Tuesday Roundup

A little more than a week ago, Caps Assistant GM Don Fishman (a.k.a. possessor of perhaps my safest-for-work dream job) sat down with a group of season ticket holders for some "Chalk Talk," a team-hosted Q&A with a member of the organization.

Fishman was surprisingly candid about the team's salary cap situation - the Caps, at that point, were $190,000 below the $56.7 million ceiling. Not $305,000 below or $668,899 below, but $190,000 below.

So what does $190,000 get you in the NHL these days? Well, it'll get you about 55 days (not games, but days) of Chris Bourque or 50 days of Sami Lepisto or or 43 days of Simeon Varlamov or 21 days of Karl Alzner (or three days of Alex Ovechkin).

It'll also get you saving money wherever you can. For example, perusing the AHL transactions page, I noticed this:

Click to enlarge

A couple of paper transactions and $5,107.53 saved? Perhaps - every penny counts (note, too, that the team wasn't exactly broadcasting their moves either - the October 31 press release on Sloan's demotion noted that "Sloan, 27, returns to Hershey after being recalled by the Caps on Oct. 20."). [Update: see the comments for why the cap probably isn't why this was going on, though the underlying point remains]

So things are tight. Damn tight. And remember, teams have to leave some room for short-term injury replacements (i.e. if another defenseman goes down with a day-to-day injury and the team calls up Lepisto, they do so at $3,763.44 per day against the cap while the guy he's replacing is also still counting against the cap).

In other words, barring some serious salary cap shedding, this is the team the Caps will be going with the rest of the way. That $4 million right wing or blueliner you were hoping for at the deadline for a prospect and a pick? Don't count on it - if the Caps are at $190k below the cap at the deadline, they'll only be able to afford about nine days of a player at that salary.

Which brings us to King Karl. To make it easy, let's assume the Caps stay where they are vis a vis the cap and team health, and that they're going to send down Tyler Sloan to make room for Alzner and that they're willing to bump right up against the cap (which is unrealistic because of injuries, as noted before). The earliest it could possibly happen? March 13, give or take a day.

Like I said, these are your 2008-09 Caps - hope you like 'em.

Elsewhere 'Round the Rinks:

If you didn't catch this story on former Caps prospect Robert Mueller yesterday, make sure to now.... At least the Caps made Ryan Getzlaf's day suck a little more back in 2003 (and look - an article about that 2003 Entry Draft that mentions Eric Fehr, though not in the context of "impact players").... Somehow Alex Semin is losing All-Star votes. You can't pin this one on Sarah Palin, elitist liberal media!... A couple of power rankings from yesterday, where the Caps are up two to seventh at CBSSports.com and up three to sixth at The Hockey News (where they refer to Jose Theodore as either an emergency contraceptive pill or a Huey Lewis & The News album - and I'm not sure which is worse).... Wait, I thought it was Ovechkin, not Nicklas Backstrom, who folks thought resembled the Geico caveman.... Thanks to sk8 for passing along this article on John Erskine.... Want to know how Ben Clymer ended up in Minsk? I mean, other than by being a sub-NHL caliber hockey player? He's happy to tell you.... Finally, for the fan who needs all of his (or her) Carrie Milbank pictures in one place, there's this (thanks, Phil, from all of us).

Tuesday Miscellany

For all the latest from Rookie Camp, be sure to check the "What We're Reading" sidebar often during the day, as it'll be current with the great work being done by Vogs, Tarik, Corey and your favorite Caps bloggers (provided that I'm not one of 'em). But from me today you get a link dump (and a Thrashers preview later):

Tuvanhillbilly has translated a Sport-Express interview with Simeon Varlamov that should put to rest any immediate KHL worries.... Some 14-year-old prodigy out in Seattle digs Alex Ovechkin.... Sergei Fedorov, Eric Fehr and Mike Green - what's not to love?... Scott Burnside has questions, we have answers: Yes, Yes, Yes, Anywhere, Yes and Just Watch.... To hell with saving the Bay, it's time to rock the weagle.... Darren Eliot continues to show he's a believer.... Finally, to some this probably reads as somewhat heartbreaking, but I find it to be quite heartwarming. Group hug.

Putting The "Six" In Top Six

Alex Ovechkin, Alex Semin, Nicklas Backstrom, Viktor Kozlov and either Michael Nylander or Sergei Fedorov. Those, presumably, are five of your top six Caps forwards on Opening Night. The question is "Who gets that sixth spot?" Let's try to figure out who deserves to be there.

The contenders: Chris Clark, Eric Fehr, Tomas Fleischmann, Brooks Laich

The stats (all stats are 2007-08 numbers and courtesy BehindTheNet):

• Games Played: Laich (82), Fleischmann (75), Fehr (23), Clark (18)
  
• 5-on-5 TOI/60: Clark (13.21), Fleischmann (10.68), Laich (9.93), Fehr (9.09)
• 5-on-5 Points/60: Laich (1.55), Clark (1.51), Fleischmann (1.42), Fehr (0.57)
  
• 5-on-5 Goals/60: Clark (1.01), Laich (0.74), Fleischmann (0.60), Fehr (0.29)
• Caps 5-on-5 Goals For/60 with Player X on Ice: Fehr (2.58), Clark (2.52), Fleischmann (2.47), Laich (1.77)
  

So far so good? Even though Clark had a miserable season, he was better 5-on-5 than any of the other three, with Laich right behind him, Flash a little ways back and Fehr (individually, but quite the opposite as part of a trio) bringing up the rear. "But wait," you say. "With whom were these guys playing and against whom?" Good question (and I've trained you well to ask it). Let's see:

• Quality of Teammates 5-on-5: Clark (0.53), Fleischmann (-0.15), Laich (-0.15), Fehr (-0.21)
• Quality of Competition 5-on-5: Clark (0.04), Fleischmann (-0.01), Laich (-0.04), Fehr (-0.06)
• Most Frequent Even Strength Linemates: Clark (Ovechkin, Kozlov), Fehr (Laich, Fleischmann), Fleischmann (Nylander, Semin), Laich (Fehr, Fleischmann, edging out Donald Brashear and Matt Bradley)
  

The Captain skated with the best linemates (the best on the entire team, in fact), while the other three skated with the squad's worst (plus/minus-wise, at least). As for the quality of opponents, it was a wash. So Clark produced more thanks in part, no doubt, to his linemates, while the others produced what they did in spite of theirs (that Flash skated most often with Nylander and Semin makes his relative lack of production all the more inexcusable).

But the game is played at two ends of the ice, so let's take a look at that other end:

• Caps 5-on-5 Goals Against/60 with Player X on Ice: Fehr (1.44), Clark (1.77), Laich (2.51), Fleischmann (3.07)

Psst... Tomas... not so good.

Finally, a quick look at 5-on-5 penalties:

• 5-on-5 Penalties Taken/60: Fehr (0.0), Fleischmann (0.6), Laich (1.0), Clark (2.8)
  
• 5-on-5 Penalties Drawn/60: Fehr (1.7), Laich (1.6), Fleischmann (0.4), Clark (0.3)

Obviously, Clark and Flash are on the wrong side of that differential, while Laich and Fehr drew more penalties at 5-on-5 than they took.

It's almost bottom line time, but before we get there, a couple of points. First of all, it should be abundantly clear by now that Tomas Fleischmann - unless he had a tremendous transformation this summer - does not belong in an NHL lineup.

Second, Brooks Laich may currently be suing a Led Zeppelin biographer, claiming that Hammer of the Gods is the trademarked name of his hockey stick, but he has not been a great 5-on-5 hockey player to this point in his career, as his -0.74 goal differential demonstrates (though I did thoroughly enjoy his work with Semin and Backstrom in the Philly series).

Which leaves us with Clark and Fehr. Clark is a more known commodity, as he has put up points when skating with playmakers and snipers, and certainly lends some defensive responsibility to any line on which he skates, but his penalty ratio last year was bad and the year before was nearly even.

Fehr, on the other hand, has yet to show he can produce at 5-on-5, but some of the signs are there - his penalty ratio was very solid, and he proved to not be a liability, as his 1.14 goal differential showed (even better than Clark's 0.75, though both samples were somewhat limited, of course), all despite playing with some of the Caps' weaker forwards. In fact, he had the second-best 5-on-5 goal differential on the team two years ago as well. And, of course, he's scored at every level before getting to the NHL.

Alright, as promised, bottom line time: give the kid a playmaker and a dangler/sniper and see what he can do.

Oh, and pitch Flash in the Atlantic.

H/t to Gorilla Crouch on the inspiration for this post

Fehr Signs, Theodore Poses

A couple of stories from out at K-Plex today, the first being the signing of right wing Eric Fehr (a one-year, two-way deal worth $735,000) and the second being the introduction of the team's new number one goalie to the local media.

Here's the video on the latter:

Don Meehan Reaches Into Ted Leonsis's Pocket

Two weeks ago we speculated that Mike Green's negotiations with the Caps might have stalled in part because Green's agent-by-extension, Don Meehan, had a bone to pick with the Caps after being fired by Alex Ovechkin (to clarify, Green's agent is Craig Oster, an agent in Meehan-founded Newport Sports Management).

Well, today's Newport Sports Management Happy Hour is likely sponsored by the Washington Capitals, as Green signed a four-year, $21 million deal and Meehan client Jose Theodore signed a two-year, $9 million contract. And while the annual total ($9.75 million) is just a shade over what Ovechkin's cap hit will be this year, one wonders if Meehan's thirst for possible revenge is now slaked.

Wait a second - he's an agent. Nevermind. Maybe he can soak the team for another million or more on a new deal for Eric Fehr.

2007-08 Rink Wrap: Eric Fehr

From Backstrom to Steckel, we're taking a quick look at and grading the 2007-08 season for every player* who laced 'em up for the Caps during the campaign (and is still with the team) with an eye towards 2008-09. Next up, Eric Fehr.

Contract Status: RFA; 2007-08 salary of $800,000 (average of $894,933 over the life of his expiring contract)
Age (as of October 1, 2008): 23
NHL Seasons (including 2007-08): Parts of three seasons, 48 NHL games played
2007-08 Regular Season Stats: 23 games played, 1 goals, 5 assists, +4, 6 PIMs (3 goals, 4 assists in 11 games for AHL Hershey)
Key Stat: To many, just the fact that he came back from a mysterious back injury and was able to play was key.
Surprising Stat: Fehr was third on the team (behind the Alexes) in shots on goal per minute of ice time.

The Good: Fehr's another guy who deserves an "incomplete" due to a lack of training camp and limited ice time and games played, but we'll have at him nonetheless. Anyway, Fehr posted an impressive plus-six rating in his final twenty games of the season and had the third best goals for/against on ice per sixty minutes of ice time ratio on the team (thanks in large part to being on the ice for the second fewest goals against per sixty on the team). Fehr was also on the ice for the most Caps shots on goal per sixty of any player, and was on for the third-fewest shots against, giving him a team-best ratio in that combined stat. All of this (though an admittedly small sample) means that the puck was in the offensive zone a lot when Fehr was on the ice. Fehr also drew as many penalties in 23 games as Tomas Fleischmann did in 75 (and in less ice time and usually on lower lines). Take all of the above with his high shot per minute total and proven scoring touch at lower levels, and a lot of the ingredients are there - now Fehr just has to put 'em all together.

The Bad: Take away his three-point game against the Bruins on March 3 and Fehr had a goal and two assists in 22 games. In fact, take away his career numbers against the B's and he has two goals and three assist in 44 NHL games. Fehr's 2.5 shooting percentage was worst among Caps forwards whose first names don't start with "Q," and he had the fewest points per sixty minutes of ice time of any Caps forward (and by a wide margin). Bottom line: with 109 goals in his last 142 WHL games and 50 in his last 121 AHL games, you'd like to have seen more than three in his first 48 NHL games.

The Vote: Rate Fehr on a scale of 1-10 (10 being the best) based on his performance relative to his potential for the season - if he had the best year you could have imagined him having, give him a 10; if he more or less played as you expected he would, give him a 5 or a 6; if he had the worst year you could have imagined him having, give him a 1.

The Questions: What role do you see Fehr playing on the 2008-09 Caps - is he ready for full-time duty on a top-two line in the NHL? What will it take for him to earn a 10 rating next year?

If you've missed any of the previous 2007-08 Rink Wraps, click here, get caught up, and vote - polls will stay open for a while.

* And by "every," we mean every one who played more than just a handful of games.

Eric Fehr Recalled From Hershey

In a move to add some secondary scoring (we hope), the Caps have recalled Eric Fehr from Hershey. From the press release,

"The Washington Capitals have recalled right wing Eric Fehr from the Hershey Bears of the American Hockey League (AHL), vice president and general manager George McPhee announced today.

Fehr, 22, has played in 10 games for Hershey this year after missing most of the season with an injury. He returned to the lineup on Jan. 9 and had an assist on his first shift. Fehr has two goals and four assists with the Bears this year."

Tarik has Fehr playing on the first line with Ovechkin and Backstrom (the FOB line?), with Kozlov centering Semin and Fleischmann (the FKS) on the second.

Thursday Roundup/Caps 2, Avs 1

[AP Recap - Game Summary - Super Stats - WashingtonCaps.com Recap]

There's little doubt in my mind that last night's Avalanche posed the smallest offensive threat of any team the Caps have played so far this season. Sure, they scored a goal (and came close a few more times late), but if it wasn't for a strong game from Jose "Hair Club" Theodore in between the pipes (and the Caps pounding shot after shot into the middle of the logo on the front of his sweater), last night's game would not have been close. A few more thoughts on the game:

• Hats off to Olie Kolzig who made every save he needed to make, including a left leg kickout on a goal mouth scramble that instantly transported 16,000 fans back to 2000.
• Quintin Laing's effort on the third period penalty kill was incredibly inspiring (and the fans acknowledgement of it with a standing ovation speaks to their savvy as well).
• Shaone Morrisonn's diving poke check was a thing of beauty, but his decision to step up on Wojtek Wolski with just over three minutes left was a poor one that cost the Caps.
• I know the fourth line was the Caps' best all night, but I don't want to see Donald Brashear on the ice in the last five minutes of a tight game. Ever.
• I've long been a Brooks Laich fan (it's true), and this year he has proven to be worth that faith.
• I didn't see the hit that sent Matt Bradley flying, but he was in ill-humor thereafter and immediately sought out Jeff Finger as a dance partner.
• Mike Green's rush with four minutes left in the first period was a thing of beauty, and Alex Semin had as pretty an unsuccessful breakaway as you'll see.
• Steve Eminger had a bit of an attitude last night and led the team with four hits.
• The Caps dominated the dot, winning 58% of all draws on the night.
  
• Memo to the Guy Sitting Behind Me Last Night: I didn't want to embarrass you in front of your man-date, but it's "Boudreau" (Bourdeaux is a city in France known for its wines), Mike Green will not be winning the Rookie of the Year this year (call it a hunch), and just because you've got a mouth doesn't mean you have to run it for 60 minutes of action. Cheers.
  

So now it's a few more days off for the Caps to heal up a bit more before facing Philly in a Sunday matinee that has all the makings of a playoff-like atmosphere. They'll need to adjust the sites on their sticks if they're going to have any luck against the Flyers, but then again luck is the due reward of the skillful - and these Caps are showing themselves to be just that.

Elsewhere 'Round the Rinks:

Eric Fehr played - and played well - for Hershey last night.... Bad off-ice news for Bears enforcer Louis Robitaille.... Michal Neuvirth has been traded again (thanks to Brian for sending this one in).

Daily Awards

• Hart: Todd Bertuzzi (Game-winning G, 2A, +3)
  
• Ross: Mike Modano, Corey Perry, Todd Bertuzzi (3 points each)
  
• Norris: Sergei Zubov (A, +2, 2 blocked shots, 3 SOG)
  
• Vezina: Olie Kolzig (W, 18 saves on 19 shots against)
  
• Richard: 12 players tied with one goal apiece
  
• Calder: Nicklas Backstrom (61% faceoffs won)
  
• Aiken: Vesa Toskala (L, 5 goals allowed on 24 shots against)
  

Wednesday Roundup/Gamenight: Avs @ Caps

[AP Preview - WashingtonCaps.com Preview]

When last we saw the Avalanche, Mike Green was tooling his way through their entire team, Alex Ovechkin was blasting Karlis Skrastins through the glass, and Olie Kolzig was stopping a ridiculous 45 shots on goal en route to a 5-3 Caps win. The last time Colorado visited D.C. was even longer ago, all the way back in March of 2003 (a 2-1 Caps win thanks to a Sergei Berezin goal. Seriously).

Over the years, Washington has been inhospitable to tonight's visitors. In fact, since moving from Quebec to Denver, the Avs haven't won a single game in regulation in our nation's capital (both of their wins have come in OT, to go along with four losses and a tie).

If more recent history is your thing, Colorado has the fewest road wins in the Western Conference on the season. And if you're into really recent history, the Avs dropped a game last night in Detroit, their first stop on a five-game road swing that will take them to each of the Southeast Division cities other than Atlanta.

And despite a horrendous power-play and a bad penalty kill, the Avalanche are hanging right around the eight-spot out West (of course, a good week and they're looking at home-ice advantage in the first round - viva parity!), and lament as we might the Caps' current injury issues, the Avs are without Joe Sakic and Ryan Smyth (among others) - that's 2,203 career NHL points in the press box for those of you keeping score at home.

So as long as Paul Stastny doesn't do to the Caps what his father and uncle did nearly 27 years ago, there's no reason the Caps can't send the Avs South still searching for (and hopefully finding) their first points on this road trip.

Why The Avalanche Will Win:

"The Avs are looking to comeback from an embarrassing loss to the dreaded Red Wings, and the Caps are the perfect team to make a comeback against. [Peter] Budaj should get the start, the Avs are hot against the Eastern Conference, and it's time for the team to win without the help of Joe Sakic and Ryan Smyth, both on long time IR.

If the lack of defense of Alex Ovechkin can be exploited, and he can be kept in check, the Avs should rule the game. Or not." - Jerseys and Hockey Love

"The Avs will certainly beat the Capitals. Our coach has come up with a super secret plan that can't be stopped: he dresses eight defensemen and everyone knows eight defensemen is more than six defensemen. With two more defensemen than all the other teams, how could we lose?" - In The Cheap Seats

"The Avs will probably not win against the Capitals because Coach Joel Quenneville will probably start Jose Theodore in net---AGAIN. And also because the whole team is playing like crap lately." - Mile High Hockey

Elsewhere 'Round the Rinks:

Eric Fehr may play tonight (happy, Jan?).... Will Alex Ovechkin go back to Russia to be a whale in a fishbowl? In a word, no.... Go Canucks Go?... More Karl Alzner.

Daily Awards

• Hart: Chris Gratton (2G, A, +3, 3 SOG)
  
• Ross: Chris Gratton, Erik Johnson, Andy McDonald, Scott Hartnell, David Legwand (3 points each)
  
• Norris: Erik Johnson (3A, +2, 2 hits)
• Vezina: Dominik Hasek (19-save shutout win)
  
• Richard: Jeff Carter, Chris Gratton, Andy McDonald (2G each)
  
• Calder: Erik Johnson (3A, +2, 2 hits)
  
• Aiken: Jason LaBarbera (L, 3 goals allowed on 7 shots against in just 6:40 of work)
  

Good News From Chocolatetown

Per Tim Leone, Eric Fehr "competed intensely at practice" this week, and Bears' interim head coach Bob Woods "indicated there's a chance Fehr could be cleared to play within a month. 'We're optimistic that that's going to be the case,' Woods said."

Friday Roundup/Gamenight: Caps @ Devils

[AP Preview - WashingtonCaps.com Preview]

Two players skate onto a rink. Player A has 3 goals, 12 assists, 8 PIMs, 78 shots on goal and a minus-1 rating on the year. Player B has 5 goals, 10 assists, 8 PIMs, 32 shots on goal and an even rating on the year. They've each played 27 games, their first 27 for new teams. If Player A is considered a disappointment who is not yet living up to the expectations that come with his $2.5 million per year, what would you call the $3.4 million per year Dainius Zubrus, err, Player B?

What would Zubie do? Apparently not all that much.

Despite a lack of production from their big free agent acquisition, the Devils are appropriately on fire, winning eight straight games and racing towards the top of the Atlantic Division after a dreadful (for them) start. How are they doing it? Goaltending (of course), but also strong special teams and an offense that's been rejuvenated by the return to the lineup of now-captain Jamie Langenbrunner (11 points in ten games). During the winning streak, the Devs are out-scoring opponents by two goals per game (3.5 to 1.5), have connected on 23.5% of their power plays and have killed off 90% of opponents' extra man advantages.

And then there's Zach Parise and his 32 points. Indulge me this moment to cry over spilled milk and what nearly might have been, would you? Thanks. Let's take a quick look back at the middle of the first round of the 2003 Entry Draft:

Each of the guys flanking Eric Fehr has 126 career points. Fehr? Three. Ouch.

Speaking of injuries, the Caps will play tonight without Chris Clark, Boyd Gordon and now Michael Nylander. That's the team's top right wing, top defensive forward (and faceoff guy) and top center. Sweet. Oh, and the three goals Alex Ovechkin has scored in his career against the Devils is the fewest he has potted against any Eastern Conference opponent other than Montreal (against whom he has scored twice; AO also has just three against Pitt and Boston).

All that said, it's time for Alex Semin to start filling the net. Having most of this week off, number twenty-eight has had a chance to both shake off the rust and get healthy. No excuses. Step it up. And bring Viktor Kozlov with you.

Elsewhere 'Round the Rinks:

The organization's injury woes aren't limited to the NHL, as Chris Bourque is Hershey's latest injury (Josef Boumedienne, Dean Arsene and, of course, Fehr are already on the shelf), sidelined with "concussion-like symptoms." That's potentially worrisome for a guy who missed eight games in 2005-06 after suffering a concussion and being "unconscious for 45 seconds while he was carried off on a stretcher."... With the Caps likely to recall someone from Hershey today (could Ben Clymer return to D.C. or will the Motzko Motzko Man era resume?), the Bears have called up Owen Fussey (but hopefully not his acne) from ECHL Columbia.... The hockey world's most famous mullet will be in attendance for tonight's game.... Prior to tonight's game, the Devils will honor Scott Stevens' Hall of Fame induction. It's nice of them to wait until the Caps came to town to do so - or is it just being done now to rub it in our faces? Hmmm.... If you're dying to know what former Cap Yogi Svejkovsky's up to these days, click here....Finally, some Caps trivia: three players have scored 200 goals in a Caps jersey. The first two are easy (Peter Bondra and Mike Gartner). Name the third (hint #1: he scored his 200th for the Caps 14 years ago tonight; hint #2: it's not Svejkovsky). Click here for the answer.

Daily Awards

• Hart: Nik Antropov (3G, including the game-winner, 3 SOG, 4 hits, 2 blocked shots)
  
• Ross: Anze Kopitar (4 points)
  
• Norris: Tom Preissing (2G, including the game-winner A)
  
• Vezina: Johan Holmqvist (W, 23 saves on 24 shots against)
  
• Richard: Nik Antropov (3G)
  
• Calder: Kyle Chipchura (G, 2 SOG, 62% faceoffs won)
  
• Aiken: Jocelyn Thibault (L, 4 goals allowed on 14 shots against in just one period of work)
  

Fehr Skates

With all that's going on in Washington, it's nice to see a little nugget from Hershey. Indeed, it's perhaps fittingly tucked in a blurb about Bruce Boudreau as a potential replacement for Glen Hanlon, in the event that one is needed.

Nevertheless, there it is:

Eric Fehr, sidelined since last season, has begun skating.

It's not much, but it's something of a pleasant surprise. The article continues:

"He skated well," Boudreau said. "I don't want to put a pressure point on. Whenever he can play he'll play. He's feeling a lot better now than he did three weeks ago. That's a very good sign."

Indeed it is.

We now return you to your regularly scheduled lynch mobbery.

Thursday Roundup/Gamenight: Caps @ Panthers

[AP Preview - WashingtonCaps.com Preview]

They say that misery loves company, and while you know precisely how miserable the Caps have been on most nights this fall, you may not have noticed that they're only two points behind the Panthers (with two games in hand) in the Southeast standings. How's that for company?

The Kitties actually have a very good power play (welcome "Brian Rafalski-lite" Cory Murphy to the, um, rivalry) and a good penalty kill, but have been absolutely brutal five-on-five. Overall, the Cats are scoring just .12 goals per game more than the Caps and surrendering .28 goals per game more than the boys from D.C. Florida has lost four straight entering Thursday night's game (including a heart-breaker to Atlanta on Tuesday) and have the same 3-6-1 record over their last ten games as the Caps do over their last ten.

On the personnel front, old buddy Richard Zednik has a half-dozen goals in 15 games (which would be good enough for second-most on the Caps), Olli Jokinen is Olli Jokinen and Tomas Vokoun has yet to prove to be the South Beach Savior in between the pipes (7-9-0, 3.13, .913). But when it comes to the Panthers, it's always the Stumpels, Weisses and Sims that seem to kill the Caps, so be on the lookout for - I dunno - David Booth tonight. [Note: for a more in-depth and not-yet-totally-outdated refresher on the Cats, check out my preseason preview over at FanHouse]

For their part, the Caps should get a shot in the arm with the return of Chris Clark . Forget about his skill and potential on the first line for a second (hard to do, I know) - it's his leadership that has been most sorely missed and will be a welcome addition to the Caps lineup. And if you're playing "Guess Which Viktor Kozlov Shows Up Tonight" at home, flip a coin as the third-highest scorer in Panther history returns to Florida, a team against whom he has eight points in 13 career games but was held scoreless against in four games last year as an Islander.

On the road to the playoffs (or at least to respectability), you've gotta beat the teams you've gotta beat, and for both the Caps and the Panthers, tonight's opponent is one of those teams. The loser will find themselves in the Southeast cellar. The winner... well, they'll still have some pretty miserable company nearby.

Elsewhere 'Round the Rinks:

Rink Reader Jan asked me for an Eric Fehr update a week-and-a-half ago and, with my apologies for letting it slip through the cracks, Tarik provided one yesterday.... For a Pens fan's take on yesterday's Caps practice, check out frequent commentor Hooks Orpik's blog. Seriously.

Daily Awards

• Hart: Vincent Lecavalier (3G, including the game-winner, 2A, +5, 5 SOG, 4 takeaways, 0 giveaways)
  
• Ross: Vincent Lecavalier (5 points)
  
• Norris: Paul Ranger (G, A, +3, 2 hits, 2 blocked shots)
  
• Vezina: Mathieu Garon (29-save shutout shootout win)
  
• Richard: Vincent Lecavalier (3G)
  
• Calder: Devin Setoguchi (G, game-clinching shootout goal, +1, 4 SOG, 2 blocked shots)
  
• Aiken: Cory Stillman (0 points, -4)
  

Fehr Fails Physical

Corey Masisak is reporting that Eric Fehr and Dean Arsene have failed their physicals and will not be taking part in training camp when it opens tomorrow.

Much more from Media Day at Kettler in just a bit...

Flogging Ourselves With 20/20 Hindsight

Watching last night's Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals, one can't help but wonder what might have been had GMGM chosen Ryan Getzlaf instead of Eric Fehr back in 2003 (by the way, how stacked was that draft?).

Sure, it's easy to cherry-pick a single selection that may or may not have missed (let's revisit this in a few years), and I think that GMGM's drafting record often receives an unfair amount of criticism. But considering that Getzlaf was rated 10 spots higher in the Central Scouting Bureau's final rankings, it's hard not to be at least a little bit disappointed that McPhee went with his gut (or his own scouts' evaluations) and not the conventional wisdom on that pick.

Caps Still Top Five

Hockey's Future has it's Spring 2007 Organizational Rankings up and the Caps are #5.

Here's HF's assessment:

Strengths: Washington's strengths start back in the net where they have Semen Varlamov and Michael Neuvirth. Varlamov and Neuvirth seem to have the biggest upside as of now. Both are highly athletic goaltenders that move very fast and are capable of making key saves. On the defensive end Jeff Schultz and Patrick McNeill are providing solid but unspectacular depth. Up front, Nicklas Backstrom, who is one of the best prospects outside of the NHL right now, leads the troops. He doesn't need any further introduction, while his fellow prospects Eric Fehr, Tomas Fleischmann, Francois Bouchard still haven’t reached same status (but bring excellent offensive ability).

Weaknesses: The team could use some more depth on the left side, as the prospects behind Fleischmann aren’t really close to the NHL. The center position could also use another solid centerman, as the only two that look like future NHLers right now are Backstrom and Chris Bourque.

Top Five Prospects: Nicklas Backstrom (C), Eric Fehr (RW), Semen Varlamov (G), Francois Bouchard (RW), Tomas Fleischmann (LW)

Key Graduates: Mike Green (D)

Hockey's Future: Capitals Top 20 Prospects

Hockey's Future has updated its Top 20 Caps Prospects (with a couple of paragraphs on each player) and the only thing that really jumps out at me is that Francois Bouchard has leap-frogged Tomas Fleischmann. Travis Morin's low ranking and the omission of Viktor Dovgan have some scratching their heads, but all in all, the list is rather unsurprising (and it's great to see two goalies so high on the list). Here it is, with a cherry-picked, not-always-in-context money quote for each player:

1. Nicklas Backstrom, C - "has the potential and maturity to center a first line as soon as next season"
2. Eric Fehr, RW - "with his impressive offensive prowess and ongoing success in the AHL, Fehr will not be a man with two teams for much longer"
3. Semen Varlamov, G - "quick legs, and a very quick glove, which lets him excel at breakaways, especially shootouts"
4. Francois Bouchard, C/RW - "he might not just contribute, but be an impact player"
5. Tomas Fleischmann, LW - "with great hockey sense, along with an impressive shot and playmaking ability, Fleischmann has excellent offensive potential"
6. Michal Neuvirth, G - "a well-rounded butterfly style goaltender who shines under pressure situations. Rarely getting rattled, his mental toughness is remarkable for his age."
7. Chris Bourque, LW/RW - "has all intangibles -- great hockey sense, excellent skating, leadership, competitiveness, and above all, the ability to put himself in the right positions to score"
8. Jeff Schultz, D - "all the physical potential to become a keystone defenseman at the NHL level"
9. Patrick McNeill, D - "has enormous offensive potential, and is defensively sound"
10. Keith Seabrook, D - "has an incredibly hard shot from the point, and an ability to find open shooting lanes"
11. Oskar Osala, LW - "has incredible offensive talent, and at 6'4 his great speed and skating ability is very rare"
12. Sami Lepisto, D - "One of the best young defensemen in Finland, Lepisto excels at puck control; with a very calm demeanor he makes good passes and exudes confidence with the puck."
13. Joe Finley, D - "His incredible size, mixed with a certain aggressiveness, gives him the ability to take control of a game from a defensive standpoint."
14. Maxime Daigneault, G - "With good size, and an aggressively challenging style, Daigneault covers a lot of space in the net and uses his butterfly technique and quick glove to stymie shooters."
15. Sasha Pokulok, D - "Out of all the defensemen in the Capitals prospect system, Pokulok may be the most well-rounded."
16. Andrew Gordon, RW - "Gordon has what every club in the NHL looks for in offensive players: consistency at a high level."
17. Travis Morin, C - "His great playmaking skills, matched with excellent puckhandling, makes Morin successful on the power play."
18. Mathieu Perreault, C - "has enormous offensive upside"
19. Stephen Werner, RW - "Werner is a good playmaker and makes good decisions. He has a hard shot and is good through traffic, but his calling card is his speed."
20. Jamie Hunt, D - "extremely quick and a very good skater for his size"

The Curse Of The Caps 14

With the recent news less-than-surprising revelation that Caps' top right-wing prospect Eric Fehr still has not skated since late February due to a wonky back (and is "nowhere close" to getting back on the ice), one can't help but wonder if this is going to be the kind of injury that will linger and dog Fehr throughout his career. If it is, the former Western Hockey League scoring champ may have no one to blame but himself. You see, it seems as though the number 14 for the Washington Capitals is [cue eerie music]... cursed!

Here's a run-down of all the players to ever wear the number for the Caps and the ill-fates with which many of them met:

Tommy Williams (1974-75) - Williams (pictured - awesome pants), a member of the 1960 U.S. Olympic team that won gold in Squaw Valley a decade-and-a-half earlier, led the Capitals in scoring in their inaugural season with 22 goals and 36 assists (and a woeful minus-48 plus-minus rating). He retired after playing just 34 NHL games the following year and died prematurely at the age of 51 some 16 years later.

Gerry Meehan (1975-79) - Meehan tallied 65 goals and 79 assists in 208 games for some pretty miserable early Caps teams before retiring... and becoming a lawyer (frightening!).

Blair Stewart (1978-79) - Stewart wore #23 for his first four seasons with the Caps, switched to #14 and only played 75 NHL games after the change.

Antero Lehtonen (1979-80) - Despite apparently being pretty sweet back in his native Finland, Lehtonen didn't play a single game in the NHL after taking off the Caps' #14 for the last time.

Dwayne Lowdermilk (1980-81) - An "offensive minded blueliner who put up big numbers in junior and enjoyed a solid minor pro career," Lowdermilk played both - yes, both - of his NHL games for the Caps wearing #14.

Errol Rausse (1980-81) - Picked 24th overall in 1979, Rausse tried to salvage his career by switching from #14 to #12, but it was of no use. 31 NHL games, only two of which came after wearing the big one-four in D.C.

Gaetan Duchesne (1981-87) - You know the story on Gator (pictured), who tragically passed away just a couple of weeks ago at the age of 44.

Mike Richard (1987-88) - Richard, like Rausse, tried to escape the curse of #14, but it was too late - he played a total of seven NHL games and never did score a goal.

Geoff Courtnall (1988-90) - Courts only played two seasons in Washington, but scored 77 goals (including a 42-goal campaign in 1988-89). He went on to score more than 200 goals after leaving D.C., but his curse lies is in the reason why he was shipped out.

Dave Tippett (1990-92) - In the past four seasons, the Tippett-coached Dallas Stars have been one of the best teams in the NHL in the regular season, but have won only one playoff series. It seems as if the Marty Turco excuse is gone after this year, so that leaves the curse as the best reason I can come up with.

Kevin Miller (1992) - The trade that sent Dino Ciccarelli to Detroit for arguably the least-talented K. Miller was one of the worst in team history, as the Caps got 10 games and no goals out of Kevbo (I guess the curse was on the team, not the player on this one, as Miller actually went on to have three 20-goal campaigns after leaving D.C.).

Paul Cavallini (1992-93) - Oddly enough, Cavallini was acquired for a second tour of duty with the Caps from the St. Louis Blues in exchange for the forementioned Miller. One season wearing the ol' X-I-V, five goals and off to Dallas.

Pat Peake (1993-98) - With 58 goals and 136 points in just 46 games, Peake (pictured) was the Canadian Hockey League's 1993 Player of the Year and seemed to be headed for a long and productive NHL career until, as Mirtle describes it, he "was chasing down a puck, trying to beat an icing call during the 1996 playoffs when he tripped and collided feet first with the end boards, shattering his right heel. Doctors claimed they had seen an injury of similar severity only in construction workers who had fallen from high rises." Patty would only play eight NHL games thereafter, retiring at 25-years-old after shredding the tendons in that same right ankle.

Patrik Augusta, Patrice Lefebvre (1998-99) - The fact that both of these guys wore the same jersey number in the same year (they should have just stitched "Pat" on the back and saved some time) tells you most of what you need to know, a combined seven career NHL games and no NHL points tells you the rest.

Joe Sacco (1999-02) - Known to Caps fans (at least to this one) as Joe Sucko, the speedy winger scored 14 goals in 213 games for the Caps, but none in 65 games in his last season in D.C. In fact, he only scored one more NHL goal after leaving town, meaning he was goal-less in at least his last 99 career NHL games.

Kip Miller (2002-04) - Miller was brought in as part of the "Washington Penguins" movement of the early 00's, but was unable to keep you-know-who happy. Miller hasn't played an NHL game since leaving town, but did lead the AHL's Grand Rapids Griffins (of Bruce Cassidy fame) in scoring this year. Impressed? Me neither.

Which brings us to Fehr. The Caps have understandably high hopes for the young winger, but are undoubtedly concerned about his current injury, an injury that might have been avoided... had he just chosen another number.

Clark Out, Fehr Questionable, Flash Up

Per Tarik, Chris Clark is out 7-10 days and Eric Fehr is day-to-day with a groin injury. With the injuries, the team has recalled Tomas Flesichmann.

The obvious move would be to put Flash and Ben Clymer into the lineup for Clark and Fehr and shuffle around the wings a little bit.

The less obvious move would be to play Flash or Richard Zednik on the top line, the other on the second line, give Steve Eminger a sweater and semi-double-shift Alex Ovechkin and Alex Semin. This would get the Alexes more ice-time (which they've needed lately) and would allow the d-corps to be fresher for the back-to-back games against the Devils. Oh yeah, and it would get Steve Eminger in the lineup. If Emmy can't crack the lineup now, I may be more inclined to believe the rumors that he may be on his way out the door.

AHL All-Stars Announced

Congrats to Hershey Bears forwards Alexandre Giroux and Tomas Fleischmann and defenseman Lawrence Nycholat on being named to the AHL All-Star teams. Kudos also to head coach Bruce Boudreau and his staff, who will be behind the benches for the game later this month.

Giroux and Nycholat were elected starters for the Canadian team and were profiled thusly:

Lawrence Nycholat, Defense (Hershey Bears): Making his third consecutive AHL All-Star Classic appearance, Lawrence Nycholat is currently the league’s top-scoring defenseman with 28 points in 29 games for the Bears. Nycholat also sports a plus/minus rating of plus-14 and is serving as captain of the defending Calder Cup champions. The Calgary native has added two goals and four assists for six points in eight NHL games with the Washington Capitals this season, including his first career NHL goal vs. New Jersey’s Martin Brodeur on Dec. 29.

Alexandre Giroux, Forward (Hershey Bears): Perennial scoring threat Alexandre Giroux earns his first AHL All-Star Classic selection this season, having already amassed 27 goals and 41 points in 36 games for Hershey in 2006-07. A native of Quebec City, Giroux is coming off back-to-back 30-goal seasons in the AHL, and rattled off 11 goals during a nine-game stretch with the Bears from Nov. 11-29. The 25-year-old Giroux has also appeared in two NHL games with Washington this year.

I do have one question, though - why'd Eric Fehr get screwed?