Your savory breakfast links:
- A whirlwind day in DC got underway with Justin Williams‘ first chat with the media since signing with the Caps – a decision heavily influenced by a chat with his new coach and his Ovechkin-fan son. [WaPo, L.A. Times, WashTimes, CSNW, Caps Outsider]
- Mr. Game 7 is hoping to help out Team Can’t Win Game 7. Godspeed. [NHL.com, Puck Daddy, CSNW, RMNB, StarsandSticks]
- More reactions on the signing from around the interwebs. [WaPo, ESPN, TSN (and again), DobberHockey, THW, StarsandSticks, WNST, PressboxDC]
- A look at the numbers for New Guy #1. [Rink]
- Justin Williams : Capitals :: Paul Pierce : Wizards? [WaPo]
- Barry Trotz talks about the arrival of Williams and the departure of Mike Green. [Monumental video]
- Examining the next steps for the Caps with Williams in the fold. Hmm, perhaps they should bring in another winger… [WaPo, CSNW]
- If the Caps were to do anything else, they probably won’t go after any other unrestricted free agents. Hmm, perhaps they should try and make a trade… [WaPo]
- Sure enough, news broke later in the day that the Caps had acquired T.J. Oshie from the Blues in exchange for Troy Brouwer, Pheonix Copley and a third-round pick. [Caps, Dump ‘n Chase, WaPo, WashTimes, NHL.com (and again), AP, Puck Daddy, Sporting News, The Score, CBS Sports, Patriot-News, PressboxDC, Fox Sports, CSNW, Puck Drunk Love, FTW, DobberHockey, THW, StarsandSticks]
- The new guy chatted with the media via conference call shortly after the trade was official. [Monumental video, PHT ]
- Potentially getting the chance to play with all-world talents like Alex Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom has Oshie feeling like a kid in a candy store. [Puck Daddy, CSNW]
- Getting traded was a surprise for Oshie, but not that big of a surprise. [PHT, Post-Dispatch]
- Grading the trade. [ESPN ($), ESPN (Cross Checks), Sporting News]
- Reaction, analysis and other thoughts from along the Potomac… [WaPo, CBS DC, WNST, DSP, RMNB]
- …and from the Gateway to the West. [St Louis Post-Dispatch, Belleville News-Democrat, St. Louis Game Time, Stl Sports Minute, Bleedin’ Blue]
- Oshie’s trade to the Caps sets up a potential reunion with a former UND teammate, recently signed defenseman Taylor Chorney. [Grand Forks Herald]
- Learning everything you need to know (or really just a few things) about T.J. Oshie from his Twitter account. [CSNW]
- The Brouwer Rangers bid farewell to their leader. [RMNB]
- Meanwhile, we have all been this little girl at one time in our lives. Sports are rough. [Puck Daddy, FOX2now]
- Oh, and Chris Bourque is back. Again. [Caps, Patriot-News, AHL, SI.com, SHOE, StarsandSticks]
- Looking at Green’s legacy, potential options for third-line center and more in this week’s Japers’ Rink Mailbag. Remember, you ask, we answer – so keep those questions coming! [Rink]
- Steve Oleksy has made the bold decision to sign with the Dark Side… but we’ll still miss him. [RMNB]
- Now that he’s brought in a couple of new faces, GM Brian MacLellan now turns his focus to getting his restricted free agents locked up. [NHL.com]
- When all is said and done, will these moves make the Caps any better in 2015-16? [Bleacher Report, Today’s Slapshot]
- Or will they regret adding more skill and losing big bodies like Brouwer and Joel Ward? Because hits and toughness and stuff. [THN]
- The latter was still without a contract as of last night, and the Caps’ signing of Williams most likely put to rest any chance of Ward’s return to DC. Farewell, Wardo. [CSNW, The Score]
- Meanwhile, the answer to the question “will Alexander Semin return to the Capitals” was “probably not” before the events of the last 24+ hours. So… [THW]
- Mike Green spent almost a decade with the Caps, but he is remembered as much for his time in Hershey as he is in DC. [Patriot-News]
- Is the Caps’ defense set? [THW]