Your savory breakfast links:
- The Caps are winning against, well everyone, with a winning record over even the top teams in the Lig. [Rink]
- Previews of tonight’s brodown in Brooklyn from Vogs (plus game notes), NHL.com, AP, Peerless, S&S and Friends in Cold Places, and be sure to check out our SB Nation pals over at Lighthouse Hockey for the other side of tonight’s matchup.
- “While Alex Ovechkin is the undisputed sniper for the Capitals, John Tavares said there is equal concern with center Nick Backstrom, whom he called ‘so underrated, it blows my mind really. Playing against him almost each and every shift of the playoffs last year he’s probably one of the best two-way centermen in the game. Everyone thinks of him as just a great passer and playmaker, but he’s just so smart. He doesn’t give you a whole lot of time and space. He’s very strong on the puck and very good in the faceoff circle. He’s got the complete package.’’’ [Newsday]
- Leftovers from Tuesday’s win over Los Angeles:
- Postgame notebook. [Dump-n-Chase]
- Y’know, that game was fun. Let’s try it again in a few months. [DC Sports Bog]
- Nice work, Philipp Grubauer. [WaPo, CSNMA]
- Looking good and hitting better, Brooks Orpik. [CSNMA, FICP]
- Thumbs down for Coach Darryl Sutter’s decision to challenge Kuznetsov’s gamewinner… [TSN]
- … but thumbs up to Braden Holtby and Kuzya for making the most of the delay. [RMNB]
- Notes and assorted whatnot from practice out at Kettler:
- Today in “Not your (possessive noun’s) Capitals.” [WaPo (and welcome to the bandwagon Tom Boswell)]
- The return of Brooks Orpik should allow the coaches to better allocate their defensemen’s ice time. [WashTimes]
- Jay Beagle draws closer to rejoining the team, but the coaching staff will not rush him back. [WaPo]
- “There were definitely a few extra ice bags in here,” T.J. Oshie said after practice Wednesday, “but hopefully [the Kings] had even more, and maybe the Islanders will, too.” The Caps don’t mind playing their hockey with a side of heavy. [WaPo]
- Young Tom Wilson is now choosing his battles… carefully. [NoVa]
- Thank you Taylor Chorney, for stepping up in a big way when the team needed you most. [RMNB]
- Evgeny Kuznetsov gave yet another delightful interview, this time to Russian media in Dallas. [sport-express (link in Russian)]
- The trade deadline approaches, and with it, the speculation:
- To tinker, or not. [CSNMA]
- Barry Trotz provides a very general manager-esque statement of the Caps’ philosophy at the deadline. They’ll add a piece if it will help the team, and no, Curtis Glencross didn’t fix what ailed them last year. [WaPo]
- Maybe a depth d-man is on the shopping list. [NHL.com]
- Metro Division buyers and sellers. [ESPN]
- Roundtabling some options. [S&S]
- Would the Caps move a fan favorite… if they could? [THW]
- Here’s a bit more about Donald Brashear and his new hockey stick company, with bonus Matt Bradley sighting. [The Whig]
- The Caps inaugurated their Media Wall of Fame on Tuesday. Perhaps there will be a bloggers’ wing, someday. [NoVa Caps Fans]
- Finally, Russian media is reporting that Alex Ovechkin ‘s mom, Tatiana, has been in hospital in Moscow for several days being treated for pneumonia. She is listed as stable. [Life.ru]