Wednesday Caps Clips: Farewell Smitty

Your savory breakfast links:

• Since 1999 the Caps’ head athletic trainer Greg Smith has been a fixture behind the bench and behind the scenes. Yesterday he made it official - he announced his retirement from pro hockey in favor of spending more time with his family and his business, Pivot Physical Therapy. Time marches on, friends. [RMNB]
• The Capitals are introducing their new medical team. Jason Serbus and Michael Booi move from the Phoenix Coyotes to become the new head athletic trainer and assistant athletic trainer. Cleo Bates comes from the Dallas Stars to become the Caps’ new massage therapist. [NHL.com, CSNMA, NoVa Caps]
• Storylines for each Metro Division team as the 2017-18 season approaches [NoVa Caps]
• Season previews for...
• ... T.J. Oshie... [CSNMA]
• ... Devante Smith-Pelly... [Peerless]
• ... and Jakub Vrana. [Peerless]
• Bring it, sez Andre Burakovsky. [CSNMA]
• In which The State of Hockey takes a swipe at each of the teams in the Eastern Conference. [Zone Coverage]
• The Lig is bringing its mobile centennial celebration to every NHL city. Washington gets its visit September 22-23. [Caps Today]
• The Minny Wild announced that they have signed Daniel Winnik to a PTO. With his departure, we also bid adieu to a remarkably fruitful draft pick from way back in 1990. Behold:

• Finally, happy birthday to Jose Theodore, who turns 41 today.