Wednesday Roundup/Gamenight: Thrashers @ Caps

[AP Preview - WashingtonCaps.com Preview]

If the Caps could pick an opponent for tonight's game, they'd no doubt choose to host one of the League's worst teams with that team coming off a physical road win the night before. So when they welcome the Atlanta Thrashers (fresh off a win in Toronto in which even Ilya Kovalchuk dropped the mittens) to the VC tonight, the 'quality of competition' excuse will officially be off the table before the opening puck drops - if the Caps lose tonight, it won't be to the better team, regardless of how many Hershey Bears are in the lineup for the boys in red.

Atlanta, prior to last night's out-pouring of offense, was 18th in the League in goals per game, 29th in goals against per game, and had the League's third-worst penalty kill. And yet here's a stat that will make any Division rival take notice of the Thrash in a hurry - they're currently 4-0-2 against Southeast foes, a mark, of course, that includes a 7-4 Opening Night win against their opponents on this Thanksgiving Eve game.

The Thrashers will likely start Ondrej Pavalec in net after playing Johan Hedberg last night (Kari Lehtonen, you'll be utterly shocked to find out, is currently injured). Pavelec is 2-2-0/2.32/.913 on the season, and was fantastic in a 2-1 overtime win last season in what has been the only time he has faced the Caps to date. The Caps haven't yet announced a starter, but both Jose Theodore (1-1-1/4.26/.867 in his last three) and Brent Johnson (0-2-0/5.05/.831 in his last two) got lit up by Atlanta back in October, and neither has given up fewer than three goals in a game since the last time the team was home (where they still have not lost in regulation), six games ago. Flip a coin and hope that a depleted defense actually helps out whomever's between the pipes.

Given the proximity to Turkey Day and the opponent, one can't help but be reminded of the 5-1 drubbing the Thrash handed the Caps amid prescient chants of "Fire Hanlon" raining down from the rafters last year at this time. One year later, regardless of how tonight's game turns out, Caps fans have plenty to be thankful for tomorrow. But two points tonight will sure make that pumpkin pie taste all the sweeter, won't it?

Elsewhere 'Round the Rinks:

Another translation (and a new website) for TuvanHillbilly.... Sweet photo of Michal Neuvirth from his 36-save shutout of Mississippi on Sunday night (h/t StP)... Brett Leffler is off to a good start for Regina.... Finally, if you want to hear me talk Caps with a guy whose silky smooth voice makes me sound even more like a stuttering 14-year-old than normal, I did a spot on the Dobber Nation Radio Show earlier in the week (and thanks again to those guys for having me on).

Saturday Roundup/Gamenight: Devils @ Caps

[AP Preview - WashingtonCaps.com Preview]

The Caps' Conference-leading offense will be put to the test tonight as Martin Brodeur (he of the 1.23 GAA and .944 save percentage) and the Devils visit the VC.

Brodeur's mastery of the Caps, while by no means exclusive to the boys from D.C., of course, is substantial - the Quebecer is 32-12-0/2.11/.913 against them in his career, including 2-1-0/2.28/.923 in 2007-08 (and he's had Number Eight's number, too - Alex Ovechkin has just three goals in 12 games against Jersey).

And guess what? In the early goings this season, the Devils are winning games but not scoring goals (shocking, I know). Somehow Jersey is 3-1, despite having scored only six goals and sporting a woeful 14.3% power play efficiency, which makes them the perfect team for Jose Theodore to face to try to gain a bit more confidence before heading out for a Western Conference road trip.

What's that you say? Brent Johnson's getting the start? Well, I'm not the reigning Jack Adams winner, so I'll defer to Gabby, but this sure seemed to me like a good spot in which to play your number one netminder... which brings us to a new feature - the Japers' Rink JOdometer, an index of our collective confidence in JT60 with a range set between the terrible - his two-team 2005-06 season - on the left and the exceptional - his Hart and Vezina season of 2001-02 - on the right:
Am I being too kind? Too harsh? Frankly, I think he's been more or less "good enough" overall (and trending upwards), with the obvious exception of the Atlanta game, hence the left-of-center rating.

Anyway, back to tonight's game, it's yet another good early season test, chock full of questions: Will the Caps show up for the first period? Which will win out - the Devils' meager power play or the Caps' poor PK? Will Sergei Fedorov seek vengeance on Jersey for cutting his baby bro? Will Dainius Zubrus do anything that makes us miss him? Most importantly, of course - will the Caps leave for a three-game road trip (and a five-of-six away from home stretch) at 4-1 with four wins in a row, or at 3-2 with a long flight to Calgary to think about it? Answers coming soon.

Elsewhere 'Round the Rinks:

Hey, look - the WaPo knows we want more coverage (so that means it's not neglect, but rather a concerted effort to screw us).... ESPN.com's Power Rankings came out the other day and the Caps are numero ocho.... In case you missed it, Michal Neuvirth has been assigned to South Carolina of the ECHL.... There was a time when I thought that a headline like this would make me smile. But it doesn't.

Monday Roundup/Gamenight: Canucks @ Caps

[AP Preview - WashingtonCaps.com Preview]

Rumor has it that Vancouver Canucks General Manager Mike Gillis will be in town tonight to take in the Caps game (jp5). In all likelihood, this is because Gillis - Michael Nylander's former agent - is trying to acquire the Swedish pivot from Washington via trade. Or it's because the Canucks are playing the Caps. One or the other.

Tonight - the first meeting between the teams since Alex Ovechkin nearly van Goghed Chris Clark last season - should be Matt Pettinger's triumphant return to D.C., but he's busy (finally) reporting to the AHL after clearing waivers last week (I bet a million bucks goes a long way in Manitoba). The Canucks will also be without rugged blueliner Kevin Bieksa, who's back in Western Canada getting an MRI on his knee (but hey, they've still got Willie Mitchell, who you'd hope would be better prepared for Donald Brashear's left than he was for Jarome Iginla's, should the two tussle).

The Caps are 0-4-1 against the 'Nucks since Valentine's Day, 2001, and Roberto Luongo has a career record of 15-9-3 with a 2.14 GAA and .933 save percentage against the Caps, so, um, the hometown boys are due. One person who shouldn't be intimidated by Bobby Lou, however, is one of the two guys who doesn't have to worry about scoring on him, namely tonight's backup goaltender, Jose Theodore, who has a career 17-7-1-2 record in head-to-head matchups against his fellow Quebecer, including three shutouts.

As we noted yesterday, 1-1 is a hell of a lot better than 0-2 with Luongo ahead. By the same measure, 2-1 is a hell of a lot better than 1-2 with a trip to Pittsburgh and a visit from Martin Brodeur later in the week. Two big points are out there - go get 'em.

Elsewhere 'Round the Rinks:

Craig Custance takes a look at how AO will try to top his MVP season.... James Duthie weighs in on Ovi the rock star (who, incidentally, doesn't want to be a movie star).... Some SED love at NHL.com.... The Hockey News predicts another Calder Cup for Hershey (thanks to MVP-to-be Keith Aucoin)... In case you're wondering which of the Caps' AHL goalies will be loaned out, it looks like it'll be Michal Neuvirth (and a couple more Bears will be heading to South Carolina).... Finally, FYI, Braden Holtby is 5-3-0/2.39/.916 for Saskatoon of the WHL.

The Goaltending Situation Down On The Farm

Our friend Derek Meluzio at Stack the Pads has a look at some of what to expect between the pipes down in Hershey this season (natch), as well as Q&As with Daren Machesney and former Bear/Cap Freddy Cassivi.

Here's a (rather large) taste of what Derek's got:

The coming season has the makings of one of the biggest goalie stories we have seen in a long time. For the first time since Marc Denis was a rookie, we will have a true blue chip prospect in the mix. In fact, we might have two! I am certainly not downplaying guys like Budaj, Lawson, Sauve, etc. but the truth of the matter is Semen Varlamov and Michal Neuvirth are coming into their first pro North American seasons with high expectations. Perhaps more pressure to perform is on Varlamov but no matter how you look at it both will be coming to play and both will be wanting to make it to the NHL. Will they live up to the hype? We will see, and time will tell. 2008-2009 could be the year of the rookie (Varlamov) or.... it could be a true break out year for another player.

That other player is Daren Machesney. He is a guy who was not quite as highly touted, has been a back-up before, and wasn't really expected to deliver the goods last year... but did. He was kind of looked at as being second fiddle in the depth chart before, but now he is looking at being the #1 goalie in Hershey. Not bad. Assuming the Caps start the season with Theodore and Johnson, Daren will look to be the starting goalie in Hershey and will be the first guy called up when there is an injury in Washington.

Will Washington want Varlamov to learn the North American culture and nurture him in the AHL as the back-up to Machesney first, or will they be looking to throw him into the fire sooner rather than later? Then the real monkeywrench here could be Michal Neuvirth. He has been in North America for a few seasons in juniors already and could very well challenge Varlamov. Seeing who ends up in Hershey and who goes to South Carolina will be interesting. I would not want to be the one making that decision. My personal opinion... I say Machesney starts the season as the #1 guy in Hershey. He will play the majority of the games and will get called up a few times to the NHL during the season when injuries happen. As for the back-up.... I say Varlamov gets the spot and Neuvirth goes to South Carolina. Neuvirth can stand on his own as a pro in the ECHL or AHL and he will be better suited to go to South Carolina. I think they will want Varlamov in Hershey to be brought along under closer eyes. He has the game down, I just think they want him to adapt to the North American culture. I could be wrong. One way or anothe rit will make for an interesting story. Last but not least there is the rumor of trade. Maybe one of the three will get dealt knowing that "three's a crowd" and the Caps could use help in other areas.

Be sure to check out the full post for more, including those Q&As.

I Believe The Children Are Our Future...

Caps prospect Michal Neuvirth was traded twice during this past OHL season and Ken Campbell is calling shenanigans.

Saturday Roundup

Poor Larry Brooks, Bruce Garrioch, Jack Todd et. al. How are they going to sell papers and generate page views now that the object of their collective affection has jilted them? Dion Phaneuf is a nice player, and I'm sure he'd rather play in a "real" hockey town than... oh wait. Henrik Lundqvist will be a Restricted Free Agent this summer, and I'm certain he'd prefer the bright lights of... dammit. It's just not the same any more, is it, fellas?

You've got to feel for these guys. I know I do. In fact, I feel so bad that I'm going to help them out by writing their next column for them. Here goes:

On Thursday, Alex Ovechkin sent a message to the hockey world that he wants to be a [insert name of "real" hockey team of choice]. While it may seem odd to read that in light of the bank-breaking deal he just signed with the Washington Capitals, it's as clear as [select "Lake Placid" if American or "Lake Louise" if Canadian] in January.

As you may not know, the Great Eight's new deal includes a limited movement clause that kicks in when he's 27 - precisely when he is entering his prime years - which will, in essence, force Washington to deal the sure-to-be-disgruntled winger (after all, five more losing seasons playing to an empty house in a crime-ridden city will certainly take its toll on the talented Russian). It's unclear how many teams he will be able to refuse to be traded to, but sources close to the negotiation tell me that that number is anywhere from 27 to 28. Since he'll have some say in where he is dealt, then, it's a near certainty that he'll choose [insert "real" hockey city] to team up with his good buddy [insert name of Russian hockey player - it doesn't even have to be a player currently on your team of choice, as the player you choose will no doubt have been signed/traded for to be used as Ovechkin bait].

Ovechkin's esprit de corps [Larry, you might want to go with "camaraderie" here - it sounds less effeminate stateside] with his future teammates with his future teammates and loyalty to his future organization is further evidenced by the structuring of his deal. Besides the fact that Alex will be a bargain in the out-years of his contract (just imagine what [insert "Patrick Kane" if American or "John Tavares" if Canadian] will be making by then), he'll actually be a smaller cap hit than the salary he'll be making - both of which will make it possible for the [insert team name] to finally give Sidney Crosby the winger he so richly deserves (hey, Crosby will take less than market value for the honor of playing here, but let's not be ridiculous - he won't come too much cheaper than a guy like Eric Belanger).

So while it may take longer than you'd like for Number Eight to put on the [insert team colors] jersey he was born to wear, know that in his heart and in his mind, he's already a [insert team name]. Message received, Alex. Loud and clear.

You're welcome, Asshats.

Elsewhere 'Round the Rinks:

Brent Johnson was awesome for Hershey in a rehab start.... Why Michal Neuvirth was traded (again).... My Sheet, my rules.

Daily Awards

• Hart: Mike Sillinger (2G and the shootout game winner, +3, 2 SOG)
  
• Ross: Trent Hunter, Ruslan Fedotenko, David Vyborny, Adam Foote (3 points each)
  
• Norris: Adam Foote (3A, +3)
  
• Vezina: Josh Harding (W, 41 saves on 43 shots against)
  
• Richard: Nikolai Zherdev, Marian Gaborik, Mike Sillinger, Owen Nolan, Taylor Pyatt (2G each)
  
• Calder:Josh Harding (W, 41 saves on 43 shots against)
• Aiken: Hannu Toivonen (L, 6 goals allowed on 37 shots against)
  

Thursday Roundup/Panthers 2, Caps 1 (SO)

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

Well, the initial adrenaline rush that accompanied the coaching change has worn off leaving the same Caps team trying to learn a new system. The result? What we saw Wednesday night. A few thoughts on the game:

• If Tomas Vokoun catches with his left hand, the Caps win that game. Period.
• He doesn't, and they didn't. Period.
  
• Neither Chris Clark nor Alex Semin were available for the shootout. Semin's injury would appear to be that same ol' ankle, and he's day-to-day, and Clark's malady wouldn't seem to be significant.
  
• Both Vokoun and Olie Kolzig were awesome through overtime but beatable in the shootout (I wonder what the highest combined total in a shootout is).
  
• It was awfully nice of Brooks Laich to wear the #21 in honor of Sean Taylor. It was nicer still to see Shaone Morrisonn honor Taylor by hitting everything that moved early on.
• Speaking of Laich, if you want to see what his shootout move looks like when it's successful, it's #6 here (and I could easily go another 35 games without seeing the Caps in one of those skill competitions).
• Last word on Laich - he's always a good guy to talk to, and last night was no exception. Check out his post game interview (warning: MP3).
  
• It took the Caps more than ten minutes to get their first shot of the second period, meaning that in the other 55 minutes of hockey, the team fired 33 shots on goal (11 of which came off Alex Ovechkin's stick).
• The Caps won a paltry 44% of the game's faceoffs, with Nicklas Backstrom going 0-for-8 and Viktor Kozlov only slightly better at 1-for-6.
  
• If only David Steckel could lift the puck.
• Another 30+ minutes of ice time for Tom Poti, and a hair over 30 for AO as well.
• Why can't the Caps get players like Richard Zednik?
  
• Finally, if a picture's worth a thousand words, this one that KB took in the locker room post game says it all:

Next up, the Hurricanes in Raleigh on Friday night. Then the Panthers. Again.

Elsewhere 'Round the Rinks:

Michal Neuvirth was named to the Czech World Junior team.... Happy 58th birthday to #7, Yvon Labre.

Daily Awards

• Hart: Mike Knuble (G, 2A, +2, 3 SOG)
  
• Ross: Mike Knuble, Pat Kane, Milan Hejduk (3 points each)
  
• Norris: Andrej Meszaros (2G, 4 blocked shots)
  
• Vezina: Tomas Vokoun (32 saves on 33 shots against in shootout win)
  
• Richard: Andrej Meszaros, Martin Havlat (2G each)
  
• Calder: Pat Kane (3A, +2)
  
• Aiken: Johan Holmqvist (3 goals allowed on 10 shots against in just 40 minutes of work)
  

Friday Roundup/Panthers 2 Caps 1Gamenight: Caps @ Bolts

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

Tom Poti, come on down!

While it's impossible to pin a 2-1 loss to one of the worst teams in hockey on any one player (but not, necessarily, on one coach), there was one player who was more responsible for the two goals against than any other, so T.P. is under the microscope today.

Let's begin with his effort last night, shall we? First he gets outmuscled and outworked by Jozef Stumpel who was able to feed a wide open Richard Zednik for Kitty Goal Number One, then he made a pass that would have made Bryan McCabe wince to spring Kamil Kreps on a breakaway that would turn out to be the eventual game-winner. To top it all off, he missed the net on a late scoring chance, left a 5% tip at dinner and used the last of a roll of toilet paper in his hotel room bathroom and didn't replace the roll (those last two items have yet to be confirmed).

Bad night. It happens. But what about his season so far?

Through 18 games, the Caps' big blueline acquisition has as many points as John Erskine, as many goals as Steve Eminger, a worse plus/minus than Brian Pothier, fewer hits than Nicklas Backstrom, and two more power-play points than Joe Motzko.

Bad night or bad player?

At this point, I'm willing to give Poti the benefit of the doubt and accept that the team's slump (nine goals in the last seven games), a groin injury and "the system" are all contributing factors to his slow start, but while we didn't expect him to be the second-coming of Bobby Orr, we didn't expect him to be the second-coming of Bryan Muir, either.

In lieu of further specifics on last night's game (but feel free to comment on Alex Ovechkin manning the power-play point, his Michael Strahan smile, Michael Nylander's curious passing, Glen Hanlon's decision on when to pull Olie Kolzig, Sunrise's pitiful ice or anything else that strikes your fancy), just read any of the last few recaps from games played in this country. Speaking of which, did you realize that the last time the Caps won on U.S. soil was October 24? That makes eight straight losses in the land of the free for your nation's Capitals.

Next up are the appropriately white-hot Lightning, who have won four straight and have scored 16 goals in their last three games, including their 5-2 win in D.C. on Saturday night and a pair of drubbings of the Carolina Hurricanes. Vincent Lecavalier had more points on Wednesday night against the 'Canes as all but seven Caps have on the entire season. Yikes.

But hope springs eternal, whether you're hoping for wins or personnel changes, so here's hoping Friday night gets us a little closer to that which we desire - it's hard to imagine we could be any further away from it.

Elsewhere 'Round the Rinks:

Thanks to Nate for passing along this story, in which Boston University's "Independent Student Newspaper" wonders how good BU would be if Chris Bourque was still in school there. My guess is they published a similar article last year. And the year before that.... Michal Neuvirth won his Windsor debut, and apparently looked great in doing so.

Daily Awards

• Hart: Eric Belanger (4A, +1)
  
• Ross: Eric Belanger (4 points)
  
• Norris: Kent Huskins (0 points, +5, 4 hits, 3 takeaways, 0 giveaways)
  
• Vezina: Martin Gerber (W, 35 saves on 37 shots against)
  
• Richard: Peter Schaeffer, Jarret Stoll, Daniel Alfredsson, Corey Perry, Joe Pavelski (2G each)
  
• Calder: Denis Tolpeko (G, A, +1)
  
• Aiken: Lubomir Visnovsky (0 points, -4)

Wednesday Roundup

Zzzzzz... Would someone kindly wake me when it's time to drop the puck again? Thanks.

Elsewhere 'Round the Rinks:

There's more fallout on Joe Finley's alleged mascot abuse. Seriously. The WCHA commissioner has now weighed in. The punishment? Finley must write a letter of apology to Bucky Badger. (h/t to DPlaya at Hockey in Wisconsin for the link).... Travis Morin is headed back to the ECHL after a brief two-game stint in Hershey in which he failed to find his way onto the score sheet.... Caps goaltending prospect Michal Neuvirth has been traded to Windsor.... The uniforms for this season's All-Star game (the voting for which is now open) have been revealed and, well, they're probably pretty much what you'd expect.... A handful of power rankings are out with the Caps at 28th (ahead of Buffalo?!), 28th, 28th, 29th, 29th, 30th and 30th.... Finally, on this date in 1979 the Caps tapped Gary Green to be the sixth head coach in team history (and, at just 26 years old, Green was the youngest head coach to ever stand behind an NHL bench).

Daily Awards

• Hart: Ilya Kovalchuk (Game-winning OT goal, 2A, +1, 6 SOG)
  
• Ross: Ilya Kovalchuk, Alexander Frolov, Alexei Kovalev (3 points each)
  
• Norris: Dion Phaneuf (G, 3 SOG, 4 hits, 3 takeaways)
  
• Vezina: Miikka Kiprusoff (W, 26 saves on 28 shots against)
  
• Richard: Mikko Koivu, David Perron, Kyle Wellwood (2G each)
  
• Calder: David Perron (2G, +1, 2 SOG)
  
• Aiken: Bryan McCabe (Here's why)
  

Neuvirth Returned To Juniors, Four More Sent To Hershey

The Capitals have assigned Frederic Cassivi, Daren Machesney, Jason Morgan and Kyle Wilson to Hershey (AHL) and Michal Neuvirth to Plymouth (OHL).

This leaves 19 forwards and 10 defensemen in camp (along with goaltenders Olie Kolzig and Brent Johnson) and answers the question "Does the organization think that Michal Neuvirth is ready for the AHL?" in the negative.

Sunday Roundup/Gameday: Caps @ 'Canes

Game on!

With but two full practices under their belts, the Caps will send a contingent down to Carolina to take on a 'Canes squad this afternoon (listen at WashingtonCaps.com). Alexanders Ovechkin and Semin, Viktor Kozlov (who Corey profiles here) and Michael Nylander are among those not expected to make the trip, according to Tarik (who has a story on Tom Poti's allergies in today's WaPo - and you'll recall that Poti isn't the only one in the organization with that similar affliction), while Bubba's got the 'Canes lineup.

Also floating around out there on the intertubes this morning are articles on former Caps Steve Konowalchuk (which is really a must-read) and Bryan Muir (which isn't) and a snippet from the Ottawa Citizen that predicts that the Caps will be "fun to watch."

Finally of note, WUSA-TV (channel 9) will be running a feature on Michal Neuvirth tonight on their Sunday night sports wrap show (which airs after the 11:00 news).

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.

Osala Fin(n)ished With Juniors

As we speculated on Monday, Osala's recently-signed deal with Espoo does contain an out clause, so if the Big O signs a deal to play for either the Caps or, far more likely, Hershey, he'll begin his professional career on this side of the pond - undersized AHL defensemen, be forewarned.

Make sure to head over to Caps.com to read Vogs' profile on the young Finn, and while you're over there, check out Mike's profiles of Osala's fellow countryman Sami Leposito and Czech goaltender Michal Neuvirth as well.

Tick... Tock... Tick... Tock...

Buried in this article on Caps' goaltending prospect Michal Neuvirth (he wants to play in Hershey this coming season, btw), is the following: "Washington's training camp is scheduled to begin Sept. 13, when players report. The first on-ice sessions are slated for Sept. 14." Therefore, the countdown (but not The Final Countdown) is officially on...

No Qualifying Offer For Novotny

In a move that's a bit surprising to me, the Caps have decided not to extend a qualifying offer to Jiri Novotny, meaning that the Czech pivot will become an unrestricted free agent on Sunday. The decision is surprising in part because it would have been relatively cheap to qualify Novoflop ("only" $495,000), and in part because the former first-rounder is still only 23-years-old (24 in August). Novotny certainly did nothing to impress in his brief stint in D.C., but hopefully letting him go means that the team will be adding some depth at the center position (especially on the top two lines) in the near future. And for those keeping score at home, the Caps end up trading Dainius Zubrus for San Jose's second round pick in 2007 (which they flipped to Philly, I believe) and the Sharks' (likely very late) second round pick in 2008 - not exactly a king's ransom. But kudos to GMGM and the team for not just signing Novotny for the sake of trying to save some face on the Zubrus trade.

Another surprise (to me at least) was that the team didn't qualify goaltender Maxime Daigneault. "Max II" was 23-6 with a .910 save percentage and a 2.64 goals against average in his first season in the AHL. If it was purely a talent-based decision, I can live with it (though as a 23-year-old and a former second-round pick, I'm not sure how that decision can be made at this point). But when Tim Leone (via Tarik) pointed out that Frederic Cassivi was going to be back in Chocolatetown next year and questioned whether there was room in the organization for Daigneault, I asked the following:

Shouldn't the question be whether there's room in the organization for Cassivi? I know they're trying to win games down there, but if the Caps are forced to let go of a goalie with potential upside (there's only one way to find out how much) so that Hershey can keep playing a guy that offers no such long-term benefit to the big club, I'm not sure I see the point of the affiliation.

That question - and the implication that goes along with it - is gnawing at me again today. At the very least, the release of Max II shows the team's confidence in youngsters Simeon Varlamov and Michal Neuvirth.

Also not receiving QOs were defenseman Trevor Byrne, and forwards Kris Beech, Jonas Johansson, Louis Robitaille, Matt Stefanishion and Joey Tenute. No huge losses there.

So who was qualified? Blueliners Steve Eminger, John Erskine, Jamie Hunt and Milan Jurcina and forwards Tomas Fleischmann, Jakub Klepis, Brooks Laich, Dave Steckel and Brian Sutherby.

Per the Caps' site:

Players who receive qualifying offers have until July 15 to notify the club as to whether or not they accept the offer. Players with arbitration rights (that list includes Eminger, Erskine, Jurcina, Laich and Sutherby) have until July 5 to notify the club of their desire to exercise those rights.

Players who are tendered qualifying offers can still get offers from other NHL teams, too. Any restricted free agent who is given an offer sheet at $773,442 or below for 2007-08 can sign without his original club receiving any compensation in return. The player’s original club does retain the right to match that offer, however.

...

Negotiations are already ongoing with Washington’s restricted free agents, a process that will play itself out over the next six weeks or so. Players who choose arbitration may never get to arbitration, and just because all nine players were given two-way qualifying offers does not preclude them from signing one-way deals when it’s all said and done.

Youth Will Be Served

NHL.com's Robert Picarello has an article up about five of the younger players the Caps have under contract (most of whom I'd expect to see at the Caps development camp next month), and it's definitely worth a read.

'Virth The Wait?

Fresh off an eye-opening Memorial Cup run, the Caps have signed goaltender Michal Neuvirth to a three-year entry-level contract.

From the team's press release on the signing:

Neuvirth, 19, was a second-round selection of the Capitals, 34th overall, in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft. The 6’1”, 197-pound, left-handed catching goaltender spent this past season with the Plymouth Whalers of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) were he was named the OHL’s All-Star Second Team Goaltender and was runner-up for the OHL Goaltender of the Year Award.

The Usti Labem, Czech Republic, native finished the regular season with a 26-8-2-2 record, which included four shootouts. His goals-against average was 2.32 and he notched a .932 save percentage. Neuvirth set the longest shutout streak in franchise history from Dec. 28, 2006, to Jan. 6, 2007, by not allowing a goal in 164:18.

Neuvirth carded an impressive 14-3-1 playoff record, which included an OHL championship and a spot in the Memorial Cup semifinals. His playoff GAA was 2.45 and his .932 save percentage equaled his season output. Prior to suiting up in the OHL, Neuvirth led the Czech Republic to a bronze medal at the 2006 IIHF World Under-18 Hockey Championship, posting a 3-1-2 record.

The Capitals expect Neuvirth to be in attendance at the team’s summer development camp, July 11-14 at Kettler Capitals Iceplex in Arlington, Va.

UPDATE: Link to the release at WashingtonCaps.com

'Virth The Price Of Admission

Check out Hockey's Future for a nice profile of Caps goaltending prospect Michal Neuvirth, but remember - he's only 18, so it'll be a long time (if ever) before we should realistically expect to see him in Washington.

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"