Monday Caps Clips: The Draft Class of 2014

Your savory breakfast links:

• By the numbers: The Caps selected 6 players (plus a trade for the rights to Winnipeg’s RFA goalie Eddie Pasquale) including five forwards (one left-right wing, two right wings, one left wing, one left wing/centerman) and one goaltender. By nationality, the Caps chose two Czechs, one Swede, two Yanks, and the very first Australian ever drafted into the National Hockey League. Crikey.
• Draft class overviews [WaPo, GM on a Couch, Caps Outsider, Rotoworld, Stars and Sticks, Yahoo Sports (plus the Metropolitan Division draft in review)]
• AGM Ross Mahoney breaks down his draft. [WaPo, Dump ‘n’ Chase, Monumental (video)]
• The first round and falling forwards. [RMNB]
• The morning after the night before. [Peerless, DSP]
• Better know:
  • Jakub Vrana [Rink, Stars and Sticks, Monumental (video), DSP]
  • Vitek Vanecek [Rink]
  • Nathan Walker [Patriot-News]
  • Shane Gersich [Monumental (video), THW, USoH, SBNation, and his NHL combine scores were crazy good]
  • Steven Spinner [SBNation, plus he was a finalist for Minnesota’s Mr. Hockey Award]
  • Kevin Elgestal [NHL.com]
• The circle comes complete for Barry Trotz… [WaPo]
• … and the checkbook comes open. [WaPo]
• First order of business – is Alex Ovechkin a right wing or a left wing? [CSNW, NHL.com]
• Oh hai there Justin Peters, pending UFA goaltender. We see you looking at us looking at you looking at us. [NBC4]
• And you, Matt Niskanen, pending UFA defenseman, you loved playing for Todd Reirden, right? [WaPo]
• The Caps have issued qualifying offers to pending restricted free agents Michael Latta, Cameron Schilling, and Nate Schmidt. We bid Brett Flemming, Peter LeBlanc, and Nicolas Deschamps farewell. [WaPo]
• New guy Pasquale also received a QO from the Caps, as he is projected to be the backup goalie in Hershey. [Patriot-News]
• This discussion of the “best special teams in the NHL” is interesting, especially with the arrival of Reirden to the Caps’ bench. [PHT]
• G’day, Nate! Oz has turned inside out with joy. Perhaps the Caps are also building Australia’s hockey capital… [Sydney Morning Herald, Border Mail, Puck Daddy, The Roar, The Age, The AIHL]
• … and just in case here is some advice for the Australian athlete in America. My favorite: “Find an American family you can share Thanksgiving with. It’s an incredible tradition and one of the best days of the year.” [News.com.au]
• Finally, Robert Bannerman is one of the commissioners of the Australian Ice Hockey League. He has an urgent request:

Hey @washcaps, when will @NathanWalks10 jerseys/pucks be available in your online store? We want 22 million of them.

— Robert Bannerman (@RABannerman) June 29, 2014