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Friday Caps Clips: Of Punches and Apologies

Daily Washington Capitals news and notes: Brooks Laich and others speak ahead of camp opening, apologies fly, a hirsute Alex Ovechkin and more.

By J.P.
Geoff Burke-US PRESSWIRE

Your savory breakfast links:

  • Looks (for the moment) like the Caps will open the season in Tampa on January 19. [TB Times]
  • Notes and assorted whatnot from yesterday out at Kettler:
    • In general. [Caps365 video (practice, Ward, Alzner, Hendricks), WashTimes, WaPo, DSP]
    • Brooks Laich feels "like we just punched our sport in the face." Should we tell him where it feels like they punched fans? [Caps365 (video), WashTimes, WaPo, CSNW, DCEx (and again)]
    • That Troy Brouwer/Roman Hamrlik battle to the death you were secretly hoping for probably ain't happenin'. [CSNW]
    • CapsNation nervously waits on Nicklas Backstrom news. [CSNW]
    • On the other hand, Tom Poti is a nice little story so far. [Caps365 (video), CSNW, DCEx]
    • Tom Wilson is coming to camp (so we'll get to see him as a boy amongst men, rather than a man amongst boys as he was over the summer). [DCEx, WaPo, WashTimes]
  • Eventually we'll get to a point where there aren't CBA-related musings to clutter up Clips, but we're not there yet:
    • Vote early, vote often, players, so we can put this godforsaken mess behind us. [WashTimes]
    • Ted Leonsis posts "a note of apology and empathy," which includes an apology for "[his] role in not being able to help us reach a more timely agreement." [Ted's Take, WashTimes]
    • Speaking of apologies, how about Gary Bettman's? [Puck Daddy, SI, with a brilliant send up of Bettman and his counterpart at DGB]
    • On all these apologies and how teams are (and aren't) trying to win back fans. [WashTimes, Sporting News, SB Nation, Edmonton Journal]
    • Wait, there are unresolved issues? [ESPN]
  • One thing this coaching staff should have? Chemistry. [NHL.com]
  • Alex Ovechkin has a new Gillette ad. Ready... set... blog! [Alex Ovetjkin, RMNB, DC Sports Bog, Puck Daddy]
  • Speaking of Ovi, what are the odds of him leading the League in goals? How about the Caps' chances at winning the Southeast? Click through, gamblers. [Puck Daddy]
  • Previewin' the local puck squad. [ESPN]
  • The time lapse video of the rink being put down at Verizon Center is rather hypnotic. [Caps365 (video)]
  • Looking ahead to next offseason (which technically begins next August or thereabouts). [Hockey Prospectus]
  • A quick primer on what you may have forgotten while you, err, they were locked out. [Mr. Irrelevant]
  • Philipp Grubauer, your AHL opportunity awaits. [Patriot-News (with more Bears notes here, here and here)]
  • All about prospects' prospects. [THW, HF]
  • Finally, happy 48th birthday to Tim Bergland.