Your savory breakfast links:
- As we await Wednesday’s puck drop, there’s a ton of content dropping here on The Rink, so be sure to check back often. Why, just yesterday we introduced you to Anders Lee and Nick Leddy, talked history and experience, and checked in on how individual Caps are trending. And there’s even more coming today.
- Notes and assorted whatnot from yesterday out at Kettler:
- In general. [Caps365 video (Caps Red Line, MacLellan, Trotz, Ovechkin, Fehr, Ward, Beagle, Niskanen, Alzner),WaPo]
- Brian MacLellan provided his pre-postseason State of the Skate address. [WaPo, CSNW]
- Playing the heavy game. [WaPo, Pressbox DC]
- Reporting for duty: Eric Fehr, Jay Beagle, and Tom Wilson all participated in practice to some extent, though Wilson left early and did not speak with reporters. [WashTimes]
- Barry Trotz‘s experience is creating confidence in the Barry Trotz Experience. [NHL.com, WashTimes]
- What to do with young Andre Burakovsky? Nobody seems to know for sure. He’s topside for now, probably. [WaPo]
- Mike Green is super excited about the team’s composition.He should be, since he (reportedly) helped build it. [CSNW]
- Only a very few teams have lost fewer games by more than two goals than the Caps. One of those teams is the Isle. [Dump n Chase]
- And from the Lawn Guyland end of the ice:
- The Isle practiced as well, in varying states of health. Mikhail Grabovski played in a non- non-contact jersey, but was skating with the extras until Casey Cizikas left the ice early. There’s more; go read. [LHH, Newsday]
- Travis Hamonic remains a question mark, and it looks like the NYI will have to make do without his services for at least Game One. [NYPost, NYI Point Blank]
- Isles bench boss Jack Capuano has coached his squad to the playoffs in two of the last three seasons, but patience may be wearing thin if this year’s model doesn’t advance. [Eyes on Isles]
- Speaking of which, the Isles forward corps is talented… and young. [Newsday]
- Johnny Boychuk warns his ‘mates to keep their heads up when Alex Ovechkin is on the ice. “You don’t want to get run over by a tank.” [NYDN]
- Prepare for any number of stories of the storied Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum and the stories of the storied legends who played there and the stories of the storied fans who cheered there. The sheer number of stories published might become a story in and of itself. Anyway, here’s two of them and fortunately the Caps will only need to show up and play there. [Rolling Stone, WSJ]
- All Ovechkin, all the time:
- His historic season. [Greatest Hockey Legends]
- He is on the rise. [ESPN]
- He’s featured in the League’s Stanley Cup promos. [CBS Radio]
- He’s more deserving of the Hart Trophy than in 2012-13, but too bad, it’s going to Carey Price anyway. [ESPN]
- His Sports Center interview. [Monumental (video)]
- He’s hungry for some playoff success. [canada.com]
- He’s been split up for now from his all-star centerman. [NY Times]
- Predictions:
- Nearly everybody at ESPN: Caps. [ESPN $]
- But check that Islanders‘ 54.3 percent Fenwick close, No. 1 in the NHL: Isle. [ESPN $]
- Per NHL.com’s fancy bracketology widget/animation: Isle. [NHL.com]
- Isles win the fancystats battle and upset the Caps – if they can stay out of the penalty box. [WaPo, Eye on Hockey]
- Sporting News: Caps in six. [Sporting News]
- James Mirtle: Caps in six. [Globe and Mail]
- Caps Circle: Caps in six. [Caps Circle]
- If you’re looking for a fantasy sleeper pick, look no further than Number 92 on the Caps’ roster… [Dobber]
- … and he’s also part of an impressive rookie class in the 2015 Stanley Cup Playoffs. [Frozen Futures]
- Captains Ovechkin and Tavares have utmost respect for one another. Ut. Most. [AP]
- Guys, the owner of the Caps and the Wiz can’t be everywhere at once, but he has a Plan and the Bog is ON IT. Peak Theodore, indeed. [Ted’s Take, DC Sports Bog]
- The gent who embarked on the ultimate hockey road trip, visiting 30 rinks in 30 days, had a terrific experience in Washington and has profound respect for the most underrated player in hockey, Nicklas Backstrom. [Sportsnet]
- Finally, happy 48th birthday to Alain Cote and happy 52nd to Paul MacDermid.