Picture from OffWing Photo

One of the most promising signs of the Caps’ defensive capabilities is the players’ plus/minus rating. After last night’s comeback in New York, Capitals players claimed the top three spots in plus/minus among the NHL. Ovechkin beats out everyone with a +38, Jeff Schultz follows at +32 and Nicklas Backstrom at +29.

Significance?  The Caps aren’t just scoring goals, but they’re keeping them out of the net too.

Critics of Ovechkin last year decried his alleged lack of two-way play. But this year, AO has stepped up his defensive game and the numbers show it. He’s gone from a +8 to a +38. In fact, the entire defensive unit has a positive plus/minus rating (with the exception of Tyler Sloan who has played some games at forward). Both Mike Green (+22) and Tom Poti (+21) rank in the top five among NHL  defensemen.

Despite their high plus/minus, the Caps haven’t proven extremely effective at limiting the opposition’s chwances. During the streak, Caps’ goaltenders have survived two games with 40+ shots on goal and five games with 35+ SOGs. In fact, during Detroit’s onslaught of 46 SOGs, an unwavering Jose Theodore was main reason the Caps eked out a win. How much longer can he hold? The Rangers shot total last night (38) clearly broke onto the score sheet (they recorded five goals).

Through 57 games, the Caps average 30.2 shots against per game. In contrast, the league-leading Chicago Blackhawks allow an average 24.1 shots per game. San Jose, another conference-leading team ranks below the Caps at 21. The Sharks, however, have Nabokov to back them up with a .927 save percentage and 2.24 goals against average. Theo is having a great season to be sure, but with a .909 saver % and 2.84 GAA, the Caps can’t continue to give up so many shots.

To immediately tighten up the defensive game and limit the opposition’s shots, the Caps should start blocking more shots. When playing desperate hockey — the kind that wins you championships — blocking shots is a price you pay to keep the puck out of your own net. Think back to last year’s heartbreaking series against the Penguins. The Caps blocked 101 shots. The Penguins, and eventual Stanley Cup winners, blocked 127.

As of game time today, Schultz leads the Capitals in blocked shots with 91. Compare that to the league leader, Dennis Seidenberg, who has blocked 163 shots. Schultz ranks 42nd in the NHL, followed by Green (78 BS) ranked at 71st and Poti (74 BS) coming in at 75th in the league.

Here’s an area where forwards can certainly contribute defensively. Surprisingly, the forward with the most blocked shots is the soft-handed Swede Nicklas Backstrom, who  has blocked 45 through 57 games. He blocked 46  the entire season a year ago. Other forwards like Matt Bradley (15 BS) and David Steckel (23 BS) should follow Backstrom’s example and step up to take some pucks for the team.

The Caps’ D-Men have been very successful offensively as of late, but if the Caps want to keep this streak alive, the entire team needs to tighten up on defense. Washington’s play in their own zone is not pitiful by any means, but to drink from the Stanley Cup this spring, the defense has to better stifle the opposition’s offensive chances.

Jeff Schultz wonders, can Georgia Tech win the ACC title in both football and basketball in the same year?

Jeff says:

Easy mid-January analysis: No team in the ACC is great.  But the Jackets, simply because of their talent level and depth, probably have a higher ceiling than anybody.

Our take: They’ve had an amazing two-week run, beating ranked Duke, North Carolina and Clemson. The trick to winning the ACC though is avoiding the let down. Cough. Cough. At Virginia. The Yellow Jackets have a tricky one down in Florida, where the Seminoles are waiting.

This is the same Florida State team that handled the Jackets in overtime, 66-59. That one was in Atlanta and Gani Lawal struggled with FSU’s size, hitting 1-7 from the floor, grabbing only four boards.

If Tech wins this one, Schultz has a point.

Capitals D Jeff Schultz, all six-foot-six of him, leads the NHL in +/- (+27).

If you own one of the fantasy cogs of the Maple Leafs D — Ian White, Tomas Kaberle or Francois Beauchemin — then you felt the wrath of the Capitals on Friday night.

White (-4), Kaberle (-2) and Beauchemin (-2) saw their already awful +/- worsen as the Caps cruised to a 6-1 home win.

It is always wise to bench your goalies against the Caps, whose 3.63 goals per game lead the NHL by a wide margin (the Blackhawks are next at 3.16).

We have reached the point, however, where it’s wise to bench your D against the Caps. If you own any Flyers blueliners, be warned: Philadelphia visits Washington on Sunday at 3:00 pm.

In their last six games, the Caps (5-1) have scored 31 goals: 4, 5, 8, 4, 4 and 6. Of these 31 goals, 23 came at even strength. And that’s why opponents of the Caps have seen their +/- plummet.

On the flip side, investing in the Caps D is a great way to bolster your own +/-. Former first-round pick Jeff Schultz (available in 96 percent of Yahoo! and 96.4 percent of ESPN leagues) leads the entire NHL at +27. He also has four assists in his last five games, making him even more worthy of an immediate add. In the past month, the 23-year-old ranks No. 46 in Yahoo! and No. 33 in ESPN among all defensemen.

Then there’s his teammate, Tom Poti. Though Poti’s +12 isn’t as gaudy as Schultz’s, Poti’s career resume and overall fantasy numbers make him a better across-the-board add. In the last month, Poti has tallied two goals, six assists, +8 and 14 penalty minutes. These numbers have made him the No. 2o D in Yahoo! and No. 19 D in ESPN during this span.

Still, Poti’s ownership levels are staggeringly low: He is rostered in only 4 percent of Yahoo! and 4.9 percent of ESPN leagues. When you consider what Poti, 32, has accomplished in his 12-year career — three  seasons with 10 or more goals, consistent penalty minutes and power play productivity — it is a wonder how the fantasy community has ignored him in 2009-10.

Trading for Caps D Mike Green is next to impossible. But if you pick up his teammates, you’ll reap plenty of fantasy benefits between now and the end of the campaign.

photo courtesy Wikimedia Commons

I’m supposed to be doing laundry, but I’d rather sit here and blog and enjoy the remaining Newman-O’s I have (if you like Oreos but have never had them, go out right now and buy some. The original, not the mint, chocolate or ginger).

If you’ve ever been to the Yahoo! Sports NHL page, you’ve probably noticed the little fantasy hockey hot/not area with pictures and stats and crap. Since I’m always loving on someone, making fun of someone else, and feeling indifferent about a few, I’ve decided it’s time for me to come up with my own rankings of my favorite (and not so favorite) active hockey players. Players can always move up and down in the rankings. Red denotes the good ones, orange is for the so/so ones, and blue is for my non-favorites.

1. Brooks Laich - he could kick a kitten and I’d still keep him here.
2. Andrew Gordon - he’s doing awesome for the Bears and he’s super adorable to boot.
3. Patrick Kaleta - because girls (at least me anyway) like the bad boys!
4. Dave Steckel - leads the Caps in faceoff wins, has no lame flower tattoos. Dave Steckel = Win.
5. Drew Stafford - he’s Staffy, what else can you say? Plus, he was pretty excited when Buffalo got a Chipotle.
6. Jeff Schultz - no one really likes Schultzy and I’m not sure why. He’s not that bad. But hey, you know if you’d rather have Poti play, then whatever.
7. Tom Poti – Yeah he’s pretty crappy, but I feel bad for him and if you’ve ever seen a Caps 365 video, he likes to walk around in the background without a shirt on and it’s not a bad image. It could be worse, it could be Ovechkin without a shirt. Just saying.
8. Chris Bourque - I’ve heard from two sources that he really isn’t as big of a DB as I thought. One source I don’t know well, but the other one I trust completely. He’s had lots of contact with Bourquey too, so he would know. I’m going to give Bourque the benefit of the doubt, and take it easy on him. He is doing a good job with Hershey and that’s really all you can ask.
9. Mike Cammalleri - he’s kinda cute, but when he was with LA they did a lame version of “Cribs” and his crib was kinda lame. He had the typical LA crap inside his house…the statue of Buddha and stuff. He’s doing alright with the Habs so I want to like him, but that Kings Cribs episode makes him look like a lame-o.
10. Jose Theodore – again, I really want to like Jose. He’s had a crappy run of luck this past year and it started to look like he was turning things around but now…not so much. Old Jose looks like he’s coming back.
11. Sean Avery - is it really hard to figure out why he’s here? Yeah, this should be a no-brainer.
12. Mike Green - if you don’t know why Greener is here, you might want to read the other Mike Green posts on the blog because if I were to type out all that stuff again, this post would be long…like Crime and Punishment or War and Peace.

Mike Green could always make a comeback and end up surpassing Brooksy. But it would take a miracle for that to happen. Is there such a thing as a douchebag-ectomy? Anyway, I will update as the power rankings change.

A couple of weeks ago on his blog at the ajc.com Jeff Shultz wrote about Braves top prospect Jason Heyward and the possibility for what he called the Jordan Schafer Effect.

In the “Bill James Handbook 2010″ James predicted that Heyward would hit .303 with an .836 OPS and 17 homers.  Schulz’s response was basically James may be right about Heyward but Jordan Schafer was supposed to be a star and he flopped.  Basically Jason Heyward is a prospect.  Jordan Schafer was a prospect.  So Jason Heyward could very well equal Jordan Schafer.

Here’s the flaw in that logic: All prospects aren’t created equal.  Prospects after all are baseball player and all players don’t possess the same talents and skills.  This seems obvious yet Schultz seems to have made the mistake in thinking that Jason Heyward and Jordan Schafer are somewhat equally likely to fail in the majors.

Here is what I wrote on Schultz’s Facebook page:

Here’s the problem with making any comparison between Heyward and Schafer: Schafer has hit .269/.337/.446 (AVG/OBP/SLG) in the minors and didn’t reach Double-A until his age 21 season. Heyward has hit .318/.391/.508 in the minors and reached Triple-A less than a month after turning 20. Not all prospects are created equal. Clearly Heyward has put up superior numbers to Schafer in pro ball and at younger ages than Schafer (and many other prospects for that matter).

Obviously nothing is a sure thing. But given that most position players who show the plate discipline, bat control and power that Heyward showed mostly as a teenager at six levels of pro baseball, I think it’s very likely he will be noticeably above average in his first major league season and will quickly develop into one of the league’s top rightfielders within 3-4 seasons.

Everything is a likely scenario. No one has a crystal ball. But there are valid reasons to make projections; namely to determine the likely value of players so that teams know how much they should pay them or what kind of trades they should make. I just don’t think there are very many position players in the history of the game who put up the kind of numbers Heyward put up mostly as a teenager in pro ball and didn’t become stars. I’m sure there have been some but I’m guessing the likelihood isn’t great for a Heyward flop; and that’s what projections are, likelihoods.

Every Thursday, the Genius will list three players to monitor for fantasy relevance. As a rule, the players will be owned in fewer than 50 percent of Yahoo! and ESPN leagues.

Player: RW Michael Grabner, Canucks

Ownership: 5 percent Yahoo!, 2.9 percent ESPN.

Tonight: The Canucks visit Los Angeles at 10:30 pm EDT.

Can Canucks RW Michael Grabner continue to kick fantasy ass tonight at Los Angeles?

Optimism: Only 22, the former first-round pick has become a shot machine in his last four games (5, 6, 7, 2). In those games, he has two goals and two assists, all of which were PPPs. Rob Higgins, fantasy expert for the Toronto Sun, recently wrote: “He’s playing with Vancouver’s best all-around forward in Ryan Kesler, on the team’s fastest line and is the Kobe to Kesler’s Shaq. He likes to shoot and can finish. As long as his context is a Top 6 one, in the NHL, he will point enough to help.”

Skepticism: Grabner has done a lot of his scoring by being in the right place at the right time in front of the net. He deserves credit for this knack, but how sustainable is the cherry-picking for a 180-pounder?

—

Player: D Derek Morris, Bruins

Ownership: 9 percent Yahoo!, 7.1 percent ESPN.

Tonight: The Bruins host the Devils at 7:00 pm EDT.

Optimism: There was a time when Morris — a first-round pick back in 1996 — was a must-own fantasy blueliner. Granted: That time was 2002-03. Still, in his first season with the Avalanche, Morris put up numbers: 11 goals, 37 assists, +16, 68 penalty minutes, 28 power play points (nine goals, 19 assists), and 191 shots on goal. Lately, Bruins fans have glimpsed the Morris vintage. In his last three games, Morris has one goal and four assists, not to mention a +2 and seven shots. It’s no coincidence these three games marked the return of D Dennis Wideman from a left shoulder injury.

Skepticism: Morris has not amassed more than 30 points in a season since 2003-04. He is also no guarantee for PP productivity. Only one of the five points on his recent three-game binge was a PPP.

—

Player: D Jeff Schultz, Capitals

Ownership: 1 percent Yahoo!, 0.4 percent ESPN.

Tonight: The Capitals visit Atlanta at 7:00 pm EDT.

Optimism: In fantasy football, you want a piece of the Saints. In fantasy hockey, you want a piece of the Capitals, who score 3.56 goals per game (third). Schultz, 23, a first-round pick in 2004, has one goal and four assists in his last three games, not to mention four PIMs and a staggering +5.

Skepticism: Schultz isn’t sniffing the power play and he is averaging fewer than 18:00 of ice time.

photo courtesy Wikimedia Commons

Although that title is misleading, Kovalchuk tallied, Ovechkin didn’t.

Even in the win, the Capitals cannot be happy with their 5-4 victory over the Atlanta Thrashers tonight. The Capitals took a somewhat commanding 5-2 lead in the second period on 3 goals scored within 88 seconds, but that was about the end of the Capitals playing smart hockey. It seems as though it’s impossible for them to play 60 minutes of hockey, which has happened with a lot of teams this season and it’s somewhat disheartening. The game would have been tied up with just seconds remaining in the third if Maxim Afinogenov had been able to put away a late powerplay goal. Kovalchuk had just netted one the shift prior, and it looked like Kovalchuk was going to singlehandedly bring the Thrashers back to win it. They ultimately fell short, but the Caps cannot keep giving up in the third period if they want to be considered an elite team in the league. I can’t tell if it’s complacency or just laziness that has been fueling the Capitals meltdowns in the third, but they need to correct it.

On the plus side, Eric Fehr came back and he was getting involved quite a bit, including scoring a goal. Alexandre Giroux put a goal on the board with an assist from Keith Aucoin, and the Caps finally got the secondary scoring they’ve been waiting for, with Alex Semin being out because of being “sick and sore,” as Joe B and Locker put it, and Alex Ovechkin didn’t factor in on any goals, which is somewhat of an anomaly this year, Ovi has 16 points in 9 games. Also Jeff Schultz had two assists and a 182 foot goal(not on the empty net), in what was probably the best game he’s ever had in his entire career.

So while the Caps still won, I’m sure Bruce “Gabby” Boudreau will still have plenty to yell about at practice tomorrow.

That game sucked pretty bad. I would love to go in to long rambling details on what was wrong and what was right (very little) and vent but I shouldn’t even be writing this because my cold or flu or mutant virus from hell is getting much worse as the day goes on so take rain check my friends.

All I can say is Sasha Bear and Schultz looked the best out of all which was still not very good even then. Green and Ovie were just okay which did not please me. I am now going to go through my self under a bus or something. Anything to stop the pain of this cold and the Capitals.

I am getting somewhat impatient regarding the impending beginning of hockey season. Not that I am ready to give up baseball yet, as the stretch run is going to make for some great story lines, but with pre-season football getting underway and the weather in the greater tri-state unbearably humid fall cannot get here soon enough so the sweet smell if rink ice can fill my lungs.

That being said, it was an interesting off-season for the Washington Capitals. Some losses, a couple of new faces and a lot of great things to build on upon the last two seasons successes. The average age of the team probably plummets which brings up concerns about where they are in terms of stability and stewardship but considering how far they came so far putting it together piecemeal when established vets were fleeing to other teams while the Caps were building almost completely from the inside out where they are at is one of the greatest testaments to development and scouting ever.

Let’s break this down in hockey terms:

PLUS
The biggest plus is the acquisition of Mike Knuble. The Caps needed a net crasher and they got one. He’s not a big scorer, or a big assists’ guy but he will clear room in front of the net for Backstrom and Ovechkin to work their magic and perhaps with the singular skills of both players moving the puck it won’t help Knuble pad his numbers a bit more. It is a big change of personality from Viktor Kozlov who was more of a skills player on a very skills orientated line. Should Mike find a rhythm on the line where Kozy couldn’t it would make one of the leagues biggest scoring threats the last two years that much more deadly. He’s the right wing that line disparately needs but knowing the caps he can easily roll to the second line and keep opponents confused when the top six forwards are shuffled.

offense resigning:
Eric Fehr (Caps 1st round 03) is huge as the winger comes into his own last season. Finding a home between the third and imaginary fifth line could be interesting but he showed flashes of brillance to build on.
Boyd Gordon (Caps 1st round 02) will continue to provide depth at a weak position for the Caps on the physical lines as a drafted center. His ability to adapt to the left boards provides more depth.
Quintin Laing (Caps 07 rookie) After a turbulent early career developing through the Caps system helped unlock Laing as winger and back up center. As the team develops lines Lain provides experienced in-system depth.
defense resigning:
Milan Jurnica: He came into the league via an early millennial Boston system that developed him into what he’s becoming for the Caps. The conservative nature was broken this season playing on a line behind Green where he meandered into the zone more and showed his wicked shot. Given the op to develop that he could be a deadly two-way asset deeper in the D.
Shaone Morrison (Boston 1st round 01; NHL full season debut Caps 05) If he can find the old Witt & Johannson style of play where he can balance the physical with the neutral zone control and feed into either Jurnica or Green he’ll find a great rhythm as both continue to develop. Both need a responsible anchor who can develop a good feed play and help on the three way checking and take the penalty when necessary while pushing the play hard.
Jeff Schultz (Caps 1st round 04): he’s a good stay at home D that has a plus 30 cum career to build upon. If he can develop a good physical game and some solid neutral zone checking it would play well into the Caps offense system.

MINUS
Losing the three big vets: Sergie Federov, Viktor Kozlov and Donald Brashear. All three were club house leaders for the team in their own way. The Russian connection with Feds and Kozy definitely changed the dynamic of the team overnight. When all else failed Brashear was a stabilizing force on and off the ice both physically and emotionally. Feds brought a great two-way style to the ice able to play every position he was asked (and could prob tend net if necessary one might think). Kozy was a roller coaster but he worked hard, day in and day out and by the end it was indispensable as he rolled lines. Donny was, well, Donny and all the while as the team lost Kolzig and suffered through Clark wounds Donny was the gritty vet leader that set the tone everywhere and commanded respect from everyone. Lost in the Federov-Kozlov-Brashear shuffle is also the loss of Brent Johnson as a goalie. His contributions before last year might have been overlooked by some because Kolzig was a workhorse in goal, but he provided a veteran

EVEN-STRENTH
The acquisition of Brandan Morrison: It fills out that latter-line veteran center position the Caps were lacking. Questions remain on how physical he can be and how much 2-way discipline he can help instill on the back-lines and what type of presence he will bring into the clubhouse overall.

Chris Borque (Caps 2st round 04) Vote isn’t in on this multi-talented winger who also showed potential on as a center. Considering the heritage of the namesake alone one would hope he develops and the chances he had there were flashes of potential to build from. Resigning him could be a bonus if he matures into anything close to the way other Caps have but we’re not quite there yet as he only made it to the NHL last season.

Chris Clark as Captain Chris is a great gritty veteran presence. He’s not even played 40 games in the last two seasons. He’s a commanding player when he’s on the ice. He’s spent a lot of time on the DL. Captains lead their teams in many ways, and Chris’ absence from active duty hasn’t affected the impact he’s had in terms of being a leader, but it’s hard to imagine that if the team is going to continue to grow and develop they are going to be able to continue with a captain missing from the lineup. As for Chris as a captain this season, we’ll see, but beyond that, I think the leadership on the team needs to formally transition to someone from the youthcorps as they become the backbone of the franchise.

SHORTHANDED
The Nylander Conundrum- Mike has been an enigma as a Cap in both tenures. If he can learn to drive the net and play hard through the neutral zone and offensive zone even when not holding the puck it would create ops for the wingers and more ops for him. He doesn’t share responsibility on the play, but wants to dominate it. Imagine if he could help spring Semin’s slapshot by setting him up on the point or at the top of the circle. Or if he crashed the net harder and played off the rebound of a Fleishman drive. Imaging him using whatever linemates he has by spring-boarding their strength with his puck handling ability. But this isn’t the style of hockey Mike’s known for and chances are he won’t make that adjustment this late in his career just to be in Bruce Bodreau’s favor in order to get ice time.

The Goalie Situation The 800-lb gorilla in the room is how the Caps handle the goalie situation. You certainly cannot round-robin Simeon Varlamov (Caps 1st round 06), Michal Neuvirth (Caps 2st round 06) and Jose Theodore as a threesome that’s for sure. Thankfully the conversation is not further complicated by the presence of perennial backup Brent Johnson in the mix, though, his presence as a backstop and on the bench will be sorely missed. So what are the Caps to do? There’s no right answer. Going with a tandem that involved Theodore and one of the rookies is the obvious option. Starting Josey means taking a chance on his streaky nature once again. Delegating him to backup status makes his one expensive bench-warmer. It would be stranger still to not play him at all and go with Varly and Neuvirth and completely neglect Theodore despite the brilliance both the rookies have shown thus far. Then again there is that point, neither has played much above a handful of regular season games for the big club and that leaves a lot of open questions. So what are the Caps going to do? No one knows and that’s both intriguing and frightening from an outsider’s perspective only six weeks away from the start of the season. Let’s hope internally everyone is on the same page because the longer the indecision goes on the more it potentially hurts the locker room vibe.

POWERPLAY
The youth corps! How many teams can boast 15 guys from their system on the ice? Think about the depth of this young lineup: Nick Backstrom (Caps first round 06), Alex Ovechkin (Caps first round 04), Mike Green (Caps first round 04), Alex Semin (Caps first round 02) plus Tom Fleishman (Caps 05 rookie acquired from Red Wings 02 second round 02) Brooks Laitch (Caps 03 rookie acquired from Senators third rounder 01), Dave Steckle (Caps 05 rookie acquired from Kings as a first round 01) all remain in place next season. Along with Fehr, Gordon, Laing, Morrison, Schultz & Varlamov (plus Neuvirth & Borque) the bulk of the team is developed internally. Over the last few seasons have come together nicely. The steady improvement led by this corps should provide an exciting foundation for next season and many to come.

Michael Vick’s “Second Chance” is a Garbage Redemption Story … Huffington Post
Michael Vick Signs Two-Year Deal With NFL’s Eagles Bloomberg
Vick to the Eagles: Good move or bad? ESPN
Eagles are perfect fit for Vick, but it’s still McNabb’s team Newsday
Sorry, PETA: Vick gets a job he earned Kansas City Star
Surprise: Michael Vick signs deal with Philadelphia Eagles Yahoo! Sports
Baldinger on Eagles signing Vick: ‘It could be really fascinating’ USA Today
Disgraced Vick signs with Eagles: report Reuters
Eagles, Vick a near-perfect match SI.com
Michael Vick signs with the Philadelphia Eagles; three teams … San Francisco Chronicle
No Vick in Buffalo “at this time”; TO update Newsday
Philadelphia Eagles Sign Michael Vick? A Philly Fan Calls For … Newsweek
Eagles sign Vick Philadelphia Inquirer
Vick just went from jailhouse to penthouse Atlanta Journal Constitution
Vick signs deal with Eagles The Associated Press
A Surprise as Eagles Sign Vick for 2 Years New York Times
Agent: Michael Vick signs with Philadelphia Eagles CNN International
Disgraced Vick to return to NFL with Eagles: report AFP
Why, Eagles? CBSSports.com
Michael Vick lands with Eagles CBC.ca
Dog killer, former Falcons QB Michael Vick signs two-year deal … New York Daily News
Michael Vick lands with Eagles CBC.ca
Vick picked up by Philadelphia Eagles Seattle Times
Eagles Sign Vick Washington Post

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Read the debate intro and Bleacher Fan’s argument that ESPN should cover local activity.

In Sports Geek’s intro, the question is about ESPN being a viable source for local market sports coverage. I answer that question by simply saying that ESPN needs to stay out of it!

ESPN does a great job of covering a wide variety of sports from various different angles. For example, I read the USA Today every day at lunch to get a broad variety of sports news. I can read about the latest involving Favre, Vick, or Michael Phelps. It’s basically general information, but it satisfies my need for “national” sports news.

However, as a Georgia resident, I like to read and hear about Georgia sports through in-state media and reporters. As Sports Geek stated, ESPN is branching out into major cities, and if the trend continues they could be setting up shop in Atlanta. This would be a terrible idea. Much like I read the USA Today for national sports news, I read the Atlanta Journal Constitution every day online for “local” sports news. I read columns/blogs every day by featured columnists such as Mark Bradley (who follows us on Twitter), Jeff Schultz, Tony Barnhardt, and David O’Brien. O’Brien is the Atlanta Braves’ beat writer and he writes a daily blog online. He is able to report things that an ESPN reporter couldn’t talk about. DOB (as he is referred to online) has established relationships with the players and coaches and is able to talk about things like the “mood” of the clubhouse. He also has inside information on injuries. An ESPN reporter could establish these sources over time and be on the same level eventually, but that serves no purpose to me right now.

I also think, eventually, that if ESPN keeps branching out fan will have a lot of “watered down” coverage. I think ESPN already runs the risk of overkill with its family of networks. I mean, really, how many channels are on cable/satellite now? Not to mention ESPN Radio and all of its affiliates.

MEMO TO ESPN: If we want to find you, we have plenty of avenues to find you. We have a remote and a radio dial. Do not invade our territory and find us!

Again, I’m not trying to throw ESPN under the bus. I am a supporter of ESPN. But leave my local coverage alone. Don’t invade that territory!

• And I knew the Cap’s couldn’t go a whole summer with out an incident. As you may or may not know we signed all the RFAs but yesterday and this morning everyone but Jeff was still under the impression he did NOT sign his offer. Well lets just say it; he pulled a Chicago. He sent it to the wrong fax machine or it went to what I call “Technology Purgatory” or whatever and just didn’t get to the Cap’s like it was meant to.
• Thank you Jake Hauswirth for you explanation of the American political system to us. I now know the capitals building is “sick” because they pass bills and stuff like that.
• It is really quite adorable how excited the prospects get about the monuments. Like the eighth grade kids on their class trips.
• It’s really uncanny how much Casavant and Theo look a like.
• Speaking of people who look a like and prospects; Dmitry Kugryshev besides looking an awful lot like Semin (Compare: Dmitry: , Semin: http://tinyurl.com/klel6n), besides being the redheaded Russian we so needed, and besides having an adorable blog on icedaily.com (http://www.icedaily.com/blog/58/Dmitry-Kugryshev) is one of my new favorite prospects.
• Expecting a full house at Kettler on Saturday. Warning: I am willing to elbow people in the face to get good seats.

Watching development camp like a hawk was a little diffucult seeing as I couldn’t be there but our fellow bloggers did a great job keeping all of us unfortunate wretches from going stir crazy. Here’s my impressions from other peoples impressions and video and in general let my talk about stuff I know nothing about.

I heard Mathieu was smoking people (we’re looking at you Jolly Joe the Giant) and looking in general impressive so I expect to see more of him.

Jolly Joe the Giant and I now have a never ending feud; You wacked Bucky? You, You, You, Gah I can’t call you what I want to call you cause this is a family friendly site! Just let you know if I ever see you I’m throwing my Bucky popcorn tin at your head. I don’t care if you did have to write a letter of apology you and I will never be quite the same. You picked the wrong team to be on buddy! You are looking at someone who was a Badgers fan long before she was a Cap’s fan and I love both more than you, you are tradeable. Sieve, Sieve, Sieve, you jerk.

Braden Holtby sounded like he was doing well but what really caught my eye were his tweets. He is offically given a Hockey Chronicles blog rating of adorable. If someone would just take care of Jose like I’ve been hinting, ever so heavily, maybe we’d get to see you more.

This just in according the Jolly Joe Schultzie is in fact not a goon. Congrats Jeff.

On another note: YES! Gordo has taken the offer! So happy! The other RFA’s have until Wednsday to take their offers. (Come on Fehrsie)

And we continue to wonder where in the world Brent Johnson is. I hope he signs with a nice team. I feel bad for all the goalies still out there cause I know the market has been slim for them.

And a quick HAHA at the Redwings, we invited Nils Backstrom your defensive prospect to camp and apparently he was so out of shape that by the end he was getting out skated by the goalie. That’s what you get for stealing Nicki’s last name. When will the Backstrom madness stop? I’m looking at you niKlas Backstrom.

Another year, another Capital Punishment installment… So, the Caps suffered from yet another breakdown against the Pens. The second time of which resulted in a Pens Cup. Clearly, I am destined to hate the Pens. Ha! Anyway, let’s not dwell on the complete collapse that occurred in game 3 to bring the Pens back into the series and game 7 to give the series away and look at all the outstanding things to build on and what changes are destined to happen as well as hopes to what would strengthen the team

08-09 Season
The Caps finished the regular season 50-24-8 for 108 pts. to take the SE Division and the #2 spot in the Atlantic. Unlike the comeback they posted last season to roar into the playoffs from the dead, this year for the most part the Caps handled the day-by-day task of winning fairly well. There were periods of largess in each game which continually begged the question – can the Caps actually play a full sixty minutes of hockey? Sometimes, yes, but mostly not. In part, due to youthful exuberance and in part due to nagging injury the Caps struggled to string together dominating full games but their record speaks high enough to the talent they have.

The Good
Ale Ove – 56 goals and 110 points was enough to go #1 in goals and #2 in points this season. He once again won the Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy, David Hart Memorial Trophy and Lester B. Pearson Award. The biggest two knocks of Ove are is shots on goal and his two-way play. His 528 SOG is nearly double the next player, which somehow seems to imply he’s not accurate. However, his % conversion is .106 which is just above average for the league when taking 200 SOG or more in a season and dead on for guys shooting over 300 (Blake has a .083 on the low end versus Carter’s .135 on the high end), albeit a little low compared to most of the 40+ goal club. Consider this though, how many of those SOG for Ove ended up setting up his line mates for shots by taking the D / goalie out of position? Those 54 assists didn’t come from nowhere either. As for two-way play, he was plus 8. Not exactly the stellar two-way forward but certainly nothing to scoff at for a kid in their early 20s that is an offensive juggernaut.

Mikey Green - Everything that Ove is on offense is exactly what Mikey brings from the blueline. You cannot argue with his numbers, stunning the league with his ability to navigate the neutral zone quickly and step up on the play, press the offensive zone and score. He is a linchpin in keeping the overall Caps offense strong because he adds such a unique dimension to the attack. The downside, and it can be a very big downside, is he is so young and aggressive that he gets caught behind transitioning plays allowing odd man rushes down the ice. His speed allows him to get back quick but pinching in has also cost the Caps goals on the other end.

Nickie Backstrom & Alexander Semin – If there were two bigger underdogs in the league than these two you’d be hard pressed to find them. Taking Semin’s numbers the last two seasons considering he was sidelined and stretching them out across a full 82 games and he’d be a juggernaut in the vein of any of the big name wingers. Backstrom is already there as a center. And yet, both are not only overlooked because of Ove and Green on the team, but perhaps even moreso because of other outstanding players around the league.

Simeon Varlamov – The goalie situation would have been extra-ugly if it weren’t for Brent stepping up and playing spectacularly during Theodore’s meltdown and then Varly stepping up again to do the same when Johnson went down with an injury. The biggest positive of it has to be the emergence of Varlamov, under the pressure of the playoffs, who is yet another product of fantastic Caps scouting, drafting and player development in their system. If Varly is anything like either of the last two drafted goalies the Caps had, they should be good for a few seasons in net and it could become a lot of fun to watch. Adding Varly to the Caps young core gives them one of the most solid home-grown style teams assembled in the league if his post-season play is any indication of what could come.

The rest of the Youthcorps – As if the five already mentioned weren’t enough, consider how much Thomas Flieshman, Jeff Schultz, Brooks Laitch, Eric Fehr,Tyler Sloan and grew up this season. Although not all were Caps first round pics, they broke into the NHL as Capitals though that dominant Caps system. Fleishman found a goal scoring touch and a place rotating in-and-out of the top few lines, while Laich came into his own as a center feeding the puck well and doubling his assist’s total. There is a lot of talent developing too as Eric Fehr played his first full season and Sloan was called up to prop up an oft-injured defense corps, both providing flashes of potential.

The Bad
Jose Theodore – No one expected him to come in and do what Huet did. No one expected him to come close to what the Caps saw for over 10 years with Kolzig or even be the flash in the pan of Jim Carey. But the rubics cube that is Theodore never managed to even get one side of the puzzle lined up. This turned out to be a good thing though, as it eventually necessitated Varlmov to play. Should be interesting to see, what, if anything can be done to move him in the off-season so the albatross noose he creates can be loosened.

Mike Nylander - Second stint as a Cap was no more productive than the first. He never quite fit into any role. He couldn’t center any line effectively either as a skills player or as a role player and never quite clicked with Boudreau to make matters worse. Disenfranchised he was reduced beyond being a backup to being a benchwarmer and hardly was effective as that by the time the playoffs came around. It’s not a knock on Mike, the Caps just aren’t the right team for him, again. He’s perfect trade-bait for the right offer.

Chris Clark – Unfortunately for Chris 18 games last season only increased to 32 games this season due to injuries. His presence is immeasurable. He is a force, when he’s healthy and on the ice, both as a gritty role player and as the team Captain providing veteran leadership. Ironically enough, the lack of Chris’ presence is measurable, as when he went down the team carried on winning and for the last two season’s despite not carrying an actual captain due to Chris’ injuries the Caps were playoff bound. There is no reason to cut Chris loose unless the injuries continue to pile up, but his role on the team has to be in doubt.

Free Agents
Three classes of UFA are broken down as follows for the Caps. There are four noteworthy players in this mix that their loss will be toughest on the Caps, especially if the Caps don’t fill their production and their role playing leadership either through trades or other FA acquisitions. Ideally, it would be nice if these guys didn’t leave but
As for the RFA group, there are a couple of notable guys the Caps should make moves to retain based on their contributions and how they fit into the Caps system that produced the numbers it did throughout the season.

UFA-G3
Donald Brashear, Jakub Cutta, Sergei Fedorov, Alexandre Giroux, Bryan Helmer, Brent Johnson, Viktor Kozlov, Graham Mink.
UFA G6
Staffan Kronvall
RFA G2 Untendered
Andrew Joudrey, Daren Machesney, Travis Morin, Sasha Pokulok
RFA G2 Tendered
Chris Bourque, Eric Fehr, Boyd Gordon, Milan Jurcina, Shaone Morrisonn, Steven Pinizzotto, Jeff Schultz, Kyle Wilson.

Sergie Federov - The mighty Russian should have found a home with the Caps finally, after the exile years wandering post-Detroit. He seemed happy in the system and was having a career resurgence. His veteran leadership would help any young club, for sure, but including him on the Caps with the depth of Russian talent was a godsend. It not only helped Semin and Ove and later Varly, but also brought out the best in Viktor Kozlov after a mediocre stint as a Cap thus far. The added depth he provided by being responsible two-ways and even playing D on occasion was a huge part of the Caps success the last year and a half. Rumors are all probably true and he’ll be in the Russian league next year.

Donald Brashear - Huge veteran presence in the locker room and demanding player on the ice. Donny is one of the last of the old school tough guys. He can fight, he can hit but it’s more his presence that keeps things in check as he stabilizes threatening attitudes and can play rough and tough against any third or forth line or be used to be aggressive physically on any top line. He’s responsible both ways providing some extra depth at the blue line while occasionally having a scoring touch. One would hope he too had found a real home with the Caps, but as a FA he’ll be coveted by a number of teams, especially in the east.

Viktor Kozlov - A roller coaster ride of a time with the Caps saw Kozlov go from seeming washed up to seeming extraordinary. His overall numbers were not too bad, but it was more about those magic moments where Ovechkin, Semin, Backstrom, Federov, Fleishman and he would come together as different variations of two stunning top lines. When it feel apart it wasn’t pretty but the addition of Federov really seemed to invigorate him. No word yet on what he, or the Caps, intend to do, but rumors have him following several expatriots to the Russian league.

Brent Johnson – The perennial backup goalie stole the #1 slot away from Theodore and only relinquished it when playing more than 20 games finally took it’s toll on him physically. He carried the Caps the majority of the season (overshadowed of course by another backup doing similar – Clemmensen in NJ – and by Varly’s play come the playoffs). He could come back (Caps are talking to him) but with Theodore still in the mix (and difficult to unload) chances are, he’ll be backstopping behind someone else next season. After all the quality years Johnson provided backing up Kolzig it’ll be sad to see him go.

Milan Jurnica & Eric Fehr – Tendering an offer to both guys should be huge. They have arbitration options right now, which could play a role in how Washington chooses to continue handling them. Jurnica spent the majority of his short career as a Cap (after two seasons in Boston bouncing between the big club and the minors) and provided solid D and timely scoring. Fehr is more a product of the Caps system and his first full season as a Cap really shouldn’t be his last with the potential he’s shown.

Holes to Fill – FA moves & Trades
Stay-at-home Defenseman – When the wily veterans of your defensive corps are Tom Poti and John Ernskine there is room to build, especially when the youngsters Green and Jurnica have a penchant for hopping up on the play a solid veteran blueliner would be a huge asset. The Caps need probably more than anything a seasoned veteran who can stay back and be responsible through the neutral zone and control the play down low on defense and help the youth better balance their responsibility on defense. The ability to strip the puck and create outlet passes would be an added bonus.

Defensive Forward – The first line is pretty solid as is, but the second and third lines could be full of holes losing so many veterans. A right winger that offers both a scoring touch and a lot of veteran grit and toughness would offer depth and balance. With the way the Caps roll lines already, being able to get an opposite side winger that can move from first to third line as necessary and provide the kind of solid two-way play the youth so desperately need would be a linchpin to being able to help the youth and the scoring. A center would be nice in this role as well, but the Caps will get more depth out of a winger here.

Tough Guy – It does not have to be a traditional enforcer like what Brashear did the past few years. It could be what Langway, Iafrate, Stevens or Witt brought to the table with the huge hits back in the day of defense, or it could be a really brutal forwards like Hunter, Hatcher, Konawalchuck or Carpenter brought. If they can get someone to bring that level of consistent checking and role playing grit and grind it would help define either the defense or the later line offense and give a truly balanced presence to the team. If they could pick up a true enforcer, there would be no harm in it considering what some of the rest of the east has, but a more balanced tough guy who can layout the opposing offense anywhere on the ice would be just as nice.

Resolve of the Backup Goalie – Is it Theodore? Is it Johnson? Is it someone else? Is Varly really the starter? These are serious questions that deserve serious consideration and if the answer is Varly is the starter is Theodore really your best backup? If they cannot move Theodore’s contract, this is a null point, for now. If they can, is Bret the best asset? Or, are there other goalies that could assist.

Nice to Have Moves
A Russian Vet – Losing Sergie and Viktor might not seem like a lot but the two truly stabilized the youth of the team and considering the Eastern Bloc influence on the Caps (not just now, they’ve always had top notch old-school Eastern Europeans) it would be nice to see the Caps continue that history into the new season. If they cannot, they will need some solid veteran ethnic diversity that will help bring together those young kids they’re developing from outside of the traditional USA-Canada minors.

Veteran Two-Way Forward – As much as the Caps have offensive openings either needing a defensive forward or a tough guy, they can actually support either or both in almost any position, but if they get either in a winger, they need the opposite in a center, or vice versa. They can move more kids through the system, but remember how truly young the Caps are and they will have half as many veterans going into 09-10 than they had coming out of the 08-09 season. That staff is an amazing generation of home-and-semi home grown but at some point you need experience to help fill in the gaps. The Pens were blessed from day one with huge names and great experience in developing their youth, the Caps have gotten this far with shrewd moves and fantastic cross-franchise development.

If you are interested in Cross Marketing, Destination Management, Event Management, Leadership or if you just want to have 15 minutes of entertainment, watch this video by Jeff Schultz.
Thanks for sharing to Georg Pircher Verdorfer, one of our masterminds of lammertal.tv

How can we help the people in Oberpfaffelbachen? Any ideas, how to use the ramp?

So, those Washington Capitals are at it again. The goofy goalie games are back yet again. This time its the subjugation of another struggling goalie for another possible surprise move in net even more drastic than last years trade deadline theatrics with Cristobal Huet. All the talk is about the streaky Jose Theodore’s lackluster play in game one of this year’s Stanley Cup playoffs first round and the possibility of the Caps bringing in rookie Simeon Varlamov. For Jose to keep his job, he needs to look like his millennial self, including, perhaps, putting one in the net, just for good measure, since it’s been a while for him… and we know, that’s probably just not going to happen.

Being a Caps fan, I’ll give a couple of reasons why I would support this goaltending this move, if it happens.

First, Simeon was the 06 first round pick by the Caps. Considering the Caps extraordinary scouting history there’s an aweful lot to look forward to. Consider, for a moment, these young Caps who make up the current core of the team: Nicky Backstrom 06 first round, Alie Ovechkin 04 first round, Mikey Green 04 first round, Jeff Schultz 04 first round, Eric Fehr 03 first round, Alex Semin 02 first round plus Tom Fleishman 05 rookie after being acquired from the Red Wings an 02 second rounder, Brooks Laitch 03 rookie after being acquired from the the Senators as an 01 third rounder, Dave Steckle 05 rookie after being acquired from the LA Kings as a first rounder. That’s a solid list of players who have come up through the Caps system and the foursome of Ovie, Nicky, Mikey and Backstrom have been dominate, if not in some ways underrated, considering they are all young kids playing together without the benefit of a stacked veteran staff around them how most players would grow up. The Caps historically picked franchise influencing first round players well, including Brendan Witt, Sergie Gonchar, Olaf Kolzig, Kevin Hatcher, Scott Stevens, Bobby Carpenter and Mike Gartner, to name but a few.

Second, Simeon is coming out of the Hershey Bears system. The same system that developed all of the above. The same system that provided the coaching leadership of Bruce Boudreau. The same system that in 06 won their 9th Calder Cup, Eastern Conference champions and runners up for the Calder Cup in 07, and in 09 Eastern Conference champions and making another Calder Cup run, which was also Simeon Varlamov’s first year with the team going 19-7-1 in 27 games as a starter between call up stints with the Caps.

Third, he has some unique experience thus far. In 2008 Simeon helped lead Lokomotiv Yaroslavl to the Russian Super League finals, so he has big game experience as a starter. He’s also stood up to the NHL pressure in his extraordinary short time in the league. His debut in December on the road against the venerable Montreal Canadians (who were seeded 2nd in the Northeast and 4th in the Eastern conference at the time) he won and followed that up a few days later at his first game on Caps home ice against the St. Louis Blues he pulled another big win. His final record was 4-0-1 with a 2.37 goals against average and .918 save percentage which is nothing shabby coming off the bench cold.

Forth, he has fellow countrymen Sergi Federov and Viktor Kozlov as veterans to learn from and Alie Ovechkin and Alex Semin as youth to be excited with. He’s also been able to learn from veterans Josey Theodore and Brent Johnson during the season as well. That is a special support system to be playing in that is unlike the way most young goalies would come up.

Finally, remember the Caps had decent luck in developing draft goalies in the past. Despite a short lived time in net Jim Carey was a Venezia Trophy winner as a Caps draft pick turned phenom. Jack A. Butterfield Trophy, Hap Holmes Memorial Award and Venezia Trophy winner Olaf Kolzig was a stalwart in net for over a decade, even though those tough rebuilding years. He developed as a backup behind Beaupre, Carey and Ranford before taking over the starting role full time and went on to become one of only 10 goalies with 4 post-season shutouts in the same Cup season and only one of 4 goalies to survive the firefight of the All Star Game to come out unscathed with a 0.00 GAA and only Marty Brodeur of the Devils played more games in the same period. Hopefully Simeon Varlamov looks more like Kolzig in the long run than Carey, but still, considering the lack of luck with goalies since acquiring Beaupre, Simeon could be a good fit on a developing team considering the past.

It IS an aweful lot of pressure to put any 20 year old under, but this is no ordinary 20 year old and this is no ordinary team. If the move happens and Simeon plays well then Bruce Boudreau and Ted Leonesis look like geniuses. Even if the kid doesn’t earn the win, if he can keep the game close, play poised and keep the Caps potent scoring in it he could help stem the bleeding and help turn the tide. On the other hand, if he flounders, one has to wonder what the already fragile psyche of Theodore might be like getting back out on the ice after being benched. He’s bounced back well at times in the past but he’s also had face crushing flops too. And, you also have to wonder what a loss would do to the rookie, especially if it’s a debilitating loss, and how he’ll both offer as a backup for the balance of the Cup as well as for next year as his career commences. Then, of course, there is what the failure could do to the team if they have to continue to play on their heals for too much longer.

The announcement should come later today. Till then, here’s to the cold veins of a hopefully surprising Caps Cup champ. Cheers.

So, yesterday I (the doormouse) was forwarded an interesting article by the Leather Daddy. It was information regarding a pending trade between the Chicago Blackhawks and the Washington Capitals with Mike Nylander. Stopping the trade, however, is the salary cap. The obvious place to make room for Nylander is to manipulate the crowded goalie situation. The question then becomes, who to retain, the re-bounding Nikolai Khabibulin or the slumping Cristobal Huet,with conventional wisdom being, if they move anyone it’ll be Khabby. The problem is, there are only a handful of teams in need of a goal, most with salary problems of there own, as well as a glut of potential goalies on the market. The Leather Daddy and have had many a conversation in regards to a number of late-last season and off-season moves that regard the Caps who are at the center of this mess and, of course, the irony is, Huet leaving the Caps for the Hawks is part of what created this mess in the first place.

My initial response was the following:

First, the rude comments:
1. It serves Huet right to be a benchwarmer after the shit he pulled in the off-season with the money, he gets two things, nothing and like it. There was no way he was going to perform the same this season the way he did down the stretch, it just doesn’t work that way. He’s overpaid, if he’s miserable being benched, good for him.
2. How is it Huet keeps getting in the middle of goalie controversy (w/ Price & and Habs, with Ollie and the Caps and now with Khabby in Chitown). Note to teams: stay away!
3. It sucks for ChiTown, but then again, when you get goalie greedy this is what happens, next time invest in a center you really needed in the first place.
4. If it takes Chi-town half a season to unload one of them that’ll be too soon and when they do whomever is stuck with Huet I hope he continues to choke and in the interim it eats away at Chicago’s short-term success.
5. it sucks for Nylander because yet again, his career is taking a hit by being a Cap. You know, had he not been such a disappointment the first time and spent most of his contract injured this time he might mean more to the franchise and they wouldn’t be trying to unload him.
6. The Caps made their own goalie problem by getting Huet in the first place and disenfranchising Kolzig. Theodore was obviously not the answer so far and there’s no real solution in sight without creating yet another set of issues back between the pipes.
7. Personally, if the caps get anything useful out of the trade is better be someone who can play defense, and I mean real defense not Mike Green / Tom Poti / Jeff Schultz style of hop onto the offense otherwise they aren’t doing themselves any favors in moving Neylander. Don’t get me wrong, I love brining back the Johannson, Iafrate, Gonchar type of D, but if they don’t figure out how to play some real D back there it’s going to continue being a shooting gallery no matter who’s between the pipes.
And, now… the rhetorical questions:
1. How happy have the Canadians got to be seeing how all their x-goalies are doing?
2. How much is Carey price thinking to himself, “God I hope my career looks more like Roy and less like Huet five years from now?”
3. How much is Ollie thinking to himself, “If I had only stayed around I’d be playing for a winning team…”
4. How much is Nylander thinking, “How do i keep bouncing between Chicago & Washington?!?
Finally, how’s this for a closing thought:
I dont’ even want to write right now about what the Lightening are thinking… maybe they’d like Nikki back in net? Wait, what, wait…image this: A three way trade – A Young tough guy on D and Ollie back to the Caps, Khabby back to the lightening, Nylander back to the Wings, and all the while the Habs can still giggle at the situation

did that cover everyone involved?

So, yesterday I was forwarded an interesting article by the Leather Daddy. It was information regarding a pending trade between the Chicago Blackhawks and the Washington Capitals with Mike Nylander. Stopping the trade, however, is the salary cap. The obvious place to make room for Nylander is to manipulate the crowded goalie situation. The question then becomes, who to retain, the re-bounding Nikolai Khabibulin or the slumping Cristobal Huet,with conventional wisdom being, if they move anyone it’ll be Khabby. The problem is, there are only a handful of teams in need of a goal, most with salary problems of there own, as well as a glut of potential goalies on the market. The Leather Daddy and have had many a conversation in regards to a number of late-last season and off-season moves that regard the Caps who are at the center of this mess and, of course, the irony is, Huet leaving the Caps for the Hawks is part of what created this mess in the first place.

My initial response was the following:

First, the rude comments:
1. It serves Huet right to be a benchwarmer after the shit he pulled in the off-season with the money, he gets two things, nothing and like it. There was no way he was going to perform the same this season the way he did down the stretch, it just doesn’t work that way. He’s overpaid, if he’s miserable being benched, good for him.
2. How is it Huet keeps getting in the middle of goalie controversy (w/ Price & and Habs, with Ollie and the Caps and now with Khabby in Chitown). Note to teams: stay away!
3. It sucks for ChiTown, but then again, when you get goalie greedy this is what happens, next time invest in a center you really needed in the first place.
4. If it takes Chi-town half a season to unload one of them that’ll be too soon and when they do whomever is stuck with Huet I hope he continues to choke and in the interim it eats away at Chicago’s short-term success.
5. it sucks for Nylander because yet again, his career is taking a hit by being a Cap. You know, had he not been such a disappointment the first time and spent most of his contract injured this time he might mean more to the franchise and they wouldn’t be trying to unload him.
6. The Caps made their own goalie problem by getting Huet in the first place and disenfranchising Kolzig. Theodore was obviously not the answer so far and there’s no real solution in sight without creating yet another set of issues back between the pipes.
7. Personally, if the caps get anything useful out of the trade is better be someone who can play defense, and I mean real defense not Mike Green / Tom Poti / Jeff Schultz style of hop onto the offense otherwise they aren’t doing themselves any favors in moving Neylander. Don’t get me wrong, I love brining back the Johannson, Iafrate, Gonchar type of D, but if they don’t figure out how to play some real D back there it’s going to continue being a shooting gallery no matter who’s between the pipes.
And, now… the rhetorical questions:
1. How happy have the Canadians got to be seeing how all their x-goalies are doing?
2. How much is Carey price thinking to himself, “God I hope my career looks more like Roy and less like Huet five years from now?”
3. How much is Ollie thinking to himself, “If I had only stayed around I’d be playing for a winning team…”
4. How much is Nylander thinking, “How do i keep bouncing between Chicago & Washington?!?
Finally, how’s this for a closing thought:
I dont’ even want to write right now about what the Lightening are thinking… maybe they’d like Nikki back in net? Wait, what, wait…image this: A three way trade – A Young tough guy on D and Ollie back to the Caps, Khabby back to the lightening, Nylander back to the Wings, and all the while the Habs can still giggle at the situation

did that cover everyone involved?

Thanks to Platypus3:16 for sending me this beautiful picture of the Ramp. It takes me back to a simpler time – and by simpler I mean confusing and awkward. But I can’t lie, I miss that little village. If anyone else pictures of the Ramp, please send my way. Share them with me on Flickr or emailjeff [dot] schultz [dot] usa at gmail [dot] com. 

  I’m not sure if I should start writing this by telling the exciting story of BMW’s new faux-documentary ‘The Ramp‘ filmed by faux-director Jeff Schultz or by saying this isn’t something new! They did this kind of thing ages ago before the era of YouTube with ‘The Hire‘ which was groundbreaking at the time as there were directors like John Woo, Ang Lee, John Frankenheimer and Guy Ritchie involved (I remember Audi’s ‘Other Side of the Road‘ too but somewhat different)

  It’s an epic 34/35 minute documentary about a huge ramp in Oberpfaffelbachen, Bavaria (this needed no explanation but Bayerische Motoren Werke = BMW = Bavarian Motor Works) that will shoot a BMW Series 1 all the way to the United States (San Francisco!). It’s quite amusing that they use self-irony (the ‘douchebag with a BMW‘ motive) and other stereotypes but it’s so nicely built you just forget it’s all made up. Hats off to them. If you’re from anywhere in Eastern Europe or Russia with the majority of nouveau-riche people and these types then you’ll love the irony. It’s nice to have so much money to weave a whole story like this. It’s even on facebook as ‘The Ramp‘ with loads of fake accounts (surprised they’ve not been removed like Guinness’ Juan Ramon a while ago)

  yeah and best part about it? Miss Ramp. And ramp cake with nut cream, cherry and marzipan. It’d be nice to have this come on a CD with your new BMW in 2009.

Thank you everyone for your amazing support and responses to the documentary. I just saw that The Ramp Facebook page is near 350 Fans! I’ve never been so popular in my life. If you haven’t joined, please check it out. I’ve been busy with the movie launch and promise to post more shortly.