Your savory breakfast links:
- Recaps and other assorted musings from last night’s shootout loss from Vogs, Monumental video (Oates, Fehr, Ovechkin, Alzner, Wilson, Quenneville, Blackhawks locker room), NHL.com, AP, SI.com, WaPo, CSNW, CSN Chicago, and the Chicago Tribune (pictures).
- Okay, yes. That shootout goal by Chicago’s captain was pretty. [PHT]
- So was Nicklas Backstrom’s tally that opened the scoring, for what it’s worth (as was the passing play that preceded it). [Caps]
- Last night’s game was yet another preseason shootout, and that tends to raise the ire of some fans. But there are some good things about the preseason – shootouts and all. [Rink]
- If you’re headed out to today’s Caps Convention, check out the schedule of panels, autograph sessions and more here.
- More reports have begun to emerge confirming that the major announcement at today’s Caps Convention will be to confirm the 2015 Winter Classic in DC. [WaPo (and again), CSNW, NBCW, CBS, Puck Daddy, ESPN, USA Today, DSP, SportsXchange]
- The players are pumped about the idea (even if their coach isn’t wild about letting HBO into his locker room). [WaPo]
- The fans are pretty excited, too. [CSNW, RMNB]
- So who might the Caps face on January 1, 2015? There are any number of options, but rumor has it that at least one of the finalists wears orange and black. [CSN Philly, RMNB]
- Notes from morning skate and practice out at Kettler:
- In general. [Monumental video (Oates, Alzner/Rinkside Update), Capitals Overtime (Ovechkin at the morning skate, Burakovsky/Wilson/Johansson/Backstrom)]
- Tom Wilson continues to perform at a high level, and as a result is forcing the team to make a difficult decision. [WashTimes]
- One of the guys who might be effected by that decision is Jason Chimera, who is ready to put a disappointing season behind him and get back to scoring goals. [CSNW]
- Like Wilson, Eric Fehr is having a very strong camp and has actually taken fairly well to his experimental role at center. [CSNW]
- You may recall that Mikhail Grabovski had some rather harsh parting words for his old coach in Toronto; a few months and a new contract later, he’s softened just a bit. [PHT]
- Speaking of Grabovski, he’s poised to be either a boom or a bust in 2013-14. Or, you know, something in between is always possible, too. [ESPN ($)]
- Radio hits:
- Former Caps’ defenseman (and #2 star of the alumni game) Brendan Witt stopped by for a lengthy chat with Elliot in the Morning. [EITM, RMNB]
- On Thursday, Brooks Laich stopped in to preview the season with the Junkies [106.7 the Fan]
- When you skate alongside guys like Backstrom and Alex Ovechkin, it’s easy to be a bit overlooked – but flying under the radar could be good for Marcus Johansson. [USA Today]
- Previewing the 2013-14 Caps, with an eye on the right wing. [DSP]
- As the Caps continue to make cuts, the Hershey Bears prepare to open their own 2013-14 training camp. [Bears, Patriot-News]
- If you missed the Caps Alumni Game – or just want to relive it in all its glory – check out the video replay on Monumental Network. [1st period, 2nd period, 3rd period, shootout]
- Nothing helps heal a busted wing like a little retail therapy, eh, Evgeny Kuznetsov? [URA.ru]
- A couple of kids (Justin Larson and Boston Leier) on their training camp experiences. [The Record, Medicine Hat News (h/t sk8 on both)]
- Be sure to catch our own Rob Parker making nice with our SB Nation pals – and division rivals – over at The Cannon on yesterday’s Blue Jackets Roundtable Podcast. [The Cannon]
- Character, chutzpah and class – delving into the ins and outs of what makes today’s NHL captain. [Globe and Mail]
- Finally, happy 44th birthday to Curtis Leschyshyn.