Your savory breakfast links:
- Previews of this afternoon’s Caps visit to Los Angeles from Vogs, Peerless, NHL.com and CSN Washington, and be sure to check out our SB Nation partner Battle of California for coverage from the other side of the match up.
- Yesterday was another tough practice for Gabby’s boys. [Capitals Insider]
- In Winter Classic 2011 “news,” Scott Hartnell and Blake Wheeler think the Caps should be featured, rumor has it the Caps could be headed to Pittsburgh’s Heinz Field for the game (though some would prefer their baseball park) or staying at home (though the thought of a game at FedEx makes me wretch), and at least one quote-worthy source claims that “[t]he league will be looking to work around the Capitals to get them into this game.” Oh, and the boss is definitely interested.
- Mike Green‘s new Geico ad debuted yesterday, and it includes what should be Bruce Boudreau‘s answer to any and all game-related questions: “Ask Mike Green. He was on the ice the whole time.” [FanShot]
- And here’s that new Verizon Wireless ad featuring the Caps and Flyers, which makes me envision Mike Richards meeting with a fate similar to the bald German boxer in “Raiders of the Lost Ark” (as recreated with Legos here… awesome). [FanShot]
- The Washington Times sports section is officially no more. Here’s Corey’s last Caps piece (a typically great one, by the way) and his heart-felt goodbye post, and Steinz’ roundup of eulogies. We miss you already, buddy.
- Milan Jurcina and Chris Clark talk to Jackets’ play-by-play voice Jeff Rimer (who formerly held the same position with the Caps) about the trade that brought them to Columbus. Moderately painful stuff. [Jackets TV (video)]
- Speaking of the vacant captaincy, the Caps have options. [WaPo]
- Peerless gets to Number 1 in his fantastic series of the top Caps stories of the year. [Peerless]
- Puck Daddy’s Top 10 Goals of the Decade features a couple of familiar tallies that will never get old. [Puck Daddy]
- Speaking of Puck Papi, congrats to a couple of crazy kids who are getting hitched after meeting at the Awards Show Viewing Party we hosted with him back in June. [OFB]
- Predictions for June, 2010: “Washington Capitals win hockey’s Stanley Cup. Israeli planes bomb and eliminate Iranian nuclear weapons site.” Um, how about we get to pick one? [McClatchy]
- The G&M’s midway power rankings have the Caps fourth, noting “Fate in hands of young goalie Semyon Varlamov.” [G&M]
- Add Dennis Seidenberg to the list of people who would love to line up and lay out Alex Ovechkin. [FanHouse]
- If the Hart Trophy was handed out today, would AO be worthy of the three-peat? [5ive Hole]
- Eric Duhatshek says “no” to that last question, but would hand Mike Green the Norris as of now, though he wouldn’t have picked him for Team Canada. So he believes that the “the defense player who demonstrates… the greatest all-round ability in the position” isn’t good enough to make the Canadian Olympic squad. Huh? [Globe and Mail]
- Looking back on the decade in Bears hockey. [LDN]
- The Bears are 10-1-0-0 since Chris Bourque rejoined the team. [Patriot-News]
- Braden Holtby is an ECHL All-Star (though he could be worthy of a similar honor one level up by the time the AHL holds its festivities). [Stingrays]
- Hey, look who’s in the background here.
- Per the HHoF, on this date one decade ago, “Washington’s Brian Bellows had a goal and an assist for his 1,000th career NHL point in the Capitals’ 5-2 win at Toronto,” two years to the day before “Montreal’s Jose Theodore became the second goaltender in NHL history to score a goal while recording a shutout, as the Canadiens won 3-0 against the Islanders in Long Island.”
- Happy 29th birthday to Miroslav Zalesak, and happy 40th to two-time Cap Rick Tabaracci (who has five more regular season wins for the franchise than Varly in 47 more games played).
- Finally, have fun out there today, guys and gals – I look forward to hearing all about the Inaugural Japers’ Rink Pick-Up Game.