Your savory breakfast links:
- The Caps’ blueline is in need of some major help, one that goes beyond one or two moves – unless it’s one big one. [Rink]
- Recaps and other assorted musings on last night’s loss from us (and relive the magical night in GIFs), Vogs, Monumental video (Oates, Ovechkin, Brouwer, Halak, Beagle), NHL.com, AP, PHT, WaPo, CSNW, Peerless, DSP, RMNB, Pensblog, Post-Gazette, Tribune-Review, Pens and Pensburgh.
- News and notes from pregame yesterday, i.e. the eye of the Penguins storm:
- In general. [Monumental video (Oates, Alzner, Chimera, Wey]
- Caps’ 2014 draft pick Andre Burakovsky stopped by for a little one-on-one chat. Hey, maybe HE’S the savi-…nope. Don’t. [Rinkside Update/Burakovsky]
- Checking in on Brooks Laich’s groin. Er… a specialist is checking in on it, at least. [WaPo]
- Laich being out (again) meant that Casey Wellman was recalled (again). And Pittsburgh native Patrick Wey was along for the ride so he could hang out in the CONSOL pressbox. [Caps, CSNW, Patriot-News]
- Pens’ forward Evgeni Malkin talks about a rift (or lack thereof) with Alex Ovechkin and comparisons to Evgeny Kuznetsov. [Puck Daddy, RMNB]
- George McPhee also talks about Kuznetsov – and interestingly, what he views as the consequences to Kuznetsov’s delayed arrival. [NHL.com]
- Some big-picture thoughts on just what the H is going on here. [B/R (Lozo)]
- Regardless of the consequences, the addition of Kuznetsov begins to replenish some of the team’s depth at skill positions. [Talk the Red]
- Speaking of the GM, he was hanging out poolside with the other GMs for their annual meeting in Boca Raton, Florida. Could more change be a-coming? [TSN, CBC, CBS Sports, Sportsnet, Sporting News]
- One change constantly talked about is the addition of 3-on-3 overtime to cut down on shootouts? Think it’s just as much of a gimmick? Think again. [BHS]
- A few leftovers from Monday’s loss:
- Scary, scary moment in Dallas on Monday, as Stars‘ forward Rich Peverley collapsed on the bench. Per the team, he’s resting comfortably at the hospital and is undergoing tests. Best wishes to him and his family. [Stars, Star-Telegram, BHS]
- So what exactly will happen on the oh-so-small chance (…ha) that the Caps don’t make the playoffs this year? [PHT]
- …and if they don’t make it, would that really be the worst thing? [Capitals Hill]
- Bask in the warm glow of all the reasons each team in the Metropolitan Division is mediocre. [THW]
- There are no shortage of youth hockey programs around the country – but Fort Dupont in DC continues to stand out as a special place that’s helping expand hockey’s reach. [WaPo]
- An American hockey team will face off against a Canadian one in Sochi for the third time tomorrow. Regardless of outcome, though, there’s no shortage of heroes on either side. [WashTimes]
- A look at how hockey was represented at this year’s Sloan Sports Analytics Conference, whose attendees included Caps’ Assistant GM Don Fishman. [TSN]
- Want to feel old? Check out some of the names on the roster for the upcoming US National Team Development Program tryout camp. [USoH, PHT]
- Y’know, I somehow survived being subjected to live sporting events at a very young age. And back then they didn’t have those fancy ear muffs. Or shoes. Or electricity. [WNST]
- Finally, happy 36th birthday to Brent Johnson and happy 45th to Tyler Larter.