Caps Clips: Tough Conversations

Your savory breakfast links:

• How does the early ending to this year’s regular season affect the record book for Caps players? [Rink]
• The Washington Post’s Samantha Pell spoke with Caps’ GM Brian MacLellan last week about all of the questions that the NHL’s return-to-play plan brings with it. [WaPo]
• Capitals assistant coach Reid Cashman was named the new head coach of Dartmouth’s men’s ice hockey team on Monday. [Rink, WaPo, The Athletic, RMNB, NoVa Caps, USCHO]
• The Capitals declined to sign Alex Kannok-Leipert and Eric Florchuk, two of their 2018 draft picks, by the June 1 deadline. [RMNB]
• Current and former Caps are using their platforms to speak out on social media following the country-wide protests of George Floyd’s murder. Pay special attention to Braden Holtby’s statement, y’all. [Rink]
• In case you’re curious, here is a list of NHL players who have spoken out about George Floyd’s death and the statements they made. [RMNB]
• NHL teams have also released statements addressing issues brought on by Floyd’s murder (racism, police brutality, and oppression). Well, they tried. Most of them did not succeed. [RMNB]
• The NHL announced more details of the return-to-play postseason format on Thursday, following an approval by the league’s Board of Governors and the NHLPA. [NHL, NHL again, SI, ESPN, AP, CBS, RMNB, NoVa Caps]
• The NHL’s announcement came just as the Penguins released a statement that one of their players had tested positive for COVID-19. [Penguins]
• Just a few hours after they announced their playoff format, the NHL announced that it will transition to Phase 2 of its return-to-play plan beginning Monday, June 8. However, the Capitals have not yet set their Phase 2 start date. [NHL, ESPN, AP]
• The Capitals have a big offseason ahead of them - might they deal a defenseman? [NoVa Caps]
• The hockey folks over at ESPN are on NHL Awards Watch; here they predict the probably top three, a fun hipster pick, and a probable snub. [ESPN]
• Jeff Veillette took a deep dive into the horrendous and rampant racism in the NHL20 world and recommends some ways things can change. [Faceoff Circle]
• Why white NHLers are calling out racism now, featuring thoughts from Tyler Seguin, Brian Boyle, Connor Carrick, and Morgan Rielly. [The Athletic]
• Black Girl Hockey Club’s Renee Hess did an Instagram Live with newly drafted Metropolitan Riveters blueliner Saroya Tinker, and they had an incredibly important and eloquent conversation. This is a must watch, people.

• Kevin Weekes sat down with Greg Wyshynski and Emily Kaplan to discuss race and hockey on the latest episode of ESPN On Ice. [ESPN, Podcast]
• David Amber, Blake Bolden, Grant Fuhr, Kwame Mason, and Sarah Nurse, all prominent black leaders in the hockey world, shared their thoughts on racism in hockey. [THN]
• In an abbreviated edition of 31 Thoughts, Elliotte Friedman touched on where things stand between the NHL and NHLPA on a CBA extension. [Sportsnet]
• Here’s more on those reports that the NHL and NHLPA have begun negotiations for their next CBA. [NoVa Caps]
• What should NHL fans expect from the 24 playoff-bound teams as Phase 2 begins on Monday? [The Athletic]
• Don’t forget to keep up with our weekly puzzle series! So far, we have a Crossword, Word Search, Word Scramble, Spot the Difference 1, Spot the Difference 2, Build Your Own Lineup for $18, Nickname Matching. and Spot the Difference 3.
• Happy birthday to Radko Gudas, who turns 30 today, and happy birthday to all of these former Capitals who celebrated birthdays this week: Doug Jarvis (62), Greg Joly (66), Aaron Volpatti (35), Greg Adams (60), Jim Carey (46), Doug Doull (46), Jean Lemieux (68), John Gruden (50), Nick Kypreos (54), Jeff Toms (46), Andre Hidi (60), Jakub Klepis (36), and Alfie Turcotte (55).

Lastly, this week’s episode of Japers’ Rink Radio is an important one, folks. Greg sat down with Marie Smith and Chris Watkins to discuss the George Floyd protests and how hockey culture must do better. If you only ever listen to one episode of JRR, let it be this one.