Friday Caps Clips: Classic Announcement Pending

Your savory breakfast links:

• What we've all known for a while becomes official today: Caps, Pens, New Year's Day. And before you complain too much about the "who" and the "where," note that the Winter Classic road team has made three-straight appearances in the Cup Finals. [Puck Daddy, Hockey Independent]
• Semyon Varlamov, by the tens. [Peerless]
• Give blood, get a John Carlson bobblehead (which is quite awesome). [Capitals]
• Get to know Dmitri Kugryshev (you know, beyond his conditioning or lack thereof). [Hockey Chronicles]
• Now that's a road trip. [D.C. Sports Bog]
• The Caps are reportedly giving a small Latvian goalie a tryout. I wonder what his in was. [@dchesnokov]
• Take Five with... Mike Vogel. Don't mind if I do. [Live In Red]
• Caps bloggers go on the record with Finals predictions. [RtR]
• Ranking local sportscasters. [Mr. Irrelevant]
• Per the HHoF, on this date back in 1974, "In the NHL Amateur draft held in Montreal, the expansion Washington Capitals used the #1 pick overall to select Greg Joly. The NY Islanders selected Bryan Trottier with their second choice (22nd Overall)." Oof.
• Finally, happy 37th birthday to Pat Peake, happy 42nd to Jim Hrivnak, happy 55th to Ron Wilson and Doug Hicks, happy 58th to Jack Lynch, and happy 61st to Gary Inness.