I’m not particularly familiar with Washington’s cap situation (though starting the season I got the general feeling that they were right up against the salary cap starting this season, one of the things that prevented them from making any major moves at last season’s trade deadline – that and several bad long-term, big money contracts that rendered several players that were performing under expectations while taking up quite a large amount of cap space all but unmovable) but I was under the impression that Varlamov was on either an entry-level contract, putting his cap hit somewhere under the $1 million dollar range, or at the very least signed to a contract that in the low million dollar ranged. If this is true, wouldn’t the amount of money the Capitals stand to save by sending Varlamov down for a two week conditioning stint be rather negligible?

If I’m wrong on any of the above points, please feel free to correct me – as I am always up for a lesson on how the NHL’s rather convoluted salary cap operates, though, luckily for me, the Devils have a general manager that eschews long-term deals with rather large cap hits (for example, no one on the Devils, not even Martin Brodeur, has ever received a Rick DiPietro/Marian Hossa-esque deal in terms of years under Lamoriello, and no one, not even Martin Brodeur, has ever had a higher cap hit that Patrik Elias’ $6 million) can play the salary cap and it’s bylaws like a finely-tuned violin, so I’ve never had much cause to learn or be overly concerned about it.

he had some sort of cartilage separation. does not sound fun in the least.

I wouldn’t worry too much.. hopefully you’ll have plenty of opportunities to congratulate him in the years ahead.

probably because he ordered a cappuccino with 2 shots of vodka

I ran into him in an ice cream shop down the street from my high school (middle of nowhere, MI). I was so shocked to see him, I had to ask for an autograph.

For example, the Redskins have a really crappy commute. Practice all the way out in Ashburn, then they have to drive all the way to Raljon for games. And then home again after the games, in that dreadful traffic.

Rowrrrr.

I’ve noticed that a team’s road schedule depends heavily on both the tangible (such as geographical location) and intangible.

As a general rule, Western Conference teams tend to travel more often for longer periods of time than teams in the Eastern Conference by virtue of the fact that the WC is spread out over much of the continental United States and Canada spanning three time zones whereas the majority of the EC is within a reasonable distance of the Eastern seaboard.

Scheduling also can depend a lot on a team’s front office. For example, I know that Lou Lamoriello, who has been a general manager in this league for over two decades and has established a model franchise with three Stanley Cups and several division titles to his credit, is tight with the commissioner. This has led to many complaints over the years that Lamoriello uses his clout with Bettman to get the Devils the most advantageous schedule possible. I have no idea if there is any veracity to this claim, but it would hardly surprise me if there were. Lou has far more influence over the National Hockey League in general than many people realize (regardless of what many people think about the Devils and the ‘style’ of hockey they play, when a man who has been as successful in the NHL for as long as Lamoroiello has opens his mouth to speak, people listen) and he has never made any apologies about using whatever clout he may have to his team’s advantage.

And Lou is hardly the only one. A general manager’s standing with the league executives can play a large part in the fortunes of their team, including something as seemingly mundane as scheduling.