NHL Out For Bad Contracts

And it may be a bad idea. The NHL won a small victory against front loaded contracts when they successfully won a ruling that struck down the practice. The New Jersey Devils tried to sign Ilya Kovalchuk to a ridiculous contract that would pay him well into the forward's forties at a lesser cost. Now with that little victory, NHL is going all "Steven-Slater" on other contracts that pose the same front loading characteristics.

Roberto Luongo in Vancouver, Marc Savard in Boston, Chris Pronger in Philadelphia and Marian Hossa in Chicago are squarely in the league's cross-hairs. All have signed long term contracts that are the league may retro-actively disallow.

However, all of the players have already filled out their part of the contract by playing for their respective clubs. If the NHL didn't like the practice in the first place, they should have challenged it then and not by allowing those players to play for those teams and let them begin their contracts.

It is understandable that these contracts are a loop hole that bypasses the CBA. The contracts allow a team to pay top dollar for a player while keeping him in the fold for the players lifetime and the price drops when the player passes his prime.

But the league was slow to challenge any of these contracts when they were drafted a year ago. Going back will make those players unrestricted free agents and teams will have to scramble to resign those players or be out the money they paid them for one season and see those players go to other teams.

Vancouver may see this as an opportunity to part ways with Luongo who has underachieved in the playoffs for the Canucks. But the contract was eventually approved by the league, unlike the Kovalchuk contract that was challenged. It is a tough pill to swallow, but the league should not be going after past contracts they did not challenge and ended up approving anyway.

Other contracts and even trades could be affected by this retro-analyzing of contracts. Imagine a trade from a year or two years ago being challenged and the players in question have to return to their old teams. A team that made the trade, for good or bad, will be stuck paying for a player they didn't have to spend money on if the league had stepped in to begin with. No one is saying the league is looking into that, but it could be a next step if the league wants to pursue it.

It opens a Pandora's box of problems the league just wants to correct. In the end it will confuse fans and become a PR nightmare for the league.

The league caught this one, good for them. But to go back and challenge their own approvals of contracts just seems a bit petty.

Caps notes:

• Japer's Rink thinks that David Steckel is one Cap that needs to be on the trading block. But I like the big guy!
• Meanwhile, Peerless reminds us that rumors are just that, rumors.
• Because I was a bit busy before the news broke, Olie Kolzig has confirmed he will be at the Capitals Convention in October. Also at this year's convention, the Caps will reveal their Winter Classic digs, panel discussions and lots of opportunities to touch a Capital player (no bad touching though).

NHL Logic

.. or lack there of.

Colin Campbell handed down the sentence for Marian Hossa's hit on Dan Hamhuis in game 5 of the Blackhawks and Predators series today. It was a verdict on a hit that was identical to that of Alex Ovechkin's hit on Brian Campbell in the very same building in the regular season. As everyone looked at both hits side by side the reaction was the same from every analyst and commentator; Hossa is going to be suspended for that hit.

Here's Hossa's hit:


Here is Ovechkin's hit:


So when the Colin Campbell came out with Hossa's punishment, it was understandable everyone was confused when the verdict was not a suspension. Nothing, nada, not one game missed for the exact same hit that forced Ovechkin to sit out 2 games.

You can see why players and coaches are confused when it comes to the league's supplemental discipline. Campbell released this statement in his defense of the decision:

"I have made the decision that this play does not warrant supplemental discipline after considering all of the facts, including reviewing the video and speaking with Mr. Hossa. This play is distinguishable from recent incidents by a number of factors, including the degree of contact involved; the fact that the consequences of the play do not appear to be as severe; that this was a hockey play involving a race for the puck; that Mr. Hossa is not a repeat offender; and that the call of a major penalty by the referee was significant and appropriate."

To be honest, I don't get it. It is the exact same hit, the exact same incident. Both players pushed the opposing player from behind and both slammed into the boards uncomfortably. So what are we suppose to surmise from this? You can run a player as long as you don't hurt him or have any prior "history" (whatever that means, since it is Ovechkin's first offense of hitting from behind or boarding penalty).

What fans, players and general managers are really looking for is just some consistency. And I am not even a Hossa hater. I could care less if he gets off or not. But I do believe in fairness, and by the decisions of the league office that fairness thing is not present in their actions.

Caps Notes:

• Caps spent their last free day working on the power play. Just 1 for 24, the leagues best PP has been a non-factor in this series. Bruce Boudreau worked a new player into the mix, tough guy Eric Belanger.
• After blowing some steam right after Friday night's game, it was a calmer Boudreau at Caps practice. After saying 5 or 6 players were just along for the ride, he back tracked a bit. As per Tarik's blog:
  

  "The other day he was more irritated, and today he was a little more calm," Mike Knuble said of Boudreau, the power play's architect. "Today, it was, 'Alright guys, I know we can do this', now that he's had a day to get away from it. It was just little things like puck recovery and being on rebounds a little more. Little things to focus on."

• "Sno-vechkin" has taken on new levels. Habs fans are incensed over Alex Ovechkin spray one of the Canadien kid flag bearers with ice as he is coming to the bench. You can make up your own mind on the video below:
  
  The best commentary was when NHL on the Fly commentator Larry Murphy blamed the kid for "waving the flag in front of him." The Habs' fans have problems if this is their rallying cry.
  
• The Hershey Bears have opened a 2 games to none lead on the Albany River Rats with a 6-3 win tonight.
  

Carlson Gets AHL Rookie Honors

John Carlson was named to the AHL's all rookie team. A high honor to a player that may not even return to Hershey with the way he has been playing. Per Caps' PR:

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Washington Capitals defenseman John Carlson, the team’s first-round pick in the 2008 Entry Draft (27th overall), was named to the American Hockey League (AHL) All-Rookie Team, as voted by AHL coaches, players and media in each of the league’s 29 member cities, the AHL announced today.

Carlson ranks fourth among AHL rookie defensemen with 39 points (four goals, 35 assists) in 48 games with the Hershey Bears this season. His +37 rating is good for a share of third place in the entire league. The 20-year-old native of Natick, Mass., has appeared in 20 games for the Capitals this season, with five points (one goal, four assists), six penalty minutes, and a +11 rating. Carlson scored his first NHL goal on March 25 in a 3-2 shootout loss at Carolina.

Carlson is the first Capitals prospect to be named to the AHL All-Rookie Team since Mike Green, who earned the same honor in April 2006. Carlson made his pro debut with Hershey during the 2009 postseason, recording two goals and one assist with a +3 rating as the Bears won the Calder Cup.

In addition to his time in Washington and Hershey, Carlson skated in the 2010 AHL All-Star Classic and scored the overtime gold-medal-winning goal for Team USA at the 2010 World Junior Championship.

The Caps expect Carlson to return to the line up after he got dinged up with an upper body injury in last night's game against Ottawa.

Caps Notes:

• Brooks Laich may make his return Thursday night against the Atlanta Thrashers. The Caps have been a sluggish 1-1-2 without him in the line up.
• Speaking of Atlanta, the Thrash are looking to sneak into the playoffs just two points behind Boston for 8th place in the East. The game against the Capitals should be a very spirited affair and have a playoff type feel to it. This will be good for the Capitals who are trying to get into playoff shape.
  
• Caps' prospect Cody Eakin got his debut with the Hershey Bears and sported a pink helmet. Full story here compliments of Pennlive.com.
  
• The Capitals got together for a team photo before practice today. You can see the fun here.
  

Fun With Numbers

This is just a few numbers that jumped out at me as I surf NHL's site. It might put a few things in perspective.

+78 - That is the goal differential for the Capitals that was at one point as high as 85 at one point this season. This is the difference in the Caps goals for and goals against. The Caps are number one in this department in the league. In fact the closest team to the Caps in goal differential are the Chicago Blackhawks at a +50. In the Eastern Conference the closest team to the Caps are the Buffalo Sabres at +25.

.659 - The Capitals' winning percentage when they out shoot their opponents, best in the NHL. Washington has the sixth best winning percentage in the league when they are out shot at .667.

.552 - The Caps' winning percentage when their opponents score the first goal. That too is the best in the NHL in that department. They are a mortal 11th in the league when they score first (.717).

100 - The points Alex Ovechkin has accumulated this season, it is the fourth time in five seasons Ovi has hit the 100 mark. That puts him in some pretty elite company as only Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux, Peter Stastny and Dale Hawerchuk have accomplished the century mark in four times in their first 5 seasons in NHL history. Ovi is just a single point behind Henrik Sedin for points lead and one goal behind Sid Crosby for the Rocket Richard trophy.

25 - The number of goals that both the Ottawa Senators and the Capitals have scored in their previous three meetings (6-5 Ott. Feb 11, 5-2 Wsh. Jan 7, 4-3 Ott. Nov 23). The Caps are looking to tie up the 4 game series against their Conference foes after dropping two close games in November and February.

Caps Notes:

• Rumors have been running more and more rampant about the Capitals and Penguins playing each other in the 2011 Winter Classic. Ovechkin thinks it will be fun, Ted Leonsis tells us to chill, and the rest are giddy about doing it here in DC (like it's cold enough in January to have it outdoors in DC). I will believe it when it happens.
• Injuries will continue to plague the Caps as Brendan Morrison and Scott Walker are still a week away from returning to the lineup. Brooks Laich will probably return by the weekend. Boyd Gordon doesn't seem to be returning to 100% anytime soon as he is back in Hershey getting work done on his ailing back. Shaone Morrisonn will return to the line up against Ottawa.
• There is an outside chance that Ottawa could be a possible match up for the Caps when the post season begins. At the moment the Senators are sitting in fifth place in the Conference but a lot can happen in the last 6 to 7 games as the 8th place Bruins could still catch them.

NHL Network Puts Best Foot Forward

The NHL Network is free (if you don't already get it) this week. They have a week long plan to reel viewers in and expand the base of NHL fans who don't already get it (odds are, if you follow this blog you already have it).

Their bait? Alexander Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby as they face off at the Verizon Center on Wednesday night. But they are also showing specialty programs like "The Battle of Comm Ave" at 6 pm tonight, or "50 Years Behind the Mask" on Friday night.

While some of the programming is good, like NHL on the Fly; Recaps and highlights of last night's NHL action and HD Classics; Replays of some of the great games in High Definition, lately the NHL network has taken a turn away from some of the older specialty shows they used to show.

Gone are history time pieces like Classic Games that featured Gordie Howe taking several rookies down with his manly elbow and opposition teammates just telling the rooks to "watch out for the elbow." Or maskless goalies making unbelievable saves in the playoffs. Rarely (if not at all) does the network show any of the good ol' days of hockey.

Flowing locks of hair (or balding spots if your are Langway) racing down the boards. Fights were guys back away from the two and let the two of them settle it (Bradley not included). Hard clean hits that were never retaliated. Some of what the NHL was born on seems now disregarded by the network that once loved to show off it's past.

Don't get me wrong, I love the NHL network. The channel number is worn down on my remote control. But I would like to see those classics again. If for nothing else, but to say I at least saw Bobby Clarke cheap shot someone in front of the net.

Caps Notes:

• Scott Walker's ailments maybe more than just a "tweaked" knee. He canceled his appearance at the "Caps on the Fly" show at Hilton Garden Inn. Walker left after his bout with one of the forwards from Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday night. Walker fell awkwardly after getting an upper cut from Zenon Konopka early in the second period. He would not return.
• Warner Video and the NHL have come out with a DVD set just for Capitals fans (about time). Warner Home Video Washington Capitals: 10 Greatest Games DVD Set is available for $49.99 on Shop.NHL.com. Get yours today!
• File this under "counting chickens before they hatch" column: The Pens are busy tonight facing off against the Red Wings in Detroit. If Sid and his band of merry men happen to lose tonight to the Wings, the Caps could clinch the Conference with a win against the Penguins Wednesday night. That is right, they could clinch the Eastern Conference with 8 games remaining to play (knock on some major wood) IF the Penguins lose tonight and Wednesday and the Sabres lose to Montreal Wed. night and Devils lose their game to Columbus as well.
  

Sluggish Start?

There is no real need to panic. So why is everyone acting like there is? Could this team have real problems with finishing games? Could it be the Redskin effect (great talent, marginal effort)? Could it be we are just too Cup fixated just 8 games into the season?

In the first eight games of the Capitals' season they have faced teams that have averaged 113 points last season, and six of those teams made the playoffs (four of those were division champions). It's easy to say that the Caps faced some of the league's toughest teams and the result was above .500. Also, they have yet to be blown out of a game (lost with a margin of two goals or more).

Compare that to someone who has a 7 and 1 record like, um... let's say the defending Stanley Cup Pittsburgh Penguins. In their first eight games, they have faced teams that had an average of 82 points last season and only three of those teams were in the post season last spring (none of which were division champs). Talk about a team easing into a schedule.

Part of the problem to this whole panic thing is we know how good the Washington Capitals can be. With convincing wins against teams like Boston and San Jose, fans have seen the best and want that result every time. But we haven't seen the Caps lose a game in total disaster. There haven't been 6-2 losses and the Caps have yet to be shut-out this season. All their games where they have fallen have been one goal games.

Small mental mistakes mostly do the Capitals in. Whether it is a bad penalty here, a must-stop save that isn't or a break down in defensive structure, the Caps do have the propensity for being human. These small errors in judgment are frustrating to witness because they end up resulting in a goal for the bad guys.

I am pretty confident that the Caps will be able to shore up those problems as the season progresses. The power play will show their bite against teams that don't have a great penalty kill unit. Mike Green will take advantage of those teams that can't handle the fourth man into the zone and Alex Ovechkin will feed on goaltenders that are destined to be back ups. That is why the Caps and a few level-headed fans are not worried about the sluggish start of the season.

Caps Notes:

• Redskins' Chris Cooley took in a game Thursday night at the Verizon Center and as he was coming out of the locker room he was heard saying, "Isn't this environment so much better than ours? The people are so nice here."
• If you think that the Caps' games are sold out, think again. According to the Washington Times, the Verizon Center can squeeze in about 800 more souls to see Ovi do this.
• Caps finally face a team with in their division (to be honest, I didn't miss it). They play the hot Atlanta Thrashers who are off to their best start in franchise history Thursday night.
  

What Is Old Is New Again

One man's trash is another man's treasure. Or in this case, what I thought was just junk turns out to be something very special.

My parents are in the process of moving out of the area. That means hauling my butt to their house and cleaning out things from long ago. Boxes of high school stuff, piles of old hockey equipment to shift through. In the back of their work room was a gathering of old hockey sticks. I knew they were there, I just didn't pay much attention to them.

My mother pulled them all out and told me to go through them. There were two sticks that were signed by players. I never really looked at them closely enough but I threw them in a corner to be looked at another time. I took what good sticks I had left to take home and use for later.

This past weekend I had a chance to take a closer look at both signed sticks. The chicken scratches were hard to decipher until on one of the sticks I saw P. Bondra #12. Clear as day. I scratched my eyes and slowly started to read the numbers down the stick. #6 Calle Johansson, #17 Mike Ridley. The names were hard to read, the names resembled former Capitals next to their assigned numbers. #31 Don Beaupre, #8 Ken Sabourin.

This stick itself was manufactured by Victoriaville with the name M. Lalor stamped on the side. Mike Lalor was a Capital for only two seasons until he was traded to Winnipeg in the 91-92 season. I realized the stick had been signed by Capitals in either of those two years. Most likely the 90-91 season when Sabourin wore number 8 (the next season, Dmitri Khristich would wear #8). The stick was a lefty.

What was to be just trash turned out to be a pretty neat souvenir saved from the depths of my parents' work room. The other stick was a right handed Titan (the exact kind Gretzky played with in his day). It was signed by different members of the Billings Bighorns, a minor hockey team out of Montana (I also found Bighorns' jerseys and a few pucks). I am tracking down some of the names and since most are unreadable it's hard to find out who and what year the stick was signed.

Former Capitals Mike Eagles and Bob Rouse (in 71 games Rouse accumulated 209 PIMs in 81-82) got their early starts for my home town Billings Bighorns back in the 80's*. Some other big names to come out of the Big Sky State that played for the Bighorns were Andy Moog (Moog played two season in Billings playing 46 games in 79-80 with a 3.67 GAA and .902 save percentage), Randy Moller (who played most of his career in a Nordique sweater), Dave Barr (played for the Red Wings in the late 80's), Rod Buska (Penguin draft pick in '81), Lindsay Carson (Flyers player in the 80's) and Pat Conacher (played for the Devils and Kings and was an assistant coach for the Coyotes in the early 2000's) just to name a few.

Both sticks are being handled with white gloves and I am looking at investing some glass cases.

NHL Notes:

• Blackhawks' Patrick Kane was arrested over a scuffle for $.20. That's right, he punched a cabbie when he didn't have 20 cents for change. Really? Are we being that frugal? Kane apparently couldn't let the 20 cents slide and his cousin and him took out their frustrations on the poor Cabbie. Dude, let it slide.
  
• The drama in Tampa Bay has not stemmed much, the infighting between the owners puts the whole organization on unstable ground. Now Gary Bettman has stepped in and has set up a buy out plan for the owners in where both can buy out the other for sole ownership. Besides the Coyotes' ownership craziness, this is the best Soap Opera on this summer.
• Canada could care less about injuring their junior players. Coaches will not let up on the intesity of camp for their young players even though a player suffered a broken collar bone in the Red/White game. They must figure that they have enough youth to fill in the gaps if a few get thrown under the bus.

* - Harvie Pocza and Jim McTaggart both have played for the Bighorns, the Capitals and the Hershey Bears. In fact McTaggart is the only player to jump from the Bighorns to the NHL in the shortest time, just one year. He played in Billings in 79-80, then for the Capitals in 80-81.

Players Union Has Good Intentions

Asking a player not to take part in on-ice activities for their country's team is kind of like asking them to to kiss their sisters. It just not going to happen. Earlier this week, the NHLPA asked players not to take part in on-ice practices due to the possibility of injury.

The Players Union is worried about injuries and the insurance to cover said injuries. Since there is no deal between the NHL and IIHF, the country's hockey program is responsible for the players' insurance for any activity for international play. The NHL is not responsible for insuring the players.

The Union obviously is looking out for their own (as they often do) and sent out a memo asking players to not take part of on-ice practices because of "unwarranted and unnecessary risk."

While it's a strongly worded memo, the players have a different take on the subject. Via TSN.ca:

"I've skated for years and have never been hurt, so I'll be skating," said
(Joe) Thornton, who played for Canada at the 2006 Olympics.

While the PA is looking out for their own, I think they failed to realize that players are going to do what they want, memo or not. International teams need to see the boys on the ice so they can make the matchups, get the lines right and see what their own can do. Also from TSN.ca:

"We shouldn't have to worry about the business of things, but it's a fact, and the PA is there to protect everyone's interests," said New Jersey Devils goaltender Martin Brodeur, a three-time Olympian who admits he's confused as to why the NHLPA is more worried for this Olympics than they were in 2006. "It's just normal that they have concerns."

It means the Players Union, the NHL and the IIHF need to sit down and hammer out a deal in the coming years. If the Union and the league decide against using NHL players in international events like the Olympics, that will greatly impact players that want to play for their countries and they may go elsewhere rather than the NHL to play for their homeland. Asking Alex Ovechkin not to play in his home country in another four years might be a tough pill to swallow for the player, the league and the Washington Capitals.

This just points out the distance that the league and IIHF have to close in making a deal.

NHL Notes:

• The Phoenix Coyotes are making a go at staying in the desert. This time there is a bid that involves both U.S. and Canadian interests that would like to keep the Coyotes where they are. Not only does it make sense (since the Coyotes signed a long term contract with the venue), but hockey in that part of the world is starting to gain some interest. If the 'Yotes can put some wins together, the stadium will fill.
• Speaking of owners and money, Len Barrie (the part genius behind the Lightning last season) finally showed proof that he can sustain the team as a majority holder. Barrie basically took over the team with Oren Koules and tried to rebuild the team through free agency. After firing the coach, John Tortorella, and the GM, Jay Feaster, the Lightning floundered near the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings. There are still some rumbles that it's not new GM Brian Lawton calling the shots, but the two owners. That forced Bettman's hand to make sure Barrie had at least $10 million to maintain the team.
• Believe it or not, but there are still a fair amount of good players that are free agents and haven't signed with a team. For the Caps, Brent Johnson, minor leaguers Alex Giroux, Graham Mink, and Bryan Helmer are still on the list as free agents. Milan Jurcina's arbitration hearing is set for July 28th.
  

Can't Keep It Bottled Up Anymore

Okay a lot of NHL drama going on, I can't keep my opinions to myself much longer. Some if it is older news, I know. But I've been busy.

First, Danny Heatly asking for a trade and refusing to be traded to Edmonton. The drama seems to be in limbo at the moment. I think the very action of asking for a trade waives any kind of trade clause on any contract. Also, if you ask your general manager for a trade after you publicly committed to money and time to be with a particular team you give up any say over what team you may be traded too. At first I thought Heatly was an okay guy, not any more.

Second, Chicago and their paperwork. I guess when you live in the windy city, one should get a paper weight (sorry old joke). Now the NHLPA has filed a grievance with the league over the paperwork. At worst, some big players for the Blackhawks get a taste of the free market as unrestricted free agents. But they were already restricted free agents and Chicago had a right to match the contract offered them. It may not be a huge deal. Plus the other 29 general managers may just give the "too bad" signal to the players association and not sign any of the players with bad paperwork, allowing Chicago to resign them. At least the PA is looking out for their own.

Third, Alex Ovechkin becomes an ambassador for the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi. There is a possibility the NHL will pull out of letting players play in the Olympics, but that is maybe why they made Ovi a full fledged ambassador. It's also a great pick up line for the ladies I'm sure. You have to admire Ovi's countryman's spirit.

Lastly, Brian Burke successfully gets his goaltender. TSN reports Burke has gotten Jonas (the Monster) Gustavsson to be the starting goaltender for the Toronto Maple Leafs. Possibly leaving long time Capital Olaf Kolzig with out a team if the Leafs do not resign him. He is a Free Agent this summer. Gustavsson comes highly touted from the Swedish Elite League. He has size (he looks big in net, hence the nickname 'Monster') speed and good basics. However, he hasn't seen scorers like Evgeni Malkin, Jerome Iginla, Ilya Kovalchuk or Ovechkin. So he is basically a wild card for the Toronto Maple Leafs. Some of his highlights are on YouTube.

Caps Notes:

• Barrack Obama mentioned Alex Ovechkin's name in a speech and some fans were quick to jump on the "why doesn't he come to Caps' games?" critic. Honestly, I think he has much more important things to do rather than take in hockey games or basketball games. Like finding jobs for hundreds and thousands that will be on the street after the States budgets get slashed. Just my gut reaction.
  
• Okay, back to hockey. Development camp is less than a week away and as usual the Caps are going to lean heavily on the kids for the future of the team. The names to watch will be Anton Gustafsson (who missed last year's camp due to injury), Joe Finley (the big meany from North Dakota), Jake Hauswirth (who made quite the splash in last year's camp) and first round pick in the '09 Entry Draft Marcus Johansson is not confirmed to be there, but is likely to show. Camp is from July 13 - 18.
• All this week, be sure to turn on NHL Network as they will be replaying the Rangers/Capitals series starting with game one today. Relive the Caps first series win in nearly 11 years.
  

Unfair?

What is the difference between this hit...


... and this hit?


Five games apparently. Donald Brashear's hit on Blair Betts cost him a five game suspension (an extra game suspension for his pregame antics). Mike Brown's hit on Jiri Hudler, however, cost him nothing. Brown was just ejected from the game.

The hits are almost identical, both late and to the head. If I were Caps' GM George McPhee, I think I would be looking for an explanation and would appeal Brash's suspension.

Caps Notes:

• Thanks to Japer's Rink, there is a note of caution. The Caps have won seven of eight game ones against the Penguins all time, but only have won one of six series. We don't want to make the same mistake as some New Yorkers did just because of a win.
• Simeon Varlamov has been the talk of the league. His save has been called the save of the playoffs. He even took the number one top play on ESPN's Sports Center top ten plays. I doubt the Penguins did much to shake his confidence and the team is playing well in front of him.
• The best sign of game one by the Capitals fans was an image of a dollar bill with Bruce Boudreau in place of George Washington. Pretty funny, but I would think he would be worth more than just a dollar.
• The Capitals' AHL affiliate Hershey Bears took a 1-0 series lead against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins last night. They won 5-3. Game 2 is tonight at 5 pm in Hershey. It is a full-on franchise battle!

Montreal Or New York

No more guessing. No last game heroics. With just days to go until the end of the season, the Eastern Conference teams are set for the playoffs. Except for who will be opening their first playoff round game in Washington, DC. It it may look like it will take the last game of the season to determine that.

The New York Rangers will win any tiebreaker with Montreal since they have more wins. The only way the Canadiens can take the number seven spot from them is if they win and the Rangers lose. For the Capitals, both teams present challenges. But who is a better matchup?

The Rangers are still having trouble getting their scoring going, but if Henrik Lundqvist is on top of his game that makes for a sneaky Ranger team that could pose problems. After getting off to a lightning quick start, the Rangers have struggled down the stretch. They fired head coach Tom Renney and hired John Tortorella. While the coahing change helped them avoid a first to worst scenario, if the Rangers can't score they will likely be dead in the water.

The Canadiens definitly do not have a scoring problem. With aces like Alex Kovalev and the Kostitsyn brothers, there is no shortage of a power offense. However, the Habs are injured on the blue line and their goaltending in Carey Price has been a hot/cold issue all season long. Montreal would like to avoid facing Boston in the first round if they can, which means they will be gunning for the seventh spot.

The Capitals are looking at two very different teams going into the playoffs and it is a pick your poison scenario. The Capitals have won both season series against both teams. That mental confidence could help.

The Florida Panthers gave it a valient effort, but came up short. Their game against the Capitals will be only for pride as their playoffs hopes died with the Rangers and Canadiens accumulating points in their games last night. It will be interesting to see if Boudreau will rest anyone for Saturday's game.

NHL Notes:

• Things are tight in the West. Three teams are tied with 88 points for the last playoff spot. Anaheim, St. Louis and Nashville will take this to their last games. Minnesota has an outside shot at getting in, but the fore mentioned three would have to lose their reaming games and the Wild would have to win their last two.
• Colorado Avalanche's Joe Sakic will finish the rest of the season watching from the press box. This also puts his career up in the air, will the veteran retire in the summer months? Sakic has been deemed Captain Clutch for his ability to score the big goal when his team needed it the most. If Sakic retires, then there goes a the last of the team that was, Patrick Roy, Sakic, Ray Bourque.
• If you are keeping up with College hockey and the Frozen Four, both Bemidji State and Vermont were knocked off at the Verizon Center last night. To be honest, I haven't been following any of the Frozen Four coverage. So let me know how it comes out.
• The Boston Globe has reported that the next Winter Classic will be at Fenway Park. And the Capitals could be the opponent they face. Originally, officials wanted Montreal to attend, but there seems to be a scheduling faux paux with that plan. Either the Flyers or the Caps could take part in the New Year Day festivities.
  

Tinkering Continues As Caps Look To Sweep Bolts

When the Capitals were going through their slump, Bruce Boudreau started to move personnel around. It's lead to a some interesting line combinations. Some worked, some didn't. Sergei Fedorov is the first to admit he didn't really fit in on the top line. Partly of his performance in the 4-2 win against Atlanta.

"I wasn't really feeling it with my linemates, so we'll have to regroup and come back with a fresh attitude and try to put the pieces together," Fedorov said of his experience starting on the first line with Alex Ovechkin and Alex Semin. Fedorov also took three penalties or half of all the infractions called against the Capitals.

It wasn't the performance of the season for the Caps, they only mustered 26 shots on net, a season low.

Th Tampa Bay Lightning are looking to break the Capitals spell over them. The Caps are looking for their 11th straight win over the Bolts and they will do it against a team that has been playing better in the second half of the season.

Boudreau will most likely tinker with the lines once again. He is trying to get the matchups just right to add spark and get some momentum going into the first round of the playoffs. Some lines, like Tomas Fleischmann, Viktor Kozlov and Nick Backstrom, have a bit of chemistry as they accounted for half of the Caps' scoring Tuesday night.

Caps Notes:

• Donald Brashear is still ailing his sprained knee and most likely will miss the rest of the season in order to rest him for the playoffs. Brash could have been useful tonight against thug Evgeny Artyukhin who has been on a tear recently taking runs at everyone not in a Bolt jersey.
• Tom Poti may be sidelined as he is still nursing a sprained groin. But Poti maybe listed as a healthy scratch and rested.
  
• There was no practice scheduled for the Caps yesterday, and there will be no practice on Friday before the final game against Florida. Rest seems to be the order of the day as the Caps close out their final games. They have finished four of six games that have been played every other day. If it were a playoff series, the Caps would be up 3 games to one (the only loss was a overtime loss to Buffalo).
  

New Blood Can Energize

When Keith Aucoin was acquired in the off season, the Caps brass probably were thinking more of Hershey than DC. They wanted to make sure they had some back up in the wing division. What they got was a 5'8", 168 lbs. monster that has been a spark plug for the Capitals engine.

Now Aucoin is making it harder for GM George McPhee and the coaching staff to find a reason to send down the 30 year old. He has registered 5 points in five games at the NHL level. He is tied with team mate Alexandre Giroux for points in the AHL. He seems to be thriving on the aggressive system Bruce Boudreau likes to play.

"I've done everything they've asked me to do," Aucoin said. "I go out every shift and work hard. I've been rewarded the last few games. I've just got to keep doing that while I'm here."

Boudreau and McPhee have certainly taken notice of the veteran leader, even citing his play as an example to the rest of the team.

"Here's a 5-foot-7 guy, there's a reason he's leading the American league in scoring," Boudreau said. "He's 160 pounds soaking wet and he's finishing checks and winning battles against big guys. There's no reason that our other guys can't do that."

Undrafted, but never deterred, Aucoin has played a pivotal role in the last few games this season for the Capitals. It seems when something hasn't worked, Boudreau has thrown Aucoin into the mix and the ship gets righted.

Case in point, the Capitals' power play yesterday afternoon was struggling. They squandered their first four chances and the Thrashers took the lead on a shorthanded goal. Boudreau changed up the lines putting Aucoin out on the PP. From fourth line to first unit power play, Aucoin was in the right place at the right time scoring his first power play goal in the NHL off of a pretty pass from Alex Ovechkin.

From there it seemed the Caps got their spark, although it would take another period for the goals to come fast and furious. Aucoin's sharp play helped him secure the game's second star yesterday afternoon, helped the Caps secure second place in the East and gave the fans at Verizon something to cheer about in their last home game of the regular season.

Caps Notes:

• Anointing him the "patron saint of second chances," the Toronto Star did a piece on Bruce Boudreau. The coach of the Washington Capitals gets a little recognition outside the beltway. "Authentic. Real. Raw. Not a false bone in his body. A nice guy who took no shortcuts, asked no favours, despite decades of being handed the short end of the stick."
• Viktor Kozlov's play of late is nothing to write home about. He has only 2 assists and is a minus 4 in his last six games. Asked if the forward is nursing injuries and team officials clamp up. Whatever the reason, it's not where the Kozlov would like to be this time of the year, struggling.
• Speaking of the Southeast Division, the Florida Panthers just pulled out a monster game against Pittsburgh. The win will go a long way in trying to secure a playoff spot now that they are tied with the Rangers. More importantly, they kept Evgeni Malkin off the scoresheet, allowing Ovi's two assists pull him closer to the points lead.
  

Are The Caps Ready For The Playoffs?

The NHL playoffs are battles of epic proportions. Two teams locked in a dog fight for seven grueling games. Those not ready for the post season find themselves with four quick losses and a off season full of questions. Those ready to go the distance are hardened warriors, gritty and ready for anything. Skilled players are at the peak of their potential and the hard worker role players are ready to do anything for their team mates.

Are the Capitals the fore, or after? While they can brew talk of a "hot" stick, they seemed mortal against their divisional foes. They can play the best team in the east to four close games and drop a 5-1 loss against a non-playoff team later on. Are they ready for these intense battle or will the over look their opponents and get ushered out to a off season early?

The Capitals have shown that they can be a tough, talented team to beat, unless you play them a bit dirty. Much like the Philadelphia Flyers and Carolina Hurricanes have been playing them.

"You've got to play those guys tough," 'Canes defenseman Joe Corvo said following their 4-1 win over the Caps in Raleigh, NC Saturday night. "You've got to get under their skin. We took a lot of their weapons away."

"Under their skin" is a good way of putting it. It seems this year when the Caps were faced with some chippy-ness, they somehow get off their game. Frustrating them is a way of containing them. The Capitals are not immune to lazy penalties and playing lethargic when faced with a bully-like team.

If the Caps are not ready to come to work for the playoffs, like they have been in a few games down the stretch here, then they will be answering those tough questions after their first round bow out. But they are too good of a team to have that happen and they have too good of a coach to let that happen.

It's time for them to put on their hard hats and go to work. They can't afford to take any team down the stretch lightly. Especially those who may be close to or have a playoff spot. The Caps have eight game remaining on their schedule, five of which are against the Southeast Division (two games against Tampa and Atlanta and a final game with Florida). They also play the Islanders, Toronto and Buffalo, teams that could be easily looked over and have played the Caps tough of late.

Notes:

• The playoff picture is coming into focus in the Eastern Conference, but don't count out the teams on the bubble just yet. In an interesting scenario, all eight teams in the Conference maybe be divisional rivals in the first round with Boston/Montreal (North East Division), New Jersey/Rangers (Atlantic), Washington/Carolina (Southeast) and Philadelphia/Pittsburgh (Atlantic). Florida still has a chance to make it as well as Buffalo, but looking at their schedules it will be an up hill battle.
• The on going Alex Ovechkin and Don Cherry drama is updated on Puck Daddy's website. I have already said my piece on the hot stick. I concur, it is a very hot stick.
• Speaking of the Bruins, they have clinched a playoff spot with their win over the New Jersey Devils yesterday. the first team to do so in the East. The Caps are close but need a couple more points to wrap up a clinch.
• Walt Puddubny, a former NHLer, died suddenly in Thunder Bay, Ont. Besides having a fun name to say five times fast, Puddubny was a former Maple Leaf, Oiler, Devil, Ranger and Nordique. Puddubny was only 49.
  

The Caps Looking To Climb

The Capitals took some time off yesterday, Bruce Boudreau canceled the practice scheduled at St. Pete Times Forum. It was an earned day off considering they held the Florida Panthers, a team desperate to make the playoffs, shot less in the third period helping Jose Theodore to only his second shutout of the season.

Tonight they face the Tampa Bay Lightning, a team that will not make the playoffs. The Caps have had their troubles with teams below the 8th and final playoff spot in the standings (ref. Atlanta Thrashers' beat down 5-1). But with a win tonight, the Caps can leap frog the New Jersey Devils (who lost last night to Carolina) and put the pressure on the Boston Bruins (who play tonight and on Sunday then take five days off before playing again).

Just when you thought the Bruins would not be caught, the Caps are just five points away from the Eastern Conference leader. They had as much as a 12 point lead in the East, but surges from both the Devils and the Caps have the Bruins looking over the shoulders. For the Caps to catch the Bruins they will have to play better defensively and be more consistent.

The game tonight against the Lightning should be a different style of play for the Capitals than the game they played against Florida. Look for the Caps to be a little more aggressive on the forecheck and it should be a much more wide open game. Although, the Caps have to play within themselves and four-on-ones will hurt more than help if they are not more responsible on defense.

The Capitals are 1-1 on this long, five game road trip. They will come back to the phone booth for a four game set before jetting off for their last three games on the road. The season's end is approaching quickly and it is important for the Caps to end these games on a high note as we shift into the post season.

NHL Notes:

• Congratulations to Martin Brodeur for becoming the winningest goaltender in the NHL. I remember when Patrick Roy broke the wins record at the phone booth against the Capitals. What is he going to do with that net?
• The experts at TSN.ca are debating who gets MVP honors. 2 to 1 Alex Ovechkin gets the votes, but it is hard to deny Evgeni Malkin's point assault this season. Of course the reigning MVP should take top honors again, but I am bias.
• The playoff race in the Western Confernce is so tight, it's like a 6'7" fat guy getting in and out of a Smartcar. As it stands, the twelfth place Anaheim Ducks are still in the play off race with 72 points. That makes it as much as seven teams that are on the playoff bubble. This should make the home stretch in the West a battle every night.
  

Morning Notes

Alex Giroux just can't find his scoring niche on the big club. The Caps felt they could use his size and scoring ability against Philadelphia. They sent Giroux back down and called up Keith Aucoin for the Carolina game. I am sure this is just in case Sergei Fedorov is still feeling under the weather or if Matt Bradley can't play after getting his snoz reset.

Aucoin is the points leader in the AHL right now with 86 points and 64 assists among them. He has already debuted with the Capitals earlier this year against the Rangers and may be in the line up as Carolina will be in the phone booth.

The Capitals are looking forward to keep their winning ways going after their two, one-goal wins against Nashville and Philadelphia. Their next five games are all against Southeast Division foes. In fact 10 of the Caps last 13 games are against the Southeast. Points against their divisional foes are more important now than ever.

Notes:

• The Capitals embark on a five game road stretch as the Verizon Center will host the Frozen Four NCAA Championship games. The Caps will not return until almost 2 weeks from now to face Tampa on Friday March 27th.
• Jose Theodore has been stacking up the numbers in the last few games. He has stopped 62 of 64 shots in the last two games, and has posted a 1.71 goals against average in his last four starts. What goaltending problem?
  
• Final thought, I will be at the game tonight in a media capacity. My wife convinced me to apply for a media pass for tonight's game and the Caps' media relation department were happy to oblige. Apparently, they don't do background checks. So if you look up to the press box tonight and see a guy that doesn't look like he belongs, that would be me. That is if I can find the press box.
  

Dangerous Teams On The Bubble

The Washington Capitals have a habit of not taking teams on the bubble very serious of late. That has lead to four straight losses at home, a place that was a tough place to play in for opposing teams. The Caps' trail doesn't smooth out anytime soon as three of the next five opponents are on the playoff bubble and they will have to finish the month of March on the road playing the next seven of nine games in someone else's barn.

The Nashville Predators will be the next test for the Caps who have not done well against the West this season. The Preds are sitting in eighth place in the west and there is a log jam for teams trying to make the playoffs there. The Preds are looking to solidfy a playoff spot in a very tight race in the west. There are signs that they are starting to get out of their slump, but like Bruce Boudreau alluded to, it takes two wins to officially get out of a slump.

The next in line would be the Philadelphia Flyers. A team that the Caps have yet to figure out since the post season a year ago. The Caps are 1-2 against Philly and will have to face them at the Wachovia Center. The Flyers are not on the bubble, but this rough and tumble team are the kind of teams the Caps seem to have trouble with. And the tough opponents will not stop there.

After a tough road trip, the Caps will have to come back to the phone booth to face the Carolina Hurricanes. The 'Canes have been playing very tough and are on a 4 game winning streak that includes beating the Caps, Flames, Rangers and Lightning (they pounded the Bolts 9-3). They too are trying to make the playoffs after having to sit out last post season, at the hands of a surging Capitals team that pushed them out of the playoffs in the last game of the season.

The next three games should be more than enough of a test for the Capitals who desperately need a few wins to keep the pressure on for the top of the East Standings and keep Florida and Carolina at bay in the Southeast. I would be so bold to say that these next three games could be the biggest games of the season for the Capitals.

NHL Notes:

• Guy Carbonneau got the boot in Montreal as the story here seems to be a break down in communication. That makes seven coaches that got their walking papers in the NHL this season. That is a 23% unemployment rate, damn this economy! That is a lot of nice suits in the soup line.
  
• Former Capital Brian Sutherby found a home for the next two years. He signed a two year contract worth $1.6 million with the Dallas Stars.
• The General Managers' meeting in Florida seems to be obsessed with fighting... on the ice that is. As Brian Burke put it, "This will sound really silly, is there a way to [make fighting] safer? You know, guys like me who believe fighting has an intrical part or intrical place in our game. What's the best way to do it in a way that senseless or needless injuries can be averted."
  

Closing The Gap

As of this morning, Boston retains a seven point lead over Washington in the Eastern Conference standings. The Bruins are at 88, the Caps at 81. Both teams are playing tonight against formidable foes. The Caps are hosting Philadelphia and the Bruins are hosting Florida. Both the Caps and the Bruins have hit the 60 game mark so that means there is just 22 games left on the schedule for both teams.

The Caps can catch the Bruins, but it may take winning stretches of 6 to 7 games at a time to match the earlier pace of Boston. There is some hope on the horizon, the Bruins have dropped their last two games versus opponents they should have no trouble with, like Florida and Tampa (although Florida has been on fire of late). Their last two losses came at the end of a five game road trip that did not go as smoothly as the Bruins may have wanted it to. In fact there are some signs of slowing in the Boston machine as they have only garnered 4 points in their last seven games. The Caps have 11 points in their last seven.

Boston and Washington will face off for the last time this season on the last day of February. It is a chance for the Caps to help their own cause, but they will have to do it on enemy ice. So far the Caps have the upper hand on the season series between the two 2 games to one and they were the only team to beat the Bruins in the month of December.

For the Capitals to win in Boston, they will need to bring a bit of emotion into the game. Their last foray into New England, the Caps were done in by a lucky bounce in overtime. The two teams played a systematic game that showed just how evenly matched both teams seemed to be. The hard working defensive Bruins against the extremely explosive offensive Capitals should be another intense, hard fought game.

Both teams are looking for a good month of March to keep their fortunes going. The road may be harder for the Caps as they will be on the road for seven of their 13 games in March due to the NCAA's Frozen Four hosted at the phone booth.

The Caps also have to mindful of their back end. The New Jersey Devils have been hot on the heels of the Caps and the Flyers will most likely make a run themselves at an Eastern Conference title.

NHL Notes

• Welcome back Tortorella! Rangers didn't waste much time in dismissing Tom Renny and jumping on the John Tortorella bandwagon, just before trade deadline too. The Rangers at one time held a commanding lead in the Eastern Conference, but their scoring went on the fritz and now they are just fighting to regain a playoff spot. If Florida should beat Boston tonight, they could leap-frog the Rangers and Montreal and be sitting pretty in fifth.
• While the Caps aren't making a big deal of it, the media is making quite the deal about some of the smack talk between Sid Crosby and Alex Ovechkin. Because the two are such polar opposites and both are marketable ambassadors to hockey, fans and media types alike are intrigued by the match up more so now than in previous years. Before, the two have always down played their rivalry. Now it's heating up and everyone seems to be interested by it. For as many times Crosby says "that's hockey" you think he would know by now that when he has the puck, guys are going to be physical with him. He'll learn, he'll learn.
• Nothing new on the trade front for the Caps. Although, Japer's Rink has some good ideas on where to improve. Caps most likely to be traded, in my opinion, are Micheal Nylander, Shaone Morrisonn and Sami Lepisto.

That is all I got.

Trash Talk To A New Level Between Foes

The Sunday afternoon affair was anything but cordial. It started even before the drop of the puck when Alex Ovechkin was getting ribbed from the Penguin bench during the Pierre McGuire interview at the top of the telecast. It continued until it was certain the 5-2 score would hold up for the Washington Capitals and they go on to win the season series between the two for just the second time in 14 seasons (3-0, the two teams meet for the last time on March 8th).

It might have been the sabbath, but the skaters were anything but Sunday schoolers with all the mouthing off at one another. All the talk seemed to be centered at Sidney Crosby and Ovechkin. Both of whom where riddled with jabs from the benches as they skated by. Then that led to late hits, stick jabs and eventually an encounter in front of the Capital bench where the two had to be separated.

The snide remarks didn't slip past McGuire who was planted between both the benches and was aware of everything going on. As Crosby would skate back to his bench, he would deposit his mouth piece into his glove and jaw at the bench. "Crosby just told [Brooks Laich] that he better look out next time he is on the ice," Pierre would scream into his mic during the broadcast.

"He started it," Caps' bench boss Bruce Boudreau laughed when reporters asked him about Crosby's chirping during the game. "Sidney was jawing at everybody. Every time he would come off, you see him talking to our bench and our bench talking to him."

The Capitals for awhile have tried to find a way to get under the skin of Crosby and the Penguins. It appears to be working. It is also for good reason too, Pittsburgh has always had the upper hand on the lowly Caps since Sid's inception to the NHL. Crosby didn't mind all the talk about Ovechkin when the Penguins were beating them handily every time they played one another.

Now it is a different team, a different season. The Penguins are fighting for life in the playoffs and the Caps are trying to track down the Bruins and accumulate as many points as they can. It wasn't too long ago that those roles were switched. Crosby enjoyed all the success, Ovechkin was on a struggling team and maybe, in some weird way, that was how Crosby always thought it was going to be between the two.

"We are growing up as a team," Ovechkin said as he talked about the change in tide in the Penguin/Capital rivalry. "We played well on the power play, penalty kill. We just didn't give them any chance [today]."

Crosby had been harboring grudges against Ovechkin. He still does. Those grudges are now defining Sidney Crosby's play during these games. He seems too bent on teaching Ovi a lesson or tries to be a more physical player than Ovechkin or a plethora of other nonsense he seems to be doing on the ice instead of playing. The Caps will take it. While Crosby throws a tantrum, the Caps are throwing pucks past him into the Penguins' net.

Instead of a deflating loss for the Penguins, Crosby would rather talk about Ovechkin's questionable style of play. "I was just skating to the bench and he pushed me from behind," Crosby told reporters after the game. "So, I just gave him a shot back. That's hockey, and he likes to run around these days, so that was it."

"Like it or lump it, that's what he does," Crosby continued. "Some people like it, some people don't. Personally, I don't like it."

The Caps don't mind the rough talk from the Kid, for them they seemed to have their eyes on a bigger prize. "We always want to beat those guys. We might face them down the road in the playoffs so we want to put in their minds that they can't beat us," Caps' enforcer Donald Brashear said. "That's the spirit you've got to have and you've got to have the killer instinct. If it were us that was down there, I'm sure they would want to push us out of the way and we are just trying to do the same thing."

NHL Notes

• Unfriendly Florida foray! The Boston Bruins may have had more beech on the mind instead of hockey as they took the Florida road swing. Not only beat by the Florida Panthers (geez these guys are playing good), but lost in the waning moments of the game to Tampa Bay (wait, what?). The Capitals now jump to just nine points away from the Eastern Conference leaders, and if they won against Colorado it would have been just a 7 point lead. Ahh, the games you wish you would have had.


• Scotty Gomez is none too liked in western New York these days. After tangling up with Sabre netminder Ryan Miller, Miller left the game with a high ankle sprain and is questionable for the rest of the season. It couldn't have happened at a more terrible time for Buffalo as they are trying to hold on to a play off spot.


• The Washington Capitals have been named in numerous trade rumors. Talk of the Caps working on getting some experience on the blue line has several defensemen on a short list for what the Caps need. But talk of goaltender has all but dropped off the radar for the Capitals as Jose Theodore's play in the second half of the season seems to appease management.
  

Thoughts On Therrien, NHL Notes

I wanted to wait to talk about Michel Therrien's sudden unemployment until I talked to a few of my Pittsburgh Penguin friends. It's only fair to get their side of the story before I start teasing them mercilessly. So far, from what I can gather, the Pens fans feel that the wrong person was fired.

From the two and a half Pens fans I talked to, the consensus was executive vice president and general manager Ray Shero should have been the one on the chopping block after his inability to sign Marion Hossa and not finding proper replacements for character players like Gary Roberts and Ryan Malone.

Once thought a very deep team, the Penguins suddenly have lost that support that Sid Crosby and Evgeni Malkin had just a year ago. They sorely miss Sergei Gonchar on the back line and I don't think his return is going to help them close that gap to the playoffs.

There are some coaching aspects that did affect the Penguins directly however. The power play for example was ranked 4th in the league a year ago, now it is a dismal 24th this season.

One thing is for sure, it is a good thing the Pittsburgh Steelers took the NFL championship or else the Steel Town faithful's tears it would overflow the Monongahela river.

NHL Notes

• Even though Michel Therrien was fired, he still optimistic about the Penguins making the playoffs. Although that is Dan Bylsma's job now and his first game was a shoot out loss. In the post game interviews, you would have thought someone died.
• The trade deadline is looming, and already the Atlanta Thrashers are in selling mode. The Thrashers dumped Mathieu Schneider to the Montreal Canadiens for some draft picks. Another Southeast Division foe that will be easier to beat.
• Toronto Maple Leaf Tomas Kaberle is reported to have given GM Brian Burke a list of teams he would want to be traded with. The running rumor out of Toronto is Washington is on that list. Also rumors have been circling around a Duck coming to DC (among other places), J.S. Giguere has also been rumored to be moved before the deadline.
• 2010 is only a year away, and Team Canada talk is the buzz of the hockey world north of the border. Pierre McGuire already has his picks out. No surprises that Mike Green is the Capital representative at the Winter Games even getting some pretty amazing praise: "Green has established himself as the world's best goal-scoring defenceman." World class, that's how we roll!