Wednesday Caps Clips

Your savory breakfast links:

• If the Caps are looking for a veteran backup for Braden Holtby, they'll have a large selection available to them this summer - and we break it down. [Rink]
• More thoughts on the Caps' plans in net, for Holtby and beyond. [NBC4, CSNW, PHT]
• And speaking of Holtby, Mike Vogel speaks to Holtby on breakdown day. [Rinkside Update]
• New GM Brian MacLellan and new assistant GM Ross Mahoney have their strategy all set for the upcoming NHL Draft in Philadelphia next week. [WaPo]
• As we wait, others weigh in with their potential prospects for the Caps' 13th pick (and stay tuned for our contribution to SBN's mock draft...the Rink is on the clock!) [NBC4, DC Pro Sports Report]
• MacLellan is eager to get the Caps' summer plans going. Us, too, Mac... us, too. [WashTimes]
• If he's looking to upgrade the team's defense, might he look north to Toronto's captain? [CSNW]
• MacLellan might say there are options in-house to replace Mikhail Grabovski - but as with everything a GM says, take that with all kinds of salt. [Talk the Red]
• Ending a 20-year drought in San Jose... yeah, this one mattered. [Peerless]
• Check out the participation numbers for US hockey by state for 2013-14, and note the steady increase in the DC and VA areas since the arrival of a certain #8. [USoH]
• Spotlight on DC, as this January's Winter Classic will be one of just two outdoor games the NHL plans to put on this season. [Puck Daddy]
• Tony Gwynn's death from chewing tobacco sheds light on the dangers of the habit - one that is actually fairly prevalent in the hockey world. [THN]
• After leading the ECHL's Bakersfield Condors to the Western Conference Finals, former Hershey assistant coach Troy Mann is looking to return to the AHL as a head coach. [Patriot-News]
• The Caps have invited 22-year-old forward Chris Waterstreet, most recently of the NAHL's Soo Eagles, to attend next month's rookie camp. [SaultThisWeek.com]
• Finally, happy 50th birthday to Bob Rouse.