Allsmokenopancake

So, caps have lost 4 of their first six games, are taking the same stupid penalties they have been plagued with the last 2 seasons and outside of a huge trade have a pedestrian defense which is not championship worthy (it's been the D, it's been the D for the caps for years now) Suck out loud. Take the lead going into the third period in 3 of the last 4 games and lose all 4 games. Need to start bustin heads at Kettler

So, I'm predicting ERskine on the bench tonight. Sloan was practicing on the wing yesterday as well, so I don't know. Theo likely to go in net against the Rags

Yeah, but that's next year, and let's not forget Backstrom and Semin are both UFA's at the end of the year as well. That's going to take up atleast Theodore's and Nylander's cap space. You shouldn't score 5-6 goals in a game and narrowly win or lose. IMO, 6 goals tonight wasn't AS bad as the 4 against the Leafs, simply because of who's in the Flyers line-up. Plus, that one goal was giftwrapped and hand delivered from Varlamov to Richards. If this team had a better D-corps, they could steamroll most teams simply because of their offense. I really want this team to be good, but I think in the end their D-corps and goaltending are going to let them down. Semin and Backstrom are RFAs not UFAs. Also, Semin is making $4.6 mil this year, I think he will probably get a bump to about $6. Backstrom will also get a bump to about $6. Backstroms cap hit is already $2.4 (rookie deal + Bonuses), so it adds $3.6 mil to him and $1.4 mil to Semin (again, just guessing figures on my part, may be more, may be less). So that's $5 mil additional cap space, and you lose $4.5 with Theo and $4.875 with Nylander. Pothier is $2.5 mil and a UFA also. The cap space will be there, but I just don't get encouraged about the caps in free agency. Poti, Pothier, Nylander, Theo, all decent players don't get me wrong but do you look at those signings and say THAT'S the player to get us over the hump and to the cup? I don't. Then you look at the Flyers who brought in Pronger, that's a bold move. May screw them over because of the contract extension being in effect after his 35th birthday, but the caps have been screwed by the cap 2 years running now, at least the flyers will be screwed with a real chance of winning it all

The D is the biggest question. Theo has traditionally played well in his contract year (03/04 - 2.27 GAA 0.919%, 33 wins, 07/08 - 2.44 GAA, 0.910 %, 28 wins). Varlamov has been good both in the few regular season games last year and under pressure in the playoffs this year. Up front, you have 50 goals with Ovechkin, 25 with Backstrom, potentially 40 with Semin, another 35 with Knuble, Morisson is off to a good start, Laich looks to be good for anywhere from 20-35 this year. You have solid defense from the forwards (Checking lines with Laing, Bradley, Steckel, Gordon, Clark etc have been good on the PK and good in the faceoff circle). It's the defense Green is good offensively, but makes mistakes in his own end, one cancels out the other Poti has become dependable but unspectacular, a good #3/4 guy Pothier seems to be back to his better game, which is again a #4/5 guy The rest are 5/6/7 D men with Juice/Erskine/Mo/Schultz/Sloan If they make a trade between now and the end of the trade season, they might be more formidable. At the minute, they can beat anyone on any given night, but in a 7 game series, they can be tested. I still think they CAN win it all this year, I just wouldn't put money on it yet Are you serious or really asking? Clark played with the Flames, got to game 7 in the finals with them against the Lightning. Came over to the caps and played great his first 2 years. Career high with Flames was 10 goals, put in 20 in his first year, 30 his second. He has been injured for most of the past 2 years, but is still a leader in the locker room. If you go to the caps post game video section on their website, there is an interview with Brooks Laich. He is asked about one day becoming captain and he immediately says "We have a captain. Chris Clark is our captain and he is a great leader. There should be no talk of captaincy while he is on the team" or somthing to that effect. He took an ovechkin slapshot to the face 2 years ago, had to have his jaw rebuilt with cadaver. He is tough as nails. The caps were down 4 - 0 to the Penguins either last season or the season before. Clark was injured. He went into the locker room between periods and gave the team a talking to. They came out and won 5-4. Just because he may not have been noticed in the last couple of seasons due to injury does not mean he should not be the captain* *Disclaimer time. I'm a big Clark fan, and I hope to see him have a great year now that he is finally healthy. He is a great captain for this team. Keeps the pressure of Ovechkin, leads in practice, on the ice and off the ice, great work ethic, great guy.

Varly getting his second start in a row. Boudreau says he wants to test him in front of a hostile Philly crowd (this being their home opener) Brian Pothier has played solid in his first two games. Why would you take him out of the game to play Jeff the freaking traffic cone Schultz.

Found out little dog bella, a 5 year old beagle who was hit by a car. We took her in and fostered her, and are keeping her (third failed foster, we now have 3 dogs full time). She is easily spooked and a kid on a bike scared her (not the kids fault, she just got spooked) while we were walking her. She got away and took off. So after a couple of days, in which I think I may have walked about 30 miles looking for her through woods and residential areas, putting up posters, we finally got her back yesterday evening. Hiding in the back of a shed in a back garden, terrified, and smelling like shit. Took her home, bathed her, cleaned here, fed her, and she was back on the bed sleeping and safe last night. If you are not a dog person, this will make me sound weird, but if you are you will know. It was like losing a child. I was completely distraught. We have 3 dogs, and Bella is definitely a "daddy's girl" dog. She has latched to me, probably because Jake is a momma's boy and Alfie just likes whoever will give him attention. So it was a tough couple of days but a great ending

Lets change that. :) Won't get within 130 of it

On pace for 164 goals and 82 assists!!! :lol:

Any time Laich gets a chance he has done well. I think if he gets a legitimate shot as a 2nd liner 30 goals would not be out of the ordinary. He can finish, he fights for pucks and is a good all around player. And he has one of the best quotes of all time. "If you want money, go to a bank. If you want bread, go to a bakery. If you want goals.... go to the net" Awesome

Knuble is on the second line tonight, but I'm sure he will see time with the top line if need be. Also, it looks like Schultz and Sloan are healthy scratches (schultz being scratched makes me a happy camper) Here are the predicted lines for the caps based on this mornings skate in Boston Ovechkin-Backstrom-Semin Laich-Morrison-Knuble Laing-Steckel-Clark Kane-Gordon-Bradley Morrisonn-Green Poti-Jurcina Erskine-Pothier Jose Threeormore (forgot, it's a contract year) Theodore will start

And now the pens pick Bourque off waivers, his salary was $577K. Instead of playing Nylander tomorrow, the Caps instead are recalling Boyd Kane, who's salary is $500K. Which means the caps were $77K over the cap, and Bourque is gone for nothing because if it. What the &*%$ I like Bourque, I like that he was finally getting a shot and I think it was shitty the way the caps handled this. And now to see him as a Pen, I can't even root for his success!!!

He better, I took him in the 11th round in our fantasy draft. Never mind the fans, make sure to look after your faithful fantasty hockey players!!!

It would free up $4.875 million cap space. Some breaking news, the caps have put Chris Bourque on waivers Just talked to general manager George McPhee, and he confirmed that Chris Bourque was put on waivers at noon today. http://www.washingtontimes.com/weblogs/in-...ourque-waivers/

Couple of days from opening night, time to get the Caps thread back in action (I could have sworn I made one already, but I may be going mental) The caps have essentially cut down to their opening night roster. Boudreau said he thinks the Nylander situation will be resolved by today. There are still 3 goalies up but Neuvirth is injured so will get treatment and likely be returned to Hershey. This is the team left in Washington as of this morning. There are 26 remaining, but both Flash and Fehr are injured (although Fehr is taking full practice, and Boudreau said he will play in about 2 weeks). I believe, but I am not positive, that Flash will start the season on IR, possibly even LTIR. He has DVT (Deep Vein Thrombosis) which is believed to have been caused by swelling from a blocked puck in Game 7 against the Pens, then flying back home to the Czech Republic. But he is out, so that makes the roster 25, as I mentioned, Neuvirth will be going to Hershey after treatment, making it 24, and we are waiting on Nylander news today, which would put the roster to 23, which is where it needs to be by 3.30pm tomorrow. F B. Gordon F Backstrom F Bourque F Bradley F Clark F Fehr F Flash F Knuble F Laich F Laing F Morrison F Nylander F Ovechkin F Semin F Steckel D Erskine D Green D Jurcina D Morrisonn D Pothier D Poti D Schultz D Sloan G Neuvirth G Theodore G Varlamov Couple of notes..... http://voices.washingtonpost.com/capitalsi...-cuts.html#more Making the Cuts...(it's a longish entry, but worth reading, here are a couple of highlights) From a personal standpoint, I'm delighted to see Laing on the opening night roster. If you have never seen or heard of him before, he is a scrappy 3rd/4th line guy who is a shot blocking machine. There is absolutely no off button when he is on the ice, he will never quit and will take on anyone to defend his teammates (but he is not a fighter). Great in the locker room, liked by the guys. He is a real battler. Last season against Tampa, he tore his spleen in three places in his first shift and finished the game (15 shifts). And what makes me a fan of his.... The goalies will not see as many shots thanks to him, the PK will be a little better. Anyway, my guess at the lines given the listing up above and the injuries... Ovechkin - Backstrom - Knuble Semin - Morisson - Clark Bourque - Steckel - Laich Laing- Gordon - Bradley Poti - Schultz Green - Pothier Erskine - Morisson Juice - Sloan (I have no idea what the D will look like, but as Erskine just signed a 2 year deal, I put him ahead of Juice, and Sloan I don't know, I would put him in ahead of Schultz, but Boudreau likes Sarge, so who am I to judge)

Winter league is here again (meaning I will be continuing my Ballistik review too) I play in 2 leagues, first one started last monday (I had an assist in a 6-2 win), next one is tomorrow night in Ballston. NICE!!!!! Home from work - walk the dogs - bite of dinner - hockey - beer - bed. Good way to kick off the weekend

Just poured a pint from my home made kegerator. A homebrewed dunkelweizen Nice way to spend a tuesday evening

We won our C-1 championship last night, 4-3. I scored the first goal of the game, a powerplay goal from about 2 feet out. Actually batted the puck out of the air over the goalies pads. Feeling pretty good, and pretty sore today

Update: Easton SE 10 Skates Mission Intake helmet w/Bauer cage & Shock Doctor anti-microbial chin cup Koho 3360 Shoulders/Shins Koho 4480 Elbows NikeBauer Supreme One90 gloves Easton Synergy SL 100 flex (sakic curve) OPS Ballistik 45 Caliber 80 flex (sakic clone) OPS Eagle 100 Beak 100 flex (sakic clone) OPS

Team photo from the Ballston Tropics, play the C-1 league at Ballston (caps practice facility). First place with a 13-1-2 record for the summer league, playoffs start next week. I'm 2nd from the left on the back row (the big ugly guy) Me (#18) going to the net

Cheers, This is how I did it http://hockeyandbeer.wordpress.com/2009/07...erator-project/ and these are some of my brews http://hockeyandbeer.wordpress.com/2009/07...things-my-beer/

Everything has been completed with my kegerator, including a batch of Irish Red Ale. Here is the first pint poured

Eagles defensive co-ordinator Jim Johnson has passed also http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/foot...s.ap/index.html

Me with Brian Pothier this past weekend. He dropped the puck at the charity event I run

Taps installed... Still a few things to do, will get the whole finished thing, drip drays, magnetic bottle doohickey etc nice way to spend a day off

NUMBER21 - No, I brew in 5 gallon batches. I bought Cornelius kegs, the old 5 gallon soda kegs. So I keg 5 gallons at a time, not a full sized keg Some more beers I've brewed American Amber Ale Cascades Pale Ale Doublenut Brown Ale Honey Hefeweizen (I added 1 lb clove spun honey to it, hence the honey hefe) ESB (sorry about the picture quality) Old English Mild Ale - sort of a dying style, light alcohol wise but let it age a few months and it's great Nut Brown Ale Dry Hopped Pale Ale Vanilla Whiskey Porter