Wednesday Caps Clips

Your savory breakfast links:

• In the wake of increased chatter about future NHL expansion, a reminder that expansion teams today have it much easier than they did when the Caps broke into the League. [Rink]
• BREAKING: Local regional sports network that broadcasts the majority of Caps' games every season will broadcast the majority of Caps' games this upcoming season. [Caps, CSNW]
• The illustrious John Walton sits down for a chat with the equally illustrious Scott Stuccio, voice of the Bears. [Capitals Voice]
• Meanwhile Mike Vogel caught up with Caps' top defensive prospect Madison Bowey. [Rinkside Update]
• A few helpful tips and takeaways from the excellent zone-entry tracking work being done by Corey Sznajder (and you can help fund that work here). [Talk the Red]
• Alex Ovechkin recently made waves with a politically-fueled picture on Instagram, but it's unlikely his action will result in any backlash, for any number of reasons. [Puck Daddy]
• Agree or disagree with his statement, by the way, it's important to remember that in America he has the right to make it... unlike in his homeland. [The Economist]
• But of course, what really matters is whether he ever flees the NHL for the "comforts" of the KHL. [THN, SI.com]
• Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom, unsurprisingly, provide a pretty big chunk of the Caps' scoring punch. [About]
• New blueliner Matt Niskanen is getting settled in his new home and meeting his new teammates as the pre-preseason skates begin to fill up. [CSNW (video)]
• Over the past three seasons, Braden Holtby was pretty good at stopping shots that come from inside the "home plate" area, i.e. where the most dangerous shots usually come from. [Hockeybuzz]
• A complete, all-encompassing list of the best centers in the NHL!! ...well, with one pretty glaring exception. [NHL.com, RMNB]
• Speaking of centers, the Caps (always) need a second-line center. Could it be Evgeny Kuznetsov? [Hockeybuzz]
• Looking at a few more Caps who could potentially hit the open market next summer, and what lies ahead for them in 2014-15. [THW]
• As noted in Monday Clips, Caps' Swedish scout Mats Weiderstal believes that 2014 draftee Jakub Vrana will likely head back to Sweden if he doesn't make the NHL cut this year. [RMNB]
• The odds are out for the NHL's division winners. Check 'em out, place your bets, lose your money. [The Score]
• Feel free to avoid Mike Green like the plague in your fantasy hockey pool... just be sure to invite me to join so I can draft him and kick your patootie. [Puck Daddy]
• Eighty-two games on the schedule, but there are five of them that could be a little more interesting. [THW]
• Bears' blueliner Mike Moore might be new to the organization, but he's got plenty of ties with past and present members. [Patriot-News]
• Finally, happy 55th birthday to Greg Theberge, happy 68th to Gerry Meehan, and happy 39th to Cristobal Huet.