Another Devil Diamond In The Rough?

It looks as if Lou Lamoriello may have yet again done what Lou Lamoriello does best; he's taken another team's castoff and potentially turned him into an NHLer. From the NY Post:

The Devils have done it again, unearthing just what they need from nowhere for nothing. This time, they've found a rare longshot - unsung Johnny Oduya, a black [Rink note: I'm not sure what that has to do with anything] Swede.

They're desperate for defensemen, and Stockholm native Oduya has impressed everyone with his skating agility, poise and sensible shooting.

The article continues:

He was drafted ... in the seventh round in 2001, but returned to Sweden due to a lack of opportunity. He led the Swedish league in penalty minutes in 2003-04 but changed teams and his style last season. He became a free agent over the summer and a $55G signing bonus and a contract for the $450G minimum, with a $65G minor-league salary, was enough for the Devils to secure him.

Here, then, is the punchline: the team that gave up on Oduya? You guessed it - your Washington Capitals. A couple of preseason games don't really amount to much, of course (see Bochenski, Brandon), but Oduya's development bears watching.

At least now we know that the Caps aren't "desperate for defensemen."