[Ed. note: As part of the build-up to the second round playoff series between the Capitals and the Rangers, Japers' Rink will be looking at some of the important but perhaps lesser-known players on the Rangers and how they might impact the series.]

Brandon Prust

#8 / Right Wing / New York Rangers

Height: 6-2

Weight: 192

Born: March 16, 1984

Birthplace: London, Ontario, Canada

Drafted: 2004 by Calgary Flames (3rd Round, 70th overall)

Why you should know who he is - Though a middleweight, he finished third on the team in hits during the first round series vs. Ottawa, doubling his hits-per-game average from the regular season. You'll see him logging significant PK time; he averaged close to two minutes a game shorthanded in the Ottawa series, an important role in an overall kill effort that limited the Sens to 15.4% efficiency, four goals on 26 attempts (he was on ice for two of them). Not particularly known as a shutdown forward, he did face quite a few tough defensive assignments, including heavy doses of Jason Spezza's line in Games 3 and 6 of the Ottawa series, both Ranger victories.

How the Caps can stop him - Some credit Prust with turning the series back into the Blueshirts' favor by gamely engaging Ottawa heavyweight Chris Neil (the non-suspended villain of Broadway who concussed Rangers forward Brian Boyle in the previous game) in the first period of Game 6, with NYR down 1-0 in the contest and 3-2 in the series. It took some prodding to get Neil to oblige, but Prust was persistent and perhaps reset the game for his team. Obviously, the Caps' more rugged forwards need to take the high road and maintain their composure, much like they did in the first round against Boston.

[GameCenter - Ice Tracker - Game Summary - Event Summary - Faceoff Summary - Play-by-Play - Home TOI - Visitor TOI - Shift Charts - Head-to-Head - Fenwick/Corsi - Zone Starts - Fenwick Timeline]

With the double gut punch of losing Game 3 at home in the final two minutes, off a deflection from a defenseman's stick in a manner that seems all too familiar in Capitals post-season history, followed by the news that Nicklas Backstrom's automatic suspension for this contest was upheld, you wouldn't be blamed for sitting down to this one expecting to see a second defeat in a row.

It's been difficult enough for the Caps to score at fives in this series with Backstrom in the lineup -- just two goals through Game 3 where #19 tallied and earned the primary assist, respectively. The only worse news coming out of Game 3 would've been another concussion for the 1C (which, given the unmitigated abuse to the head that Nick's taken in this series, wouldn't be all that surprising).

However, it's these games of overcoming the odds as they were, stepping up and bringing the pure joy of an inspiring win -- so rare in the annals of Caps playoff hockey -- that keep us watching.

Further, going into the third period with a one-goal advantage, we saw a critical test of Coach Dale Hunter-style playoff hockey, the ability to nail down a victory with the slimmest of margins, not too unlike the way that captain Dale led the Caps all the way to the Stanley Cup Finals in 1998.

Ten more notes on the game:

• On ice for Rich Peverley's even-strength goal tonight was one Dennis Wideman, paired for the first time in these playoffs with John Erskine, the seventh-most frequent D pairing during the regular season. Wideman's been on the ice for all five of the B's goals at fives in this series to date. He also missed a near-empty net on the first PP unit. But let's focus on the positive.
• No one stole the show like Braden Holtby tonight. Aside from an odd-man rush (see above), Holts was tracking the puck like the best of 'em, and allowed precious few rebounds or advantageous re-directions. Caps fans watching most all of his professional games knew he had this ability, but to see the consistency through four games is absolutely stunning.
• This affair was surprisingly disciplined, wasn't it? Four penalties, all of the minor variety (to be sure, a few missed calls) and virtually no after-the-whistle mayhem. A tense and fairly clean contest, considering what's come before.
• However, we couldn't expect the B's not to get a chance late in the game, and Mike Knuble, though playing a decent physical game and ramping up that effort in the third, provided them the opportunity with an guilt-free call for holding along the boards. Thankfully, the PK allowed virtually nothing beyond a Tyler Seguin shot missed wide.
• Excellence, of course, is not only found in boxcar stats, and Jay Beagle deserves praise again for doing so many of the little (and big, for his role) things right tonight. Winning a majority of his D-zone draws, blocking shots, cycling and keeping the puck alive around the B's net.
• Victory tonight seemed predicated precisely on special teams play. And while the Caps first PP opportunity in the first frame drove one to drink, the Caps' second opportunity featured fantastic movement of the puck, though still precious little finish. (Wideman?) Ultimately, though, it was the extra man opportunity, a third time, that made the difference. For all of the faults we can find -- as can GM George McPhee and Coach Hunter and the rest of the Caps staff -- with Alexander Semin, it's precisely that shot that's the reason he keeps getting paid big money by the franchise. Tonight, I'm totally cool with that.
• Everyone earned a negative Corsi rating tonight, seven skaters in double digit negatives, including five forwards.
• Reckless disregard for one's body, be it blocking shots, throwing hits, or charging hard at the end boards to avoid an icing call, is often what determines a playoff series winner. Matt Hendricks did a bit of all of that tonight.
• Great as was tonight's result, however, the Caps can't afford to allow the Bruins to fire away from the points and crowd Holtby the way they were able to do mostly at will for roughly the first half of the contest. Take that confidence in Holtby with you to Boston on Saturday, but don't test him (or any goalie) like that for a second game in a row.
• Even "bonus time" via a frozen clock at le Centre Verizón didn't help the Bruins tonight. Holtby grabbed the biscuit one last time, well after the final horn should have sounded.

Again, an inspiring win, and the deafening D.C. crowd in the waning minutes truly stirred the soul, so it's on to game five with Nicky back in the fold and the forward lines back to their more offensively-intimidating potential.

Continue reading this post »

Russell and I are back in prime time with a new episode of Japers' Rink Radio tonight at 9 pm Eastern!  Crack open a cold one and join us, as we welcome back to the show our good friend Corey Masisak, editor and writer for NHL.com, who was out at Kettler today, to discuss the early news from Washington Capitals' training camp. 

We'll also feature an interview I conducted with Caps' forward Jay Beagle, wherein we discuss his expectations for the season, what skills he can offer to a stacked Caps lineup in 2011-12, and his role in implementing the "team toughness" mandate going forward into the new campaign.

Also, tune in live to participate in a bit of a trivia contest to be revealed on air.  The winner will receive a sweet JRR tee-shirt.

The call in number to chat with us live is (917) 388-4003 and we'll take your questions and comments @japersrinkradio. 

And if you're in a band based in the DC or Baltimore metro area and would like your music used in future episodes of JRR, email us at japersrinkradio@gmail.com.

Rookie camp for your Washington Capitals kicked off yesterday, and Russell and I begin to preview the Caps' Southeast Division rivals, and what to focus on during division matchups in 2011-12. The Winnipeg Jets will be the last SE team that the Caps will face for the first time -- on November 17th -- in the new campaign, but the first that we'll preview.

Tonight at 9 pm Eastern we welcome Ed Tait of the Winnipeg Free Press to the show, to discuss how the Jets might match up against the Caps in their six tilts this season, the status of recent ex-Cap Eric Fehr and, uh, heavyweight D-man Dustin Byfuglien, how the Jets team plans to manage its brutal travel schedule, the franchise's new identity, and more.

Do waves of nostalgia have you excitedly awaiting that first Caps game in the 'Peg? (Perhaps you're even planning a road trip up there this year?)  Do you have any memories of this game? Or are you ambivalent about the new Jets, simply thinking about your team's increased travel burden?

The call in number to chat with us live is (917) 388-4003 and we'll take your questions and comments @japersrinkradio. 

And if you're in a band based in the DC or Baltimore metro area and would like your music used in future episodes of JRR, email us at japersrinkradio@gmail.com.

To ease the end-of-a-holiday-weekend dread, returning to the daily grind, Russell and I bring you an all-new episode of Japers' Rink Radio on Labor Day Monday at 9pm.  Fetch that last cold beer at the icy bottom of your backyard picnic cooler and join us.

We welcome to the show Dmitry Chesnokov, regular contributor to Yahoo!'s Puck Daddy, to discuss the prospects of Messrs. Alex Ovechkin and Alexander Semin this season for the Washington Capitals.  Of course, we'll delve further into the merits of those recent comments by ex-Caps Matt Bradley and David Steckel about former teammate Semin and the compatibility of the team's level of "leadership, commitment, and discipline" with ultimate playoff success.  And what of the Captain's "special announcement" to be made next Tuesday? 

We'll also have an exclusive interview with Caps' F D.J. King, who's got his work cut out for him this season in playing for another contract.

The call in number to chat with us live is (917) 388-4003 and we'll take your questions and comments @japersrinkradio. 

And if you're in a band based in the DC or Baltimore metro area and would like your music used in future episodes of JRR, email us at japersrinkradio@gmail.com.

The new Director of Broadcasting for the Washington Capitals, John Walton, has spent quite a lot of time with Caps' bench boss Bruce Boudreau over the years, and witnessed first-hand a dramatic rise in the fortunes of the American Hockey League's Hershey Bears, and not too many lows, under Gabby's command of the Bears.  Given his unique perspective, we asked John on our latest episode of Japers' Rink Radio about Boudreau's reputation as a "players' coach" (and specifically whether he might be "too chummy" with the team), his ability to make adjustments at the highest level and, ultimately, whether he can be the coach to deliver a championship to Washington, and not just "set the table."

His thoughts on Boudreau's system tinkering from our chat last Saturday:

The one thing that Bruce Boudreau is so good at, in my mind, are the adjustments to the game.  Coaching is, at its core, it's communication.   [In reference to the switch to a more defensively-focused system last December], that's a difficult thing to do midstream . . . a lot of people at the NHL level that I talked to last year say 'It's amazing to see a team change that much when it didn't involve a coaching change.'  That was a quote that I heard from a number of people, and I think that speaks to Bruce's strength about being able to communicate with his players about what he wants to see. 

On many Caps' players redoubling their summer workout efforts:

You just have a feeling in the air that says, 'Ok, last year was disappointing and the year before didn't go the way we wanted,' but you see guys ramping up already.  It's funny, we talked at the opening of the interview today about, 'Hey it's hockey in August,' and maybe for some people, they're not quite thinking in hockey terms yet.  But the principals in play here are.

Listen to our entire interview with the new play-by-play voice of your Capitals for his thoughts on these questions, which of the Caps' two young goalies he prefers, Mathieu Perreault's future, and much more here.

We're back!  Russell and I fire up the studio once again (and I emerge from early fatherhood delirium), readjust the headsets, and enliven the interwaves with Washington Capitals chatter in the middle of August, with an all-new show this Saturday at 10am.

And while you have all no doubt suffered deeply and palpably our prolonged summer hiatus, we ask your forgiveness and also this:  Have the wounds opened again by the second round sweep at the hands of the Tampa Bay Lightning finally healed?  While that collapse may have left you scarred to rival the mark on Lightning bench boss Guy Boucher's cheek, did the considerable free agent haul last month directed by Caps GM George McPhee to welcome, among others, forwards Troy Brouwer, Joel Ward, defenseman Roman Hamrlik, goaltender Tomas Vokoun, and welcome back center Jeff Halpern, to Washington, assauge your frustration, and rekindle your Caps fan spirits?  It did ours.

But what also provided a spark to reignite the engines for me was the announcement that John Walton will become the new radio play-by-play voice (and apparently much more as new "Director of Broadcasting") for the Caps.  John's game calls are sure to transform even a lackluster mid-season Caps match against an uninteresting opponent into an event worth your undivided attention.  So we're thrilled to welcome John back to the show to chat about his new gig, the continued importance of radio in delivering our great sport of hockey, the evolution of Bruce Boudreau's coaching style throughout Gabby's time in the Caps' organization, and his early thoughts on this renovated Caps team.

In lieu of a question for this week's show, call us up during the broadcast and share your most vivid memories of listening to Caps games on the radio, during any era.  The call in number is (917) 388-4003 and we'll take your questions and comments @japersrinkradio. 

As before, if you're in a band based in the DC or Baltimore metro area and would like your music used in future episodes of JRR, email us at japersrinkradio@gmail.com.

From Alzner to Wideman, we're taking a look at and grading (please read the criteria below) the 2010-11 season for every player who laced 'em up for the Caps for a significant number of games during the campaign, with an eye towards 2011-12. Next up, Tyler Sloan.

Tyler Sloan

#89 / Defenseman / Washington Capitals

Height: 6-3

Weight: 205

Born: Mar 15, 1981

NHL Seasons: 3

Contract Status: $700,000 cap hit in 2011-12; UFA thereafter

'09-'10 Rink Wrap: 4.53

'08-'09 Rink Wrap: 7.03

Key Stat: Sloan skated 14 minutes or more in only nine of his 33 games played in 2010-11.

Interesting Stat: He earned five of his six points on the season at home (14 GP) and was a +1 in friendly confines.

The Good: Though decidedly hidden from top line competition, Tyler Sloan nevertheless provided a steady, if unremarkable, defensive effort, allowing virtually the same goals against per 60 minutes of play (2.49) as he did in the 2009-10 season (2.44).

It's worth noting that, in those nine games in which Sloan playing 14 minutes or more, the Caps were 6-3. 

Only John Erskine and Mike Green registered more hits per 60 minutes on the Caps' defense than Sloan.

The Bad: His goals-for vs. goals-against per 60 dropped considerably from a decent 0.12 in the 2009-10 season to a ragged -1.02 last season, suggesting that his play in 2010-11 quite demonstrably hindered the offense.  And his season on-ice Corsi number, a shockingly negative outlier, bears that out as well.  For sure, Sloan benefited from playing nearly a quarter of his shifts in 2009-10 with a healthier Tom Poti.  And this past season, majority pair mate with Sloan, John Erskine (who also in turn played more often with #89 than with any other D-man), managed to stay in the black when the regular slate concluded.  So draw your own conclusions there.

Last season, Sloan was lauded for his versatility at being a swingman, holding down a checking line forward position when necessary.  Not so in the 2010-11 campaign, where Sloan saw no time at forward and got a sweater for fewer games, and less ice time in those games, than a season ago (and declining in TOI/G for the second consecutive season).

And speaking of "hidden" in the Good above, Sloan was largely kept off of the PK, averaging barely 20 seconds of ice per 60 minutes for all Caps D (20 GP minimum).

Finally, when injuries to the blue line in elimination game four of the second round of the playoffs called for desperate measures to ice three defense pairs for the Caps, it was Sean Collins, who spent most of the season in Hershey, that got the nod, and not #89, who was part of the big club all season long.  Good thing for Sloan that he's the one signed for one more NHL season.  But maybe not so good for the Caps.

The Vote: Rate Sloan below on a scale of 1-10 (10 being the best) based on his performance relative to his potential and your expectations for the season - if he had the best year you could have imagined him having, give him a 10; if he more or less played as you expected he would, give him a 5 or a 6; if he had the worst year you could have imagined him having, give him a 1.

The Discussion: As was a question for the past two seasons, will Sloan break training camp with the Caps?  If so, where does his name now slot on the depth chart when the injury bug smites multiple blueliners?  Would the organization risk exposing him to waivers, as it had not done in 2010-11?  Will we ever see #89 play a forward position again?

From Alzner to Wideman, we're taking a look at and grading (please read the criteria below) the 2010-11 season for every player who laced 'em up for the Caps for a significant number of games during the campaign, with an eye towards 2011-12. Next up, Mathieu Perreault.

Mathieu Perreault

#85 / Center / Washington Capitals

Height: 5-10

Weight: 174

Born: Jan 05, 1988

NHL Seasons: 2

Contract Status:  $716,667 cap hit; RFA this summer

'09-'10 Rink Wrap: 7.10 rating

Key Stat: Perreault earned all fourteen of his NHL points in just nine games (five of those being multi-point affairs).

Interesting Stat: His last point of his Capitals season was a primary assist on a power play goal by Marcus Johansson.

The Good: A long time from now, when Mathieu Perreault looks back on his professional career, he'll remember with particular fondness a certain game in Canada's capital in late December.  His exploits captured by the cameras of the HBO 24/7 crew, Perreault provided, seconds into the second period, both the tourniquet to halt the Capitals' eight-game losing spill of blood in the form of a close-in wrister, and then, a few minutes later in the period, a similar, game-winning strike that inflated a flattened Caps squad with a renewed confidence.  "We felt like we won a championship," he said at the time.

Overall, MP85 finished with the fourth-best best relative Corsi among all Caps' skaters, behind only the "big three" forwards.  Better still, he bested all Caps centers in percentage of shifts ended in the offensive end (0.9% fewer shifts than he started there) and, perhaps surprisingly, that rate was good for 18th best amongst centers League-wide, for all pivots having played at least 30 games.  (As context, only eight of those centers ahead of him started their shifts less often in the O-zone than did Perreault.)

His points per 60 minutes rate at even strength was the best amongst Caps centers not wearing #19 and, on the power play, his point production rate outshone Brooks Laich and Jason Arnott, suggesting that he again made decent work out of his somewhat limited opportunities with the big club.   

The Bad: Except, the knock on Matty has typically been his streakiness, providing a spark immediately following a call-up and thereafter fizzling out.  Sure enough, in 2010-11, he scored five of his seven goals on the season during the first nine games of his December 6th recall.  And then, following the injury to Alexander Semin in the January 8th game vs. Florida which shelved the winger for a month, Perreault went pointless in nine straight.  Semin's return did not, disappointingly, coincide with an uptick in offensive production, as Perreault gained just two points in the eight contests after the Russian sniper's return (and those two in the same game; see the Interesting Stat above).

Perreault committed the most penalties per 60 minutes of all Caps' centers (1.4), which landed him 16th worst on a league-wide center list in that stat (minimum 10GP).  (And only 5 of those worse than him skated for playoff-bound teams.)

Mathieu Perreault was given a real shot in 2010-11 to prove himself a capable scoring line center for this Caps club, and earn himself a sizable raise, skating almost a third of his shifts on the second line.  And while that relative Corsi rating above suggests that MP85 did his part to maintain a strong puck possession game, he failed to distinguish himself significantly from his "rival," Marcus Johansson, especially in the area of winning draws.  Perreault's success in that skill showed virtually no improvement season-to-season, finishing his latest NHL slate with a 45.6% rate of success, compared to a 45.2% rate in the previous one.  A second-line, or even third-line center on this team needs to be a go-to guy for more defensive face-offs.  And while Johansson is certainly also lagging in that department, he's become far more sound defensively than is Perreault.  

As we mentioned in January, this past Caps' campaign was likely going to be "second line or bust" for Perreault.  By the trade deadline, we saw Johansson instead growing into his NHL suit and running away with the regular center job that MP declared on Japers' Rink Radio back in late August would be his for the taking.  The acquisition of Jason Arnott then sealed his fate of not playing another game in a Caps sweater after February 28th and seeing playoff hockey only in Hershey for another spring. 

The Vote: Rate Perreault below on a scale of 1-10 (10 being the best) based on his performance relative to his potential and your expectations for the season - if he had the best year you could have imagined him having, give him a 10; if he more or less played as you expected he would, give him a 5 or a 6; if he had the worst year you could have imagined him having, give him a 1.

The Discussion: Is this is the end of the Capitals' road for Mathieu Perreault?  Still just 23-years-old, is his ceiling still high enough to contain a position as a bona fide scoring line center?  Should the organization issue him a qualifying offer for 2011-12, even with the continuing Swedish invasion in D.C.?  Is MP85's best chance to make it in the NHL as a center or as a wing, and does he fit at either position now in D.C.?  What would it take for Perreault to earn a "10" next season?

From Alzner to Wideman, we're taking a look at and grading (please read the criteria below) the 2010-11 season for every player who laced 'em up for the Caps for a significant number of games during the campaign, with an eye towards 2011-12. Next up, Scott Hannan.

Scott Hannan

#23 / Defenseman / Washington Capitals

Height: 6-1

Weight: 225

Born: Jan 23, 1979

NHL Seasons:  11

Contract Status: $4,500,000 in 2010-11; UFA this summer

Previous Rink Wraps: N/A

Key Stat: Hannan went 16 straight games without being on the ice for a 4-on-5 goal against in mid-winter, a streak curiously broken by the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Interesting Stat: Tied for the second-most blocked shots on the team (20) in the post-season.

The Good: Adrian Dater, long-time Avalanche beat writer for the Denver Post, wrote of Hannan's three-season tenure in Colorado, on the day of the late November 2010 trade that sent Hannan to D.C. for forward Tomas Fleischmann:  "He was uber-durable, never whined about anything and always seemed to give a good effort out there."

And durable he was.  You might even say that he was virtually the last defenseman left standing by the end of the second round of the playoffs.  He certainly carried the load following multiple blue line injuries, second in even-strength ice time only to John Carlson and, by far, logging the most PK minutes in the second season.

Brought into the fold by General Manager George McPhee to "complete [the Caps'] defense," Hannan spent the most time on the penalty kill amongst all Caps defenders in 2010-11 (including 23 GP as a member of the Avs), while the team vaulted into the second-best PK% in the circuit (after a 25th-best showing in 2009-10).  While his full-season GAON/60 at 4-on-5 suggests a middle-of-the-road penalty killing effort, 12 of the 20 power play goals against suffered by his team occurred while he was on the kill for Colorado.  Taking only his performance as a Capital in 2010-11 into account, he finished at nearly the best amongst Caps blueliners in that key statistic.

Hannan was solid at even strength during the regular season in a Caps' sweater as well, assembling two separate streaks of more than 10 contests in which he avoided a minus rating.   And while suffering a minus-9 during the Caps' eight-game skid in December, which coincided with his arrival in D.C., Hannan finished the rest of the season with a plus-11 rating.

McPhee also coveted Hannan for his leadership qualities, and the veteran of over 800 regular season games and, now, 82 playoff games appeared to provide an even keel to a team that had been described as mentally "fragile":

You can have good games, you can have bad games, but you want to try to stay on an even track.  That's what it is in the playoffs, you're going to go through things in a seven-game series that can get you down and you can't let it get you down or away from the plan. Running into a hot goalie can't be something that gets you down, you have to work hard and do the things that it takes to score on goalies like that. That comes down to doing the little things right, day in and day out. That's what wins championships.

Unfortunately, the steadying presence of #23 did not forestall the swift collapse, featuring many little things not done right, tumbling along the rapids of "river hockey" toward a second-round sweep.

The Bad:  In the playoffs, Hannan -- along with Jeff Schultz -- seemed overextended in ice time and, on occasion, overmatched by the speed and shiftiness of Tampa's forwards.  He was beaten to the net at least three times for pivotal Lightning goals in that second-round series, during the late stages of the second period or third period of games in which he skated more than 20 minutes (and once by Brandon Dubinsky for a Rangers' GWG in the final two minutes of Game 3 that got the opponents temporarily back in the first-round series).

Though never known for his offensive presence, Hannan took fewer shots per game than any Caps' defender not named Schultz.  In a season where even John Erskine took 0.8 S/G and potted four pucks, that's abysmal.  Especially for a defenseman earning his sizable paycheck.

The Vote: Rate Hannan below on a scale of 1-10 (10 being the best) based on his performance relative to his potential and your expectations for the season - if he had the best year you could have imagined him having, give him a 10; if he more or less played as you expected he would, give him a 5 or a 6; if he had the worst year you could have imagined him having, give him a 1.

The Discussion: Do the Caps need another no-frills stay-at-homer in Hannan, and at what price?  How much of the team's PK consistency can be attributed to #23?  Could Hannan and Green make an effective pair in 2011-12?

From Alzner to Wideman, we're taking a look at and grading (please read the criteria below) the 2010-11 season for every player who laced 'em up for the Caps for a significant number of games during the campaign, with an eye towards 2011-12. Next up, Jason Chimera.

Jason Chimera

#25 / Left Wing / Washington Capitals

Height: 6-2

Weight: 216

Born: May 02, 1979

NHL Seasons: 7

Contract Status: $1,875,000 cap hit in 2011-12; UFA after 2011-12 season

'09-'10 Rink Wrap: 6.84 rating

Key Stat:  Chimera's points per 60 minutes at even-strength (1.34) was at its lowest season rate since the lockout.

Interesting Stat:  Chimera skated more even-strength shifts alongside Alex Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom than with any other forward combination (and eight of his 26 points involved a goal or assist by one or both of those two).

The Good:  Well, you see where we're going here.  But any discussion of the successes of Chimera's 2010-11 season has to begin with the playoffs, where he notched half of the team's game winning goals in the post-season, including this shocker at Madison Square Garden to throw a wet blanket over the Rangers faithful. Keeping with the playoffs, he doled out 25 hits in the Caps' nine contests, second only to the captain's 40.

Though not getting much 4-on-5 time during the regular season (or playoffs), he performed fairly well in limited action helping to kill penalties, and reduced his GA/60 on the kill from 7.45 in 2009-10 to 4.47 this past season.

The Bad: Excepting the 2008-09 campaign when he played in just 49 games for the Blue Jackets, Chimera's goal total was the lowest of any post-lockout season.  As was his shooting percentage -- his shots per game were virtually identical to last season.  His TOI/G saw but a minor reduction (from 13:42 in 2009-10), so lack of opportunity was not to blame.  One measurable explanation for decreased production might be his average shot distance, which increased to 32.7 ft from 31.5 ft in 2009-10.

As for his checking line duties, he again finished the season with near the worst blocks per game on the team (0.197, better than only Alexander Semin).  His ratio of giveaways to takeaways was about dead even, but dead even left him dead last in that department amongst all forwards who saw regular third or fourth line duty.   To top it off, in front of the home crowd, he finished a team-worst minus 11.  The next-worst +/- rating at home belonged to D.J. King, at minus 2.

Chimera's speed and size, in theory, should lead defenders to take penalties in an effort to stem what ideally would be consistent offensive pressure from a well-executed cycling effort.  To that end, Chimera's ratio of team penalties drawn to those taken per 60 minutes at even-strength led all Caps' forwards (minimum 20 GP).  Sounds good, right?  Except that, this past season, as in his Capitals portion of the 2009-10 schedule, he committed more penalties than he drew (14 to 10).  (To reconcile that discrepancy in team vs. individual stats, see Johansson, Marcus.)

Finally, though perhaps all is forgiven with a multiple OT playoff goal, Chimera finished the Caps' all-too-brief post-season slate with the worst +/- ON/60 at even-strength amongst Caps' forwards.

The Vote: Rate Chimera below on a scale of 1-10 (10 being the best) based on his performance relative to his potential and your expectations for the season - if he had the best year you could have imagined him having, give him a 10; if he more or less played as you expected he would, give him a 5 or a 6; if he had the worst year you could have imagined him having, give him a 1.

The Discussion: How much offense should be expected from Chimera?  What role do you see for Chimera next season?  What might we see out of him in a contract year, his first as a UFA?

From Alzner to Wideman, we're taking a look at and grading (please read the criteria below) the 2010-11 season for every player who laced 'em up for the Caps for a significant number of games during the campaign, with an eye towards 2011-12. Next up, Jay Beagle.

Jay Beagle

#83 / Center / Washington Capitals

Height: 6-3

Weight: 204

Born: Oct 16, 1985

NHL Seasons:  1 (and a cup o' coffee in two others)

Contract Status: $512,000 cap hit in 2011-12; RFA after 2011-12 season

Previous Rink Wraps: N/A

Key Stat: His line won 63% of its defensive draws at even-strength (62 for 98) in 2010-11, a team-best rate.

Interesting Stat: Only checking line forward to finish the season with an individual PDO number above 1000 (minimum 30 GP).

The Good: Are you surprised that Beagle got a sweater for over 30 games this past regular season?  He first established himself as a serviceable injury replacement, and then elevated his defensive game to a level worthy of a lengthy 21-game recall (and another spanning six contests).

Want more solid numbers than those two stats above?  He drew 11 penalties while committing just four at even-strength.  Credited with 1.45 hits per game, fifth-best among Caps' forwards (including the traded David Steckel), he threw his middleweight frame around enough to throw off tough competition (third-highest QualComp to Matt Bradley and Boyd Gordon), finishing with the top GA/60 (1.90) amongst all fourth line forwards, and with a minus rating just five times in those 31 regular season games. 

On the PK, he was the only Caps forward to average at least a minute of 4-on-5 ice time per 60 and not be on ice for a single PP goal against.

The Bad: No one expects Beagle to light the lamp on the regular basis, but one can reasonably expect some offense.  He notched but a single, secondary assist in 24 games after December.  By contrast, Matt Hendricks tallied three goals and five assists during a similar span, playing similar minutes.  Beagle's points per 60 minutes were worst amongst all Caps forwards.  Yes, even D.J. King.

Though an inspiring story of a late bloomer growing, by skill, determination, and sheer will, into a skater taking a regular grinder's shift at the highest level, #83 has not yet once dropped the mitts at that level.  An attribute still very much valued in the NHL, frequent linemates Hendricks (team-high 14 bouts), Bradley (10 fights), and Jason Chimera (four dust-ups) carried the pugilistic load.  If Beagle does become a full-season contributor in 2011-12, he's likely going to have to answer more than a few challenges himself.  But on the middleweight card, we think he could handle it.  At least if this scrap -- which I witnessed in Chocolate Town two years ago, and which left quite a mess on the ice -- is any indication.

The Vote: Rate Beagle below on a scale of 1-10 (10 being the best) based on his performance relative to his potential and your expectations for the season - if he had the best year you could have imagined him having, give him a 10; if he more or less played as you expected he would, give him a 5 or a 6; if he had the worst year you could have imagined him having, give him a 1.

The Discussion: Has #83 shown enough to be trusted as a regular in the lineup next season, possibly making UFA Bradley expendable? What will it take for him to earn a 10 rating next year?

Well, friends, the games are over for our Washington Capitals for another spring.  This time around, the collapse was swift and linear, rather than how playoff exits tend to unfold for Les Capitals.  So it is again the season of our discontent as fans, many of you having already suffered through quite a few agonizing, abrupt, traumatic playoff series defeats over the decades that an NHL hockey franchise has headquartered its business in the D.C. area.  This time around, are you incredulous?  Infuriated?  Or perhaps numb, despondent.  Resigned.

Listen to Russell and I take to the interwaves again for another episode of Japers' Rink Radio at 4 pm tomorrow.  Call in and share your emotions.  We're here for you.  We can get through this one too, like we always have before.  One hour of therapy, free of charge.

But we also intend to sharpen our knives and steady our hands to perform the autopsy on the 2010-11 Capitals season.  And who better to guide us through a frank post-mortem on our beloved team than CSN Washington analyst and legendary former Cap, Alan May?

We'll talk coaching.  Will Coach Bruce Boudreau really return behind the Caps bench -- as opposed to, say, one of another team -- for the start of another campaign?  Should he?  How much of the blame for falling right into a sinkhole in round two should sit on the shoulders of General Manager George McPhee?  Every player suffers from ailments during the post-season, but did the injuries to the blue line provide a legitimate excuse this spring?  Are the Young Guns truly a Cup-capable corps?  A supremely talented and relentless group like those that, we've recently witnessed, led their teams to ultimate glory in Chicago and Pittsburgh?  Which free agents-to-be should the club retain?  What type of personnel overhaul is required?  And, we also should ask, for what system?

And, finally, with the 2010-11 regular slate having been billed as an 82-game preparation for, well, what we just saw, whither the 2011-12 regular season?     

Here's your question for tomorrow's show:

Which skater's post-season performance was most disappointing to you?  Positively surprising?

The call in number is (917) 388-4003 and we'll take your questions and comments @japersrinkradio. 

Let us facilitate your catharsis, and begin the healing. 

If you're in a band based in the DC or Baltimore metro area and would like your music used in future episodes of JRR, email us at japersrinkradio@gmail.com.

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[Ed. note: As part of the build-up to the second round playoff series between the Capitals and the Lightning, Japers' Rink will be looking at some of the important but lesser-known players on the Lightning and how they might impact the series.]

Sean Bergenheim

#10 / Left Wing / Tampa Bay Lightning

Height: 5-11

Weight: 200

Born: Feb 08, 1984

Birthplace: Helsinki, Finland

Drafted: 22nd overall, 2002 by New York Islanders

Why you should know who he is - "The Hustler," as bench boss Guy Boucher calls him, started 79.5% of his shifts in the defensive end, and finished 50% of them at the other end of the rink.  He convincingly provided a shut-down effort against the admittedly injury-depleted Penguins, on a third line with Dominic Moore and Steve Downie, earning the best Relative Corsi rating among TBL forwards in Round 1, and was credited with six takeaways, tied for the team-best with Martin St. Louis.  To go along with that, he only scored three goals in the first round series against the Pens, second-best on the club to St. Louis, and each of his goals, including Wednesday's in the Bolts' 1-0 Game 7 win, tied the score or put the Lightning ahead.

How the Caps can stop him - As with most matchups in this series, the Caps top line wingers simply need to use their size and speed advantage along the offensive boards to wear down the relatively smaller Bergenheim.  And at the other end, the Caps D must keep a close eye on him buzzing around the net and not get distracted by Downie.  Two of Bergenheim's goals in the first-round series found him all alone on the doorstep.

Join Russell and me tomorrow morning at 10am for a special edition of Japers' Rink Radio, as we chat with none other than the "Secretary of Defense," Rod Langway!  We'll feature plenty of Caps playoff discussion, both past and present.

Rod's participating in a nationwide campaign to promote NBC and VERSUS playoff coverage and, as part of the effort, Zambonis branded with the VERSUS/NBC Sports logos -- as shown above -- will make stops in six locations nationwide from April 13-23, giving away prizes such as official team hats and shirts, autographed merchandise, team jerseys, gift cards, tickets to regular-season games next year and a VIP trip to the Stanley Cup Final.  One such prize-bestowing ice resurfacer will surface in Washington, D.C. tomorrow, at a location to be revealed on our show and tomorrow morning on the NBC Sports and VERSUS facebook page and twitter feeds. 

So tune into the show, check the network's facebook and twitter pages Friday morning to find out where the event will be held, and spend your lunch break in hockey playoff-style.

The call in number for the show, as always, is (917) 388-4003 and we'll take your questions for Rod in the comments to this post and @japersrinkradio.

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Can you believe it?  After months of worrying about playoff seeding and home ice advantage, the Washington Capitals are one point away, or a Flyers loss -- by any means -- away, from clinching [have, with tonight's Flyers loss to Buffalo, clinched] the Eastern Conference in consecutive seasons.   And it only took winning 15 of the last 18 (12 in regulation or overtime), and allowing 1.94 GA/G during that stretch, to get there.

The 2010-11 season that, even prior to its inception, was viewed as an 82-game tune up for the playoffs, finally wraps up tomorrow.  Did it go down as you expected?  We've seen remarkable progress and improvement on the blue line from the pair of John Carlson and Karl Alzner, and John Erskine, and some stagnation in the development of long term off-season re-signee Jeff Schultz.  How do the perceived weaknesses of this team now, the potential road blocks on the path to a Stanley Cup, compare to those discussed in September?  Will it ultimately come down to the ones over which the organization has no control -- injuries, officiating, and luck?  How long will be the leash for whichever goaltender starts Game 1 of the first round?  And how will the Caps deal with the pressure of the "home-ice trap," given the influx of veteran leadership?  

After a joyous (and overwhelming!) week off due to the birth of my son, Russell and I saddle up for a new episode of JRR tomorrow morning at 10am Eastern.  We welcome -- belatedly -- the new Capitals beat reporter for the Washington Times, Stephen Whyno, to get his views on all of the above, and look forward to evaluating how the Caps might match up with those teams that may still provide the opening playoff round's opposition.

Here's your question for tomorrow's show:

In the Caps' first round series, will we see more goals from (1) Alexander Semin or (2) the power play as a group?

The call in number is (917) 388-4003 and we'll take your questions @japersrinkradio. 

Have a bellini, or three, and join us.

We'll end this show with a track from Baltimore-based "industrial metal quartet," Dying Design.  If you're in a band based in the DC or Baltimore metro area and would like your music used in future episodes of JRR, email us at japersrinkradio@gmail.com.

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Greetings, again, friends.  After a week off, Russell and I return to the interwaves for another episode of JRR this Sunday (Sunday! Sunday!) morning (3/27) at 10am Eastern.  (We'll return to our regular Saturday morning time slot next week.)

The Caps are comfortably atop the Southeast Division with eight more contests to play, but are suffering the loss of about a half a dozen man-games to injury per night (14th in the league in that department to date).   Alex Ovechkin and Jason Arnott are both nursing injuries the natures of which are difficult to pin down, and rearguard Mike Green remains the biggest question of all.  Will he return before the playoffs (or even in time for the playoffs)?  What would a post-April absence of #52 mean for an extended playoff run?  Can we quantify Arnott's contributions to the team, particularly to the playoff readiness of Alexander Semin?  Who do you got between the pipes on April 13th if both Michal Neuvirth and Semyon Varlamov are 100% healthy?

It's the anniversary of our very first show, and we'll celebrate by welcoming back to the program the irrepressible Alan May from CSN Washington (a/k/a number #16 in your '89-'90 Washington Capitals media guide and #1 in your heart) to discuss all of those issues and more, including some further thoughts on Matt Cooke in light of his recent suspension-earned play. 

Here's your question for tomorrow's show:

Which non-injured Cap has the most work ahead of him to prove his readiness as a playoff regular in the lineup between now and the end of the season?

The call in number is (917) 388-4003 and we'll take your questions @japersrinkradio. 

Join us while finishing off that leftover 10-ingredient fried rice that you ordered the night before.

One final admin note:  my wife and I are expecting our first child any day now (which is why last week's show was canceled) and I may be unexpectedly, joyously, called away from the microphone.  Check @japersrinkradio for any last-minute updates!

And if you're in a band based in the DC metro area and would like your music used in future episodes of JRR, email us at japersrinkradio@gmail.com.

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The Washington Capitals are on a six-game winning streak (I still accept a SO "win" as a win under protest) and may be getting hot -- at both ends of the ice -- at just the right time.  To be sure, there has been less praise heaped on this team during the second half of this season than during that of campaigns past, which may have finally positioned the good guys in red into that sweet spot of (a) playing with something to prove and having that battle-tested edge, that collective chip on their shoulders, and (b) still possessing enough of that Presidents' Trophy-winning talent -- and now also a critical mass of veteran leadership -- to get 'er done in the second season.  And suddenly, les Capitals find themselves in second place in the Eastern Conference, making my recent suggestion that this team is a 4/5 seed look silly.

Still, there are fourteen Caps games left to play to settle the playoff seedings (and get healthy), including tonight's intra-division contest with a Carolina Hurricanes team desperate for points (and a goalie in Cam Ward to which the Caps' young 'tenders can look for some playoff-bound inspiration).

Russell and I get mic'd up again to discuss all that and more on JRR tomorrow morning at 10am Eastern, and we'll welcome back, at the bottom of the hour, the elder statesman of Capitals hockey, Smokin' Al Koken from CSN Washington.  We'll get Al's post-trade deadline view on just how well the team is positioned for ultimate success this spring.

Here's your question for tomorrow's show:

After Eric Fehr tallied a pair on Wednesday, both he and fellow winger Mike Knuble are on about the same 19-goal per 82-game season pace.  Which forward will pot the most pucks the rest of the way, and why?

The call in number is (917) 388-4003 and we'll take your questions @japersrinkradio. 

Pick up some gravlax for breakfast and join us.

Oh, and one other thing, if you're in a band based in the DC metro area and would like your music used in future episodes of JRR, email us at japersrinkradio@gmail.com.

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Roster holes were filled on Monday's trading deadline, and the early returns, especially from Jason Arnott, have been splendid.   But will the acquisitions of Arnott, Dennis Wideman, and Marco Sturm be enough to get the Capitals playing playoff hockey into May and beyond?  Or are fans, for yet another season, still looking at a team that is, as CBC's Elloitte Friedman opined, "one or two years away from really being ready?"  And if the latter, is that acceptable for a team that won the Presidents' Trophy just 11 months ago? 

What do post-game comments this week by Arnott, and by Devils bench boss Jacques Lemaire, in reference to the recently-dealt David Steckel, reveal about the Caps' focus and conditioning during this season?

Russell and I discuss all that and more on JRR tomorrow morning at 10am Eastern, and we'll be joined again by WNST.net's Ed Frankovic, who always brings solid opinion to the table (and who, incidentally, made a pitch for Arnott on our show back in mid-January).

Here's your question for tomorrow's show:

With the Caps having lost three of four playoff game sevens at home in the Boudreau era, how important is it for the team to win the Southeast Division?

The call in number is (917) 388-4003 and we'll take your questions @japersrinkradio. 

Treat yourself to a Monte Cristo sandwich with strawberry preserves on the side and join us.

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Just a precious few days until the NHL's trade deadline on Monday, February 28, and Washington Capitals fans are still awaiting news of a swap that will bolster, or shake up, the current team in advance of the post-season.  What will and how will it go down?  

Russell and I take to the interwaves again for an episode of JRR tomorrow morning at 10am Eastern.  We'll discuss what Capitals' GM George McPhee can and should do prior to that magic deadline, and how the Caps' rivals have already improved themselves, with our good friend, Corey Masisak, editor and writer for NHL.com and now, like me, a full-time resident of Gotham.  We'll also take a trip down memory lane with Corey and discuss further his feature on the top eight deals that helped teams to win the Stanley Cup in the past 30 years, and maybe some that didn't help so much.

Here's your question for tomorrow's show:

Is further blueline depth on this Caps team critical to playoff success even with a healthy Tom Poti?

The call in number is (917) 388-4003 and we'll take your questions @japersrinkradio. 

Nurse your Friday game night hangover with us!

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What a difference a week makes, right?  Well, not quite.  No one could have predicted the Capitals lighting the lamp seven times in a single game.  And we've cheerfully watched more vintage Ovi in California.  But wins remain hard to come by for this team.  The foundational elements of Boudreau-era Caps hockey are still there but, unfortunately to this point, have not been on display -- consistently -- all at once.  Thing is, we may not have anticipated the offensive struggles witnessed this season, but we certainly didn't expect the team to cruise to another Presidents' Trophy.

There are 23 games remaining for the fifth-seeded Caps (still 10th overall in the league), and Conference rivals Boston and Philadelphia have already bolstered their squads in advance of the NHL's trade deadline on Monday, February 28.  Each day closer to that date makes Capitals' GM George McPhee's job more difficult in closing a deal to fortify Les Capitals, be it on the blueline, at center, wing, or perhaps all three.  Jason Arnott has been an oft-discussed target:  does the outcome of tonight's Devils game against the Rangers in Newark help him decide whether to waive his NMC? 

Russell and I fire up our headsets for another episode of JRR tomorrow morning at 10am Eastern.  We'll welcome at the top of the hour Penguins beat writer Rob Rossi of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review to chat about the upcoming last regular season game of the 2010-11 campaign between the Caps and Pens, what Pens' GM Ray Shero may -- or may not -- want to shore up by the trade deadline, and all that controversy that's dogged that team this season.  We'll then welcome back to the show the inestimable Alan May to get his view on the state of the team, and discuss the recurring themes since November of motivation, leadership, and organizational depth with a eye toward deadline dealing.

Here's your question for tomorrow's show:

Of the two, which is a more desperate need for the Caps:  scoring skill on the top two lines, or Cup-winning veteran leadership?

The call in number is (917) 388-4003 and we'll take your questions @japersrinkradio. 

Scramble your eggs with us.

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Russell and I return for our 40th episode of JRR tomorrow morning at 10am Eastern.  We could spend the whole hour lamenting the lack of offensive production, the alarming number of shutouts this season, and the inconsistent compete level for this Capitals team.  We'll do some of that, no doubt, but we'll focus this week on what has been an unequivocal positive for Les Capitals in the 2010-11 campaign:  the goaltending performances of Semyon Varlamov and Michal Neuvirth.  And Braden Holtby too. 

We welcome to the show Justin Goldman, Founder and Director of The Hockey Guild and The Goalie Guild, to get his perspective on the Caps' 'tenders and their progress, their fitness, both physically and mentally, for a long playoff run, and his thoughts on the tandems of the Caps' chief rivals in the Eastern Conference.  James Mirtle of the Globe and Mail recently relied upon Justin's experience for an analysis of Leafs' goalie Jonas Gustavsson, and we'll aim to apply his scouting eye to the men between the pipes for DC.

Here's your question for tomorrow's show:

How many points will the Caps claim on the upcoming 5-game road trip?

The call in number is (917) 388-4003 and we'll take your questions @japersrinkradio. 

Join us with your café con leche.  (Or my favorite, café con nada.)

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Russell and I are back for another action-packed show tomorrow morning at 10am Eastern.  Les Capitals are entering the stretch run of the season and in the middle of the Eastern Conference playoff pack.  And maybe -- just maybe -- starting to get "angry" again.  We welcome back Damian Cristodero, Tampa Bay Lightning beat reporter for the St. Petersburg Times since 2000, to recap the game tonight, and the regular season series with the Bolts, and discuss what lies ahead in the Southeast Division race.  We'll also check in again with Joe Beninati, TV play-by-play voice of the Caps, and get his views on the team's progress this season.   And how well the boys in red rose to the self-imposed "must-win" challenge tonight.

Here's your question for tomorrow's show:

Has your definition of a successful season for the Caps changed since November?

The call in number is (917) 388-4003 and we'll take your questions @japersrinkradio. 

Tuck into your blueberry pancakes with maple syrup and join us.

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Greetings, friends.  It's Japers' Rink Radio time again tomorrow morning at 10am Eastern, as Russell and I give you a break from the All-Star Weekend events to bring you a new episode of the show.   The offensive struggles continue -- when will the Red tide turn in the Washington Capitals' favor?  What's the right way forward, with the trade deadline about a month away?  Are the Caps' recent defensive efforts a building block for true Cup contention for Coach Bruce Boudreau's bunch, or was Winter Classic victory for Gabby but a temporary reprieve?

We welcome back to the show none other than Toronto Star columnist Damien Cox to chat about those issues and a whole lot more.

Speaking of which, here's your question for tomorrow's show:

Would you support a NHL rule penalizing hits to the head whether intentional or accidental?

The call in number is (917) 388-4003 and we'll take your questions @japersrinkradio. 

Pour a mug of strong coffee, or a tall bloody mary, and join us.

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Start your Saturday off right with a healthy serving of Japers' Rink Radio!  Russell and I dish out our recommended daily intake of Washington Capitals analysis with a new episode of JRR tomorrow at 10am Eastern. 

The Caps get ready to visit the Maple Leafs in a Hockey Night in Canada tussle, and we'll get a view of the Caps and the Leafs, and a few league-wide issues, from north of the border with James Mirtle of The Globe and Mail.  We'll also bring you our in-depth conversation with Caps' center Matt Hendricks that we recorded today on the team's day off.

Here's your question for tomorrow's show:

Are you happy with watching a more conservative defensive system over the "run and gun" Caps of recent seasons past if it results in more wins?

The call in number is (917) 388-4003 and we'll take your questions @japersrinkradio. 

You wouldn't dare miss it, would you?

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I'm back from IR and picked up my socks, and Russell and I return with with a new episode of JRR tomorrow at 10am Eastern.  We'll delve into the critical issues surrounding the Washington Capitals as they grind through the meat of the season in a tight division.  Frank Seravalli of the Philadelphia Daily News joins us to discuss the Eastern Conference race, team identity and leadership, and the next Caps/Flyers showdown in Philly on Tuesday.  We'll then get to the state of this Caps team and its offensive struggles with Ed Frankovic of WNST.net, whose mid-season analysis details significant work ahead to whip the squad into Cup-contending shape.  

With that in mind, here's your question for tomorrow's show:

What immediate changes would you like to see the Caps' coaching staff implement to spark the PP?

The call in number is (917) 388-4003 and we'll take your questions @japersrinkradio. 

We've also made some investments this week in improved audio quality of the show, and we'd love to hear what you think about the upgrades.

Don't snap your stick and miss it.

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