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NHL Photo of the Day

Feb 2

Posted by EB in NHL Photo of the Day | No Comments

Joel Auerbach/Getty Images

You know things are rolling well when backup netminder Scott Clemmensen comes in and posts a win against division foe the Washington Capitals. Main goalie Jose Theodore is currently day-to-day with knee soreness.

Clemmensen is now 7-2-5 with a .915 save percentage and the Florida Panthers climb to 1st overall in the Southeast Division with 57 points. One of the weakest divisions within the league, still, the Panthers have surprised everyone with their winning record and ability to win clutch games. The Panthers have not qualified for the playoffs since the 1999-2000 season and hope to do so this year. Remember the rubber rats?

On a different note, anyone else reminded of Fruit Stripe gum when looking at Clemmensen’s pads?

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NHL Photo of the Day

Feb 1

Posted by EB in NHL Photo of the Day | No Comments

AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack

Lead goal scorer Steven Stamkos of the Tampa Bay Lightning added to his lead with an overtime winner against the Washington Capitals. Stamkos, who has 33 goals to date, is possibly the only one on pace for a 50 goal season. That is however overlooked as the team currently sits in 11th place and 8 points out of 8th in the Eastern Conference. Not quite sure if they are playoff bound this year with their goalie woes early on, but the team is currently riding a 5 game winning streak that could be extended when they play a struggling Winnepeg Jets tomorrow night.

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NHL Photo of the Day

Jan 25

Posted by EB in Media, News, NHL Photo of the Day | No Comments

Christopher Pasatieri/Getty Images

Henrik Lundqvist of the New York Rangers picked up his 5th shutout of the season with a 3 – 0 win over the Winnipeg Jets. The Rangers are on top of the Eastern Conference with 66 points and 3 points up in the Atlantic Conference. Playoff bound indeed, but can Head Coach John Tortorella get pass the first round? In his years with the Rangers, Tortorella has missed the playoffs once with the other two years being knocked out by the Washington Capitals.

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Ovechkin to Skip All-Star Game

Jan 24

Posted by EB in News | No Comments

Justin K. Aller/Getty Images

News is circulating that recently suspended Alex Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals is choosing to pass on this year’s All Star game in Ottawa, Ontario.

Washington Capitals’ General Manager George McPhee commented on the choice, saying, “He really doesn’t feel like he deserves to be there and doesn’t want to be a distraction. When he came in this morning, he said, ‘I’m a suspended player and I don’t deserve to be there.’”

The choice by Ovechkin will come under scrutiny, be it that he is somewhat protesting his suspension or that he truthfully feels that he is not deserving. It’s tough to argue that he is intentionally sticking it to the NHL for his suspension, but, the timing is not perfect. Still, being a fan favorite of most, he should get the benefit of the doubt that his decision is in earnest.

Fans will and should be disappointed in the decision. Ovechkin, although struggling this year in comparison to his normal pace, is still one of the elite athletes of the NHL. Not only is his skill one to be in awe of, his playful, love of the game will be missed in the skills competition.

Part of me feels this decision will be revoked. What are your thoughts?

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Ovechkin Suspended Three Games for Charging Hit

Jan 24

Posted by Eddie in Behind the Bench | No Comments

Judge NHL Senior VP of Player Safety and Hockey Operations Brendan Shanahan weighed in on a hit by Washington Capitals forward Alex Ovechkin on Zbynek Michalek of the Pittsburgh Penguins during Sunday’s nationally-televised game on NBC. His verdict is that the Russian superstar will sit out three games got launching himself during a check on Michalek.

Shanahan explained in a three minute video and in the video he hits on several points:

  • While Ovechkin had Michalek lined up for an ideal body check, Ovechkin’s feet left the ice.
  • It violates Rule 42 on Charging, when a player skates into or jumps into an opponent in any manner.
  • While Ovechkin aimed for shoulder-shoulder contact, because he launched himself into Michalek, the point of contact now became Ovechkin driving his shoulder into the head area of Michalek.
  • While Ovechkin wasn’t filed as a “Repeat Offender” under the rule, Shanahan did note that Ovechkin has been fined twice and suspended twice during his six-season NHL career.
  • No penalty was called, and Michalek did not miss any playing time.

In my opinion, I believe the suspension was justified. This is something that has been on the books in the lower levels of hockey for several years. Under the USA Hockey Standard of Play and Rule Emphasis, the hit could have been penalized under Interference because Michalek was no longer in possession or control of the puck. If Ovechkin would have slowed down or even made a hard left turn to avoid playing the body and skated towards the puck, he would have saved himself some money as well as helping his team by appearing in the team’s next three games.

When it’s all said and done, his suspension without pay will cost Ovechkin $154,677.75. The money goes to the Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund. Wrapped around this weekend’s All-Star Game, Ovechkin will miss today’s home contest versus Boston and next week’s Florida swing when Washington will travel to Sunrise, Fla. and Tampa to play the Panthers and Lightning, respectively. He will become eligible to play Feb. 4 on the road in Montreal.

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Pittsburgh Penguins Plagued with Injuries

Jan 11

Posted by EB in News, Soap Box | No Comments

The currently falling in the standings Pittsburgh Penguins look to be at a fork in the road. The team, who have gone 4-6-0 in their last 10, needs to muster up some confidence and chemistry if they wish to make the playoffs.

The Penguins entered the season with one of the best teams on paper. Evgeni Malkin, James Neal, Kris Letang, Marc-Andre Fleury and team Captain and leader Sidney Crosby. Well, they still look good on paper, and even good on the ice, yet injuries have hit the team hard. To date, Jordan Staal sustained a knee injury and will be out 4-6 weeks. Kris Letang has been diagnosed with a concussion and his return date is unknown. And Sidney Crosby is out indefinitely with concussion-like symptoms. Will the injuries ever stop?

The team has faced such adversity before as last season the team went without Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin for lengthy period of time. The team responded to the pressure, ending second in their division and fourth place overall within the Eastern Conference with a 106 point count. This season however, the team seems to be folding under the pressure.

Defenseman Brent Orpik, a voice of the locker room emphasizes the team’s need for accountability. ”The accountability in this room has to be a lot better. We aren’t reacting to adversity very well right now. You can’t feel sorry for yourselves.”

The team will look to rebound in the coming month of January but with a tough schedule ahead of them. The month brings games against unexpectedly good Florida Panthers, St. Louis Blues and the Toronto Maple Leafs; all teams who are currently in playoff spots. Surprisingly “easier” match-ups will be against the struggling Tampa Bay Lightning, Carolina Hurricanes and the still undecided Washington Capitals.

If the Penguins end this month out of a playoff spot, the long climb back might be too much for this team to handle.

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Zach Parise Likely to Play Elsewhere

Dec 6

Posted by EB in Rumors | 1 Comment

Zach Parise may be a New Jersey Devil today, but come trade deadline or free agency, expect him to be on the move.

New Jersey Devil fans have it tough, real tough. If it is not bad enough that the Devils are currently sitting 12th in the standings in the East, young superstar Zach Parise is likely to play for another team come trade deadline or in the off-season.

The Minnesota native Zach Parise is coming into his production years at the age of 27. Playing 7 seasons with the Devils, it is time for some new scenery. With a Silver medal under his belt from 2010, Parise wants a Stanley Cup ring, that of which the Devils won’t do for quite some time.

The Devils of old were once a powerhouse team. Hard hitting defender Scott Stevens, a younger Martin Brodeur between the pipes and head coach Jacques Lemaire made every team cringe. How the years have passed, as the Devils of new are nothing but a pushover. Last year the team missed the playoffs by 12 points. To this day the team is once again sitting on the outside looking in. An argument could be that they are only 2 points back from 8th, but the Eastern Conference is a tricky beast.

My how a few acquisitions, trades and years makes a difference. The Florida Panthers and Toronto Maple Leafs have surprised the hockey community as both are currently sitting in playoff spots. It seems Brian Burke’s master plan to take over the hockey world is finally taking form. (insert lightning/thunder/evil laugh now) On the flip side, the Washington Capitals, Montreal Canadiens and Tampa Bay Lightning, all three teams who made the playoffs last season, are currently on the outside looking in. The Devils competition is only going to get tougher.

Over a quarter way in, Parise has only 16 points in 25 games. His total is from a combined 7 goals and 9 assists, a rather poor total for such a player of his caliber. On top of that, Parise has a plus minus rating of negative 10, second to worst on the team, that of which belongs to Ilya Kovalchuk with a negative 11.

Devil fans enjoy the season while it lasts, despite the slow plummet to miss the playoffs yet again. Parise is on the move come trade deadline or free agency. If you are lucky another team will be offering a trade and you can get some depth and draft picks.

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Alexander Semin Trade Rumors Growing

Dec 6

Posted by Matt in News | 1 Comment

Alexander Semin and the Washington Capitals

Alexander Semin has been scrutinized a lot by the coaches in Washington this season, now the trade rumors are getting hot

As it turns out, Washington Capitals winger Alexander Semin does not have a shoulder injury. Instead, new coach Dale Hunter has told media sources that Semin has been a healthy scratch the past two games. Semin has been practicing with the team, so news of his scratches has put fuel on the Alexander Semin trade rumor fire that has existed for a while now.

One possible suitor for Alex Semin would be the Detroit Red Wings. Rumors have swirled in the past with Jiri Hudler or Dan Cleary being involved in a deal for Semin. Hudler has not been the same since his return from the KHL. His off-season training program this past summer has gotten him off to a better start than last year, but he’s still not quite the 60 point player the Wings had before he left. Cleary has been struggling this season as well, and could potentially need a change of scenery. His grit and work ethic would be a good addition to a Capitals club looking to build for the playoffs. This trade would suit the Red Wings nicely as it would give them a scoring threat with huge potential, in addition to being surrounded by a mature team with plenty of Stanley Cup experience. Semin could thrive playing alongside fellow countryman Pavel Datsyuk, and all he would have to do is find open ice and wait for the pass. Beyond this season, the Red Wings would have additional salary cap space free to either re-sign Semin, or pursue a bigger free agent such as Shea Weber or Zach Parise.

Another rumored landing spot is Los Angeles. The Kings, however, have much less cap space available currently. They would be forced to make a pretty bold trade in order to acquire Semin. Nashville has been included in rumors as well, and would add a great scoring threat to the team. They have plenty of cap space available. The New York Islanders and Carolina Hurricanes are being thrown into the mix too. The Islanders have a lot of young talent they could offer to the Capitals, but Washington is probably looking for players who can contribute to a long playoff run. The Hurricanes are in a similar spot with plenty of cap space, but not a lot in terms of trade bait.

While it seems the Caps would love to unload Semin sooner rather than later, his $6.7 million per season salary will make him difficult to trade. However, it is possible that the team could waive Semin in an attempt to remove his salary. If no other teams claim him, Semin would join the Hershey Bears in the AHL where his salary would not count against the big club.

Where do you think Semin will land? Leave us a note in the comments with your thoughts on his future.

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Washington Capitals fire Boudreau

Nov 28

Posted by Chris in News | No Comments

The Washington Capitals have fired head coach Bruce Boudreau and replaced him with London Knights coach Dale Hunter.

Boudreau spent four years as the Capitals coach, accumulating a 201-88-40 regular season record over that period. However, Boudreau and his ultra-talented Capitals teams have consistently faltered in the playoffs, going 17-20 in playoff games over the past four years.

In 2009-10, the Capitals claimed the President’s Trophy with the most points of any team in the NHL and walked into the playoffs as a heavy favorite to win the Stanley Cup. However, their success that season translated into a disappointing Quarter Finals loss to the Montreal Canadiens.

The firing comes after weeks of speculation about a diminishing relationship between Boudreau and Capitals superstar Alexander Ovechkin, who has been benched during key moments this season as Boudreau preached accountability to his players and used benching as a punishment for subpar performances. Fellow superstar Alexander Semin sat out of the lineup as a healthy scratch as well.

The Capitals started this season with a seven-game with streak, the best start in franchise history. In the 15 games since then, however, the team has only managed a meager five wins and 10 losses, putting them 8th in the Eastern Conference.

The 51-year-old Hunter will lead the team’s practice this afternoon and make his debut behind the bench tomorrow night when the team takes on the St. Louis Blues. Hunter coached the London Knights of the OHL for the past 11 seasons and accumulated a 451-189-23-24 record during that time. He was the fastest coach in OHL history to attain 300 and 400 career wins. Hunter won the Memorial Cup with London in 2004-05.

In addition to his coaching accolades, Hunter is also a former Washington Capitals player and captain, playing with the team from 1987 to 1999. He is one of four players to have his jersey retired by the franchise. His career total of 3,563 penalty minutes ranks him second all-time in the NHL.

Boudreau’s assistant coaches will remain with the club as Hunter’s assistants.

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Seat Could Get Hotter in District for Boudreau

Nov 22

Posted by Eddie in Soap Box | No Comments

HWB is participating in “Movember” to raise funds for Pancreatic Cancer Research. Make a difference, make a donation.

Things aren’t so peachy in Washington for Caps bench boss Bruce Boudreau. The Capitals currently sit eighth in the East with a 11-7-1 record. Expectations are always high for a team with one of the most profile players in the league in Alex Ovechkin. In the division, they are two points behind Florida but you couldn’t tell based on the way the team has been playing.

Team owner Ted Leonsis recently declined to comment when the media asked him about a vote of confidence regarding Boudreau. This doesn’t sound good. Especially on the heels of en embarrassing 7-1 loss to Toronto in which the Maple Leafs kept seven regulars out of the lineup and started their third string goalie. Last night when they defeated Phoenix, Boudreau healthy-scratched Alexander Semin for the first time in his career. There are a lot of things to blame, but the main source of the team struggles begins with the player with the C on his sweater:

The Washington Capitals will sink or swim with the production of Alex Ovechkin.

Number 8

For Boudreau to retake control of the locker room, he has to do it through the player the rest of the team listens to. A story in the Washington Post suggested Ovechkin and Boudreau aren’t on the same page. Boudreau wants Ovi to play on the wing on the power play but Ovi feels more comfortable running the man-advantage from the point. Boudreau and his staff have begged Ovechkin to be more responsible in the defensive end, yet he still routinely floats in Washington’s zone and leaves it prematurely. Through the season’s first 18 games, he has a team-worst plus-minus rating of minus-6.

For someone that loves to shoot the pick, Ovechkin hasn’t done that this season. He’s led the league in shots on goal each of his first six seasons, but has 67 in 18 games this season. In the Toronto loss Saturday he didn’t record his first shot on goal until 12 minutes remained in the second period- when they trailed 4-1. The coaches want him to get more of his teammates involved versus taking a high risk shot, but to decrease your shot production by that much is cause for concern.

Earlier this month when Ovechkin was benched when the team put an extra attacker on the ice, he seems to be in his own world. A player who sees 20-plus minutes of ice time every game has been averaging close to 18 minutes this month. That isn’t something you want to see out of your best player and deadliest sniper on the ice.

Could the Semin-scratching Monday affect the fellow Russian superstar? This team does seem to follow the way of Ovechkin: Ovi plays well, the team does well. If he can’t find the back of the net, neither can the rest of the team. In the end, Boudreau and his captain need to have a man-to-man meeting. If they air out all their issues and squash it there, the team could head in the right direction. If they fail to reach at least the conference final, some heads (both on the ice and on the bench) could roll.

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