And then there were two

Two top tier defensemen, that is. Tom Poti's groin injury had better not be serious, because the Caps don't have the depth on the backline to have him miss more than a couple games.

If there's any good news regarding the injury, it's that the Caps did not choose to call up a defenseman from Hershey, which they would have done if they believed Poti was going to be out more than a few days. The decision to put Poti on the shelf is much more likely a preventative measure, as it doesn't take much to turn a groin pull into a serious injury (just ask Chris Clark).

In other defensive news, it looks like one of the Caps has finally decided to step up and become a physical force in the defensive end. Mike Green has clearly decided that it's not enough to be one of the league's top offensive threats. He has his sights set on being the league's top defenseman, period.

If you need any proof, ask Evgeni Malkin how his gut is feeling following Greener's classic hip check in the third period. Although he didn't land the shot flush (Malkin wouldn't have finished the game if he had), it's clear that Green has made the decision to be a physically intimidating force in his own end. As Green's timing improves, expect to see more than a few devastating hits this season from the lightning quick defenseman.

Also, Kudos to Matt Bradley for taking one for the team. Sometimes it's not about winning or losing the fight, but sticking up for your teammates, taking your lumps and then going right back to playing hockey. Way to gut it out through that gashed up mouth, Matt.

The Caps look to carry over the momentum from their third period surge against the Penguins to the start of tonight's game against the Devils, who once again bored a crowd (and the opposition) to sleep with a 1-0 victory. Expect Sergei Fedorov to once again distribute from the backline as the Caps look to break the god-awful neutral zone trap. Game time is 7 PM. Unless you're one of the folks who bought the all you can eat and booze Dewars club tickets, in which case you'll probably want to get there earlier.

Caps Re-Sign Green!

TSN and The Hockey News are reporting that the Caps have agreed to terms with restricted free agent defenceman Mike Greeen. It is rumored to be a four year deal with an average annual salary of $5.25 million. So what do you think? A fair deal? Too short a term?

The Deuce: I think it's a fair deal for both teams. Green gets paid as an elite player -- though not quite as elite as Phaneof, which, in my opinion, he's not. The Caps get a few years to see what they really have, but then they'll really have to pay up. At the end of this contract, Green will be 26 (just about to turn 27). Now unless my research is mistaken (which it very well may be), Green is eligible for UFA status at age 27 OR at 7 years NHL service. I don't THINK he reaches either by the end of that deal, as he'll be 26 until October 2012, and he doesn't qualify for 7 years by then either (I don't think he's played what qualifies as 3 NHL seasons, but again, I'm no NHL lawyer or agent). So hopefully the Caps get another crack at Green as an RFA before he hits the UFA market. But either way, if he keeps playing the way he did at the end of the year, and improves defensively, it'll be time to back the trucks up in 2012.

Big offense from an unexpected source

If you heard nothing about last night's game, and someone told you that one of the Caps had two goals and two assists on the night and the Caps won 4-1, who would you bet had the 4 point night?
Lets see:
The Russian Machine? Nope.
Alexander Semin? Nope.
Nick Backstrom? Nope.
Kozlov? Didn't even dress.
Mike Green? Sorry.

How long would it take to come up with Brooks Laich?

That's the great thing about Brooks' performance last night. The team has placed a lot of faith in Brooks, for the last several games he's been rewarding that faith with a level of play that, quite honestly, I don't think many folks (including us) had in him. But up until the last 5 games or so, he just hadn't been able to break through on the scoresheet.

But man, has he ever this past two weeks. In his last 5 games, Brooks has tallied better than a point a game (4 goals, 2 A) and has been playing rough and tumble hockey in every zone. Last night he scored two goal scorer's goals in tight against a legitimate number one goaltender in Niklas Backstrom. If there's been one complaint we've had against Brooks, it was that he just couldn't finish off plays. With the Caps season on the line, he's stepped it up and is starting to find the twine. That's especially important given the "attention" opposing teams continue to give the first line. Secondary scoring will likely determine whether the Caps make the playoffs or not. If Brooks and Co (and new addition Sergei Fedorov) can keep potting a couple goals a game, the wins will come.

Other notes on the game last night-

Great attendance for a Tuesday night (even if there were all kinds of promotions for the evening). It's been a while since that many folks have taken in a Tuesday night game at the V.

Chris Bourque looked very solid in limited action. Solid talent, good work ethic on the ice. Even if he doesn't secure a spot on the playoff roster, you can bet we'll be seeing a lot more of him next season in a Caps jersey.

Mike Green may have been caught out of position on the Wild goal, but it was Ovechkin's failure to clear the puck out of the zone which cost the Caps.

The defense performed extremely well, even if they did run around a bit too much in their own zone. Ditto the penalty killers, who kept Peter Bondra lookalike Marian Gaborik off the scoresheet completely.

Poor Steve Eminger. He's clearly frustrated right now, as his penalty for elbowing early in the game indicated. He's trying to play the body hard, to do everything he can to secure playing time, and two minutes in the box is what he gets. You gotta feel for the guy.

The Caps next must win game (and they all are from this point on) is this Friday against the Devils. Hopefully Kozlov sneezed on Brodeur last game and he'll have to take a seat.

The battle of the red, white and blue

Tonight, the Caps travel north of the border to take on the Montreal Canadiens. The teams have split the season series so far, with Mike Green tallying the winner in a 5-4 win and Guillaume "Mr. 3 syllable" Latendresse netting the winner for Montreal in the second. Both teams come into the game scorching hot, winning 7 of their last 10.

To win this game, the Caps need to play to the Canadiens weaknesses, the most glaring of which is lack of physical players. Aside from Mike "I eat people for fun" Komisarek, there is not a Canadiens defenseman who Caps players need to fear in the offensive zone. Likewise, only 2 of Montreal's forwards are listed at 6'2" or taller. More importantly, none of them play like they're even that big. In order to keep the Canadiens 3 Ks (Koivu, Kovalev, and Kostitsyn) off the boards, the Caps need to play a rough and tumble physical game to keep them off balance.

For a blueprint, they should look to Pittsburgh's 2-0 victory over the Habs before the all-star break. Without Secondary Sid (and playing with a shortened bench), the Pens played a puck possesion game in the offensive zone, using their size advantage to keep the smaller Canadiens players at bay. The Habs skill could not get into a rythm on offense because they could not disposess Pittsburgh's forwards, and the end result was a win for the Penguins. In particular, enforcer Georges Laroque could have held the puck all night, and he's got about half the skillset of Caps tough guy Donald Brashear.

If the Caps can reproduce that kind of physical effort, they should be able to rely on their snipers to get at least a couple pucks past the rejuvinated Cristobel "I'm French, not French Canadien" Huet and escape with a win. If not, viewers may be in for a more enjoyable run and gun game, but the prospects of a Caps win drop to about 50-50.

Erskine Decides to Do His Stevens Impersonation; Capitals 2, Leafs 3

When did Johnny Erskine discover the ability to throw open ice hits like Scott Stevens?! The man was an absolute beast last night, clobbering Leafs forwards and putting the fear of God into them. Is it that Johnny has discovered something, or do the Leafs skate like Mites with their heads down? Either way, he was sure fun to watch last night. That hit on Darcy Tucker was priceless, then the check where he sent another Leafs forward flying into the boards had me out of my seat.

The best part is, his angry play seems to have rubbed off on the younger Capitals defensemen, with Mike Green flooring Blake and Steve Eminger throwing his body around as if his career depended on it (which, of course, it does). I must say that at this point I much prefer Eminger's desperate play to Schultz's "simple" (read: weak) plays. Yes, Schultz is 6'6", and yes, he has a ten foot wingspan, but what good is size if you don't use it. I think some more seasoning in Hershey is just the ticket for young Jeff. Either that, or a few workouts with this guy: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victor_Conte.

Anyway, the Caps were lulled into playing the Leafs' style of boring, boring, boring, slow hockey last night, and payed the price. The Caps totally dominated the first seven and a half minutes of the first period, but Toskala and the Leafs survived the onslaught, and, of course, scored the game's first goal. Somehow, both Caps defensemen decided that after wrapping the puck around the boards, there was no need to go back in front of the net and cover an absolutely naked Chad Kilger. Oops. That one was a little embarassing, and seemed to deflate the Caps. The rest of the game, the old, slow Leafs defensemen did a decent job against The Russian Maching, keeping him to the outside and forcing shots from wide. Of course, OV still fired a bullet past Toskala.

The rest of the game was -- unremarkable (read: practically unwatchable), with the exception of another brilliant move by Semin. Give credit to Dave Steckel for recognizing the fact that he was breaking in on net with Semin. I can just imagine his thought process: I should shoot, wait, that's Semin, I'll just give him the puck and take the assist.

One sweet move by Semin later, and the Caps tied the game at 2. Unfortunately, in a move that could only have been brought on by his being starstruck coaching in Toronto, with less than a minute remaining Bruce Boudreau decided to go all in and put Alexander "Knucklehead" Semin out for the final shift of regulation. Out broke the Leafs 3-on-3. Unfortunately, the 3rd Leafs forward was Mats "I don't want to be traded" Sundin, and the 3rd Capitals forward, the guy responsible for picking up Sundin, the most dangerous Leaf player for the last 10 years, was Knucklehead, who promptly did what he always does and skated straight towards the puck -- like a moth drawn to a flame.

Of course, the puck went right to Sundin, who promptly deposited it under Kolzig (we really could've used that save Olie), who was in position to make a fantastic save, but somehow didn't (seriously Olie). The puck slowly, slowly, slowly crept UNDER Olie's stomach, and that was that. Dammit. Other items of note:
1) Did I mention Erskine was a BEAST. Never sit him again. Ever.
2) I'll take Eminger's boarding penalty any day. Good, aggressive, hard-nosed hockey. Just try not to do it from behind.
3) Typical night for The Russian Machine: 20 shifts, 8 shots, 1 goal, +1
4) Typical night for Knucklehead Semin: 3 shots, 1 beautiful goal, 1 boneheaded, lazy backcheck with the game on the line.
5) One all-too typical lately game for Kolzig: 21 saves on 24 shots: .875 save percentage. Does anyone remember the days in the last two years when his line looked like this: 42 saves on 45 shots .933 save percentage, 4 or 5 all-world saves? Me neither.

Let's see if the Caps can continue their trend of not losing consecutive games. They need to. At least, and I can't believe I'm saying this, we'll have Brent Johnson in net tonight.

The Reason Green Got Screwed

Ladies and Gentlemen, The Deuce:
There have been a lot of articles, posts, etc. lately about the NHL's snub of Mike Green for the All-Star game, including this gem of a quote from Bruce Boudreau: "Shame on them." J.P. of http://japersrink.blogspot.com/ must be shocked at the inclusion of Tomas Kaberle after writing "sorry, Tomas - Mats Sundin is the only worthy Leaf." The problem with that type of (rational) thinking is that it ignores the simple arithmetic involved in selecting the all star team. Let me explain, then, why Mike Green will be watching the game with the rest of us, rather than rushing end to end through the Western All-Stars. it's simple, really. There are so many teams in the league right now that they can only select one skater per team, plus three additional skaters. When you factor in the starting lineup, that's selected by fans, that may leave only one or two additional slots. That's why Malkin and Green are not in the game (especially with Crosby and Gonchar already in for Pittsburg), and why Kovalchuk didn't make it last year! Toronto, Boston, Montreal, and Buffalo had NO forwards or goalies selected, so you KNEW they were getting defensemen on the All-Star team (not that Chara and Markov don't deserve it, but Kaberle? He's got 28 pts and he's a -2 on the season. I guess when you make over 4.2 million a year you can buy a spot!). As long as there are 15 teams per conference, and only 18 skaters per team, snubs like this will continue to happen. Just imagine in a few years when the NHL expands again -- there will only be ONE skater per team on the All-Star Team! So I say, don't worry about it Mikey, rest up, have some fun over the break, and score 25 goals this year. That will put some well-deserved egg on the NHL's face! And just for good measure, pull a little dipsey-do on Kabarle on January 23 (http://capitals.nhl.com/team/app?service=page&page=TeamSchedule).

Ovechkin an All-Star, Green is not

The Eastern Conference All-Star list has been released. To the surprise of absolutely nobody, Alex Ovechkin is on it. Mildly surprising is the omission of Mike Green from the list, considering his goal scoring tear this year and the league's preference for offense in their talent showcase.

Then again, Green is still eligible for the young stars game (since he's in the last year of his entry level deal). So chances are Greener will probably still get an invite to Atlanta in some capacity. Maybe he and Nicklas Backstrom can get Ovechkin to spring for their bus fare. Something tells me he's got the cash for it.

Offense from Defense

After getting a good look at Coach Boudreau's system over the past couple weeks, I can't say for sure what he's done with the offense, except giving them a longer leash to forcheck on. However, one can plainly see that his philosophy concerning defensemen is as different from the previously installed setup as night and day.

Under Glen Hanlon, the defense was set far back, not involved with the offensive rush except in the most obvious of circumstances. The main tenant on defense was to hold good defensive positioning, not extend yourself, and keep the opposition from getting behind you. While players were not routinely beaten by long passes up the middle, this had the effect of always having the defense on its heels, constantly absorbing attacks without countering. And with a set of rookies whose potential was just beginning to show itself, that seemed like the right approach at the time. You can almost hear Hanlon saying it: Sit back, let the game come to you, don't make any big mistakes.

At the time, you wouldn't have wanted the Caps crew of 20 year old defensemen running around like a bunch of mites on ice (not any more than they already were, at any rate). However, with a couple years for the young defensive corps to mature and with the acquisition of solid two way defenseman Tom Poti, newly installed Coach Bruce Boudreau clearly thought that it was time for a change.

The change was first evident in the Caps power play, where offensive wunderkid Mike Green scored twice from within 10 feet of net in the first couple games. How can a defenseman score goals from that close in while still protecting the blue line? He can't, but the risk involved was lessened by the extra attacker for the Caps.

That's all well and good, and pinching the defense on the power play certainly seemed like a good idea. But then it started happening with Green and Tom Poti at even strength. A few games later Shoanne Morrison made several offensive forays that started at his own goal line. And this Saturday, Brian Pothier scored the game winner from about five feet away from the net, taking a Matt Pettinger behind the goal line pass and depositing it in the upper shelf.

So it seems that Coach Boudreau's new attacking system is at least as much about aggressive play from the defensemen as it is about the forwards. With a couple years of development, the Caps blueliners are confident enough to pick their spots to attack, and their coach has presented them the opportunity to do so. In addition to adding to the offense, it keeps the other team focused on defending an extra man, which fundamentally changes their ability to strike back. And while they have been burned by giving up the big play on occasion, the team as a whole seems to function better when their blueliners are pushing forward. It seems like the right fit for this team right now. And it's certainly entertaining to watch.

Mullet night mayhem

Ladies and gentlemen, the Deuce:

Great game. Very entertaining. But the Caps should have won it in regulation. And if they are going to have ANY chance of making the playoffs, they can't give up a point to other Eastern Conference teams. They may end up battling for that eighth spot with the Rangers, and a point here and a point there add up.

Mike Green is playing unbelievable hockey right now. He was absolutely flying last night -- skating, making GREAT moves, scoring goal scorers goals. He played OVER THIRTY minutes in the game! Looks like he's found his confidence.

Donald Brashear was also a force last night. He beat the living tar out of Colton Orr. Again. Doesn't that guy ever get tired of being pounded by The Donald? Has he ever even come close to winning a fight between the two of them? Of course, the picture in the NY Post was of the beginning of the fight, before Brashear pounded Orr to the ice. And the caption, laughably, states "The Rangers' Colton Orr gets the upper hand on the Capitals' Donald Brashear during Washington's 5-4 overtime victory last night." Even my wife said, "Oh, my God. He really beat that poor guy up." Gotta love the New York media.

After getting out of the box, he made a nice hit followed instantly by a pretty centering feed which resulted in Motzko's first goal, and later made a beautiful pass to Motzko which resulted in the second goal. And of course, he hit everything that moved (and he could catch).

Probably most importantly, he took ZERO stupid penalties (I wish the same could be said for your favorite, Matt Bradley -- Hey Matt, when your team is up by a goal in the third period, and your job is to eat up the clock by cycling the puck in the offensive zone, don't take one hand off the stick (a sure signal to any referee that you're about to hold), wrap it around an opposing player's neck (another sure sign of a hold), and then pull on him, THEN raise your hand up like you didn't just hold (the final sign of an infraction just in case the ref was snoozing for the first three). ESPECIALLY NOT IN THE OFFENSIVE ZONE.

Of course, the Rangers scored to tie the game, even if it was one second after the penalty expired. You're killing me Matt.

Anyway, the best thing about last night is that the Caps fought back from a two-goal deficit, which I wouldn't have believed possible had I not seen it with my own eyes. So that was nice. That's about it. I won't be grumpy and mention that the Caps are now ice cold on the power play, even with an alleged PP Genius behind the bench. At least now they get the puck in the zone, set it up, control it, and actually get shots on net. So I think the PP goals will come.

By the way, I was THRILLED to see that Cap Killer Exraordiare Mark Recchi now gets to play the Caps like five more times this year, having been signed by Atlanta. Great. Put him down for a 20 goal year. We should have signed him just to bench him for the rest of the year.

One to build on

Well, what a difference a day makes. After looking thoroughly average against the Devils in New Jersey, the Capitals came out and steamrolled Atlanta, scoring early and often en route to a convincing 6-3 victory. The Caps played well in all three zones despite missing their captain (Clark) their best setup man (Nylander) and their best penalty killer (Gordon). Indeed, the holes created by their absences forced Coach Boudreau to make some alterations in the lineup that paid dividends almost immediately.

Playing on a line with Alex Ovechkin and Matt Pettinger, Nicklas Backstrom looked every bit of the player the Caps were hoping for when they drafted him. He played with the poise and presence of a veteran, which lead directly to his goal. Backstrom positioned himself high in the zone just below the blueline in the center of the ice, where he was able to step up and intercept a weak pass attempt by the Thrasher defenseman. While most rookies would not have been in position to make the play, almost none would have been able to react instantly and fire the puck top corner without hesitation as Backstrom did. It was a play that showed all that Backstrom has to offer: great positional play, great read and reaction time, and a finisher's scoring touch. It's going to be a pleasure watching him in Washington in the years to come.

The Ovechkin-Backstrom-Pettinger line dominated play throughout the game, with each forward scoring once. Pettinger's rebound goal was just his second of the season, and hopefully will inspire the winger to continue to play with the reckless abandon he exhibited in getting to the loose puck for the rest of the season. Ovechkin's goal wasn't the prettiest he'll ever score, but tipping the puck out of midair to redirect it past Thrashers goaltender Kari Lehtonin was no small feat.

While the second line of Semin, Brashear, and Kozlov did not directly produce a goal, it was the cause of Jeff Shultz's tally. Semin held the puck down low and drew multiple defenders before being buried from behind with a cross check from one of Atlanta's defenders. But the stage was set, as all the traffic in front screened Lehtonin and he never saw Shultz' shot as it drifted past him.

And what more can be said of Mike Green? He continues to be the Capitals best offensive defenseman, and his two tallies on the night bring his season total to 7, tied for second on the team and tied for first in the league among defensemen. His outstanding puck control and skating ability constantly keeps the opposing team on its heels, and his finishing on both goals was nothing short of superb.

Tonight, the Capitals look to produce a modest two game winning streak at home against New Jersey. Both teams will play their third game in four nights, but looks for the Caps to be the fresher team due to their five day layoff before that stretch. Look for the Caps to take control of the game early and put buckets of shots on the Devils goaltender. Whether or not the Devils can weather the storm in the first period and a half will dictate whether or not they have a chance in the game.

A tale of two (Southeast) cities

Since shutting out the Hurricanes in their first meeting of the season, Carolina and Washington have been teams headed in opposite directions. Carolina has been inconsistent, but still able to post a respectable 6-2-2 record in their last 10 games, while the Caps have gone a pathetic 2-8-0. Carolina is scoring at a league leading pace (3.79 goals per game) while the Caps have scored a paltry 2.53 goals per game. Carolina sits first in the Southeast division with 19 points, while the Caps sit tied for last with 10.

The Caps have already been bitten hard by the injury bug, with Tom Poti, Alexander Semin, and Chris Clark all missing chunks of the schedule. While Poti may play tonight, neither Semin nor Clark will be available.

So how do the Caps right the ship against Carolina, and gain some momentum going into a stretch of 11 in-division games out of 14? While there are many areas that need improvement, there are three that come to mind:

1. More physical play from the top 2 lines. The Caps may not be the group of rough and tumble grinders from last season, but they need to play more like they are. While nobody expects Nylander or Backstrom to level anyone, every player on the Caps roster needs to rededicate themselves to playing the body. I'm not asking for devastating open ice hits like the one Ovechkin laid on Staal last time the two teams met, but is it too much to ask for Viktor Kozlov to actually lay his gigantic frame into an opposing player rather than meekly swiping a poke check attempt at them?

2. More movement on the power play. Since Hanlon has finally decided to throw all his best offensive players on the ice at once, it would be nice to see them create some confusion among the defenders by having the players shift their positions on the ice, rather than simply passing around the defensive box for a minute looking for a clean shot. The way to create shooting lanes is to draw defenders away from their assigned areas, which can only be done by moving forwards across shooting lanes while the puck is being moved. Doing so has several positive effects. First, it creates a momentary screen, so the goaltender temporarily loses sight of the puck. Second, it either forces a defender out of position if one wing is overloaded or leaves an open man in the position the moving player occupies. The point man on that side then has an option to either skate the puck at goal (if the defender follows the moving forward), shooting through the screen, or passing to the open man at the back post (if the defender does not break formation and follow his man). Any way you slice it, the offense has many more options than just passing around the defensive box. Movement on the power play creates offense. Right now the Caps are standing still.

3. Move Kolzov to the wing and move Nylander to the first line. At this point there is absolutely no excuse not to play your best set up man with your best shooter. Furthermore, chemistry with Ovechkin or no, Kozlov has looked absolutely atrocious his last few outings, and something needs to change. If lining Nylander up with the Russian Machine seemed like a no-brainer at the start of the season, it is even more so now with the Caps struggling to find their way on offense. And the Caps have enough natural centers on the roster to allow Nick Backstrom to continue to play the wing without disrupting the entire lineup if they still feel he's not ready to take on the position. (Never thought I'd be typing that sentence a year ago)

4. Get Mike Green shifts with the first line. Right now Greener is the 4th best offensive player in the lineup (behind OV, Nylander and Backstrom). While he still holds the puck too long and is a genuine heart attack waiting to happen in his own zone, he has the talent to draw defending players to him on a rush, freeing up Ovechkin from the constant double teaming he receives and allowing him to take on defenders one on one after a pass. And any time the Russian Machine is one on one with anybody in the league, it's a good thing for the Caps.

So there we have it. Four ways to improve the Caps chances as they head into a stretch of hockey that may well define their season. Lets hope that Hanlon makes at least some of those adjustments and the Caps right the ship. I don't even want to think about what might happen to the Caps season if he doesn't.

More on Green

Tarik has a full article up on Mike Green's trials during his first season as well as his improved strength and conditioning this year. It's a good read, but it omits one possible reason for Green's uneven play in his rookie year: the ankle injury he suffered at midseason which seemed to limit his mobility and effectiveness. It's hard to skate (and even harder to initiate contact) on a bum wheel.

Also, Matt Bradley's nickname may be changed to "smooches" after last night's preseason tilt against the Flyers. For an explanation, check this link to Tarik's blog (5th paragraph).

He's baaa-aack

This little nugget from Tarik's article on Steve Eminger put a smile on our faces:

"The acquisitions of Poti and Boumedienne, and the emergence of Green, in particular, has put the squeeze on Eminger."

It's the emergence of Mike Green, not the squeeze put on Eminger that most interests us.

With his impressive offensive performance so far this preseason (2g, 4a), it looks like Mike Green is finally ready to make the leap from talented enigmatic youngster to stalwart NHL offensive defenseman. After two years of ups and downs (and an injury setback), it looks like Green has finally found his game.

Can't we all just get along?

Apparently former cap Lawrence Nycholat and "Granite Chin" Brian Sutherby had it out last night in Ottawa's 5-4 preseason win over the Caps. C'mon, boys, how about a little fellowship among former Caps prospects? Then again, with Nycho fighting for a roster spot and Sudsy being, well, Sudsy, I guess this kind of thing is to be expected.

If you're looking for positive signs coming out of yesterday's game, look no further than the scoresheet, where you'll see Tom Poti twice (goal and assist, 3rd star), Flash Fleischmann twice (goal and assist), Mike Green twice (one assist at even strength, one on the PP) and, of course, Alex Ovechkin bagging his first goal of the preseason.

If you're looking for the bad, all 5 goals were scored against Olie Kolzig (who was scheduled to watch Michael Neuverith, who went down with an injury before gametime), while Ottawa spread theirs between Martin Gerber and Brian Elliot.

Couldn't have said it better myself

Per Tarik's blog, this great quote from Brian Pothier,

"It's really going to be good for Mike Green to watch Tom [Poti] because they have the same skill set. Long, rangy and really efficient skaters. Green can learn a lot from Poti. He's a good player and he's going to make us a lot better."

We've said all along that a veteran defenseman would help the young Caps defensive corps (and Green in particular). It's good to see we're not the only ones that think so.

A quick hop across the border

The Caps take a quick jaunt up to Toronto tonight to face the 11th place Maple Leafs, who are only 2 points out of the last playoff spot.

Let's see...

Caps taking on a team desperate to secure a playoff spot? Check.

Caps still decimated by injuries to key players (Clark, Gord-o (I will NOT call him muffins), Pettinger, Kolzig)? Check.

Caps still fielding a peculiar lineup of 11 forwards and 7 defensemen? Check.

Novotny still working to establish offensive rhythm with new teammates? Check.

Normally, one would think that under these circumstances, I'd be waxing negative about our prospects tonight. I was going to, until I learned that yes, KRIS BEECH WILL BE BACK IN THE LINEUP TONIGHT. WE'RE SAVED!

Sorry. Couldn't help it.

On the bright side, Mike Green will be up for the game after his (mental) reconditioning stint in Hershey. Looks like Greener's going to be with the big club until it's time for the Bears' playoff run down in the AHL. Good for him.

Wow... I mean... WOW

Mike Green just booked a bus ride to Hershey. I don't even know what to say. The deuce rubs salt in the wound:

"Your boy Mike Green just got sent down to Hershey.

WHAT?!

I don't think that happened to Scott Neidermeyer, did it?

Of course, we all know its just because Nycholat could get snatched up on waivers. "

Good point. But all the same, this is just strange. Maybe the organization is sending Greener a message about his sloppy puck possession in the defensive end. Maybe they want him to get some confidence back. Maybe he was in need of an attitude adjustment.

I don't know about this one, folks.

I just don't know.

###
Late Update: Hanlon wants Green to work more on his offense, which is odd, since I think that's the best part of his game. I can see how he'd be able to push forward more in Hershey, since he'll have capable minor-league defensemen that can cover for him. (I've already written about how we're missing that at the NHL level.) So the move does make some sense in that it gets Greener back into attack mode.

I still don't like it. If Hanlon wanted to do this, he could have sent Green down for a reconditioning stint after his ankle injury. Doing it now shows that we're waving the white flag on this season by putting Nycholat's contract ahead of having the best players available with the big club. Not exactly the message you want to send a young team.

Time to take advantage of the situation

Although the Capitals are still banged up on the backline, there are still plenty of good reasons to be hopeful for the full 2 points on the road tonight. First off, Ottawa no longer has Zdeno Chara (not really news, but I bet AO is still happy about it). Second, this is Ottawa's third game in four nights. They don't exactly have the most youthful team up in the, um, other nation's capital, so there's reason to expect some heavy legs from the Sens players tonight. Third, the Caps are 2-1 in the season series against the Sens. On the other hand, the Senators have won 12 of their last 15 games. Gulp.

To me, this game hinges on whether the Caps backline can put together another strong showing like they did in the second game against Carolina. Mike Green also needs to bounce back from his weak performance in that game to manage the breakout and create offense in the Ottawa zone, as the team will once again be without Brian Pothier.

One bright spot on the injury front - it's the Return of the Zedhead! I expect a lot from Zednik in the next few weeks (once he shakes off the rust), and it will be VERY interesting to see if Hanlon is willing to clear room for him on the second line. I would be rather surprised if he didn't see a good number of minutes across from Sasha Semin as the team evaluates both the value of re-signing him and his value on the open market. It'll be interesting to see where Eric Fehr fits into the lineup with Zed back and healthy.

Game time is 7:30 in the REALLY, REALLY COLD NORTH.

Young Stars game tonight

Tonight, Mike Green will help kick off the All-Star festivities by playing one game with the Pittsburgh Flightless Devil.... er, Eastern Conference young stars squad. I would complain about how Pittsburgh has the most players on the squad, but hey, that's what happens when you draft in the top five 700 years in a row. Not that I'm not happy for Greener (I am) or that I feel he shouldn't be recognized as one of the finest young talents in the league (I do), it's just that I was really hoping he would rest his injured foot during the break and be 100% healthy when the Caps make their run at the playoffs after the break is over.

Folks will argue that Green won't be pushing that hard for an all star event, and that the chance of injury is minimal. Very true. But having Greenie play at all on an injured foot certainly won't speed his recovery.

I'd feel a little less strongly about this if I didn't think we'd be seeing a lot more of Green in All-Star festivities in the future. If he was just having an out of this world season for an average defenseman I'd be all for him going. But Mike Green is going to be a perennial All-Star in the NHL. He has all the tools (physical and mental) to be the next Scott Neidermayer. If the Caps can get a hulking defenseman to play with him and release him for more offensive forays (like Scott Stevens did for Neidermayer), he'll get All-Star consideration every single year.

I know any recognition for a developing young star should be appreciated, but given Green's talent and how much the team needs him to be healthy after the break, I wish he'd have skipped this one.

Trouble here

This from Grumpy Caps Fan #2, fresh off his return from vacation, if you can call 8 hour flights and 2 weeks with sick (physically, not mentally) in-laws vacation.

"No Erskine. No Green. No Muir (hahahahahahaha). Eminger (YIKES). Schultz (let's hope he doesn't fall down when Mats Sundin just looks at him this game. I mean Staal). Boyd FRIKKIN' Gordon as the SECOND LINE CENTER (stats: 2 goals, 3 assists in last 500 career games). Kris Beech centering Brashear and somebody else on the 4th line. We are SKEE-ROOD..."

I guess you can tell that a positive attitude runs in the family.

But wait, in another email from the Deuce:

"Mention that I give the Caps about a 6.3% chance of winning tonight. So they'll probably win."

So there. If the Caps do pull the upset over Carolina, we can thank him for that. Carolina has won 4 of their last 5, with the lone loss coming in a shootout against Atlanta. The Caps meanwhile have lost 3 in a row, and 6 in a row on the road. They're missing Greenie, probably their most mobile defenseman, along with Erskine, their most physical. Their power play put up a goose egg in five chances last game. And their goaltending as of late has been comparatively underwhelming (which had to happen sooner or later, as both Olie and BJ had been playing out of their mind for long stretches).

Unless they can win this game 10-9, the Caps are in a boatload of trouble tonight. My prediction: Canes roll, 6-3. And I throw something at the TV.

And yes, if you're wondering, I do believe in the Bill Simmons' Memorial Reverse-Jinx.