SB Nation - Jeff Halpern

Jay Beagle Suffered Broken Foot In Game 5 Against Rangers

Samuel Chamberlain — Mon, 14 May 2012 20:07:48 -0000

Jay Beagle had played in Washington's first 12 Stanley Cup playoff games, recording a goal and an assist, and generally excelling as a defensive forward.

So when the Capitals took the ice for warm-ups at Verizon Center prior to Game 6 against the New York Rangers Wednesday night, many observers were stunned to see Jeff Halpern, who had not dressed for the entire playoffs, in Beagle's place.

An injury to Beagle was immediately suspected, but no one outside the organization knew the full extent of it until Monday's breakdown day media availability.

Jay Beagle broke his foot on G5 PK when Stralman shot hit bone directly in left foot. Tried to play G6, had surgery next day
— Stephen Whyno (@SWhyno) May 14, 2012

Dale Hunter, for what it's worth, told the media two hours before Game 6 that Beagle would play, a lie that's told by all hockey coaches at this time of year. But even allowing for the fact that skating puts less stress on a broken foot than walking, the fact that Beagle even attempted to play in Game 6 (George McPhee said that Beagle's foot was broken in a place that denied him balance) speaks to the desire that every hockey player has to win that trophy.

Ted Leonsis Says Caps 'Only Improved On Paper,' Lightning Team To Beat

Adam Vingan — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 14:23:16 -0000

Much was made over the weekend about how the Washington Capitals and General Manager George McPhee did "borderline-magical things" during the opening days of free agency. Not only did McPhee bring back a former captain (Jeff Halpern), an unheralded postseason performer (Joel Ward) and an established two-way defenseman (Roman Hamrlik), he traded supposedly KHL-bound goaltender Semyon Varlamov to the Colorado Avalanche for two draft picks. And don't forget signing Tomas Vokoun, who took roughly a 80% pay cut to join the Caps.

Several notable hockey publications have given the Caps high marks for their free agency proceedings and majority owner Ted Leonsis took the time Tuesday to appreciate the hard work that his management had done. But he also praised a team that was not his own.

We received high marks and kudos for our work in free agency this past weekend. I am very happy with the performance of our front office and professional scouting department. I think they really delivered.

In between thanking Matt Bradley for his services while playing for the Caps (he signed with the Florida Panthers this weekend, but then again, who didn't?), Leonsis went on to say that despite the praise, that the Caps are "only improved on paper." In fact, according to Leonsis, the Caps should not even be favored in the Southeast Division. That distinction belongs to the Tampa Bay Lightning, who swept Washington out of the Eastern Conference Semifinals:

I believe Tampa is the team to beat. They finished this past season a few points behind us and they beat us in round 2 of the playoffs. They are the team to beat in the division with the Boston Bruins the odds on favorite to repeat in the East as defending Stanley Cup champs.

The Lightning may have been the team to beat last season as they led a comfortable lead in the division until the Caps ultimately caught and usurped them to win their fourth consecutive Southeast Division championship. Tampa Bay had the last laugh, but have not made the drastic moves that the Caps have since July 1. The Lightning re-signed rejuvenated goalie Dwayne Roloson and acquired Mathieu Garon, but lost Simon Gagne and playoff hero Sean Bergenheim. But the core of yet-to-be-signed Steven Stamkos, Martin St. Louis and Vincent Lecavalier should all provide another challenge to the new-look Caps.

The last time Leonsis made a bold statement on his blog, it came to fruition as the Caps made several personnel moves as promised. Usually, bulletin board material comes from the opposition, but perhaps Leonsis' bold statement could plaster the Caps' locker room at Verizon Center come October?

No Suspension For Andrew Ference After Hit On Jeff Halpern

Travis Hughes — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 17:30:25 -0000

Another day, another suspension outrage. Andrew Ference of the Boston Bruins sat down with the NHL's discipline heads on Thursday morning, but he won't be suspended for his hit on Jeff Halpern in Game 7 against the Montreal Canadiens.

Halpern was skating in the corner behind the play during the third period of the tie game, and Ference clearly slowed up a bit and stuck his shoulder out just slightly. It clipped the head of Halpern, who clearly looked dazed as he got back to his skates.

He needed a hand getting back to the bench, but Halpern returned to the game after about seven minutes of play (he returned to the bench about a minute after going back to locker room, so much for the "quiet room"), and there was no penalty on the call.

Ference will be in the lineup, barring a freak injury in practice or something of course, for Game 1 against the Philadelphia Flyers. Right call?

Ference likely was fined for the play during the call, but that stuff doesn't always become public knowledge. To the hit, though, is there any doubt that Ference didn't know he was in Halpern's way? You can see him slow up a bit as Halpern nears him, and it just has that feel like its so subtly dirty.

In any event, it was behind the play and the officials on the ice never saw it, and since Halpern likely went back to the room and said "screw you, it's Game 7, I'm playing" to the trainer, the Habs lineup wasn't impacted by the play.

What say you? Are you fine without a suspension on this play?

Poll

Did the NHL make the right call by not suspending Andrew Ference?

Yes

48 votes

No

42 votes

Not sure

4 votes

94 votes | Poll has closed

VIDEO: Injury Bug Bites The Canadiens Over And Over And Over Again

Travis Hughes — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 15:47:56 -0000

It's not a nightmare, Canadiens fans. No, a nightmare would imply that what happened in last night's game against the Buffalo Sabres is rooted somewhere in the dream world.

It was real. All too real. If we were lazy, we'd probably link to a YouTube video of Drowning Pool's "Bodies" right now to describe the injuries the Habs suffered last night, but thankfully, the NHL put together this lovely compilation of the carnage.

Witness Mike Cammalleri, Max Pacioretty, Jeff Halpern, Brian Gionta and P.K. Subban fall to injury -- all in the first period:

Cammalleri suffered a shoulder separation and will miss about two weeks, while Pacioretty was reportedly hit in the rib with that puck that found his chest. He left the game on a stretcher and was evaluated at the hospital to make sure he didn't sustain any serious internal injury. Of course, the team just called it an "upper-body injury."

Halpern, Gionta and Subban all returned to the game, but that's a small consolation to the Habs, who are also without Josh Gorges and Andrei Markov for the remainder of the season.

Oh, and the Habs lost 2-1.