Monday Roundup/Gamenight: Isles @ Caps

[AP Preview - WashingtonCaps.com Preview - Official Game Day Thread]

"Home, home again. I like to be here when I can." The Caps return to the MCI Verizon Center for their first home game since February 11 to open a five-game homestand (which amounts to half of their remaining home games) with a visit from the Islanders which may or may not be televised nationally on OLN. With the Isles and the Penguins (Wednesday) at the front-end of the homestand, it's crucial to get a win or two early, before Ottawa, New Jersey and Buffalo come to town to face the presumably-Wittless bunch.

And while I'm not a big rumor monger, this one concerning tonight's visiting captain is too funny not to pass on (thanks, Netsrak, for the tip):

Two teams that might consider [trading for center Alexei] Yashin are the Nashville Predators and the Washington Capitals... [I]n Washington, Yashin could be reunited with Olympic linemate Alexander Ovechkin, with whom he enjoyed great chemistry in Turin. (The Caps are currently paying half of [Jaromir] Jagr's contract while he delivers an MVP-caliber performance for the Rangers, and they might have some interest in benefiting from a similar deal in reverse.)

Thread of the Day: Pleasant Surprises

Elsewhere 'round the rinks:

• Off Wing Opinion has a great poll up - Who Is The Most Hated Player In The NHL? Go and vote (and no, nut-hacking Ryan Whitney is not on the list).
• With a 4-1 loss last night, the Vancouver Canucks were swept by the St. Louis Blues in the season series between the two teams. Something tells me that come season's end, the 'Nucks will wish they hadn't left some of those eight points on the table.
  

Daily Awards

• Hart: Chris Pronger (Game-tying and -winning goals in 3-2 overtime win)
  
• Ross: Wes Walz, Brenden Morrow, Alex Tanguay, Jay McClement (3 points each)
  
• Norris: Chris Pronger (Game-tying and -winning goals in 3-2 overtime win)
• Vezina: Pascal Leclaire (Win, 2 goals against on 45 shots through overtime, then another 3 stops in the shootout)
  
• Richard: Chris Pronger, Wes Walz, Jason Arnott (2 goals each)
  
• Calder: Pascal Leclaire (Win, 2 goals against on 45 shots through overtime, then another 3 stops in the shootout)
• Aiken: Adam Munro (L, 3 goals against on 11 shots in just 24:52 before being pulled for the equally ineffective Craig Anderson)