Tuesday Roundup/Gameday: Caps @ Isles

[WashingtonCaps.com Preview - AP Preview]

The Caps have recalled defenseman Mike Green from Hershey. The third of three Caps first round picks in the 2004 entry draft, Green leads all rookie defensemen in the AHL with 25 points (5-20-25) in 38 games this season and has a plus-4 rating to go along with 65 penalty minutes. For more on Green's current shot with the big club, check out today's WaPo and WTimes.

For a look at the dollars-and-cents side of things, the Washington Business Journal has an article on the Caps in its current issue. Included therein:

The Capitals are sitting on a gold mine of talent in the rookie Ovechkin. Combined with a revamped marketing plan, a new practice facility and a regional push for more fans, the team is hoping to reclaim a prominent spot among the area's sports franchises.

Finally, on a programming note, due to what I'm sure will be an appropriately humble and respectful (not to mention eloquent and flawlessly-delivered) State of the Union Address tonight, the Caps game which was to air locally on NewsChannel8 won't. To see if your cable system will be carrying the game elsewhere on their system, check here.

In other news around the League:

• A day after the Preds plucked Mike Sillinger from the St. Louis Blues roster it was the Carolina Hurricanes' turn, as they acquired Doug Weight for what will be a very late-first round pick, a couple of fourth rounders, a future career AHLer, a thug and a Swede who has no intention of ever playing on this side of the pond. With injuries to Matt Cullen and Cory Stillman (among others), Carolina had become a little thin up front, so adding Weight certainly helps (get it?), and the price was right. Further, once healthy, Carolina will be very strong down the middle, with Eric Staal, Weight and Rod Brind'Amour. Are the 'Canes poised to make a deep run in the playoffs? Have the Blues locked up the worst record in the League (last night's shootout win over Northwest Division leader Calgary notwithstanding)? Where will Keith Tkachunky end up? Stay tuned.
• Canucks stud defenseman Ed Jovanovski will be out for at least six weeks, quite possibly for the season, after undergoing abdominal surgery on Wednesday. The injury is a huge blow to both the Canucks and Team Canada (who also may be without Scott Niedermayer in Torino).
• David Vyborny and Marty Turco are the Offensive and Defensive Players of the Week, respectively.
• Last night's Red Wings/Wild game provided another example of my least favorite scoring rule in hockey. Minny netminder Manny Fernandez left the game down 4-0 but Dwayne Roloson - who replaced Fernandez and played 40 minutes, giving up just one goal - was the losing goaltender as the Wild fell to the Wings 5-4. Roloson deserved better. Fernandez deserved worse (and gets a little bit of it from The Rink below).
  

Daily Awards

• Hart: Tim Thomas (44-save shutout win in Ottawa)*
• Ross: Brad Boyes (3 points)
  
• Norris: Joni Pitkanen (2 goals, including OT game winner, +1, 7 SOG, 4 hits)
  
• Vezina: Tim Thomas (44-save shutout win in Ottawa)
  
• Richard: Joni Pitkanen, Teemu Selanne (2 goals each)
  
• Calder: Brad Boyes (Goal, 2 assists, +3)
  
• Aiken, Pt. I: Manny Fernandez (4 goals against on 14 shots in 20 minutes before getting pulled)
  
• Aiken, Pt. II: Zdeno Chara (-4, 4 giveaways in 5-0 home loss to Boston)

* How in the world does NHL.com not list Thomas as one of their three stars from last night?!