Couple of bits and bobs from caps training camp

[Allsmokenopancake 0]

First, the caps have made a bunch of roster cuts so far

The Capitals announced they have assigned 19 players (Dean Arsene, Scott Barney, Jay Beagle, Sean Collins, Andrew Gordon, Marty Guerin, Jamie Hunt, Andrew Joudrey, Quintin Laing, Sami Lepisto, Tommy Maxwell, Chris McAllister, Grant McNeill, Patrick McNeill, Jason Morgan, Travis Morin, Steve Pinizzotto, Grant Potulny, Steve Werner) to Hershey of the American Hockey League and have released forward Dan Kronick.

Today’s cuts leave a total of 37 players remaining on the team’s roster: 20 forwards, 12 defensemen and five goaltenders.

This was the day after they reassaigned Karl Alzner, Josh Godfrey and Francois Bouchard to their respective teams.

Also, the top two lines are starting to come into focus.

Hanlon has said he will start the year with Ovechkin-Kozlov on the top line, and they have been skating for much of the camp together.

This means that Backstrom has been playing wing (probably to ease into the north american style), and the second line has been Semin-Nylander-Backstrom

I think Clark will stay on the top line, he can dig in, in the corners, and seems to have a nose for garbage goals around the net (as witnessed by his 30 goals last season), and has speed and a defensive conscience.

That being said, Tomas Fleishman, who has little left to prove at the AHL level, has been skating on the top line with Ovey-Kozlov. He has been ok, but missed a couple of sitters in near, where a tap in would have seemed easy (for guys of their skill level) He will need to start converting them if he wants to make it. He is also not signed to a contract yet, so really needs to get the finger out if he wants to make it.

The third line will be Pettinger-Gordon and possibly Clark if he is bumped down, which will give a speedy, defensively reliable checking unit, who can still score goals (sort of like buffalo the past couple of years)

And if clark stays on the top line (which I hope he does) there is about 10 guys fighting for the last spot on the third line, along with the 4th line duty.

Matt Bradley is having a good camp, so he will likely beat out guys like Clymer (who isn't doing bad, but there are a few players who all bring the same thing to the table)

Kozlov is having a great camp, and is really clicking with Ovechkin. I didn't know he was 6'5'', but apparently he is playing to his size. He and ovey trained together for 6 weeks this summer in Russia, and were on the same line in Turin, so they are friends with each other, and the language thing will help too.

Chris Bourque is having a good camp too. He is all over the place, playing about 2 foot taller than his size.

Some of the D pairings thus far are...

Jurcina - Poti

Schultz - Pothier

Erskine - Eminger

Boumedienne is having a good camp too, as is Mike Green.

And for those of you up in Ottawa, with the exception of Semin, you should be getting most of the good players on the ice tonight

Forwards: Ovechkin, Sutherby, Bradley, Gordon, Pettinger, Fleischmann, Backstrom, Klepis, Laich, Nylander, Kozlov and Clark.

Defense: Poti, Morrisonn, Jurcina, Pothier, Schultz, Sloan and Green.

Goalies: Kolzig, Neuvirth.

Thats about it. I had mentioned in the Training Camp Pics thread on the equipment side, I would try to focus the camera on new equipment on saturday, but then I remembered, my camera is back home in Ireland with my wife who's over for a wedding, so it will be next week before I get some good gear photos.

Anyway, how are the other camps going roung the league

[Wolfpack_1986 154]

Erik Cole is looking like his pre-broken neck self.

[Gongshow11 1]

where is bourque now? sent down or still in main camp? and how did pinizzoto look?

[Allsmokenopancake 0]

where is bourque now? sent down or still in main camp? and how did pinizzoto look?

Bourque is still with the team. I was listening to the Caps Report podcast yesterday, and one of the questions was on borque.

Basically, they were saying that his is a third year pro, but still only 21/22, as he left college early. When he came out of college, the first year in Hershey was an adjustment, but he has been consistently improving.

He plays much bigger than his size, and is fearless in front of the net, and in the corners.

Their thoughts are, he won't make the big team this season for opening night, but will likely be up and down as an injury callup.

The other question on him was if he was too small to make it in the league. He is smaller than Frodo down in Tampa. And they said he is going to make it hard to overlook him because of his size with his style of play. If he was small and afraid to mix it up he might get passed over, but he is going into corners, and going hard. Apparently he also checked Jeff Schultz, which was a sight (I didn't see it, just heard it). Schultz is 6'6'', compared to Bourque, listed at 5'7'' (although, I would say he is that in skates, he's tiny)

As for Pinizotto, I have no idea. He was one of the 19 assaigned to Hershey on Tuesday, and have no idea about him at all, sorry

[Wolfpack_1986 154]

when the caps were here in raleigh last sunday, Borque stood out to me. looks like he's the type that will give it all every shift.

that and he hit the refs like three times :D

[Chadd 916]

when the caps were here in raleigh last sunday, Borque stood out to me. looks like he's the type that will give it all every shift.

I've never seen him play like that down in Hershey

[jeffw 1]

Here's some Penguins camp reports back to 1999

LINK

[Allsmokenopancake 0]

For anyone interested, Josef Boumedienne and Ben Clymer have both cleared waivers and are on their way to hershey.

This is in addition to the usual AHL expected cuts of Borque, Pollack, Motzko.

Jeff Schultz has apparently been told to get a car and a house, so it looks like he will be sticking with the big team.

Tomas Fleishman has had a good camp on the right side of the top line with Ovey and Kozlov, and was just signed to a one year 2 way deal.

Jakub Klepis was in camp without a contract, and did not make the team.

So, it appears that the caps still have 1 move to make to be under the 23 man limit due at 3 tomorrow (tuesday).

As of now, according to Tarik over at the post, Dean Arsene is the only player on waivers, so it will likely be a player who doesn't need to pass through waivers, or perhaps someone going on the IR. They are already putting Eric Fehr on it, and Semin left the game in the third on saturday against the flyers, and if the reports round here are to be believed, he is limping heavily, although Tarik said he will likely be ready for opening night on Friday.

For what it's worth to anyone who enjoys the training camp goings on, I was over at the caps training last saturday, and Kozlov spent the entire session, be it drills, scrimmage or just shooting practice with a huge smile on his face. He seems to be happy playing with ovey, and doesn't seem at all bothered by the welt under his eye from a puck/stick suffered earlier in camp.

Thats about all until final rosters announced

[JGraz15 53]

How has Steckel looked?

[Wolfpack_1986 154]

when the caps were here in raleigh last sunday, Borque stood out to me. looks like he's the type that will give it all every shift.

I've never seen him play like that down in Hershey

of course i should have qualified it with my whole one game of seeing him and paying closer attention to my boys :-p

[jeffw 1]

Pens sent defenseman Kris Letang to Wilkes Barre which was kind of a surprise considering Ray Shero pretty much handed him a spot on the roster before camp and he showed pretty well in a 10 game stint at the start of last season.

Pens forward lines...

Jordan Staal-Sidney Crosby-Petr Sykora.

Ryan Malone-Evgeni Malkin-Mark Recchi.

Gary Roberts-Erik Christensen-Colby Armstrong.

Jarkko Ruutu-Maxime Talbot-Georges Laraque.

[mack 44]

Not there and probably nothing official on it, but I bet the Leafs suck complete ass this year. Yay, they got an angry, fast little midget to play with Sundin. Wellwood's also apparently stopped caring about his physical well-being so this year's looking great.

[Allsmokenopancake 0]

How has Steckel looked?

Steckel has made it really hard to cut him this camp, as evidenced by them sending ben clymer to the minor league (clymer has $1 mil due this season and $1.1 due next).

He has been a face off monster, and won 7 out of 7 in the final pre-season game against ottawa.

I think he will stick around, he has beat both sutherby and laich out for the 4th line center job.

At the minute, my best guess for opening night lineup (and this could all change dramatically) would be

Ovechkin-Kozlov-Fleishman

Semin-Nylander-Backstrom

Pettinger-Gordon-Clark

Brashear-Steckel- (could be one of several, laich, sutherby, bradley)

Poti-Green

Morrisson-Jurcina

Pothier-Schultz

Erskine-Eminger

The d-men is harder, because they still have 8, and may go into the season with 8, Schultz and Green don't need to clear waivers, but both will likely stick around this season with the caps. Green has certainly earned his place, and Schultz told the washington post beat reporter that he was told to find a house and car in the area, so will be around too.

That was a long answer to a short question, so the short answer is....

Steckel looks good, and has earned his spot

[Allsmokenopancake 0]

Caps official roster for opening night....

Goaltenders

Brent Johnson

Olie Kolzig

Defensemen

John Erskine

Mike Green

Milan Jurcina

Shaone Morrisonn

Brian Pothier

Tom Poti

Jeff Schultz

Forwards

Nicklas Backstrom

Matt Bradley

Donald Brashear

Chris Clark

Tomas Fleischmann

Boyd Gordon

Viktor Kozlov

Brooks Laich

Michael Nylander

Alex Ovechkin

Matt Pettinger

Alexander Semin

Dave Steckel

Brian Sutherby

Injured Reserve: Steve Eminger, Eric Fehr