Thursday Caps Clips

Your savory breakfast links:

• Huzzah! King Karl and the Capitals have agreed to terms and he is inked to a 4-year, $11.2M contract extension. Win. [Us, @WashCaps]
  • In Karl's own words, it was about the security. Four years > two years ... [NHL.com, Dump 'n' Chase, WaPo, Monumental (Alzner conference call audio)]
  • ... and Karl also sez if GMGM wants to use some of the change left over after re-upping Marcus Johansson to sign another free agent, that would be just fine. [CSNW]
  • A smart signing. [Sporting News, Eye on Hockey, Frankovic (with additional thoughts on the Caps' roster), THW]
  • Coach Oates is happy to have his #1 defensive defenseman back in the fold. [Monumental (video)]
  • Alzner appreciation, on and off the ice. [Caps Outsider]
• GM George McPhee fully endorses Brooks Laich as his #2 centerman and shared a few thoughts on Evgeny Kuznetsov. [Monumental (video), ESPN 980 (audio), DC Sports Kings, RMNB]
• Plenty of news and notes from out at Kettler as Development Camp rolls on:
  • Scrimmage! Team White blew the doors off Team Red by the score of 7-3. [Monumental (video highlights)]
  • Tom Wilson is learning to manage the increased expectations... [WaPo]
  • ...and of course, well-finished checks are a good way to raise those expectations. [RMNB]
  • The Caps' Director of Amateur Scouting, Ross Mahoney, sat down for a chat with Walton and Vogs. [Capitals Report (video)]
  • Sergey Kostenko and Brandon Anderson are eyeing the goaltending depth charts ... intently. [Patriot-News]
  • Day 4 of camp gets underway today at 9:00 a.m. with Team Red, followed by Team White at 10:00 a.m. and the second intrasquad scrimmage at 3:00 p.m.
• Also re-signing with the Caps (but really with Hershey), welcome back Peter LeBlanc. [Patriot-News]
• Continuing his look at a decade of Caps drafts, Peerless turns his eye to the second- and third-rounders. [Peerless]
• Which current players are most like a member of the incoming 2013 Hall of Fame class? Here's a hint - Ovi's videos would be way cooler and feature lots more exclamation points. And maybe even some rap. [Sporting News]
• Goody! We don't have to say goodbye, not yet, to Matt Hendricks, who will captain Team USA against his good friend Karl Alzner and Team Canada for this year's Defending The Blue Line charity hockey game in Minnesota. Hendy's spiffy sweater? Want. [Hockey Wilderness]
• Amblinn, ramblinn, shamblinn - we send a fond farewell and best wishes to Michael Blinn, NHL.com's Web Producer and most prolific punster, who is off in search of new adventures. Game nights may never be the same. [Pucks and Puns]
• And finally, twelve years ago today the Caps sent Kris Beech, center Michal Sivek, defenseman Ross Lupaschuk and future considerations to the Pittsburgh Penguins for defenseman Frantisek Kucera and a potential future Carolina Hurricane.