Godfrey, Pinizzotto To South Carolina

Blueliner Josh Godfrey and winger Steve Pinizzotto have been re-assigned from AHL Hershey to South Carolina of the ECHL. Neither had been doing - or, more importantly playing - much, though JGod did have that pre-season hat trick.

For more on the moves, check out Rays the Roof.

Hatties For Delly, Godfrey

As the Caps prepare for their final preseason game against the Bruins on Sunday, their prospects keep lighting the lamp at lower levels, headlined last night by Stefan Della Rovere's hat trick (and two assists) for OHL Barrie and blueliner Josh Godfrey's trick in the Hershey Bears preseason-ending blowout of Wilkes-Barre Scranton.

Here's John Walton on JGod's efforts:

[After Alexandre Giroux (two goals, two assists) scored to give the Bears a 4-0 second period lead,] Josh Godfrey then turned the rest of the period into his personal highlight reel, scoring twice on two shots at from the blue line. Godfrey’s first goal came at 9:49 of the second, with his second tally coming at 19:58 just prior to the end of the period. Both slapshots got past Pens goaltender Adam Berkhoel, and HERSHEY led 6-0 after two.

Godfrey finished off his hat trick in the third period with a goal just 1:22 in.

It looks like John Carlson and the London Knights may not be the only ones who are "going to score as much as [they] want."

Wednesday Roundup/Gamenight: Caps @ 'Canes

[WashingtonCaps.com Preview - J.P.'s Carolina Hurricanes Season Preview]

So it may not count for all that much in the grand scheme of things, but for the first time since last April, the Washington Capitals (or some approximation thereof) will take to the ice tonight against an NHL opponent (or some approximation thereof) as they head to Raleigh to play the Hurricanes (or some approximation thereof).

Remember the last time these two teams met? If not, here's the recap and the video evidence:

Awesome (and note the game's three stars - what a truly magical run).

Back to the here and now and on to tonight's the rosters, Tarik reports that Bruce Boudreau et. al. will choose from among the following players when putting together their lineup:

Goalies: Johnson, Varlamov and Machesney.

Forwards: Bradley, Bourque, Beagle, Fleischmann, Fehr, Aucoin, Laich, Kozlov, Giroux, Steckel, Osala, Laing, Joudrey, Andrew Gordon, Morin, Perreault, Nylander.

Defensemen: Jurcina, Morrisonn, Cutta, Lepsito, Alzner, Schultz, Godfrey and Carlson.

Presumably this means that a trio of Russians and the new netminder, among others, will be available for the preseason home opener when these two teams meet again on Thursday night. Also, is it odd that Viktor Kozlov is on the list (but neither of his expected linemates is), while Michael Nylander and Tomas Fleischmann's expected right wing (Chris Clark) isn't on this roster? Probably not.

Carolina may counter with a group that looks like this:

Sergei Samsonov - Matt Cullen -Drayson Bowman
Ryan Bayda - Jeff O'Neill - Scott Walker
Chad LaRose - Brandon Sutter - Dan LaCouture
Matt Murley - Dwight Helminen - Jakub Petruzalek

Joni Pitkanen - Tim Gleason
Niclas Wallin - Joe Corvo
Casey Borer - Brett Carson

Cam Ward
Justin Peters

I say "may counter" because the source of the lines is an "educated guess" from a guy who apparently doesn't know much about hockey.

As for the game itself, Bowman and Sutter are probably the 'Canes two best forward prospects, so keep an eye (or whatever) on them, and note that those top four defensemen and the starting netminder will all be in Carolina this year, so it will be interesting to see what an Alex-less, Backstrom-less, Green-less offense can do against them.

Note: Per the team, audio of all seven preseason games will be available on WashingtonCaps.com, and fans in the D.C. market can watch the three preseason home games live online. The final four preseason games (starting Sept. 29) will also be available on WFED 1500 AM and WWFD 820 AM.

Elsewhere 'Round the Rinks:

Those Nylander trade rumors won't die, will they?... The Caps' video shoot from Monday night (which will no doubt end up here some day) has been covered pretty extensively, and I have nothing to add (but only because it's too soon to make a Travis Barker joke about this YouTube gem).... Speaking of videos, Josh Godfrey was mic'd up for the rookie game, and the feature is definitely worth checking out, if for no other reason than to hear an f-bomb dropped at WaPo.com (just after the 3:00 mark, and right after he calls a Flyer... "bung sauce?").... Sergei Fedorov: Fantasy Hockey Kryptonite (for what it's worth, I've got Feds pegged for 14 goals and 29 assists).... Jose Theodore has something to prove.... Building the (then) MCI Center in downtown D.C. was a good idea. Building the (then) Palladium 28 km from downtown Ottawa? Not so much.... Stefan Della Rovere's OHL team is expecting a lot from him, which is good.... The Pens like Matt Cooke and will skate him with Maxime Talbot and Ruslan Fedotenko.... Know who's not making the Bruins? The guy whose name they misspelled on his jersey.... Staying in New England, want to read about Bruce Cassidy begging for a job? Of course you do.... Nolan Yonkman (who - surprise - is currently injured) is apparently part of the Predators' plans.... I really dig Lowetide, but go vote for our good friends at Bfloblog (and while you're there, vote for Peerless and PPP too). Think of it as practice for November.... My alma mater is finally getting a D-I hockey team. Now if they could only get a D-I football team.... Finally, I know it's a region out in B.C., but I still think "Kootenay" sounds like a euphemism for, um, girl parts.

Odds And Ends

We interrupt your previous scheduled playoff-related nervous breakdown to catch you up on a bunch of crap that didn't deserve individual posts.

Karl Alzner, who knows no fear, was named WHL Eastern Conference Player of the Year.... I like "The Collingwood Cannon" nickname for Josh Godfrey.... Mathieu Perreault was named the top sniper in the Q, but you knew that... Don't you mean you're never getting married again, Anna?... Finally, in case you missed it, our buddy Greg Wyshynski, "the funniest writer in the NHL," has left Deadspin, FanHouse, his wife, and The Fourth Period to head up Yahoo!'s hockey blogging effort. You can find him here.

Thursday Roundup/'Hawks 5, Caps 0

[AP Recap - Game Summary - Super Stats]

Oy. The Caps picked a helluva time to lay an egg, eh?

I don't know where to start with last night's team effort loss, so I won't. The bottom line is simply that an already small margin for error is now tiny and approaching Martin St. Louis-sized - if you buy into this statistical model, the Caps now have a 17.7% chance to make the playoffs, with a 5-1-1 finish giving them only a 61.7% shot at the post-season.

Tomorrow night in Atlanta the Caps will try to get things back on track. Every game from here on out is more or less an elimination game - let's see how they respond.

Elsewhere 'Round the Rinks:

You know who hates Bill McCreary? I mean, besides everyone? The Sens and their fans.... I'd love to know which coach is the jackass who dropped the second quote in this article, especially in light of the fact that 14 goals in 21 games is a 55+ goal pace.... Everyone knows that Josh Godfrey has a bomb of a shot.... Finally, one year ago today we took Dave Fay to task for a questionably titled article that only got worse from there, smacked around the Dallas Stars' owner for an aggressive display of mock outrage and took a peak at the Vezina race, and two years ago today we previewed that night's Caps/Habs game and threw some nice little nuggets your way.

Daily Awards

• Hart: Jason Pominville (2G, 2A, +4)
  
• Ross: Jason Pominville (4 points)
  
• Norris: Mike Weber (+5, 5 hits, and in answer to your next question... Buffalo)
  
• Vezina: Nikolai Khabibulin (25-save shutout win)
  
• Richard: Henrik Zetterberg, Thomas Vanek (3G each)
  
• Calder: Jonathan Toews (G, 4 SOG)
  
• Aiken: Karri Ramo (L, 6 goals allowed on 31 shots against, 3 goal third period lead blown... thanks)
  

Thursday Roundup

With no game to recap or preview, today we reached out to bloggers from Montreal, C'Bus and Vancouver to get their takes on the three trades the Caps made on Tuesday (and if any Atlanta bloggers want to chime in on the Giroux-for-Motzko deal, feel free to do so in the comments... on another blog).

Here's what the other side thought of the Caps' trio of trades (both pics by KB from yesterday afternoon at Kettler, btw):

Trade #1: Cristobal Huet for a 2009 second round pick

Cristobal Huet is a fine person, a fine netminder and a fine team player. Unloading him for a late 2nd rounder in 2009 on the brink of possibly the team's best run since they won the Cup in 1993 makes no sense to me. Carey Price will one day be a great goaltender, so will Jaroslav Halak. Putting the season, the playoffs and your team's success on the shoulder of two goaltenders that haven't even combined for 50 NHL games let alone 0 playoff games is foolish and risky.

Huet will help a struggling Washington climb to win the division, and I hope Cristo all the best; he was a personal favourite and certainly well liked by the fans, the media and his teammates. The message he left on the locker room whiteboard was heartbreaking.

Only time will tell if Bob Gainey made the right move, but as it stands, he did not.

[But wait, there's more!]

The message Huet left? Nobody knows word for word, but Chris Higgins and Saku Koivu were both sad when interviewed about it, Higgins said he wished them the best of luck and that he was honoured to have been their teammates, something along those lines.

Price said he lost a big brother, and Koivu said he lost a friend.

This move was a headscratcher and I am growing tired of Gainey as a GM. He never made any great moves, in fact, what he's probably done more than anything is disappoint us. This year he didn't disappoint, he let us down...he's lucky we have Trever Timmins doing a fantastic job as a head scout, otherwise, he'd be out of a job by now.

I don't hate Gainey for yesterday, but I am not the first to pop up and defend his bonehead moves (such as the Ribeiro trade, and even worse now, the Huet trade).

George McPhee flat out stole Huet and now I'm confident you guys will have a menacing team heading into the playoffs. - Bleu, Blanc et Rouge via The Faceoff Circle

If Bob Gainey was in a high stakes poker game, then he certainly likes to take risks!! Gainey's trade of Cristobal Huet to the Washington Capitals for a 2009 second round pick on trade deadline day wasn't a complete shock but I must admit that getting a 2009 2nd rounder (Anaheim's pick to boot!!) was a disappointment. Needless to say, Gainey is taking a huge risk by trading his veteran goaltender and appointing Carey Price as the #1 netminder with the Eastern Conference wide open for a Stanley Cup berth.

I believe Price has shown he can handle pressure situations with a WJC and Calder Cup championships on his CV. He has accomplished more at the tender age of 20 years old than Huet has in his 10 year hockey career. Can Price handle the pressure cooker of Montreal and win a playoff series or dare I say the Stanley Cup? I certainly think he has the pedigree to do well but time will tell. Gainey will take the heat if Price or Halak (another very good goalie in the Habs system) can't carry the load down the stretch.

Cristobal Huet has struggled in his last four games and the stats don't lie (1-3, 4.50 GAA, Sv% of.859 in last 4 GP) with Gainey stating that the organization would not re-sign him at the end of the season.

I believe Gainey had no choice but to trade Cristobal Huet to get something in return and allow Carey Price to start his promising career with the Montreal Canadiens........Gambler Bob is certainly hoping to cash in his poker chips with Price's success and a long playoffs run!!!! - All Habs

Trade #2: Sergei Fedorov for Theo Ruth:

I believe the Jackets were a better team with Fedorov in the lineup, but it was more an intangible thing than anything else. Perhaps he survived more on his legacy than his current actions. However you slice it, though, paying that much money for a marginally interested guy who’d missed 15 games due to injury this year, and has produced 28 only points in 49 games was a cement block of a contract. Now… it’s gone.... Good move for the Jackets to get something (however unproven at this point) for what would have been nothing in less than two months. - End of the Bench

I think it was a good move for both of the teams, the Caps gained a veteran center who can make plays. The man has three Stanley Cup rings, he may be aging but, I think he has what it takes to help the Caps make the push; whether it's his veteran experience and voice in the locker room or if it's him winning some faceoffs for ya. The Blue Jackets gained a stay at home blue liner prospect, whom I'm sure will be good in the future. (He's close to home at Notre Dame so I plan on going to see the kid play). - Bethany's Hockey Rants

Trade #3: Matt Cooke for Matt Pettinger:

I don't think the trade is particularly important for either team. The Canucks got rid of a player they did not intend to re-sign and picked up a player with some upside on a reasonable contract for next year.

Cooke had been with the Canucks for a decade so most fans are a little sad to see him go. He's an "energy" player which means that now he plays for somebody else he's a dirty cheapshot artist. He first came to the Canucks during a particularly dark time. This made him a fan favourite from the start. Watching Cooke run around trying to decapitate people was a guilty pleasure during the Messier era.

On the other hand, I have an emotional connection to Matt Pettinger, too. Matt moved to Victoria as a young teenager and because he is close in age to one of my sons I watched him play minor hockey on Vancouver Island. I've been following his career ever since, so I'm delighted to see him get a chance in Vancouver. I love his speed and I look forward to seeing how well he does.

I don't expect either Matt will make a huge difference on their new team but if Cooke had to go, I'm glad Pettinger came back. - Tom Benjamin's NHL Weblog

From an on-ice perspective, it was hard to react too much as I don't know too much about Pettinger. From what I've read so far, this is probably a lateral move for us.

You guys will love Cooke. Other teams will hate you, but I think you'll love the style he brings. He's a pest and he hits everything in sight.

Off the ice, I think Washington fans will quickly warm up to him. Simply, he's a community guy. He's very well-know outside the rink and spends a lot of time at Canucks Place and various other charities. - Canucks Hockey Blog

[Cooke]'ll make an equal amount of big hits and borderline legal hits.
He'll raise his elbows quicker before he'll drop the gloves.
He'll get clutch goals at key times and no goals in twenty games.
Once upon a time he filled in for Bertuzzi, but this year he was fighting for ice time with Isbister.
If someone touches Ovechkin, you'll see Cooke be Cooke.
If you see a poor hooking call with time winding down in the third, you'll see Cooke being Cooke.
You'll love him and you'll hate him, but the bottom line is he gives it his all on the ice and can change a game with his style of play.
And Vancouver will miss him because, good or bad, you'd rather have a guy like Cooke on your side then play against him. Any day.

...and I can only hope this Pettinger guy can help fill that hole now.
I'm not holding my breath :) - The Yankee Canuck

Elsewhere 'Round the Rinks:

Did somebody say Ice Girls?!... Another take on the Huet deal.... Here's a tidy run-down of all of Tuesday's deals.... Even an Edmonton journo has to admit that the Caps were winners on Tuesday.... When 22nd is an upgrade.... Memo to Ted Montgomery: You're kind of a dick.... A goal and three helpers for JGod.... Finally, one year ago today was the day after Deadline Day and we recapped another Caps loss and two years ago today we welcomed back the NHL and looked into the ugly world of Laybergerism, err, "borrowing" from bloggers.

Daily Awards

• Hart: Steve Bernier (2G, A, +3, 4 SOG in first game as a Sabre)
  
• Ross: Toni Lydman (4 points)
  
• Norris: Toni Lydman (4A, +3, 2 SOG)
  
• Vezina: Patrick Lalime (32-save 1-0 shutout win)
  
• Richard: Steve Bernier, Mats Sundin, Jason Arnott, David Vyborny (2G each)
  
• Calder: Mason Raymond (G)
  
• Aiken: Chris Mason (L, 5 goals allowed on 19 shots against in 34:50 of work)
  

Non-Rumor Rumor Of The Day

CNNSI.com's Allan Muir has thrown together a list of deadline "deals that make sense" (i.e. won't happen), and the last of these trades involves the Caps and their need to shore up the blueline with a stay-at-home defenseman:

Columbus sends Adam Foote to Washington for Chris Bourque, Josh Godfrey, 2008 second-rounder

What the Capitals really need is a solid No.1 goalie to replace Olaf Kolzig, the respected veteran whose play suggests he's well past his best-by date. But since there are no viable options to fill that role, an upgrade on defense would help minimize his exposure. Foote's a bit long in the tooth himself, but he's a great leader and remains solid if unspectacular in his own end. Neither Bourque nor Godfrey is a high-end prospect, but both could become contributing NHLers for Columbus given the proper tutelage. Bourque, a short, stocky center, has elite hockey sense and could mature into a useful checker. Godfrey has tremendous offensive upside, but has a lot of work to do to become a reliable option in his own end.

To me, that's far too much to give up for a rental - perhaps just the 2nd in a deep 2008 draft could get it done - but as Muir notes, "[I]f it seems like your team is taking it in the shorts in one of these deals...well, that probably means it's fair." Somehow, though, I don't think Jackets fans would be opposed to such a deal... which probably means it isn't all that fair after all.

Wednesday Roundup/Caps 4, Sens 2

[AP Recap - Game Summary - Super Stats]

Despite recent losses on the ice and in the lineup, the Ottawa Senators are still probably favorites to win the Eastern Conference (provided that Ty Conklin, at some point, returns to earth). That being said, I wonder who they're rooting against sneaking into the playoffs in the eight-spot.

The big guns were a-firin' for the home team Tuesday night at Verizon Center, and the result was another come-from-behind victory for the Caps over the visiting Sens. Some thoughts on the game:

• The Caps haven't lost back-to-back games in regulation under Bruce Boudreau (24 games).
  
• Tomas Fleischmann had a very strong game, and the shift on which he set up Alex Semin's second goal of the game was a great example of hard work combining with a touch of skill. It goes without saying that efforts like that will keep him in the lineup. On the night he had two helpers, a plus-one rating, three shots on goal (which tied him for the team high), four takeaways and no giveaways.
  
• Sticking with the second line, Semin's first goal was jaw-dropping Sasha circa '06-'07. The ice was littered with the jocks of both Wade Redden and Ray Emery.
• Did Brent Johnson earn a Thursday night start? Are we past "If we're going to make the playoffs, it will be with Olie in net" and at "It's time to play the hot hand"?
  
• Here's something that Caps and Sabres fans can agree upon: Chris Neil is ten pounds of monkey crap in a five pound sack.
• A little something for the ladies: Antoine Vermette was 13-for-15 (87%) in the faceoff circle and 1-for-1 in the shirt-off circle.
• Nicklas Backstrom was 4-for-13 (31%) in the dot and I don't have any topless shots of him.
  
• If my name was Cody Bass, I think I'd tell people it was short for Cody Badass.
• Alex Ovechkin and Mike Green scored goals, the sun rose, John Edwards' folks were millworkers, etc.
• Matt Pettinger's penalty was so stupid it hurt. Rest assured that it didn't go unnoticed - he only had four short shifts the rest of the game (excluding his first shift out of the box).
• Milan Jurcina had four blocked shots but no hits. Matt Bradley also threw a no-hitter, a rarity for him of late.
  

The Caps are now 6-2-0 against Canadian teams and, as luck would have it, get Edmonton on Thursday night. Last night's win got the Caps back on track, but this is a team that has to turn single wins into streaks. With a pair of second line wingers stepping up their game in the absence of their pivot, I wouldn't bet against such a streak starting right now.

Elsewhere 'Round the Rinks:

The first official Olie Kolzig retirement talk.... Nicklas Backstrom will participate in the Young Stars silliness.... Josh Godfrey is an OHL All-Star.... Complaining about a problem but offering no solutions always makes for a great article.... See if you can read the first two sentences of this post without laughing (then again, just getting up from this hit makes the assertion a little more understandable).... Finally, according to the Hockey Hall of Fame, on this date back in 1905, "'One-eyed' Frank McGee netted an all-time Stanley Cup record 14 goals in the Ottawa Silver Seven's 23-2 victory over the Dawson City Nuggets, who had travelled more than 4,000 miles by dogsled, boat and train to challenge for Cup." Chris Chelios was reportedly a healthy scratch for Dawson City.

Daily Awards

• Hart: Marian Hossa (First period natural hat trick, including the game-winning goal, 5 SOG)
  
• Ross: Ed Jovanovkski (4 points)
  
• Norris: Ed Jovanovski (G, 3A, +2, 5 SOG)
  
• Vezina: Jose Theodore (32-save shutout win)
  
• Richard: Marian Hossa (3G)
  
• Calder: Peter Mueller (3A, +1, 3 SOG)
  
• Aiken: Chris Osgood (L, 4 goals allowed on 17 shots against in 27:28 of work)
  

Friday Roundup/Gamenight: Sabres @ Caps

[AP Preview - WashingtonCaps.com Preview]

Since the lockout, the Caps have had a rough go of it against the Buffalo Sabres, tonight's opponent, posting a 2-8 record with only one win in the last nine meetings between the teams (that win, of course, being the infamous "checking from behind" game). In six of those nine games Buffalo lit the lamp at least five times. And I can't even use my go-to "But those were Glen Hanlon's Caps," since game three of the Bruce Boudreau era was a 3-1 home loss to the Sabres.

But those were Bruce Boudreau's Caps before he implemented his system (that dog'll hunt, right?).

At this point, I'm pretty confident that we know what we'll get from the Caps - a strong, confident effort that may or may not translate on the scoreboard. The Sabres, on the other hand, are a total crapshoot - their last six games include 8-1 and 7-1 wins, an 8-2 loss and a pair of 4-1 losses. Buffalo is still scoring in bunches, but they're giving up too many goals and have been every bit as mediocre overall as their .500 record would indicate. But their record is a little deceiving (at least as it applies to tonight's game), as they've managed a 7-4-0 record against Eastern Conference opponents not in the Northeast Division, including a 6-2-0 mark against the Southeast.

Still, it's impossible to predict which Sabre team will show up tonight - flip a coin... and bet the over.

Elsewhere 'Round the Rinks:

Tarik profiles Mike Green's breakout season in today's WaPo, and includes an interesting quote from GMGM (similar to one he had in Wednesday night's pregame show on Comcast): "You just never know when a player is going to break through. We thought it might be last year. But it seems to be happening this year." Question - how much of that was Hanlon and how much was Green, and if the former was a significant factor, has the development of other prospects been similarly stunted by having Hanlon at the helm for so long? Discuss.... Here's your Eric Fehr update (Jan), and it seems to be pretty good news.... Could the Caps have an embarrassment of riches on the blueline in a few years? Both Karl Alzner and Josh Godfrey made the Canadian World Junior team. Mathieu Perreault, however, was cut.... Speaking of the Caps Junior prospects, Hockey's Future provides an update on 'em.... The first player in Caps history to score on a penalty shot is being inducted into the Niagara Falls Sports Wall of Fame (slow news day, JP?).

Daily Awards

• Hart: Jarome Iginla (3G in the third period, including the game-winner, A, +5, 9 SOG)
  
• Ross: Dion Phaneuf, Kristian Huselius (5 points each)
  
• Norris: Dion Phaneuf (5A, +3, 3 SOG, 4 hits, 3 blocked shots)
  
• Vezina: Tomas Vokoun (33-save shutout win)
  
• Richard: Jarome Iginla, Kristian Huselius (3G each)
  
• Calder: Carey Price (31, 30 saves on 31 shots against)
  
• Aiken: Johan Holmqvist (4 goals allowed on 6 shots against in just 13:05 of work)
  

Monday Roundup/Gamenight: Devils @ Caps

[AP Preview - WashingtonCaps.com Preview]

For the second time in four nights the Caps and Devils will meet as Jersey visits the nation's capital. This time, however, it's the Caps who come in on a high note (following Saturday night's 6-3 win over Atlanta) and the Devs who are looking to get back into the win column (after Sunday's 1-0 overtime loss to the Rangers).

If the Devils were ripe for the pickin' on Friday night - and they were - they're even moreso tonight, playing the second of back-to-back road games and the third of a three-games-in-five-nights set. In fact, Devils' bench boss Brent Sutter noted that the Caps were the "fresher" of the two teams on Friday night - and that was before last night's hard-hitting OT affair for his squad. Whether Martin Brodeur will be in net yet again or Kevin Weekes gets his first start since November 12 remains to be seen, but either way Jersey has got to be a tired team, and the 32 hits they absorbed in last night's loss will serve to weaken them that much more.

The Caps, for their part, should be playing with all the confidence they displayed on Saturday night and, if they come out guns a-blazin', could have another big night. Of course, "shoulds" and "coulds" have turned into "didn'ts" all season long for D.C., but Matt Pettinger's goal on Saturday night sure did feel like both he and the team had turned a corner, didn't it?

As every game becomes more important than the last for these Caps, Monday night's is certainly one that they should win - and hopefully tonight's "shoulds" and "coulds" turn into "dids."

Elsewhere 'Round the Rinks:

Random stat of the day: four Caps (Nicklas Backstrom, Alex Ovechkin, Mike Green and Jeff Schultz) are younger than the youngest player on the Devils roster (Travis Zajac), and two Caps (Donald Brashear and Olie Kolzig) are older than the oldest player in Jersey's lineup (Brodeur).... Backstrom has nine points in eight games (including two three-point efforts) under Bruce Boudreau and only has two fewer points over that span than the two players ahead of him among the rookie scoring leaders combined. If you'd written him off for Calder consideration, you'd better have an eraser handy.... Josh Godfrey had two goals and a pair of assists in Sault Ste. Marie's win over Sarnia last night. He's now third among OHL defensemen in goals and ninth in points.... Finally, gotta hand it to the WaPo - what a great picture they've got accompanying Tarik's article today.

Daily Awards

• Hart: Milan Hejduk (3G, 3A, +4, 4 SOG)
  
• Ross: Milan Hejduk (6 points)
  
• Norris: Andres Lilja (Game-winning goal, +3, 2 SOG, 3 hits, 3 blocked shots)
  
• Vezina: Martin Brodeur (28 saves on 29 shots against in OT loss)
  
• Richard: Milan Hejduk (3G)
  
• Calder: Dustin Byfuglien (G, A, 3 SOG, 4 hits)
  
• Aiken: Hannu Toivonen (L, 8 goals allowed on 25 shots against)
  

Caps Sign Godfrey

The Caps have signed blueliner Josh Godfrey, their second round pick in this past summer's Entry Draft, to a three-year entry level deal.

Update: Tarik's got the salary deets - $637,500, $687,500 and $687,500.

Checking In On The Kids

Because we're sure you're equal parts curious and lazy, from time to time during the course of the season, we'll check in on how the Caps' top non-AHL prospects are doing, stat-wise (to see how the fellas are doing down in Hershey after one game, check here). Note that since the NCAA season hasn't really gotten underway yet, the guys listed below are all playing in one of the major Canadian junior leagues or overseas.

Anyway, here's our first look at the youngsters, and it's good to see that more than a few are off to strong starts:

• Karl Alzner (D, Calgary Hitmen, WHL): 10 games played, 2 goals, 5 assists, +8 (tied for sixth among WHL defensemen in scoring, tied for second in plus/minus)
• Francois Bouchard (RW, Baie-Comeau, QMJHL): 7 games played, 4 goals, 6 assists, +7 (tied for seventh in the QMJHL in plus-minus)
• Viktor Dovgan (D, CSKA, RSL): 9 games played, 0 points, +2
• Josh Godfrey (D, Sault Ste. Marie, OHL): 8 games played, 5 goals, 6 assists, +4 (tied for 14th in the OHL in scoring, 3rd amongst defensemen)
• Maxime Lacroix (LW, Quebec, QMJHL): 9 games played, 6 goals, 4 assists, +2 (tied for 25th in the QMJHL in scoring)
• Ivan Nepriayev (C, Lokomotiv, RSL): 14 games played, 4 goals, 3 assists, 30 PIMs, +3 (eighth in the RSL in PIMs, 25th in scoring)
• Michal Neuvirth (G, Plymouth, OHL): 2 games played, 0-1-1, 3.46 GAA, .926 SV% (sixth in the OHL in SV%)
• Oskar Osala (LW, Blues, FNL): 9 games played, 1 goal, 5 assists, +6
• Mathieu Perreault (C, Acadie-Bathurst, QMJHL): 7 games played, 5 goals, 9 assists, +9 (tied for third in scoring and plus-minus, tied for second in assists)
• Keith Seabrook (D, Calgary Hitmen, WHL): has not yet played due to injury
• Semen Varlamov (G, Lokomotiv, RSL): 8 games played, 3.35 GAA, .876 SV%
• Mikhail Yunkov (C, Spartak, RSL): 13 games played, 2 goals, 0 assists, -2

Alzner, Bouchard, Godfrey Returned To Juniors; Backstrom To Start Season On The Wing?

A fair amount of news on some of the organization's top prospects, as the trio of Karl Alzner, Francois Bouchard and Josh Godfrey were all returned to their junior teams today and word is that Nicklas Backstrom likely won't be centering one of the top two lines when the first puck drops in Atlanta on October 5.

Tarik reports that the team "plans to start the season with Michael Nylander and Viktor Kozlov as the No. 1 and No. 2 centers," likely meaning that Nicklas Backstrom will start his NHL career skating on the right wing. Or does it mean something else entirely? Stay tuned.

By the way (and in case you're wondering), Kozlov has won a woeful 41% of his 647 faceoffs since the lockout.

Finally, thanks to Director of Media Relations Nate Ewell for clarifying that, contrary to somewhat popular belief, Backstrom does not have an "out" clause in his contract that would allow him to return to Sweden if the Caps want to send him to Hershey.

Neuvirth Ready To Turn Pro; Super Series Stat Wrap

Corey Masisak has a profile of Michal Neuvirth in today's WTimes and his desire to turn pro this coming season rather than return to Plymouth of the OHL.

"I don't want to play with Plymouth for sure because we have a very young team, so I think we're not going to make playoffs this year," Neuvirth said. Well, you're certainly not going to make the playoffs with that attitude.

Someone who has forgotten more about goaltending than Neuvirth likely every will know, Caps goalie coach Dave Prior, believes a tougher year in the OHL could be good for Neuvirth. "I think there is some benefit in going through adversity. Obviously, his team has to rebuild a lot and won't be nearly as strong. In Michal's case, it could be a good challenge to try to be the difference."

But Neuvirth has promise and may be better served in Hershey being mentored by Freddy Cassivi and being coached at a higher level (for what it's worth, I don't think the organization is in love with Daren Machesney, the putative number two goaltender in Chocolatetown). Coach Hanlon had these thoughts to offer on the matter:

"He is going to determine where he ends up playing.... We come with a few preconceived notions and evaluations that we have before camp on some players obviously. The higher end player, the more you’ve accomplished the easier it is to sort of slot where you are. There are always a handful at training camp where it’s wait and see what you do.

"We don’t ever want to take away the fact that if you come here, work hard and show that you can play at a certain level and the rules allow you – because of his situation – allow him to be in the American Hockey League. And if the player and management feel that it’s the best thing for him, then we’ll put him where he deserves to be playing."

[It's also worth noting that, because of his place of birth, the AHL is an option that Neuvirth has that other similarly-situated youngsters (like Francois Bouchard) do not. As Masisak reminds us:

Players from the three Canadian junior leagues who were born in North America are not eligible to play in the American Hockey League or East Coast Hockey League until they turn 20, but because Neuvirth was born in Europe, he could start the season with Hershey or South Carolina as a 19-year-old.]

So Michal Neuvirth will make his case to be a Hershey Bear over the next few days, but ultimately it will be up to the Caps to decide whether it will be better for his development to spend a year getting number one goalie minutes on a potentially bad OHL team or number two minutes on a good AHL team. Where would you send the kid?

Finally, the Super Series wrapped up last night, but not before Karl Alzner potted his first goal of the series. Over the eight games, Alzner had a goal and three assists (and impressed the hell out of everyone who was watching - "few insiders would be shocked if the Hitmen blueliner sticks with the Washington Capitals this fall"), fellow Caps blueline prospect Josh Godfrey ended up with six assists in six games and Simeon Varlamov wound up with a 4.71 GAA and a .861 save percentage in seven periods of work.

Watch Game Two Of The Super Series

Big-time glove-tap to OFB's EmptyMaybe for passing along (via the Caps Message Board) this link to watch Game 2 of the Super Series. Enjoy (note: neither Simeon Varlamov nor Josh Godfrey are in the lineup for their respective teams).

Super Series Rosters

Here are the Canadian and Russian rosters for the Super Series. Needless to say, there are loads and loads of talent therein.

Hopefully the games will all be 1-0, thanks to Canada's shut-down defense and Russia's young stud goaltender.

A Bit More On The Super Series

The CP previews the upcoming Super Series by revisiting the 1972 Summit Series and profiling the Canadian participants.

The entire article makes for a good read, and the short profiles of the two Caps prospects are nothing if not encouraging:

Karl Alzner, Calgary Hitmen -- The big, steady, stay-at-home defenceman doesn't make mistakes in his own end and thus is a calming influence on the back end.

Josh Godfrey, Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds -- Another big defenceman who can move the puck and has a howitzer of a slapshot.

And don't forget - the goaltender who Alzner and Godfrey will be facing on most nights is expected to be Simeon Varlamov. Caps fans will no doubt be watching this series very closely.

Catching Up With A Handful Of Blueline Prospects

In case you're wondering what some of the Caps' younger defensemen are up to, today the Sault Star profiles Josh Godfrey, Vogs interviews Theo Ruth, and Keith Seabrook is headed to the WHL to team up with Karl Alzner in Calgary.

More On J-God

Apparently the Caps had been stalking Josh Godfrey for a long time, and the young blueliner likes his chances of making it to D.C. sooner rather than later: "It's not like I'm going to a team like Anaheim, a team that's loaded on defence. There's a good chance I'll be there in two or three years or earlier."

Easy there, Bucko - let's conquer the AHL before etching your name on the Norris Trophy, shall we?

What They're Saying: The Caps' 2007 Draft

With ten picks in this weekend's NHL Entry Draft, the Caps were a busy bunch. Below is a recap of who they picked (click on the image to enlarge it), and a collection of comments on the Caps' 2007 Draft generally (and the draftees specifically) from around the hockey world. Check back often, as this post will be updated as needed.

In General

The Good
In Karl Alzner (fifth overall), the Caps got the consensus best defenseman at the draft. They used all three of their picks in the top 46 to snag rearguards, shoring up that position for years to come.

The Bad
Their second-round pick (34th overall), defenseman Josh Godfrey, is very one-dimensional. Every team needs a power-play quarterback, but Godfrey cannot be a defensive liability in the NHL.

Worth Noting
Drafting high-school kids is always a boom-or-bust endeavor, but the Caps did it at the right time. They used their last two picks on them. Center Nick Larson was selected 185th overall and left wing Andrew Glass was chosen 199th. Larson in particular has a ton of offensive potential; it just needs to be seen against stronger competition. - Forecaster

In the 2007 NHL Entry Draft, the Washington Capitals continued to look towards North American defenders, with some gifted forwards later on. Character and leadership were the common denominators among them. The Capitals also traded down a number of times to gain extra draft picks in what is expected to be a very strong 2008 draft. - Hockey's Future

Karl Alzner, D (1st round, 5th overall):

No question about it, Calgary's Karl Alzner is the consensus top-ranked defenceman this year and if he's not the first defenceman chosen in the draft, it's going to come as a surprise to many. But having said that, the praise for the rangy blueliner is somewhat muted. That's because he's not really a high-end offensive defenceman, nor is he a big, physical bruiser or a defensive presence. "He's one of those guys who does everything pretty well, but nothing is necessarily excellent or over the top," one scout said. Alzner is described by some a true modern-day defenceman, whose ability to play strong positionally and whose stick-on-puck, stick-on-stick game is good. He also gets shots through from the point. While the odd scout has Alzner outside of the top 10, most have him there solidly, if not in the top five, and we know of at least two teams who rate him as the third best player available in this draft. - TSN

A skilled stay-at-home defenseman with good skating ability. Is calm under pressure and composed with the puck. Has good positioning and reads the play well. Has a strong shot from the point. Wins battles along the boards and in his own zone. Needs to improve his acceleration and his ability to change tempo throughout the game. - NHL Central Scouting

Alzner has emerged as a legitimate top 5 candidate for the 2007 NHL Entry draft. A tremendous World Junior camp got him named to the team. He was the seventh d-man. The quiet type who continues to make the difficult plays look easy. He is noted for his outstanding poise and ability to make plays in each zone. He is very skilled and handles the puck with confidence. Would like to see him take more risks offensively and carry the puck but rarely chooses to do so. Is capable of playing physical but needs to demonstrate this on a more regular basis. Overall, an outstanding, well-rounded player who is a definite leader for Calgary. - ISS

He’s quite capable of generating offence as his statistics will testify. Eight goals and 39 assists in 63 games this season easily surpassed his total from his sophomore season. He just doesn’t like to gamble, a trait that is sure to endear him to any of his future coaches. - ISS

He comes with a lot less fanfare than [last year's #1 pick overall, defenseman Erik] Johnson, but Alzner has the makings of a quality top-four defenseman at the NHL level.... Alzner's poise with and without the puck is an attribute that stands out above the crowd.... He has been compared to the likes of Ottawa Senators defenseman Wade Redden for his smooth ability from the back end, though Alzner projects as a more physical, less productive version. He's going to be a good one. - The Hockey News

This year's blue line brigade boasts one high-end talent in Karl Alzner... He brings size, intelligence and a calm presence on the blue line. He ranks right up with Mark Katic as the best passing defensemen in the draft — Alzner's crisp outlets are always right on the tape and he sees the ice very well. He's the type of guy you can safely pencil in as a first pairing d-man for the next 10-12 years.- Kyle Woodlief, Red Line Report

He’s a big, mobile, two-way defenseman and rock solid on both ends of the ice. - Philadelphia Flyers General Manager Paul Holmgren

He’s a big defenseman who is a good skater and has a good head on his shoulders. He thinks the game through very well. He can move the puck, and is a good, solid two-way defenseman. He has some offense in his game and is going to be a big solid blueliner. The only question is, what is his top end and how high is he going to get? He’s going to play because he’s smart, mobile and has a good stick. He’s a very solid prospect. - Philadelphia Flyers Director of Hockey Operations Chris Pryor

Alzner is a very polished skater, and he plays a very solid, sound game. There's not a lot of risk with the game he plays. You'd like to see him work that out more in the junior ranks -- to take a few chances, push his envelope a little bit -- but he's just not that kind of player. - Anonymous NHL Scout

I don't know if he's going to be a star in the NHL. But I'd bet a lot of money that he's going to have a long career in the NHL. - Anonymous NHL Scout

[C]learly the top defender in this year's class because of the completeness of his game and the general assurance he will become a very good NHL defenseman without much "bust" potential. He understands the game and does all things very well, thus should be a very high pick. - ESPN

In Alzner, the Capitals have not just a potential No. 1 defender of the future, but someone who could easily become a fan favorite in the years to come. - Hockey's Future

Josh Godfrey, D (2nd round, 34th overall)

[T]he best PP triggerman in the OHL this season with an absolute cannon shot. - Red Line Report

[T]he best in the OHL when it comes to accurately slapping a rubber saucer. - Osprey News Network

Ted Ruth, D (2nd round, 46th overall)

Any team interested in drafting him in June knows they will be getting a character player that has a good chance of developing into a vital asset for the franchise. - NHL.com

[Q]uick skating, finesse puck mover - Kyle Woodlief, Red Line Report

A stay-at-home defenseman with good mobility. Has a good wrist shot from the point that gets through to the net. Plays the body hard and hits with authority. Quick to get to the puck in the corner and strong one-on-one. - NHL Central Scouting

Ruth's character is off the charts. Ruth possesses all of the necessary skills to become an NHL defenseman, but we believe his work ethic and leadership are what will guarantee his success in the NHL. - ESPN

Brett Bruneteau, C (4th round, 108th overall)

[A]n underrated scorer - Kyle Woodlief, Red Line Report

Dan Dunn, G (6th round, 154th overall)

Dunn is already 19 years old and still playing Tier II in the OPJHL, but has plenty of athleticism and good reflexes. - Kyle Woodlief, Red Line Report

Nick Larson, C (7th round, 185th overall)

He's raw, but has a lot of great tools that he's just learning how to harness. Could make a very rapid ascension up the charts if he accelerates the learning curve. - Kyle Woodlief, Red Line Report