Allsmokenopancake

Ain't that the fucking story of the caps for 10 years. Always always always over value their D. They replaced Kolzig, brought in Fedorov, but had signed a couple of fairly average D men in Pothier and Poti, said they were top pair D-men and didn't look to address it much further. Not to mention the fact that experience begets experience. That's why Tampa brought in Ohlund, to help Hedman. And the caps bring in Poti I agree with you 100% here, it's the most frustrating part about being a caps fan. Just that one D-man away from balance. You get a top pair guy, then you have him and green taking up 25-30 minutes a night, leaving 30-35 to the other guys. Manage their minutes and get more out of them. Don't make the top guys because you have not got a top guy

I agree that Kubina would be good for a playoff run, but the $5 mil hit beyond this season is what has me saying no when the likes of Backstrom, Flash and Fehr have to get under contract. Flash is only making $700 this season, I can see that being tripled if he goes over 20 goals with him getting 19 last season. Semin just signed a 1 year deal that bumps his salary up to $6 mil next year. Ward is a much more managable cap hit but he still has a year left to go. I think next year it will be Green, Poti, Mo, Alzner, Erskine and Schultz as the top 6, with Erskine being the odd man out to get CArlson some seasoning, so I don't think they want to carry 8 or 9 d-men like they are doing this year

Atlanta have Kubina, Hainsey and Enstrom, the first two I wouldn't be that enthused about, they are good, but not what the caps need. I would take Enstrom in a heartbeat, but he falls under their untouchable category. Atlanta are also holding on to the 8 spot in the west, so are not likely to deal to the division. Apart from that there is Ballard in Florida, but I don't see them trading him, I like his play though, Mezaros in Tampa, I wouldn't mind Gleason from the Canes but that's about it really. And again, not sure how many would deal within the division. All those players have some value so would be easy to get a decent return from outside

Capitals have traded Chris Clark and Milan Jurcina to Columbus for Jason Chimera

Michael Nylander is officially off the books. He has accepted a loan to the Grand Rapid Griffins, and since he was already cleared waivers again, can be assigned there immediately http://capitals.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=509767

Yeah, that guy sits up in the upper level and has little raver lights and stuff. Don't call his cape a cape though, he will go to great lengths to tell you it's a cloak, not a cape and that he got it from a medievil online store. I've had issues with him in the past

Yeah, Corey at the times had it on twitter as an upper body then corrected it. I, unfortunately and not that diligent!!!. Groin tweak from the last shot of the game against tampa. Also, Matthieu Perrault may have food poisoning and is questionable for tonight

Varlamov is day to day with an "upper body injury" Neuvirth has been called to join the caps and Braden Holtby has been recalled from the Stingrays to the Bears

I've got the beers ready for our christmas party. I currently have an Irish Red Ale on tap and also my Whiskey Vanilla Oaked Irish Stout that is carbonating, but I did do a taste test last night. Still needs to sit on gas for about another week to develop a nice head, but it's drinking well. I also have a keg of Magic Hat Roxy Rolles clone currently carbonating on priming sugar in a keg in one of the closets in the house (the recipe is directly from Matt Cohen the head brewer there). So it's backup for when the first of the other two run out.

The Puckdaddy blog has a couple of angles on it Almost half way down the page. I don't know how that cannot be a suspension, apart from the fact that it's on Cooke, who has a reputation (who I loved as a cap, I'm not saying that should justify not suspending him) Also, Cooke got up quick, and again, the league generally shows that they only punish results, not intent. But this was a blindside headshot, in retribution which, when it happens away from the puck has to be considered intent to injure. http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/blog/puck_dadd...?urn=nhl,207110 As always, the fucknuts in the league offices don't have even the slightest modicum of consistency. That should be a suspension, for 2-5 games I think (more like 2 if it's a first offence) but definitely a suspension

Per tarik, Alzner back to Hershey and Brads back to Washington where his wife is about to give birth

New season, all grudges are reset :lol: Of course, the caps haven't played the pens yet, so we will see how long it lasts ;)

Its kidna funny how even the players know that if the guy gets up and isn't hurt, they proooobably won't get into any extra trouble. Shameful. Ejected twice in a week and doesnt even get one game as a warning. Did you see the hit he was ejected for against buffalo? Should have been a 2 minute penalty. Look at the boarding Penalty Tim Gleason got against Perrault in the third period on Monday. He got 2 minutes for it. He hit Perrault square in the numbers, and into the boards head first. Then look at the ovechkin hit, where he hits him on the shoulder, not on the back, but coming from the side, as Kaleta turned. Kaleta got his nose bust because he tried to turn last minute, and Ovechkin gets 5 and the game. What's the difference? Apart from Gleason hitting more directly from behind? PErrault got up again immediately. Gleasons was the dirtier hit, but was less penalized because of the result, not the action itself. IT's a problem with the league, they don't punish action they punish injury. They need to consistently call the bad calls, and have a consistent way of calling them, not some "lets see if he is hurt" system

Caps are pretty banged up coming into tonights game. Semin, Knuble, Laing and Gordon out up front, Morrisonn and Juice on the D and Theo out for personal reason. Caps have called up John Carlson, have defenseman Tyler Sloan playing 4th line and Neuvirth in goal to back up Varly. Projected caps lines tonight... Forwards Ovechkin-Backstrom-Fleischmann Laich-Morrison-Clark Steckel-Perreault-Fehr Sloan-Beagle-Bradley Defense Schultz-Green Poti-Carlson Erskine-Pothier

From the capital insider over at the post.... http://voices.washingtonpost.com/capitalsi...r-update-1.html

While I hope it happens, they both reported that Nylander had signed in Edmonton a couple of seasons back too, so until it's officially official, I'm not doing my fat man happy dance!!!

After the scrum at the blue jackets Ovechkin is week to week with an upper body injury. Matthew Perrault has been called up from Hershey (a precaution in case Fehr can't go next game)

Quintin Laing is isolated with Swine Flu Boyd Gordon is still out with back issues Tomas Fleischmann has been reactivated and Boudreau has confirmed he will be in the lineup tonight against the Thrashers Giroux has been returned to Hershey Varly starting tonight Lines look to be Ovechkin-Backstrom-Semin Laich-Morrison-Knuble Fleischmann-Aucoin-Clark Sloan-Steckel-Bradley

Michael Nylander has agreed to be sent to the Grand Rapid Griffins in the AHL. It's for a conditioning stint, so he still counts toward the caps 23 man roster and salary cap. Per Tarik over at the post, some KHL teams have expressed some interest but are worried about his conditioning, so he has gone there to get gametime, with a view to a move at some stage. As of yet there is still no deal in place, but it looks like Nylander himself realizes that he has to do something. Wonder if he has any aspirations on making the Swedish team, even as a backup/injury type so will go to russia to get ice time? Maybe too little too late from all parties. Caps have handled this terribly in my opinion and Nylander has said and done all the right things, so I don't begrudge him anything, even if he doesn't waive his no movement clause

I would think most teams would kill to have Cooke-Staal-Kennedy as a third line. 9 goals already. Apart from that (insert caps fans hates the pens comment here) :)

Spot the new bandwagon fans in DC last night. Ovechkin scores 2 in regulation and another in the shootout and a couple of hundred idiots start throwing hats on the ice thinking he has the hat-trick

Definitely wasn't me, but the D is always the issue, as I said here earlier in the thread. I would not put the caps D in a side by side comparison favorably with any of the other supposed "elite" teams http://www.modsquadhockey.com/forums/index...st&p=729822 I would take Calle at the same age over Poti every time. For what its worth, Buffalo go to the conference finals a few years ago with their 8th and 9th defenseman getting ice time. The Caps do not have a system that forces the forwards to give up a little offense in order to make up for their defensive shortcomings. They will need to upgrade the defense or change the forwards defensive responsibilities in order to change their performance. That's what I was saying. Poti plays a similar game to Calle (no big hits, not big O numbers, but a simple, skating based, outlet pass solid D) but he doesn't play it nearly as well as Calle did. I wasn't sayin Calle was the one who was not nearly as good, I was saying Poti was

I don't know who was high on them last season? They have been weak on the D since Cassidy took over. They had Gonchar-Witt Klee-Johannson Back then. Say what you will about Witt now, but 6-2 years ago, he was a decent stay at home D. Same with Klee, Johannson could get the puck out of the zone and Gonchar could score and QB a PP. Now they have Green - Gonchar with more offense and less defense Poti - A Johannson type, but not nearly as good Pothier - Not bad for a 5/6, not great for a 3/4 Erskine/Juice/Mo/Schultz - collectively a group of marginal 6/7th d-men

By the way, this was done last season for NPR. Brooks Laich and Karl Alzner kept audio diaries of the season, including Alzner getting cut at the end of training camp, his call up, first goal, concussion, winning the calder cup with HErshey and Laich playing for 4 weeks with a fractured foot and not telling Boudreau!!! Also a bunch of bonus material there too.... http://mediachameleon.org/

Sold a shaft and it was returned to me by USPS today broken in half with an apology note (not a personalized on, a pre-printed one in a plastic envelope they stuck to the shaft). I sold it for $25, and have already refunded the seller, but is it worth filing a claim with USPS? Is it too much hassle for just $25?