Your savory breakfast links:
- The NHL’s silly season kicks off at noon Eastern today, when teams are allowed to sign unrestricted free agents to deals they’ll likely regret within a couple of years. So what’s what heading into the free agent frenzy?
- The Caps’ top priority is shoring up the blueline, and they’ve got options. [Rink, WaPo, Express, CSNW, RMNB]
- One of the more popular names getting bandied about is Pens’ (for another couple of hours) rearguard Matt Niskanen. [ESPN, SB Nation, CSNW, RMNB, Stars & Sticks]
- Should they head in a different direction and choose to fill the gaping hole that will be left should Mikhail Grabovski sign elsewhere, there are options there, too. [Rink]
- And Braden Holtby needs a back-up, so let’s not forget about the goaltenders. [Rink]
- The Caps’ top priority is shoring up the blueline, and they’ve got options. [Rink, WaPo, Express, CSNW, RMNB]
- Meet the assistants! [Dump ‘N Chase, Monumental video (Reirden, Lambert, Korn, Forsythe), WaPo]
- Alex Ovechkin: left wing or right wing? It doesn’t matter. [WaPo]
- Hop on the bus, Gus – Mike Green‘s driving. [Sporting News]
- Power rankings already? Power rankings already. [ESPN]
- Looking back on the Draft. Ah, memories. [ESPN ($), Talk The Red, HF]
- New kid on the block Jakub Vrana was at Kettler yesterday, skating and meeting with the media. [Monumental video (skating, talking)]
- Oh, and Nathan Walker is one heck of a story. [Sasky On Sport]
- The Bears have their free agents too, y’know. [Patriot-News]
- A three-foot-tall Ovechkin bobblehead, a.k.a. nightmare fuel. [Caps Outsider]
- Assuming you like Internet things, it might interest you to know that Olie Kolzig has a new website. [OlieKolzig.com]
- Finally, happy 56th birthday to John Barrett, and we wish a very happy Dominion Day to our Canadian friends.