Your savory breakfast links:
- Previews of tonight’s dangle with the desert dingoes from Vogs, NHL.com, Peerless, RMNB, Caps Basketball, @BizNasty2point0, and RtR, and be sure to check out our SB Nation partner Five For Howling for more coverage from the other side of tonight’s match-up.
- Notes and assorted whatnot from yesterday’s practice:
- A scheduled off-day became a mandatory practice. [Caps365 video (Kettler Report, Boudreau, Laich, Ovechkin), WaPo, CRtC]
- And hey, a new face in the crowd! Welcome to the National Hockey League, Dmitry Orlov. [@WashCaps, RMNB, DCEx, WaPo, WashTimes, PHT, Hershey Bears, SB Nation DC, Two Minutes of Kill (pics)]
- So, um … why is Alexander Semin wearing that white fourth-line practice sweater? [DCEx, WaPo, WashTimes, PHT, KOL]
- Yes, Mike Green was at practice. But he was watching from the bench, and not wearing gear. Gulp. [WashTimes]
- The Week That Was, Volume Six. Ugh. [Peerless]
- The debate over Bruce Boudreau continues apace. Sure, if he stays there could be trouble. But if he goes there could be double. [Puck Daddy, RMNB]
- In which the team members stand up for their coach. [CSNW]
- And then we learn they had a players-only meeting prior to the Toronto game, which, judging from the final score, may not have accomplished much. [WashTimes]
- Related: the room is showing a lack of cohesion. [WashTimes]
- Is there a conflict between the coach and Alex Ovechkin? [WaPo]
- A little Sunday soul-searching. [Dump ‘n Chase]
- Where do we go from here? [Rocking the Red in Pittsburgh]
- This line-shuffling business is getting a bit out of hand. [Blonde Girl’s Guide]
- In the midst of all the sturm und drang, photographer Pat Molnar has posted some simply smashing pictures of Ovechkin in Moscow (from his Bauer shoot(s)), as well as pix of Nicklas Backstrom in DC, also for Bauer. [Pat Molnar Photography (Ovi, Bäckis)]
- Along those lines, Upper Deck features Alex on the cover of its new release and includes a pretty neat card from the Winter Classic. [Ross Hollebon’s Sports Pub]
- Looking to the Caps’ future:
- Evgeny Kuznetsov reports he has received the requisite entry-level contract from the Caps, and that all that remains is for his signature, which he is not prepared to provide just yet. [Alex Ovetjkin]
- The latest look at the Caps’ prospect pool. [Hockey’s Future]
- And finally – Welcome back to hockey, Sidney Crosby (and may your return inspire all of those in need of a little inspiration. Ahem).