The Florida Panthers have found their replacement in Rochester for injured center Mark Cullen, thanks to the Washington Capitals.

Center Michael Nylander has been loaned to the Panthers/Amerks.

It’s a significant move because the Panthers will be paying most or all of Nylander’s $3 million salary.

Nylander, 38, is ultimately hoping to prove he’s still NHL worthy. A native of Stockholm, Sweden, he has played 18 pro seasons in North America.

The Capitals were welcoming 19-year-old Nicklas Backstrom to Washington that autumn, with no certainty how successful he’d be as an NHL rookie. He hadn’t played much hockey on an NHL-sized sheet. It seemed prudent and wise to not foist no. 1 pivot pressure on the rookie; bringing back Backstrom’s veteran countryman seemed to promise a perfect bit of on- and off-ice mentoring, and allow the club to slot the rookie in a less pressure role on the Capitals’ second or third lines.

And Nylander, skating in Glen Hanlon’s highly structured, deliberate attack, fairly thrived out of the gate in the 2007-08 season. He went for nearly a point per game (37 in 40) before suffering a rotator cuff tear that ended his season. But a last-in-the-East standing at Thanksgiving in 2007 precipitated a coaching change, and as his strong-skating teammates gradually embraced and thrived in Bruce Boudreau’s system, Nylander emerged as an ill-fitting component. All of a sudden there was no home to be found for an East-West pivot in a North-South system.

At long last the Capitals have parted ways with Michael Nylander. And despite the fact that Nylander still has a year remaining on his pact with the Caps, this is no temporary parting. Next year, in his final year with the Caps, Michael Nylander’s salary dips to $3 million, but more importantly, he loses his no-trade leverage. Even more importantly, the Capitals on Monday removed Nylander’s name from his locker, replacing it with new callup Kyle Wilson’s. It’s not going back up. The hunch here is that no matter how the rest of 09′-10 goes for Nyls in Grand Rapids, he won’t seek a repeat of this fall and its uncertainty, isolation, and torment. If he positions himself in the right system next season, somewhere, there is the outside shot he could earn one more pro hockey contract — almost certainly in Europe.

This isn’t a separation with the feint possibility of reconciliation but rather a much-needed divorce.

The Capitals and Michael Nylander this fall have been like the embittered, crumbling couple doing everything to avoid crossing paths with one another at home. Nylander didn’t much show up at Kettler, and the Caps didn’t much want him there. I remember being struck by how out of place Michael Nylander looked in the very opening hours of September training camp: all of his teammates were all smiles and jokes, thrilled to be reunited and tagged as serious Cup contenders heading into the new season.  But Nylander was never a part of the frivolity and camaraderie, on or off the ice. He seemed isolated even in packs of Caps gathered around Bruce Boudreau during drill instructions. I remember writing at the time that he hovered about the training facility as bit of a ghost. It was ghastly. It wasn’t long before Nylander became an actual ghost there.

The Capitals besting Edmonton back in the summer of 2007 for Michael Nylander’s services may well have come down to a fourth year in the terms as well as a no-movement clause that afforded Nylander some stability for his family. George McPhee hasn’t made much of a habit of doling those out in his 12 years in D.C., and on Monday he told media that he “won’t be doing it in the future.” He also said, “The way our team developed he just wasn’t a good fit. There’s not much you can do – that happens in this business.”

Today it looks like Edmonton got the better of that dispute with the Caps, but that’s 20-20 hindsight, and at the time it was terribly important for the Capitals to win a high-profile battle for a coveted free agent. It was with the acquisition of Michael Nylander that the post-lockout Caps first appeared playoff viable. They did make the playoffs that season, but Sergei Fedorov was the aging skilled center helping to make it happen. It was Fedorov’s acquisition that signaled the bell tolling for Michael Nylander in Washington.

Nylander was such a poor fit for Gabby’s system that the Caps couldn’t possibly dress him to try and showcase him for other NHL clubs. Instead, they dispatched him to Grand Rapids of the American League, but even two weeks of productive hockey with the Griffins wasn’t enough to entice even the most injury-ravaged NHL clubs to bite on Nyls’ bank-breaking deal.

The story of Michael Nylander’s second and thoroughly unsuccessful engagement in Washington is the story of the business of hockey, as George McPhee noted — swiftly altering circumstances, a bad injury, a rapidly developing, highly cohesive, strong skating young roster casting as outsider one of its costliest, older parts. Club management and the coaching staff have, as they should have, downplayed the distraction component to this saga, but there can be no mistaking the fact that the Capitals are a healthier hockey club this morning than they were a week ago, with notable salary cap wiggle room. For the rest of the Eastern conference, that can’t be good news.

ARLINGTON, Va. – The Washington Capitals have assigned center Michael Nylander to the Grand Rapids Griffins of the American Hockey League (AHL), vice president and general manager George McPhee announced today.

Nylander, 37, has played 920 career NHL games for the Capitals, New York Rangers, Boston, Chicago, Tampa Bay, Calgary and Hartford. He has not played an NHL game this season. He spent two weeks in Grand Rapids on a conditioning stint beginning Oct. 21.

Per the Grand Rapids web site:

Nylander will be available to play on Tuesday when the Griffins visit Peoria for an 8 p.m. faceoff against the Rivermen at Carver Arena.

• A new media colleague next to me Wednesday night suggested that the Islanders possess quality shooters for shootouts, and I thought many made terrific moves and offered supreme tests of Varlamov’s athleticism throughout the 11 rounds. The Capitals, conversely, I thought seldom directed much difficulty Dwayne Roloson’s way — Eric Fehr even over-skated his shootout attempt. If there’s one image from last night’s shootout you perhaps ought to freeze-frame in your mind as you ponder who will guide the Caps in net next spring, remember Trent Hunter’s wicked wrister in round nine that Varly closed his pads tight on at the last possible moment, his momentum carrying him precariously toward the goal line and defeat. You could hear a collective stress-gasp among the Red Army, their eyes transfixed on Varly’s acrobatic attempt to reverse his body’s momentum back away from defeat. Which he did. How many times over the past five seasons have Capitals’ netminders, from Olie Kolzig to Brent Johnson to Jose Theodore, made initial blocks of tough shootout shots only to have their momentum undue their fleeting heroics? Varly brings an athletic swagger to shootouts the Capitals have never possessed before.
• For the second consecutive game the Capitals’ line of Tomas Fleischmann, Nicklas Backstrom, and Mike Knubble was the team’s best. Close behind them was Eric Fehr, Mathieu Perreault, and Chris Clark. Ten different Capitals have scored goals since Alexander Ovechkin left the lineup with injury.
• The Semin Enigma: If you were to try and identify ten of the toughest moves to make with a puck on your stick, Alexander Semin could probably make nine of them effortlessly. In a phone booth. While sleeping. But expect him to execute, consistently, some of hockey’s time-tested, good-for-the-team fundamentals, like getting pucks deep and most especially at least getting shots off on odd-man rushes? Negatory.
• Is there a compelling economic argument for Semin’s remaining an enigma? By that I mean, he’ll pot you 35 goals in only 60 games, and win you bunches of games with them (while still losing a few others with invisible play/poorly timed penalties), and thereby long lodge himself in hockey’s $5-6 million club; but by virtue of being gooey dessert when fresh fruit salad is the better nutrition, he may well not ever achieve elite salary status. Or put another way: could the Caps possibly afford him were he to evolve into a 40-goal, 40 PIMs, reasonably healthy and disciplined player? I think not. I confess of late I’ve been vascillating wildly when pondering Semin’s possible future here. I see all the shortcomings everyone else does, and yet just when I’m ready to join the pitchfork and torch set against him, I think about the terror role he could play in overtime playoff hockey, when an opposing shutdown D pair is following Ovi everywhere.         
• Corey Masisak Tweet, mid-game: “The Semin roller coaster is at full speed tonight.”
• Gabby, on Semin: “He looked like he wanted to play [tonight]. When he wants to play — he coulda had six [goals]. He’s scary-good when he’s motivated.”
• Speaking of roller coasters, or rather, extreme fright rides, you could say that Jose Theodore is having rebound control issues these days . . . insomuch as most pucks directed his way rocket off his leg pads, out fully 10 or 15 feet smack in the middle of the slot, and onto the waiting tape of opposing forwards, for put-backs that tickle twine soon thereafter with unnerving frequency. 
• Mathieu Perreault’s passes find his teammates’ tape approximately 99 percent of the time. A player like Perreault at this level needs to have something akin to a third eye on the side of his head, with which to detect menacing predation by the bigger bodies. It’s early still in his transition to the NHL, but I haven’t noticed him getting plastered all that often, and with decent minutes logged each night. Perreault actually believes he’s at an advantage in the NHL versus the American League in this regard. In the A, he told me last night, “there’s a lot of running around” out on the ice, but in the big league he’s noticed greater discipline by players in maintaining their lanes. His hockey mind processes plays much faster than others sharing the sheet with him. This processing accumen applies to checking just as much as it does to playmaking.  
• Gabby again is asked about an impressive Mathieu Perreault in the postgame: “He’s a real sparkplug. He makes some plays that are pretty nifty. I don’t want to — five games into his NHL career mak[e] comparisons, but there are a lot of small players that have gone side to side very very well and made a great career out of being as competitive as they were. He looks like he’s got that little something that sparks any line he plays on.”
• I tried to press the coach for a comparison with one of those shifty side-to-side players who enjoyed a long and prosperous NHL career, but he wouldn’t bite. You can tell, however, that he’s pretty excited about Perreault. Last night I was particularly impressed by Perreault’s speed while carrying the puck.
• Dmitry Chesnokov Tweet, near 10:00 last night: “RDS reports Nylander to Minsk. One of my sources confirmed it earlier tonight. I was waiting for the second source to confirm before breakin.”

“Nylander makes the final call on whether he’s going to Russia but it looks like he’s prepared to do it. Not formalized just yet, though.” – 12:22pm

… and more:

“And since this Russian thing looked like it was going to get done a time or two before and didn’t, we better wait for official confirmation.” – 12:47pm

On a somewhat related note, Dan Steinberg kills two brids with one stone in his Washington Post Chat:

Stockholm, Swe: Could the Washington Redskins find a roster spot for Michael Nylander?

Dan Steinberg: The Redskins are already fine at spinning in circles without going anywhere, thanks.

Nyls’ $4.875 million cap hit will come off the books if another team picks him up. If he is sent to Hershey, the Capitals are still liable for his whole salary but it will not count against the salary cap provided he doesn’t play for the Capitals in the NHL this season. That is pretty much a guarantee.

TSN’s Bob McKenzie broke the story and the Capitals have confirmed it.

He was also on the ice for all 3 of the Heat’s goals, too. Sorry about that…. I looked at the box score too quickly while trying to fix the mess of a blog the transition left us and didn’t pay attention to the power play assists. Mea Culpa. -GK

The CBC doesn’t allow embedding of their videos so go here, select Dec 20 and forward to the 5:10 mark.

A tap of the stick to OFB Reader NS2NOVA for the pointer.

• Semin the Star Is Born. The skill set in Alexander Semin, we knew, was there. What’s been missing prior to this season has been game-to-game consistency, a sense of being dynamic and dazzling shift after shift. Also: being more than a one-zone force. Through three games Alexander Semin has been the Capitals’ MVP — indeed, were he to continue his present play Verizon Center’s chants of “M-V-P! M-V-P!” would have to be directed at another Russian. His emergence by itself suggests a better balanced Capitals’ attack. At this level of performance he is a certifiable All Star.
• ‘The Most Entertaining Team in Hockey‘ indeed!
• Stars — and Others — Shall Do More. Bruce Boudreau appears to have inventoried his team’s individual talents and demanded more of them: Alexanders Ovechkin and Semin to the penalty kill (joined even Nicklas Backstrom), Sergei Fedorov rotated from forward to defense. It is strategic thinking outside the proverbial box, and it’s suggestive of the coach having great faith in his players and delivering fresh challenges to them. Some nights we’re likely to see Alexander Semin wearing a post-game hard hat, others, Milan Jurcina perhaps lauded for his success on the power play. Jurcina? Well, in being paired with Fedorov on the blueline against Vancouver, Boudreau seemed to saying, ‘I’m going to find a way to get Jurcina’s huge slapshot unleashed.’ It was more of a snapshot Jurcina uncorked from the blueline last night, but it found the back of the net. Whoever is paired with Fedorov can expect to be set up for success there. Speaking of Feds, that $4 million resigning this summer is beginning to look like a bargain.
• Emergence of Secondary Scoring. The Capitals may have the most dangerous second line in hockey. Also, the third. Scoring this season¬†should often come in waves, and there will be nights like Monday when the first line is well checked (Willie Mitchell’s work on Ovi Monday night was reminiscent of Kimmo Timonen’s shutdown success in last spring’s playoffs) but serious damage is done behind it.
• Campaign Season Slogan — Green for Norris! Mike Green is years away from realizing his full potential as an impact no. 1 defenseman, but his production through three games (5 points, good for second on the team in scoring) adds an exclamation point to the preseason forecasts for him for a full year in Bruce Boudreau’s system. He’s going to pile up points this season, and combined with his flair for Lights Out! drama, breathtaking agility, poise, and puck-rushing, he’s a virtual mortal lock to be a Norris finalist. If he manages to skate something approaching a +20 in 2008-09 (he’s already a +3), the Reign¬†of Lidstrom could come to a sudden end. ¬†
• Swarming Team D. After opening Friday’s dismal team defensive effort in Atlanta, who would have imagined that the same Caps’ team could outshoot a quality western conference foe to the tune of 30-5 50 minutes through game 3? The Sedins had zero shots on goal between them. Saturday night Jose Theodore faced only 21 Chicago Blackhawk shots. On Monday, Brent Johnson faced¬†less than¬†half that total. The Capitals received a rude awakening in their own end last Friday night, and ever since both forwards and rearguards have skated with a shutdown commitment in their own end. Bruce Boudreau’s defensive philosophy is to have his players well positioned and to block and deflect pucks and to pounce in swift counter-attack. It’s a philosophy that requires a buy-in by all five on the ice. Games two and three this past weekend were textbook illustrations of it. ¬†
• Wanted: One Hero Between the Pipes. Here the grade is incomplete. Johnny wasn’t challenged — bloggers could have tended goal at Verizon Center Monday night — and Jose Theodore displayed nerves and unsteadiness in his new surroundings (then settled down in periods 2 and 3 Saturday night). Make no mistake, the Capitals will require premium goaltending both to win the Southeast and advance deep in the playoffs this season.