tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-78532710364190779022011-08-03T01:57:20.071-04:00BETA - Empty thoughts on the Washington Capitals and hockey in general from the District of Hockey. - BETAEmpty Maybenoreply@blogger.comBlogger161100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7853271036419077902.post-54338127015485002192009-08-31T09:47:00.003-04:002009-08-31T10:09:56.694-04:00

Darren Dreger - seemingly the only Canadian media member who has actually reported on something other than the Phoenix Coyotes or the Canadian Olympic Team - is all over a change that may seem small at first, but has league-wide implications: the ouster of Paul Kelly as NHLPA Executive Director.As I tend not to be an alarmist, I won't be predicting gloom, doom, and lockouts at this point, but I

Empty Maybenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7853271036419077902.post-71270650807426689292009-07-28T17:59:00.003-04:002009-07-28T18:04:34.726-04:00

Tarik El-Bashir has this little snippet about Nylander's agent, Bill Zito, not having spoken to any KHL teams. There's no overt reason to believe he's putting up a smoke-screen."For a year I've been hearing the [rumors]," Bill Zito told me earlier today. "Michael called me a couple times and asked, 'Have you talked to these guys?' In the past it's been Yaroslavl, then it was Moscow, then it was

Empty Maybenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7853271036419077902.post-34551582237558173922009-07-28T09:55:00.008-04:002009-07-28T11:58:27.042-04:00

About this time every year, fans and pundits alike pass out a Cup in late July - the Paper Cup.The Paper Cup is given to the team or teams that make the flashiest moves in Free Agency, or who shuffle their roster like a deck of cards. As no actual NHL hockey is being played, the Paper Cup is awarded on the merits of speculation and popular opinion. No moves are bad moves in competing for the

Empty Maybenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7853271036419077902.post-82410616827170820142009-07-27T18:40:00.003-04:002009-07-27T18:50:38.910-04:00

So, when the scrimmage on Saturday was done, I headed over to Front Page for a post-scrimmage beer with some pals after some media time (where I stood around pretty good, watching the bags of my fellow bloggers and shamelessly listening in on conversations around me).As many will know, the pace of the elevators at Ballston Commons can charitably be described as 'glacial'. Many of the participants

Empty Maybenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7853271036419077902.post-773022377729281672009-07-18T14:29:00.003-04:002009-07-18T15:22:21.300-04:00

Rookie Camp has concluded, and has provided us with precious hockey to discuss over the grim period between mid-July and early September.- Followers of the blog know that I like the grinders, and guys like Breuss, Eakin, and Della Rovere are right up my alley. All worked hard, brought speed, forechecked and did the little things. Mitchell was less noticable for me, but I like the trend of the

Empty Maybenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7853271036419077902.post-43291395420476256472008-06-12T10:12:00.003-04:002008-06-12T11:43:46.687-04:00

Mull this one over: what if the Caps sign Mike Green for 6 years at $6.5 million?It could happen. Heck, some will say it's probable.There has been much made of a recent interview on XM Radio in which Caps' General Manager George McPhee does make it sound like Green and his agent, Don Meehan, will not sign with the club, instead planning on waiting for a team to present Green with an Offer Sheet.

Empty Maybenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7853271036419077902.post-83650380167700340782008-06-10T09:31:00.002-04:002008-06-10T09:58:46.798-04:00

He's quiet. He's unassuming. He won 55.8% of his faceoffs. He doesn't bring a lot of offense, but he's rock-solid defensively. He's Gordo, and he's an RFA.Gordon's kind of a straight-forward player: not much offense, a lot of defense. Is there a place on this club for that? That's the question that seems to be on people's minds, and Gordon is considered by some to be a guy on the bubble. Dave

Empty Maybenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7853271036419077902.post-60924430705090114242008-06-07T09:34:00.003-04:002008-06-07T09:43:16.969-04:00

RFA Eric Fehr typically has a history of excelling in his second full season of play entering a new level of hockey, but plans for that hoped-for proficiency were derailed by a lingering and unresponsive hip/back issue that put the big winger on the shelf for nearly a year. Gifted with soft hands for a big man, Fehr's play picked up in the playoffs, showing that if his offensive potential isn't

Empty Maybenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7853271036419077902.post-8166276111821353292008-06-05T13:38:00.003-04:002008-06-05T13:48:54.960-04:00

Restricted Free Agent Steve Eminger. Goodness. What to say? Buried as the 8th defenseman for reasons beyond mortal knowledge., taking a back seat to John Erskine and Milan Jurcina, many wondered what Eminger had done to earn the ire of the Caps' coaching staff. No one seems to know.Eminger's play at the end of the season and the playoffs was solid, if unspectacular, and he's the kind of player

Empty Maybenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7853271036419077902.post-69067885048474260742008-06-04T12:41:00.008-04:002008-06-04T13:57:56.032-04:00

It appears that big Finnish winger (and SM-liiga rookie of the year) Oskar Osala has signed an entry-level deal with Washington. (Link is in Finnish. Rock over to Google translator if your Finnish is rusty. Like mine.)This article is at the other end of the spectrum of one that came out a day or so earlier, indicating that Osala was not going to sign with the Caps, citing a problem with signing a

Empty Maybenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7853271036419077902.post-25114871095888593002008-06-03T09:12:00.003-04:002008-06-03T10:02:09.635-04:00

Certainly a player that looked rejuvenated in his brief stint in Washington, Sergei Fedorov presents an interesting case as for Staying or going.In the pro column, Fedorov looked younger, more energized and active once he put on a Caps' sweater, and it seems safe to say that he was a positive influence in the locker room. He's still an excellent skater, and he's solid defensively. The Caps would

Empty Maybenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7853271036419077902.post-1757470198630824462008-06-01T09:33:00.007-04:002008-06-01T10:26:13.434-04:00

Many insisted that goaltending wasn't an issue for the Washington Capitals in the playoff stretch. General Manager George McPhee issued the sternest of rebuttals to that thought on Trade Deadline Day, acquiring Montreal netminder Cristobal Huet for a 2nd round draft pick in 2009.Huet put up mind-boggling numbers in his 13 regular season games as a Capital: 11 wins against 2 losses, a 1.63 goal

Empty Maybenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7853271036419077902.post-22973129105986895932008-05-30T14:37:00.003-04:002008-05-30T14:48:10.646-04:00

Go read it. Here.Notice that a certain general manager is mentioned by name as observing the proceedings. McPhee said last year that the team doesn't really concentrate on the workouts, but the interviews. I wonder if there's any prepping of deals for draft weekend?

Empty Maybenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7853271036419077902.post-32884795625101184252008-05-30T13:39:00.006-04:002008-05-30T14:39:56.144-04:00

In our look at the Caps' UFAs and RFAs, let's start with agitator and forechecker extraordinaire, Matt Cooke.Cooke's speed, ability to hit, and get under the other team's skin played okay in the Caps' system, not setting the world on fire, but wasn't as big a force as some had thought. On paper, his style fits into Coach Bruce Boudreau's aggressive forechecking system, but on the ice it was a

Empty Maybenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7853271036419077902.post-48715530335107071422008-05-30T13:20:00.004-04:002008-05-30T13:29:14.542-04:00

According to TSN, there's a report out there that Melrose may replace Tortorella as the Lightning's coach.My first reaction: Surprise. Then, as a Caps fan, I kinda like it. Melrose may not have been that good a coach to begin with, and he hasn't been behind an NHL bench in more than twelve years. Moreover, this move is reportedly being pushed by the prospective new owner of the Lightning, and

Empty Maybenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7853271036419077902.post-78524159849956034152008-05-30T12:42:00.003-04:002008-05-30T14:00:24.595-04:00

First off, go read DumpnChase, OnFrozenBlog, Japer's Rink, The Peerless, Offwing, Kukla's Korner, Spector's, all those real sites.Now that you're done with those, a quick word about what may or may not go on here: Just some random thoughts, mostly about the Caps and hockey. This site is founded on a complete lack of ambition, and a dedicated apathy to things like graphics, professionalism, and

Empty Maybenoreply@blogger.com0