Milan Jurcina
John Erskine		Tyler Sloan
Karl Alzner		Sean Collins
John Carlson
Goaltender
Jose Theodore
Semyon Varlamov
Michal Neuvirth
Braden Holtby

Predictions

David: In the summer and fall before the 2007-08 season (and before I was blogging) I was yammering to anyone who would listen about how excited I was about the Capitals off-season and how much better they could be as a team. When pressed on how good I thought they were (and could be) my stock answer wound up being that I thought they would be a team that bounced around the last playoff spot or two for most of the season and eventually made it in with a late season run because I expected them to get better as the season went on, that I expected them to lose in the Conference Finals in the next (08-09) season, and to win the Cup the year after that. While I won't be so bold as to predict a Capitals Cup win in September in a public forum, I will say that the team's progression has been even better than I expected. They might not win the Cup, but the Caps should at the very least be in the Eastern Conference Finals - and I expect them to bring the Prince of Wales trophy to D.C.

Pepper: Team toughness sufficient to win a Cup, with or without Brashear, has yet to be demonstrated. That nebulous quality means physical play and an increased willingness to drive to the net "Fred Shero style," but also relentlessness -- keeping the foot on the gas pedal. Too often last season the team would shock their opponents with their jaw-dropping skill and energy, and then coast for the remainder of the contest. And we've seen some of that dynamic in this pre-season already. Regardless of whether or not we see a repeat of that behavior in the 2009-10 campaign, the talent on this team is more than enough for it to cruise to another Southeast Division title.

But, as currently constituted (i.e., well before the March trading deadline), what I foresee as the team's undoing in the playoffs is the lack of a veteran defenseman who has deep playoff, if not Cup winning, experience. Someone who can clear the crease or tie up a stick looking for rebounds. Without that, they'll still likely win two rounds next spring, but falter in the Eastern Conference finals.

J.P.: I think the real challenge for this Caps team will be staying reasonably focused over the course of an 82-game regular season and not picking up some of the bad habits they developed in February and March of last year that carried into the playoffs. The talent is there in spades - if this team wants to win and is willing to do what it takes to win, there's no reason they can't, and no reason they won't. They'll win the East, and then anything can happen.

Poll

Where will the Capitals finish the regular season?

First in the Eastern Conference

549 votes

First in the Southeast Division, but not first in the Conference

501 votes

Not first in the Southeast, but in the playoffs

16 votes

Out of the playoffs

10 votes

1076 votes | Poll has closed

Semyon Varlamov: "I Missed the NHL Terribly"

tuvanhillbilly — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 16:00:40 -0000

via TTT Hockey (click to enlarge)

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With training camp in full swing and the preseason fast approaching, your old pal Slava Malamud over at Sport-Express is once again back on the hockey beat after a summertime diversion of covering soccer and velosports. In today's edition is an interview that Slava had with Semyon Varlamov after Monday's scrimmage.

***

The Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of the Russian Federation in Washington has arrived at work. I am speaking, as you know, of the Washington Capitals - the most Russian organization in the American capital as well as the United States in general. And if you think I'm exaggerating, then you know little about the history of the Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Representative of Russia on American soil. The history goes like this: first there was Alaska, then Smirnoff, then the Detroit Red Wings, then there was a little bit of Tatu, and now finally Ovechkin and his brigade. All of these are Russian things which the Americans have sampled, evaluated and even called their own.

And don't think that during the off-season this year when the Capitals lost two of their Russians (Sergei Fedorov and Viktor Kozlov) that they stopped being our main branch of the NHL. Who else could we give that title to? Way out in Columbus they have three of our guys (well, depending on whether or not you agree to count Maxim Mayorov), but you can't really say that Russians are terribly interested in the daily routines of the Blue Jackets. And I'm not even going to ask whether or not your attention was riveted to Los Angeles and the preseason plans of Frolov, Voynov and Loktionov.

In Washington, if you can imagine, the main topic of conversation at the beginning of training camp was something like this: "Will Semyon Varlamov be able to displace Jose Theodore in net?" By the way, he is now known as Semyon-the club and league have respected the wishes of the goaltender and have stopped calling him Simian. So, the chances for the Russian to achieve this should be pretty good. Varlamov's heroics in the last playoffs haven't been forgotten, and the level of confidence that Theodore will recapture the star which led him to a Hart and a Vezina at the dawn of the Bush administration has long been hovering around zero.

For Varlamov this is doubly important, since securing a spot on the team is his chance to go to Vancouver in February. However, for rookies in the NHL (unless their names are Crosby, Ovechkin or Tavares) nothing is guaranteed, especially when there is a veteran in their position who is being paid a lot of money. The head coach has repeatedly stated that the position in net will have to be fought for. By Varlamov, Theodore, and the Czech Michal Neuvirth.

The first battle of this campaign has ended for the Russian... and out of the spirit of optimistic patriotism let's call it a "withdrawal to a previously prepared position". In a scrimmage on Monday, Semyon allowed three goals-more than all the other participating goalkeepers. And they didn't come from Ovechkin, but rather from Bradley and Aucoin. Well, let's not lose our optimism so let's call it a successful cleansing of inter-seasonal rust. Especially since Varlamov himself was calm and cheerful after the end of practice. This, by the way, is his normal state.

Share your first impressions on returning to the team.

"First, I terribly missed hockey, the NHL, the local system and how they relate to the players here. I came to camp in very good condition. I worked out a lot during the summer, with a goaltender coach, on the ice, off the ice and in the gym. I've already gotten acclimatized and caught up on my sleep . In a word, everything's okay."

The Russian crew in Washington has shrunk. Do you feel any discomfort from that?

"Of course I wish there were as many Russian guys as possible, but I don't feel any discomfort. I speak English a bit better now and I already understand almost everything. So I even feel better now that I did last season."

If so, then it's time to have a talk with the coach about what he expects from you what you can expect this year.

"We haven't had that conversation. Right after the playoffs he talked to me and told me... that I'd come and would be fighting for a place in net, that he wouldn't give me any guarantees, that I had to work, and things like that."

That's what they always say to the young guys. So in your personal opinion, what do you think of your chances?

"To be honest, I try to not pay any attention to what is being said around me. You just have to do your job, practice, and get in shape. We've got some preseason games coming up, with Buffalo, Chicago and the Rangers, so after those maybe something can be perceived. Then I'll be in my definitive form. In today's scrimmage I felt a little off. In the summer I trained on the European rinks, and now I have to get used the smaller rinks again... But I'm not going to talk about whether or not I'll be the main guy. (What happens on) the ice will show that."

Is there a difference with the advent of the new goaltending coach, Artur Irbe?

"Of course. For instance, language problems have totally disappeared. It's really easy to work with Artur, and he helps me a lot. You could say, of course, that now I have less chance to practice my English, but this is nothing-I'll catch up with the guys. Now I understand 100 percent what the coach wants from me. Right now we have "хорошая связь" (good communications- S.M.)

Yes, you can see how you converse in Russian. Irbe, by the way, was always quite the unique player -in his dimensions, style, and his choice of equipment. He even played in the NHL wearing a never-before-seen prehistoric mask and pads. Is Artur teaching you any of his secrets?

"We just started working with him-we just met two weeks ago. But I feel like he can teach me a lot. Right now I've ordered some new equipment, and Artur came and helped me. You can tell immediately that he can help in these matters like nobody else. And it's always good when you're standing next to a guy who's played in the NHL at the highest levels."

So does this mean that he's teaching you his method for breaking in pads? You do know, don't you, that Irbe drove over them in a Jeep?

(Laughs) We haven't had any discussions about that. Every goaltender has his secrets for adjusting his equipment. I'll say right off that my methods are quite different."

About how many games will you play in the preseason?

"I don't have the slightest clue. Right now basically nobody knows anything-who, when, and against whom you'll play. We've just been given the training schedule and that's it. They'll probably say something the day before the game. So I have to be ready."

Wednesday Caps Clips: An Anniversary to Remember

J.P. — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 10:40:47 -0000

via the shoebox next to my desk

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Your savory breakfast links:

Rookie Camp rolls on:
- New times for the veteran skates for today and tomorrow.
- Great stuff from Tarik, including a transcription of Semyon Varlamov's media session (and a couple of equipment notes) and his notes on the day.
- More on Varly. [Washington Times]
- Video of Bruce Boudreau's post-practice scrum, the Varly interview and John Carlson.
- After narrowly missing last year, Michael Dubuc will again try to make the Bears' roster this fall. [Patriot News]
- Steinz on Anton Gustafsson's workout video, Ryan Jasinsky's MMA training, and Jake Hauswirth's football background (speaking of football, two WaPo writers out at Kettler? Are the 'Skins cooked already?). [Bog]
- If kids doubled over from gassers wasn't real enough for you, "The Real World" stopped by Camp. [Bog]
- Pictures! [TTT Hockey, Caps In Pictures (and again)]
- CapsChick on the weekend at KCI. [VFtCS]
- Brett Flemming impressed Braden Holtby (among others). [DCist]
- One fan's view on who makes the cut and who doesn't... for Hershey. [Hershey Bears Hockey]
Allan Muir pegs the blueline battles as the story of Caps camp (refreshing to see someone go with something other than "the goalies"). [SI.com]
Up in NYC they're preparing for Alex Ovechkin day, but it sounds as if AO has already some fun in the Big Apple. [Welcome to the Show]
Mike Green is getting a hang of this whole Twitterin' thing. [@GreenLife52]
Sergei Fedorov's old man (insert zinger here) is accusing the Caps of setting his son and Viktor Kozlov up to fail, statistically, so as not to keep their future salaries down. If only the Caps hadn't played Kozlov with Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom and Fedorov with Alex Semin so often, the two elder Russians might really have been able to put up some numbers. [Hockey Observer]
I'm sure you're reading Peerless every day (multiple times per day, in fact), but in case you missed his preview of Jeff Schultz, go and read it. Now. We'll wait. [Peerless]
Happy 43rd birthday to Kevin Hatcher (tenth in franchise history in games played, assists and points and the NHL's last 30-goal scoring defenseman before last season) and happy 56th to Nelson Pyatt, who led the 1975-76 team in scoring (while finishing with a minus-56 rating, the 15th-worst single-season mark of all-time).
Finally, on this date back in 1982, the Caps traded Ryan Walter and Rick Green to Montreal for Rod Langway, Doug Jarvis, Craig Laughlin and Brian Engblom. Best. Trade. Ever. (Sorry, Ted Montgomery.) If you're not up on your history - or even if you are - make sure to read Vogs' fantastic take on the trade that saved the franchise.