Your savory breakfast links:

• Be sure to catch up on the Saturday and Sunday Clips that you might have missed.
• Nicklas Backstrom speaks ahead of making his debut as half of the Caps' Dynamo duo. [Japers' Rink]
• Over in Switzerland, Brooks Laich is already making his mark on his new (hopefully temporary) team. [EuroHockey.com, RMNB]
• And down on the farm, despite some heroics from Philipp Grubauer in his first AHL game, the Bears lose a second straight one-goal game after a video replay gives Binghamton the OT winner. [AHL, Capitals, Dump 'n Chase]
• Lockout news! Get yer lockout news right here!
  • The NHL believes a deal to end the lockout is on the table. Right next to the pepper, behind the butter dish. [National Post]
  • Donald Fehr and the NHLPA are standing their ground for now in the face of the first real negative PR they've faced. Y'know, in a crazy alternate world where the fans' voices actually matter. [NY Times]
  • Regardless, it's a really important week ahead. Like, really really important. [ESPN]
  • But don't let that dissuade you from letting that voice be heard - would you like to take a survey? [Qualtrics]
• In honor of the (mercifully final) presidential debate tonight, JFK and hockey? [Puck Buddys]
  
• Finally, happy 44th birthday to Terry Yake and happy 32nd to Matt Pettinger.