A Normal Night By No Stretch Of The Imagination
by J.P. on Dec 12, 2008 10:17 PM EST
14 comments
Earlier this evening, the hockey world got the surprising news that Caps website producer Brett "Stretch" Leonhardt would start tonight's game as Brent Johnson's back up. Here's a roundup of some of the coverage the move has received so far:
"Today wasn’t the first day that we came to the rink thinking there was a real good chance that Stretch might suit up, and maybe it won’t be the last. But it’s a helluva story any way you slice it." - Dump n' Chase
"So thank you, Brett Leonhardt. Thank you, because today you've reminded us all that anything is possible." - D.C. Sports Bog
"Pretty amazing story coming out of DC tonight..." - Puck Daddy
"Obviously, this is one of the more unique developments in recent memory for this team, and it is going to make a great story to tell his grandkids." - In The Room
"His name is Brett Leonhardt and he's a web producer. He cuts and produces all of the videos on the team's site. He's from Ontario, played some junior hockey and also played at Neumann College in Philly. He's about 6-7 and wears NHL style pads, so people often mistake him for a Caps goalie." - Washington Post web chat
via NHL.com
"Nervous, Caps fans? Get a load of this mugshot here, and rest assured that no matter what happens, the team will be OK tonight in net." - The Red Skate
"A once-in-a-lifetime chance, which occured because there was no chance of Hershey getting Simeon Varlamov to D.C. in time for the game. We were in Gonzales, Texas when the call came in to Bob Woods on the bus, which is for our purposes the absolute middle of nowhere. Just far enough out of San Antonio that we couldn't go back, and still a full two hours from Houston. By the time the Bears staff got Varly to Bush Intercontinental Airport, the first flight he could make left at 4:00 p.m eastern time." - John Walton Hockey
"During the first half of the first period, he sat at the end of the bench in a white baseball cap. He looked down sheepishly when shown he was shown on the huge replay screen along with the caption: '1st NHL game.' The crowd roared." - AP
"I hope they make a movie of this..." - The Peerless Prognosticator
"Metropolis may have Clark Kent but Washington had Brett Leonhardt. For half a period at least." - Deadspin
"Brett's story is lucky, remarkable, and the kind of thing that catches everyone's attention. (It's also the kind of thing that should have found a home on the Post's page A1, but I digress.)" - Welcome to the Show
More as they come in...
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Rec’d.
Pick SPG for your chance to win probably nothing.
by xiix on Dec 12, 2008 10:53 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
great story, he didn’t look to shabby at all in warm ups.
by Ovechkin on Dec 12, 2008 11:44 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
Scared the holy hell out me because I was taken completely by surprise.
by CapitalsKremlin on Dec 13, 2008 12:44 AM EST reply actions 0 recs
I was laughing my ass off too hard to speak when I first saw him out there, but then I watched him play, and I was like “omg, this could actually work”. He was not that bad at all in warmups,
Like I’ve said elsewhere, I’m intrigued by the idea of getting a #80 (Leonhardt) jersey, just in memory of a unique and amazing story that commemorates what makes the Caps organization great. Kudos to the entire organization for handling this as well as anyone could ask for and most especially to Leonhardt for having the guts to do it and to the team for supporting him.
by gotsparkly on Dec 13, 2008 12:57 AM EST reply actions 0 recs
Definitely a cool story as long as the starter is OK. After that, if he’s forced into a game against the NHL’s best (or even their worst, in the Southeast), it just sort of reeks of poor management.
But yeah, that’s totally a dream come true.
And 6’7’’? That’s one tall drink of goalie.
by Ben Rothenberg on Dec 13, 2008 7:22 AM EST reply actions 0 recs
Reeks of poor management? The Capitals have 5 guys who they could throw into a backup role, it’s just that the unusual circumstances of needing someone on six hours notice while the AHL affiliate was in Texas produced this odd situation.
by David M. Getz on Dec 13, 2008 11:51 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Step 1: Note avatar
Step 2: Ignore accordingly
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
by J.P. on Dec 13, 2008 12:37 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Yeah, what’s the policy ’round here about trolling and wielding the banhammer?
by marky narc on Dec 13, 2008 4:31 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
It’ll be used when needed.
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
by J.P. on Dec 13, 2008 5:17 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Oops
Sorry I missed the part of the story where the real backup shows up midway through the first.
My B
by Ben Rothenberg on Dec 14, 2008 10:10 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
According to ancestry.com, the name Leonhardt has its origins in German and Dutch: from the Germanic personal name Leonhard, composed of the elements leo ‘lion’ + hard, ‘hardy’, ‘brave’, ‘strong’.
As if this should be a surprise.
If you've read this far...seek help.
by ThePeerless on Dec 13, 2008 11:17 AM EST reply actions 0 recs
Stretch
Well, I’ve missed 3 Caps home games in the last 3 years. And I missed the debut of Stretch as well.
Both my wife and I are very proud of Brett for the great work he does for the Caps on a daily basis and also for his debut as #80. What a deal !!
by Dougeb on Dec 14, 2008 2:44 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
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