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What Your Team Is Thankful For: Washington Capitals

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With the holiday season having come and gone, PHR continues its look at what teams are thankful for as the season heads towards the midway mark. There also might be a few things your team would like down the road. Let’s take a look at what’s gone well in the early going and what could improve in the second half for the Washington Capitals.  Click here for the other articles in this series. 

What are the Capitals most thankful for?

No significant Stanley Cup letdown.  It’s not uncommon for teams that just won the championship to start slow out of the gates and given that this was Washington’s first title, it wouldn’t have come as much of a surprise if this happened to them as well.  Instead, they’re one of the top scoring teams in the league, have been near the top of the Metropolitan Division pretty much all season long, and are entering the second half of the campaign in a better spot than some recent champions have in past years.  Doing so with a new coach makes it a little more impressive as well.

Who are the Capitals most thankful for?

Alex Ovechkin.  The captain just continues to keep on scoring – he leads the league in that department and has a chance at his second career 60-goal season.  He has won just about every NHL award there is to be won and even at the age of 33, he’s not slowing down.  In fact, if Ovechkin can stay healthy and keep up his current pace for a few more seasons, he’ll have an outside shot at surpassing Wayne Gretzky for the all-time record (he currently sits 257 shy of the mark of 894).  He has been the face of the franchise for more than a decade and even though his contract (13 years, $124MM) seemed somewhat outlandish at the time it was signed back in 2008, he has more than lived up to it.

What would the Capitals be even more thankful for?

Some more consistency from goalie Braden Holtby would go a long way.  The veteran has allowed four or more goals in 10 of 27 starts but has allowed two or fewer in 14 starts.  That’s pretty close to a toss-up between a strong start and a bad one from night to night and it’s difficult to have success when a number one netminder is that erratic.  They’re quite pleased with how Pheonix Copley has fared in his first season as the backup which has allowed them to have some patience with Holtby so far but they’ll be looking for him to pick up his game in the second half.

What should be on the Capitals’ Holiday Wish List?

GM Brian MacLellan could want a whole lot of things but with mere thousands of dollars in cap space, there isn’t a whole lot he can do.  First and foremost, freeing up some cap room is going to be atop their wish list.  Winger Andre Burakovsky ($3MM) has been in trade speculation in recent weeks and if his play doesn’t improve in recent weeks, it’s certainly possible that he could be dealt to give themselves a bit of wiggle room.  Another top-six forward to give the second line some more firepower would be a nice addition if they can find a way to afford it.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

NHL Names All-Star Head Coaches

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The current formula for determining who coaches each of the four divisional teams at the NHL All-Star game is simple: whichever team leads their respective division in points percentage at the end of the day on January 5th, their head coach earns the All-Star nod. As it so happens, the NHL divisional standings at present time combined with today’s slate of games makes it impossible for any of the current divisional leaders to lose their top spot due to today’s results. As such, the NHL has decided to go ahead and announce ahead of time who will behind the bench at the upcoming 2019 All-Star Game in San Jose on January 25th-26th:

Jon Cooper, head coach of the Tampa Bay Lightning (.805), is the obvious choice to lead the Atlantic team, as his Bolts not only lead the division, but the entire league – and it’s not close. Tampa’s current points percentage clip is inhuman, as the Lightning have taken home over 80% of their possible points this season. In that regard, they lead the next-best team, the division rival Toronto Maple Leafs, by 130 percentage points. The Lightning also lead the league in goals for per game and power play success, both by a wide margin, and are top-ten in killing penalties. Cooper has the Bolts rolling on all cylinders and will try to transition that success to his All-Star squad.

Heading up the Metropolitan team is first-year head coach Todd Reirden of the defending champion Washington Capitals. With Reirden taking over for Barry Trotz this season, the Capitals have avoided a Stanley Cup slump, currently leading the division with a .650 points percentage that is also tied for third-best in the league. Like Tampa Bay, Washington is similarly offensively inclined, holding a top-ten spot in the league in goals for per game, power play percentage, and shooting percentage. However, Reirden’s team has had their fair share of struggles defensively, partly contributing to why the Capitals have just a narrow lead on the Pittsburgh Penguins (.634), Trotz’ New York Islanders (.615), and the Columbus Blue Jackets (.613). Reidren will coach players from all three of those competing teams when he leads the Metropolitan unit at the All-Star game.

Tied with Reirden’s Capitals at .650 points percentage are the Winnipeg Jets and bench boss Paul Maurice. Maurice’s Jets have been one of the most impressive teams in the league dating back to the beginning of last season and currently top both the Central Division and Western Conference. Winnipeg is as well-rounded as they come, holding a top-eleven spot in goals for per game, goals against per game, power play, and penalty kill. The Jets are also enjoying some breathing room in the divisional race this season, with the Nashville Predators and Colorado Avalanche currently struggling. Maurice will want to instill his well-rounded style into the Central squad, but no so far as to reignite any of the top players on his rivals.

Right behind the Jets in the conference title race and holding the fifth-best points percentage are the Calgary Flames (.643) and new head coach Bill Peters, who will lead the Pacific Divison’s entry. The former Carolina Hurricanes coach came over to Calgary this off-season and has found immediate success managing the ample talent on the Calgary roster. Of the four teams led by All-Star coaches, none have improved more from this time last year than the Flames, and Peters deserves a lot of credit for that transformation. Calgary is third in goals for per game and tenth in goals against per game, one of just three teams to hold top ten spots in both categories. Yet, special teams has not been as much of strength for the team, perhaps why Peters’ team has yet to pull away from the Vegas Golden Knights (.614) and San Jose Sharks (.607) in the division. Fortunately, special teams should not matter much in a 3-on-3 tournament for the Pacific team and Peters could add an All-Star game win to an already impressive, possibly even Jack Adams-worthy, season.

Alex Ovechkin Will Not Attend 2019 All-Star Game

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Despite having been named one of the four All-Star captains, Alex Ovechkin won’t be taking part in the festivities this year. According to team reporter Mike Vogel, the Washington Capitals forward has informed the NHL that given his team’s mandatory bye week falls right alongside the All-Star break, he’ll take the time to rest for the second half of the season. This would mean Ovechkin would need to miss either the game prior to the break, or face a one-game suspension afterwards for missing the event without a definite injury. The veteran forward explained his decision:

First of all, thanks for all the fans who voted for me. I know it’s a tough decision, obviously. I like to be part of all the events, but right now I think that time of the year and my age we decide to take a one-week break. It’s hard but it’s better for me, I think, at this point.

The league will announce Ovechkin’s replacement as captain of the Metropolitan Division along with the rest of the All-Star lineups tonight. Sidney Crosby, who has been known to miss the event in the past, told Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that he plans on attending and could be a potential fill-in as captain given his division-leading 48 points this season.

While Ovechkin will miss a game for the decision, many Capitals fans will likely understand the decision given the high hopes of the club this year. Washington is on a good pace to once again lead the Metropolitan into the playoffs and compete for the Stanley Cup, with Ovechkin playing some of the best hockey of his career through parts of this season.

NHL Releases Special Events Schedule for 2019-20

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NHL commissioner Gary Bettman announced a new schedule for all the special events happening in the 2019-20 season. While it was reported Monday that the 2020 Winter Classic will be in Dallas, Bettman also announced that the St. Louis Blues will host the 2020 Honda NHL All-Star game, Regina will host the 2019 Tim Horton’s NHL Heritage Classic between the Winnipeg Jets and the Calgary Flames, while Colorado will host the 2020 Stadium Series at the U.S. Air Force Academy’s Falcon Stadium.

There is no word yet on who the Dallas Stars will play next year at the 2020 Winter Classic at the Cotton Bowl. The Athletic’s Sean Shapiro reports that the opponent will be determined by the Stars, NBC and the NHL in a group effort and will be made within the next few weeks. However, with no regional rival, there isn’t an obvious opponent, although some are already suggesting that the Minnesota Wild might be a good match. It’s not expected to be the Blackhawks, who played in the event this year and has already played in six outdoor games. This marks the first time that Dallas will play in an outdoor game.

Bettman said that other venues were considered and will continue to be considered. ESPN’s Greg Wyshynski reports that Bettman said that there has been conversations between both Florida teams of a future night game on Jan. 1. The Athletic’s Joe McDonald adds that Bettman said the league will have discussions with the Bruins after their renovations at TD Gardens are complete about receiving another event.

The Blues will host the 2020 all-star game, which will be held on Jan. 24-2. It will be the first time that St. Louis has hosted an all-star game since 1988. It will be the third all-star game in the city as the team also hosted one in 1970. St. Louis hosted the Winter Classic two years ago, but its success only helped the Blues bring in another big event.

“St. Louis was a great host for us for the Winter Classic, and in the final analysis, the total circumstances including the substantial renovation that they’ve done of the Enterprise Center made it the right time to go back. We have no doubt it will be a huge success,” Bettman said (via The Athletic’s Jeremy Rutherford).

The Winnipeg Jets announced earlier today they will host the Heritage Classic, but the opponent hadn’t been announced. Bettman announced that the Calgary Flames will make their second appearance in the occasionally-held Canadian outdoor game which will be on Oct. 26, 2019.

The Avalanche will get a chance to host their second Stadium Series. They hosted the Detroit Red Wings at Coors Field in 2016. It also marks the second time a game will be at a U.S. service academy. The Washington Capitals hosted the Toronto Maple Leafs at the Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium at the U.S. Naval Base in Annapolis, Maryland in March last year. Just as with the Winter Classic, an opponent has yet to be named and will be determined in a few weeks.

Minor Transactions: 12/31/18

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On the last day of 2018, 26 of the league’s 31 teams will be in action. The day starts with an epic matchup between the Nashville Predators and Washington Capitals, and ends with a pair of Western Conference battles that could have a big impact on the playoffs. While teams prepare for 2019, we’ll keep track of all the minor moves they make today.

  • The Columbus Blue Jackets have recalled Eric Robinson from the minor leagues, after a great start from the former Princeton University standout. Signed last spring as an undrafted college free agent, Robinson played in one game down the stretch for the Blue Jackets but was held scoreless. That hasn’t been the case very often in the minor leagues, where the 23-year old forward has recorded 19 points in 33 games and is tied for second on the team in goals with 10.
  • C.J. Smith is on his way up to the Buffalo Sabres, recalled from the AHL today. Smith has followed up an outstanding first professional season with 29 points in 33 games this year, and is tied with Victor Olofsson for the Rochester Americans scoring lead. The 24-year old has two NHL games under his belt, but is still waiting to score his first goal at the highest level.
  • The Washington Capitals are preparing for the return of Brooks Orpik by assigning Tyler Lewington to the AHL’s Hershey Bears, his NHL stint over for now. Lewington played two games for the Capitals and actually recorded two points, also getting into a fight to kick off his NHL career.
  • Nicholas Baptiste is on his way up to the Nashville Predators, the first time he’ll be part of an NHL locker room that doesn’t belong to the Buffalo Sabres. Baptiste, 23, has 14 points with the Milwaukee Admirals this season after being acquired from the Sabres in early October.
  • While they deal with a lengthy injury to Dustin Byfuglien, the Winnipeg Jets will rely on their defensive depth to keep them afloat in the Central Division. Relying on that depth means Sami Niku is headed back to the NHL, where he could see some additional playing time. Niku played in five games earlier this season for the Jets but is still looking for his first point of the year.
  • The Toronto Maple Leafs have recalled Trevor Moore under emergency conditions once again, and the young forward will continue to fill in for the injured Zach Hyman and Tyler Ennis. Moore has two points in his first three NHL games and has injected some more speed into the Maple Leafs’ fourth line.
  • Egor Yakovlev has played 11 games with the New Jersey Devils this season, but for now he is heading back to the minor leagues. The team sent Yakovlev down before their afternoon tilt against the Vancouver Canucks.
  • The Ottawa Senators have officially placed Christian Jaros on injured reserve, according to CapFriendly. Jaros broke his finger while in a fight with Islanders’ Ross Johnston Friday and will be out for a month. The team already placed Thomas Chabot on IR further weakening the team’s defense.
  • He’s already playing, but before the game today, the New York Rangers activated defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk, according to CapFriendly. The 29-year-old was expected to miss two to four weeks with a separated shoulder, but has returned closer to the two-week mark. The veteran has struggled with injuries since signing with New York in the summer of 2017. Shattenkirk has appeared in 29 games this season, but has clashed at times with new head coach David Quinn, and is playing a career-low 18:23 of ATOI this season. He will attempt to boost those numbers again now that he’s healthy.
  • The Minnesota Wild announced they have assigned veteran defenseman Matt Bartkowski to the Iowa Wild of the AHL after their 3-2 loss to Pittsburgh today. That could suggest that defenseman Nick Seeler will be ready to return to the team for Thursday’s game at Toronto. Bartkowski played in two games filling in, scoring a goal Saturday.

Injury Notes: Bruins, Capitals, Penguins, Pageau

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The Boston Bruins should get a boost just in time for the Winter Classic on Tuesday against the Chicago Blackhawks as NHL.com’s Dan Rosen reports that Brad Marchand should be ready to go after practicing today, barring any setbacks. He missed Saturday’s game with an upper-body injury, but it looks like it wasn’t a serious issue. Marchand is having another solid campaign as he has 12 goals and 41 points in 39 games this year.

Rosen also points out that defenseman Charlie McAvoy remains questionable for the big game. The defenseman has missed two games with a lower-body injury and did not practice today. The gifted defenseman has struggled dealing with injuries as he has appeared in just 17 games this year, although he has 11 points.

  • Isabelle Khurshudyan of the Washington Post writes that Washington Capitals defenseman Matt Niskanen will be out Monday against Nashville and miss his second straight game with an undisclosed upper-body injury. However, the team got better news on Brooks Orpik, who listed as a game-time decision for Monday after missing 27 games with a right-knee injury. The scribe writes that both players practiced Sunday and are both close to returning to the team. The team has also been without Christian Djoos.
  • The Pittsburgh Penguins could be without both forward Bryan Rust and defenseman Olli Maatta on Monday as both are listed as day-to-day, according to Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Matt Vensel. Rust didn’t practice today with an undisclosed injury, while Maatta suffered a lower-body injury during Saturday’s game against St. Louis, but finished the game. He didn’t practice today either.
  • Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun reports that Ottawa Senators center Jean-Gabriel Pageau is close to a return. While he’s not expected to play Monday, could be back not long after that. The 26-year-old has been out all season after having surgery to repair a torn Achilles muscle. He had a six-month timetable in mid-September and is well ahead of schedule. Pageau had 14 goals and 29 points last season.

Brooks Orpik Could Return As Soon As Monday

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  • The Capitals could have defenseman Brooks Orpik back as soon as Monday night, reports Isabelle Khurshudyan of the Washington Post. The 38-year-old has missed the last 26 games due to a knee injury and is currently on LTIR.  Washington will have to do some salary cap manoeuvring in order to activate him as simply sending one of Jonas Siegenthaler or Tyler Lewington back to the minors won’t be enough to get them back into cap compliance.  However, if Christian Djoos is going to be out for another week at a minimum, they can transfer him to LTIR which, when coupled with the demotion of one of their other blueliners, would be enough to be able to activate Orpik.

Minor Transactions: 12/27/18

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The holiday season is coming to an end and NHL hockey is back on the schedule. 26 teams will get their season back underway this evening, and will have to make some minor roster moves to prepare. We’ll be here keeping track of all of those transactions.

  • The Washington Capitals have recalled defenseman Tyler Lewington from the minor leagues, indicating that Brooks Orpik is still not ready to return. Lewington made his NHL debut earlier this month and has been a steady presence for the Hershey Bears this season.
  • Marcus Hogberg has been recalled by the Ottawa Senators, meaning it doesn’t look good for Craig Anderson as he looks to recover from an upper-body injury. Hogberg will join Mike McKenna in the crease tomorrow night for the Senators if Anderson is unable to go.
  • The Toronto Maple Leafs have recalled Trevor Moore once again under emergency conditions, as they plan to use the forward as a replacement for the injuried Tyler Ennis and Zach Hyman. The Maple Leafs could actually recall another player, and very well could in time to serve as insurance for tomorrow’s game against the Columbus Blue Jackets.
  • Brandon Pirri is back up with the Vegas Golden Knights and is expected to play tonight. Max Pacioretty remains sidelined for the time being, giving Pirri a chance to show that he can be a regular part of an NHL lineup once again. The 27-year old sniper has three goals and four points in his first three games with the Golden Knights this year.
  • Like every day, the Los Angeles Kings have made a transaction with three of their fringe players, recalling Michael Amadio, Daniel Brickley and Sean Walker. The team has been banking cap space daily by sending players up and down on paper transactions, and will continue to do so.
  • The Colorado Avalanche have recalled Ryan Graves, who is still waiting to make his NHL debut. The 23-year old defenseman was acquired last season from the New York Rangers, and has eight points in 22 games this year for the Colorado Eagles of the AHL.

Washington Could Face The Same Issue Pittsburgh Had In Expansion

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While the Seattle expansion process is still two and a half years away, there are already some interesting decisions presenting themselves for teams to deal with when the time comes.  NBC Sports Washington’s J.J. Regan takes a look at the one for the Capitals which involves their goaltending.  The situation appears to be parallel to the one Pittsburgh faced back in 2017.

Starter Braden Holtby’s contract is up in 2020 but it’s believed they’ll want to keep him around to mentor youngster Ilya Samsonov who will also require protection.  However, will Holtby be willing to re-sign if he feels the Capitals will leave him unprotected a year later if they prefer to keep their presumed starter of the future in Samsonov?  Would Washington commit to a no-move clause to keep Holtby around?  While we’re still a long way away from Seattle’s team being formed, Holtby can sign an extension as early as this July so it’s going to be a question on the front burner for GM Brian MacLellan fairly soon.

Minor Transactions: 12/23/18

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While the official roster freeze is already in effect, tomorrow the real freeze begins. There are no games scheduled from the 24th through the 26th of December and teams are prohibited from practicing or traveling. The language of the CBA even prevents teams from granting permission to players to hold player-only workouts. The NHL is truly committed to a holiday break for all. However, they were also sure to load up the preceding weekend with action before the three-day hiatus. Today, 16 more teams take the ice, highlighted by the Carolina Hurricanes honoring their Hartford Whalers history as they play host to the former regional rival Boston Bruins. Five other contests are divisional battles, including an Original Six match-up between the Red Wings and Maple Leafs, while the Blackhawks look to extend a season-high three-game winning streak into the break as they take on the visiting Panthers. With multiple games on the docket ahead of an extended absence, expect a high volume of minor roster moves today:

  • Tyler Lewington is on his way back to the minors after making his NHL debut last night, CapFriendly reports. The 24-year-old defenseman made his presence felt for the Washington Capitals last night, contributing four hits and a positive rating in his first big league appearance. Lewington has worked his way up from a seventh-round draft pick and ECHL cast-off to back-to-back strong seasons with the AHL’s Hersey Bears and now an NHLer. Yet, with the break upcoming, the Caps will send Lewington back down simply to shave off a small amount of salary cap expenditure.
  • The Colorado Avalanche are moving substantially more salary cap contribution, as recent call-ups Pavel Francouz, A.J. Greer, and Anton Lindholm have all been reassigned to the AHL’s Colorado Eagles, per CapFriendly. Francouz, a free agent import from the Czech Republic, looked stellar in his NHL debut last night, making 21 saves on 22 shots in relief of Philipp Grubauer. However, behind Grubauer and starter Semyon Varlamov, Francouz is not guaranteed any more play time this season barring injury, even if the veteran keeper is deserving. Greer and Lindholm are no strangers to the Colorado lineup, but join Francouz back in the minors over the break.
  • After several teases of NHL action, Trevor Moore is finally getting his chance. The Toronto Maple Leafs prospect has been recalled on an emergency basis per a team release and will fill in for the injured Tyler Ennis. The University of Denver standout has been very productive in three pro seasons with the AHL’s Toronto Marlies, especially so far this year, and has earned a shot with the Leafs.
  • The San Jose Sharks announced they have recalled center Rourke Chartier from the San Jose Barracuda of the AHL. The 22-year-old was sent down Saturday morning to get some work in with the Barracuda as he contributed an assist in the Barracudas’ win. He has played 13 games for the Sharks, posting one goal this season.

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