Sunday Caps Clips: Training Camp Opens
by J.P. on Sep 13, 2009 9:17 AM EDT
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Your savory breakfast links:
- After a day full of physicals and interviews, the veterans hit the ice starting at 10:00 this morning:
- Mike Knuble and Brendan Morrison are excited
about Michigan's thrilling upset of Notre Dameto be Caps. [Capitals Insider] - Mike Green defines "Capitals hockey." [Capitals Insider]
- Thom Loverro agrees - no identity crisis here. [Washington Times]
- And "our time" is now. [OFB]
- AO speaks, and he's gunning for the Pens. [Capitals Insider]
- Heck, even Alex Semin spoke to the media. [Capitals Insider]
- Jose Theodore (who turns 33 today) speaks about the nearly unspeakable. [In The Room]
- The Caps are actively seeking out a deal to send Michael Nylander to Europe. Until they do, though... awkward. [Washington Post]
- Other notes on the day from Corey. [Washington Times]
- And Ed Frankovic. [Ed Frankovic's Blog]
- And CapsChick (in video form... and happy birthday). [VFtCS]
- Chris Bourque will take another shot at making the team. [The Patriot News]
- More on Saturday, from the perspective of the only man in the building who didn't care to talk to AO, Green, Backstrom, etc., Tim Leone. [The Patriot News]
- Mike Knuble and Brendan Morrison are excited
- USAToday's Southeast Division training camp overview. Yawn. [USAToday]
- Can Alex, Sid and Geno save the NHL from itself? Maybe? [Globe and Mail]
- By the way, Sid has Alex's back on Sochi. [Alex Ovetjkin]
- TTT Hockey's "Best of Rookie Camp" gallery is a nice look back at the week that was, pictorally. [TTT Hockey]
- Tomas Fleischmann is one of 60 under consideration for the Czech Olympic Team. [CTV Olympics]
- Like Sidney Crosby, Alex Ovechkin didn't know about the Paul Kelly firing ahead of time, to which we ask, "So What?" [The Canoe Sports blog]
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And with Eric Fehr at least a week or two behind everyone else, that helps, too.
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
And now Flash.
But don’t discount Quintin Laing’s chances of making the team.
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
I don’t think that has as much an impact as it might seem. It’s his waiver status that has it open for him, just as it did for Fehr last season. Bourque may not have to play his way on to the team as much as he’d have to play his way out of town. Fehr did neither, and he had his spot last season (albeit without consistent playing time, of course).
Nope. Not for sale (too bad, right?).
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
I’m here now and it looks like this set is just ending.
"It is better to die on your feet than to live on your knees." - Delores Ibarruri
by gotsparkly on Sep 13, 2009 11:29 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
I’m a little surprised at how far Sid and Guerin’s comments go. They don’t limit their comments to 2014 or home country Olympic years. I thought it would be feasible for the NHL to pull out of the Olympics after 2014 but if Sid and Guerin are representative of the NHL players then the league is going to have a real hard time removing itself.
In addition to what they said, is it really a good idea for the NHL to allow the Olympics to become the KHL showcase event?
A man must have a code.
is it really a good idea for the NHL to allow the Olympics to become the KHL showcase event?
That right there will be the main reason why they’ll play in ’14 (if the KHL is still around)
by vt caps fan on Sep 13, 2009 11:43 AM EDT up reply actions
Like Sidney Crosby, Alex Ovechkin didn’t know about the Paul Kelly firing ahead of time, to which we ask, “So What?”
If I was a hockey player, the last guy I’d ever want to be my player rep for the union would be Ovechkin or Crosby. Crosby’s signed through 2013, and Ovechkin is signed for another decade plus. And regardless, we know those two guys are going to be paid. I’d want my rep to be more representative of the rest of the team.
Atta dinnin stick a who!
by Gould Old Days on Sep 13, 2009 12:10 PM EDT reply actions
I totally agree with this but I probably wouldn’t mind Crosby being my rep because he has a Cup.
A man must have a code.
But what kind of a qualification is th—
..well played.
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I expected to see this in this thread… thought it would be in response to the picture caption.
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
Just got back from the Group A session (and a post-session beer).
Gotta say, Mestery and Wellar… um… not good.
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
Never expected anything from Wellar. Mestery was a 2nd though so that’s a disappointment. Rockbottom or Bailey’s?
A man must have a code.
Rock Bottom. And it more or less was.
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
Yeah it’s nothing special, good enough for a post-game brew. I like their red ale.
A man must have a code.
Btw, here’s a quick pic from the first session (not terrible quality for iPhone, through crappy glass, I must say):
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
If a Nylander loan indeed works out, the caps will be in a situation with salary cap flexibility, a abundance of mid tier prospects, and an overflow of decent defensemen.
Seems ripe for a quality vs quantity trade. Perhaps they can find a trade partner with a team that is at the cap and looking to shed a $4 mil defenseman for a Mo/Jurcina plus restocking of prospects.
I’m still against a trade like that – right now. What you think you need in the fall isn’t always what you end up needing in the spring, since injuries happen, people have breakout years, etc. What we’ve got will get us through the regular season okay – I’d rather hold onto the cap flexibility and see what Woods can do for the D squad before committing to an expensive something that we may or may not need when it truly counts. If we find we need that hulking D or an enforcer, best to leave room to acquire what is needed.
BTW – check out Corey’s latest batch of tweets. Nyls apparently isn’t interested in going anywhere.
"It is better to die on your feet than to live on your knees." - Delores Ibarruri
by gotsparkly on Sep 13, 2009 5:03 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
I think right now you can see nine or so NHL quality defensemen under contract. I think that should go down to seven. Most of the time players are healthy, and I really believe that last year was a fluke. Cut it to seven if possible, but add another top-end guy to possibly play a shut-down role
by red army line on Sep 14, 2009 10:25 AM EDT up reply actions
If you’re going to do that, do it closer to the deadline. There’s no guarantee that what you think you need now is what you really need in the spring, and we’ve all seen what happens when you have no room to move at the deadline.
"It is better to die on your feet than to live on your knees." - Delores Ibarruri
I had every intention of making it out today, but one thing turned into another at Gonzofest and then at the bars afterward. How’s the crowd out there today?
by Knee high to a duck on Sep 13, 2009 2:20 PM EDT reply actions
(talking about gonzofest, thought it was better in past years)
Comment first, think second, read third.
This was my first and I was suffering on Sunday morning, let me tell you.
They’ll refill the beer for you if you slam it on the spot, without going back through the line. Add in bars afterward and I was pretty wrecked.
by Knee high to a duck on Sep 14, 2009 3:10 PM EDT up reply actions
Zowie. Flash has deep vein thrombosis (DVT, you’ll have to google it yourself). My boss’ brother developed that condition on a flight from Korea to LA. Didn’t know he had it, went to take a shower, the blood clot got loose, and he dropped dead.
Good luck Flash and everyone should always hydrate and walk around on long flights.
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Yeah, my wife had one that turned into a PE within a day of diagnosis (non-flight related), and she stayed in the hospital for a week under strict bedrest. Guessing Flash will be out for a month or so.
"Why the [frak] would I live to 100? I'm 73 and [stuff's] starting to get boring. By the way, there's no money left when I go, just FYI."
by Bald Pollack on Sep 13, 2009 4:08 PM EDT up reply actions
Poor Flash. Pneumonia last year, and now this.
"Baseball is drama with an endless run and an ever-changing cast." - Joe Garagiola
Chowdah Chatter - an outlet for my random thoughts and such.
Seriously. Poor guy. I hope he recovers quickly.
"It is better to die on your feet than to live on your knees." - Delores Ibarruri
by gotsparkly on Sep 13, 2009 4:49 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Usually, deep vein thrombosis is what I expect the middle aged or elderly to get, not young athletes who are 25 years old. God, poor Tomas. That’s a really bad break, on the health front.
First class is obviously reserved for players with contracts over a million. /snark
by gfcaps fan on Sep 13, 2009 8:01 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Honestly, I had been thinking about first class since I read about Flash this afternoon. Frankly, if I were making his salary, that’s plenty to afford a first class ticket.
First class don’t matter if you don’t drink a lot of water and get up from time to time.
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Also true.
Now I’m confused about last year. Tarik’s article for tomorrow’s paper says he was out with mono. I thought it was pneumonia.
Heavens. Here’s wishing him the best.
For what it’s worth, according to this medical study, it looks like this is no simple return?
The athlete’s primary concern upon the initial DVT diagnosis is return to play. The issue of return to sport after a lower extremity DVTs has only been addressed only once in the literature concerning return to non-contact sport (43). General guidelines for sedentary individuals allow for a gradual return to return to daily activities over a six week period (43), with no contact activities allowed during the period of anticoagulation. Roberts and Christie (43) provided a theoretical framework, based on the natural history of animal models for the safe and expeditious return of the athlete. These authors suggested a protocol that combines a graduated return to activity and anticoagulation therapy with regular physician based reevaluation (43).
Now, the article is with respect to soccer and lower extremity DVT, but I don’t see how hockey would be any less issue-prone if under the influence of blood thinners.
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He has got the worst luck. I hope he recovers OK.
"Camaraderie, that's what the Washington Capitals are all about."
by CapitalCentre on Sep 14, 2009 12:35 AM EDT up reply actions
Alright, someone explain this:
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
Why there are jersey fails.
"Why the [frak] would I live to 100? I'm 73 and [stuff's] starting to get boring. By the way, there's no money left when I go, just FYI."
by Bald Pollack on Sep 13, 2009 4:09 PM EDT up reply actions
I think it’s the 2009 All-Star East team tshirt, but does not explain why it would be in attendance at a Caps practice. Not very subtle if they’re really a spy.
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Right – definitely not a Caps t-shirt, as the numbering on the 8 isn’t what we’re used to seeing.
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
JP, I like how you got a picture of the other guy taking a picture of the exact same FAIL.
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Oh, it wasn’t my pic. But yeah… meta.
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
No, I know who took that pic. The hand in the right side of the frame holding the Blackberry is mine. :) (and yes, I have a shot of that too.)
Weird stuff.
"It is better to die on your feet than to live on your knees." - Delores Ibarruri
I’m not even sure if it CAN be explained. (Well, I guess there’s a reason for everything, but we probably don’t want to know why)
"Baseball is drama with an endless run and an ever-changing cast." - Joe Garagiola
Chowdah Chatter - an outlet for my random thoughts and such.
I saw that. So messed up.
"It is better to die on your feet than to live on your knees." - Delores Ibarruri
by gotsparkly on Sep 13, 2009 4:53 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
clearly, that’s the guy who told Crosby that he’s his second favorite hockey player.
by RedBirdie on Sep 13, 2009 5:20 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Notes from training camp: I saw some of the 2nd and 3rd sessions, and I learned that the groupings (A,B,C) and the jersey colors (Red, Green, Gray, Black) are based on lines. That was why Ovie, Backstrom, and Knuble were all in the first session. Semin and Varly were in the second, and Green, Laich, and Neuvy were in the third. Probably notable was that Nylander was there (3rd session). A funny moment was when Boudreau signed my new Caps cap (though I was wearing a Sox cap), and then I asked him why Poti was a Yanks fan even though he was from Wistah. Gabby replied that he didn’t know, but that he was from Toronto and a Yankee fan. So we basically argued Sox-Yanks for a few seconds. Is it ironic that the highlight of my day was when Boudreau asked me “Why would anyone want to be a Red Sox fan?”
"Baseball is drama with an endless run and an ever-changing cast." - Joe Garagiola
Chowdah Chatter - an outlet for my random thoughts and such.
So, long story short, Nyls skated and Boudreau told me he hates my favorite baseball team.
"Baseball is drama with an endless run and an ever-changing cast." - Joe Garagiola
Chowdah Chatter - an outlet for my random thoughts and such.
What really had me falling over was watching Nylander skate in straight lines, drive to the net, and shoot.
"It is better to die on your feet than to live on your knees." - Delores Ibarruri
by gotsparkly on Sep 13, 2009 4:51 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Seriously? Not as bad as I would have expected. He’s still a slick passer and I watched him undress an entire defense in one of the drills they did. Not as fast as many of the other skaters, but when he skated in straight lines and drove the net, he got chances and could have made them count in a real game.
"It is better to die on your feet than to live on your knees." - Delores Ibarruri
by gotsparkly on Sep 13, 2009 7:14 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
When I play NHL 09 against Caps fans I skate Nylander straight to net and shoot. Totally throws people off.
Comment first, think second, read third.
by zephyr on Sep 13, 2009 8:01 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
hmm, wonder how he feels about wing? (I know how I feel about it, and I don’t think it’ll work.)
from the house that Red Jesus built
by bigonetimer on Sep 14, 2009 12:26 PM EDT up reply actions
lots of baseball fans on the team; I think there was some sort of Congressional-mandated 1 Cap per Nationals game for a past couple of weeks.
Yep. I wanted to ask him about Poti, but he was skating in the third session (which I had to leave in the middle of), and Boudreau signed autographs midway through that session, just before I left. Yes, that was redundant.
"Baseball is drama with an endless run and an ever-changing cast." - Joe Garagiola
Chowdah Chatter - an outlet for my random thoughts and such.
My whole family is from NY, and I’m a loyal Bombers fan. It is kind of funny to put a hockey fan and a hockey coach together and end up with a rivalry talk in a different sport involving two teams, neither of which is even based in the same town as the hockey team.
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Probably no other baseball rivalry (maybe no other sports rivalry) would generate the conversation in the first place.
"Camaraderie, that's what the Washington Capitals are all about."
by CapitalCentre on Sep 14, 2009 12:41 AM EDT up reply actions
hell of an endorsement for Bruce (and the Caps) in the Globe & Mail article: " Washington Capitals head coach Bruce Boudreau is ringmaster of the greatest show on ice, with Alexander Ovechkin and Mike Green propelling a high-powered offence that harkens back to the days of Wayne Gretzky and the Edmonton Oilers. "
Here’s who jumped out at me today, good and bad:
Chris Clark: He looks sharp and ready to go – he works hard every time and spent all of his time wearing a big goofy grin. I think he’s raring to go and it’s good to see him so happy and full of energy.Cody Eakin: Boy’s got wheels. Paired with Ovechkin, he still kept up with the drill and didn’t get completely smoked even at full speed. He can score, too.
Brett Flemming: He’s not there yet, but he seems smart and can skate. He’s far from hopeless and could end up being a steal.
Karl Alzner: He got beat a couple of times – Carlson might have passed him.
Eric Mestery: wasn’t he supposed to be a project? He sure looks like one.
Tyler Sloan: (Disclaimer: I like this kid too much for my own good.) He’s one of those guys who’s absolutely invisible when he’s effective, which means I didn’t see a lot of him unless I looked for him, and when I did, it was usually because he was the first guy back. He’s not playing around.
Green kept flicking pucks at the crowd behind the glass – maybe he’s turned into the locker room jokester with Brash gone?
"It is better to die on your feet than to live on your knees." - Delores Ibarruri
by gotsparkly on Sep 13, 2009 7:39 PM EDT via mobile reply actions
I agree with yours (except Flemming, but only because I don’t think a paid an ounce of attention to him); in addition:
I thought Poti looked good in his usual quiet, non-flashy way.
Ford looked completely outmatched out there. It was painful.
Collins absolutely drilled Reid in the face (I think it was Collins)
Another guy who looked thrilled to be out there? Helmer.
Yes, yes he did.
I didn’t notice Poti as much, which I think is a good thing. I’ll tell you one thing for sure – seeing what I saw out there tells me that we can afford to wait and see if we really need that vet defenseman before throwing a ton of money we don’t have at it.
"It is better to die on your feet than to live on your knees." - Delores Ibarruri
I agree with most of this as well. But how about Knuble? I knew he was good before, but now I’m REALLY excited about this season.
I was also impressed with the effort Brooks and Stecks gave. They both look like they’re ready to take it to the next level and compete for more playing time.
As an aside, it was really neat to see Irbe have a sit down on the ice with Varly and Semin. They looked like two kids listening to a bed time story. As someone else mentioned in this post, he really is a talker.
Agree on all counts, and I’d forgotten about those (this was posted from a Blackberry while I was the dummy hand at the bridge table!)
Knuble did, indeed, look AWESOME. A top line of Ovi/Backstrom/Knuble will be an unholy terror for the opposing team.
Brooks looked like he was having a good time out there too, and he pulled some fancy stuff. I think he’s going to make a serious bid for Flash’s spot to open the season, which opens his spot for someone like Chris Bourque (who looked pretty decent out there as well).
In short, I liked a lot of what I saw. I didn’t watch Ford much, he wasn’t down at my end. (I was down near Varly, whose mask is indeed made of awesome.)
As for Irbe, he does seem to be a talker, and he also seems to be a top-notch coach based on the comments he’s made and the comments made about him thus far. We’ll see what happens going into the season.
"It is better to die on your feet than to live on your knees." - Delores Ibarruri
an unholy terror for the opposing team
I hereby vote for as little discussion of Knuble as possible prior to opening day.
Just unleash the fury. Right in Tim Thomas’ grill.
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Ovi/Backstrom/Knuble… the Unholy Terror line (no alphabet soup needed here)
"Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it."
- Ferris Bueller
by war_capitals on Sep 14, 2009 1:40 PM EDT up reply actions
My notes on camp. I came about 9:45 and the first session started ahead of schedule. Group A seems to have all the “eager beavers”. It included Ovechkin, Backstrom, Knuble, Kugrychev (sp?), Holtby, Theodore, Alzner, Carlson. Fehr (in the yellow injured player jersey with no nameplate was with them.) It seemed that there were several times Kugrychev and Ovi were battling it out for the puck. Holtby left the ice early and was replaced by Ford. I later found out he had tweaked his groin.
I saw nearly all of Session 2, with Group B. We had Semin, B. Morrison, Giroux, Varlamov, Ford (continuing), Pothier, and Finley. I think Jasinsky was there too. (Our new tough guys.)
I saw part of Session 3 (Green, Clark, DellaRovere, Neuwirth in goal). After that, I figured it was time to get my own exercise by skating at the Public Session at Kettler.
varly was in group 2. I was at the other end of the ice (watching everyone score junk on Ford), but I think he looked solid
Whoops, I had forgotten to name Varly with Group B. I noticed that at the end of the session, both Semin and Varly were the last to leave the ice. They were talkiing to a coach — believe it was Irbe. (Varly was getting plenty of coaching attention.)
I was getting ready to eat while making that post and got distracted.
Group B had many of the bad asses. Finley, Amadio, Jasinsky (who comes from Richmond, VA and is supposed to be a bad ass.)
There were a few times the “red line” of Group B sat out a few drills.
Della Rovere, another of our bad asses, was in Group C. With all the stories of injuries to FInley and DellaRovere during training camp, I’ve decided that being a “bad ass” is a risky proposition, that is, if one were a player. (Of course, the Caps probably need at least one “bad ass” in their lineup.)
In the bad joke department, the caption on the Semin picture at top can have a double meaning. “Semin’s Back” means two things. First, we are looking at the backside of Semin, of course. The alternate meaning is that “Semin’s back in town”.
Hey, someone got it.
Gotta admit, though, I was inspired by this:
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
by J.P. on Sep 14, 2009 8:13 AM EDT up reply actions 2 recs
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Southeast Standings
| GP | W | L | OTL | PT | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Florida
|
55 | 27 | 17 | 11 | 65 |
|
Washington
|
55 | 28 | 22 | 5 | 61 |
|
Winnipeg
|
57 | 26 | 25 | 6 | 58 |
|
Tampa Bay
|
55 | 24 | 25 | 6 | 54 |
|
Carolina
|
56 | 20 | 25 | 11 | 51 |
(updated 2.13.2012 at 1:00 PM EST)
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