Monthly Archives: April 2008

Varlamov: “I Am Ready To Spend a Year or Two in the AHL”

Posted on April 30, 2008 by PucksAndBooks

Tuesday’s SovetskySport published an interview with Russian national team netminder and Washington Capitals’ 2006 first-round pick Simeon Varlamov. Russia had just played Switzerland in an exhibition in Canada in preparation for the World Championships this week. Russia won 6-2, and … Continue reading →

Posted in American Hockey League, IIHF, Prospects, Washington Capitals, World Championships | 5 Comments

“Nej, tack”

Posted on April 30, 2008 by PucksAndBooks

With the World Championship tournament starting this weekend, Freelance writer and Off The Post author Risto Pakarinen has preview of Sweden and their coach Bengt-Ake Gustafsson on the IIHF web site. Coach Bengt-Ake Gustafsson was hailed as a hockey genius … Continue reading →

Posted in Bengt Gustafsson, IIHF, Nicklas Backstrom, World Championships | Leave a comment

Worlds Go Retro

Posted on April 30, 2008 by PucksAndBooks

This year’s IIHF World Championship Tournament is going old school, if only for one game. Fifteen of the sixteen participating teams will play one preliminary round game with retro sweaters. The sweater each country will wear was selected from what … Continue reading →

Posted in Alexander Ovechkin, Alexander Semin, IIHF, Miracle On Ice, Sergei Fedorov, Sweaters, USA Hockey, Washington Capitals, World Championships | 10 Comments

Who Has More Hart?

Posted on April 29, 2008 by PucksAndBooks

He is now officially a finalist: ARLINGTON, Va. — The National Hockey League announced today that Washington left wing Alex Ovechkin is one of three finalists for the Hart Trophy, which is presented annually to the player judged most valuable … Continue reading →

Posted in Alexander Ovechkin, Hockey Hall of Fame, National Hockey League, Nicklas Backstrom | 2 Comments

Watching Other Teams Flirt With the Stanley Cup

Posted on April 29, 2008 by PucksAndBooks

Watching the Washington Capitals get bounced from the playoffs was a bit like getting dumped, hard. The team and its fans may have recovered from the initial stomach-punched feeling, but it’s still hard to watch all those other teams flirting … Continue reading →

Posted in Colorado Avalanche, Dallas Stars, detroit red wings, Montreal Canadiens, Morning cup-a-joe, New York Rangers, OFB Polls, Pittsburgh Penguins, San Jose Sharks, Washington Capitals | 45 Comments

The Capitals’ Top 10 Storylines for 2007-08

Posted on April 28, 2008 by PucksAndBooks

10. The Rebuild Is Over. Owner Leonsis uttered this proclamation during the preseason, later claiming that the season’s barometer for success would be qualifying for the postseason. Through the middle of November both seemed delusionally wishful thinking. But when the … Continue reading →

Posted in Alexander Ovechkin, American Hockey League, Calder Cup, Chris Clark, Development Camp, Eastern Conference, Entry Draft, Front Office, Hershey Bears, John Walton, Kettler Capitals Iceplex, Matt Cooke, Media, Mike Green, National Hockey League, NHL Network, NHL Trades, Nicklas Backstrom, Philadelphia Flyers, Print, Sergei Fedorov, Ted Leonsis, TV, Verizon Center, Washington Capitals, Washington Post | 11 Comments

NBC Sports: Paragon of Accuracy

Posted on April 27, 2008 by PucksAndBooks

NBC Sports continued its tradition of thoroughly vetting and verifying information during the Rangers-Penguins game today with the scroll on the bottom of the screen showing the top ten playoff points leaders. I must have missed the news that Ovechkin … Continue reading →

Posted in Alexander Ovechkin, Media, Montreal Canadiens, New York Rangers, Pittsburgh Penguins, TV | 22 Comments

A Uniform of One Color for an Army’s Offseason

Posted on April 27, 2008 by PucksAndBooks

The Capitals unveiled their new uniform look early last summer, but it’s this offseason that will fully showcase just how successful the makeover was. Saturday afternoon I stopped by the Kettler-Capitals’ pro shop to see a buddy there working a … Continue reading →

Posted in Alexander Ovechkin, Alexander Semin, Chris Clark, Kettler Capitals Iceplex, Lisa Hillary, Media, Olaf Kolzig, Print, Washington Capitals, Washington Post | 3 Comments

Making Big News on 15th St.

Posted on April 26, 2008 by PucksAndBooks

Saturday’s Washington Post has an editorial on, of all things, the Washington Capitals. This is not an op-ed on the sports page; this is an actual editorial in the paper’s A section. The last time we remember this occurring there … Continue reading →

Posted in Media, Morning cup-a-joe, Print, Prospects, Washington Capitals, Washington Post | 3 Comments

(Seriously) Working Overtime

Posted on April 25, 2008 by PucksAndBooks

Ever heard of a goalie making 100 saves in a professional hockey game? It almost happened last night. The Philadelphia Phantoms and the Albany River Rats last night played the longest game in the American Hockey League’s 72-year history. They … Continue reading →

Posted in American Hockey League, Hershey Bears, John Walton | Leave a comment