In Glacialis Blog

Team caput Sarcalogos Expedio, laudo inhodie’ Lavatio Stipes, vindicatum ut Quin Center est domus ut NHLs’ pessimus glacies, ut is may exsisto affero ut pestifer Caps es incurring, quod ut hes’ been queribundus super is magis vel minor utpote is supervenio in urbs three seasons abhinc.

“ego could animadverto multus of pestifer oriundus glacies illic. Is could sumptus [ ludio ludius] suum jobs . . .

Suus’ lentus ludo in. Vel guys in alius teams narro idem eadem idem res. Ut erant’ adversus off, aiunt, ‘ quam operor vos guys lascivio in is?’”

locus est sic nocens ut Ted Leonsis oratio is insuus blog mane hodie:

“ut ut valetudo of glacies procul [ quin], nos es opus per totus secui ut amplio species quod convenienter. Nos mereo mereor valde glacies. Nos have a valde facility. Nos mos operor nostrum optimus laboro per aedificium edificium procuratio facio is vox”  

Sis audire quis GMGM, Boudreau, quod ludio ludius have loquor super coaching change, reprehendo sicco links subter supter ex Caps’ PR baculus:

• George McPhee
• Bruce Boudreau
• Olie Kolzig
• Alex Ovechkin
• Sarcalogos Expedio
• Dave Steckel

Lavatio Caput cogo Glen Hanlon eram a hospes in Vox Lascivio per Jim Pannosa quod Gary Viridis (in XM 204). In quinque-minute spatium Hanlon confero key pestifer, presencia illud pestifer have had in versus iunctura quod calx ustulo, Alex Ovechkins’ defensabiliter lenimentus, quod alius tidbits. Reprehendo sicco celebratio hic.

Quis pulsatus mihi plurimus super spatium est ut Hanlons’ versus iunctura intentio videor paro puteus in provectus obex ullus unforseen chemistry proventus. Hanlon admits ut pestifer es secui of venatus. . . yet is videor ut the lines had haud verus tergum intentio in locus alloquor inevitiable pestifer sulum team must visio.

Losing a caput capitis ustulo amo Alexander Semin, vel a ferreus-nosed rector amo Sarcalogos Expedio, has haud securus redintegro. Tamen unus spera ut castra, preseason, quod meditor innutum alius potentially prosperitas versus iunctura ut could exsisto socors in locus ut malum bug hit—rather quam “random versus juggling dum transitus ones’ fingers” ut videor in locus iam. Admittedly suus’ a concisus spatium quod sic thema ut repleo- in-- vestis syndrome, tamen infigo of a penuria of contingency planning eram aliquantulus abicio ut is auditor.

In alius Caput/XM novus, is tunc progressio videor amo must- audite radio. Procul 1100: PM is Monday, November 19, Olie Kolzig ero featured inHockey Specialis. Ex NHL Domus Glacies:

Hockey Specialis: Olaf Kolzig

Mon, 11/19 | 11PM ET

NHL Domus Glacies XM 204 audaciter dictataHockey Specialis per Lavatio Caput goaltender Olaf Kolzig. SuoHockey Is Oriens populus Scott Rideo risi risum ut is goes stipes ut stipes per Olie Calx, pro nostrum agoHockey Specialis bulla celebratio. Is est an hora of pia insight ex unus of NHLs’ maioribus orator, a verus astrum of venatus, quod a tireless opus pro Athletes Pro Autism.

Encores:
Tue, 11/20 8PM | Tue, 11/20 8PM  Wed|, 11/21 7PM  Fri|, 11/23 3PM | Sat, 11/24 9AM | Sol solis, 11/25 2AM, 3AM, 5PM

[Update: Animadverto ineo pro magis notitia super Kolzig XM ostendo ex a Caps’ press solvo]

Primoris res’ primoris: Caput Sarcalogos Expedio, quisnam took a ferinus, undeflected Alexander Ovechkin slapshot directus ut suus caput capitis in tertius period Friday nox noctis, est in rationabiliter bonus vultus. Secundum team, is sino haud infractus bones, haud concussion, quod suscipio vieo ut suus auris (dont’ teneo quot). Dont’ teneo suus statua pro cras nox noctis in St. Louis, tamen gnarus is guy, abyssus’ reperio a via infirmo sicco cobwebs, confuto poena, quod plumbum suus copiae copie obviam Puteulanus.

• Nunquam a bonus informatio ut talea unus of plagiarius’ teres goaltenders ut an mane plumbum, singulariter ut is has 9-0 MoJo obviam vos iens pro him ut is est. Caps socius secundum mane, a iugo of fluky reus succurro ‘Nucks ut suum primoris duos calx, quod Caps erant lascivio reprehendo- sursum totus nox noctis.

• Non ut pitch deputo obviam a parietis, tamen venatus pes ex is unus moris’ exsisto summitto ut leagues’ Muneris of Officiating quod IDd’ ut “ puer did boys in virga dico a stellar unus hic” Faux poena, parum instances of tribuo hockey ludio ludius ( utrimque) sanctio pro unsportsmanlike, quod altus virga galore vicis “Refs vos sck*” chants ex domus fidelis. Ovechkin in proprius had suus chicklets seemingly ordine labefactum ex Canuck virga vesica wielded altus.

• Per super six minutes left in alter period, Olie Kolzig kept suus team in venatus per iugum of cuspis- vestis, fanny- erigo- in-- sto servo in Henrik Seditio.

• Aliquantulus laxus in alter, Viktor Kozlov, puck sub imperium in suus virga quod parum pressure in him altus in suus own terminus, requiro seeing a prolixus- patefacio-down-- medius Alexander Semin pro would would have been a certus tersus breakaway. Ut would have been a tracto video vidi visum, duos of venatus’ premiere talentum in a unus- in- unus showdown.

• Is eram a slapshot surculus peruro pro Alexander Semin, notus recedentia magis pro suus universitas- ordo wrister; is flatus utique three procul Roberto Luongo. Suus ratio unus cuspis in vox lascivio had quispiam efficio per ut.

• Narro of vox lascivio, is went 2- pro-5 tonight, per Cogo Hanlon intentio an totus porro iunctum of quinque (Alex O quod Alex S, Expedio, Nylander, quod Kozlov) in prothoplastus iunctum. Mos is subsisto intact in St. Louis? Ferreus ut oro per a 40 sentio prosperitas rate — quod obviam Luongo, quoque — poema poematis quis preeo is.

• Suus’ decens aliquantulus of a infractus record, tamen iterum Ovechkin ledo panton inimicus ut commotus, sepius thunderously. Im’ non certus EGO saw Vestigium Nuntius in suus prime take somes ut convenienter quod ut truculenter — quod forensis — ut AO est is season.

• EGO instituo Caps’ blueline corpus quinymo underwhelming in suus imperator effectiveness in venatus’ primoris dimidium tamen venalicium melior in alter. Kolzig mereo mereor melior suscipio quam quis is got ex lemma in prothoplastus period.

• Vancouvers’ reprehendo versus EGO sententia did a verus efficens officium obviam Ovechkin versus totus nox noctis porro. Procul vel vires is ingenero minimal sustineo pressure.

• ‘Nuck Kevin Bieska eram a convenienter vis of retardo obviam Caps’ porro down mugio totus nox noctis. Nonnullus of is eram of forensis varietas, nonnullus of is, a lascivio, eram non. Tamen is eram an efficens nuissance.

EGO had a chance ut chat per a Caps’ persona quisnam eram tendo procul utriusque Draft Certamen in Toronto quod Viscus Draft ipsum in Columbus. Tener Pat Kane, prothoplastus pick of draft per Hawks, est liberatio sui quinymo puteus ut an 18- annus- vetus in Chicagos’ caput capitis 6, torqueo sursum 13 cuspis in iustus 10 venatus eatenus. EGO volo scio si procul ullus cuspis permaneo ver Caps’ orichalcum had flirted per informatio of institutio sursum ex haud. 5 macula per an oculus in grabbing Kane. brevis refero est haud. Caps did spatium Kane, quod team eram valde infigo per him. “is told nos ut is eram positus ut is eram iens ludo in NHL, is annus, quod planto an labefactum” persona told mihi. Vox in utriusque duco.

Secundum tonights’ venatus in St. Louis, team mos no in Toronto pro Monday nox noctis’ venatus obviam Folium. team moris’ skate in Sunday quod instead mos rudimentum perceptum a beneficium Tornacense of Hockey Aula of Laus. Quasi VIP Tornacense. Gotta reputo quispiam amo ut would planto per an infigo in aliquid amo Nicklas Backstrom. Si proprius saluto takes locus, requiro Mike Vogel ut chronicle is in vivid retineo mane tunc week.

Vel in stipes- obfirmo NHL, astrum procul a 2-0 lacuna per alter intermission est daunting. Sessio tunc ut Gus, quod having absorbed duos periods of Caps outshooting quod outplaying Isles tamen vigilo reus bumfuzzle Caps — cosmic justicia pro nostrum rudis unmerited victoria in Insula 10 dies abhinc, EGO sententia — EGO told meus bloggermate, “ is would take lectulus miracle, sive they could iustus traho punctum ex is nuntius”

In cuspis of res, a fanaticus quod pervicax Caps’ team no tertius-period comeback vultus quinymo securus: is eram knotted sursum procul 2 puteus pro 10-minute vestigium of sto.

Tamen ut adversus centers took center- glacies duco a subitus mortifer, EGO verto iterum ut Gus quod said, “ congelo secui isnt’ necesse vesper res sursum, suus’ captus tunc step, vere victum, quod rapio a venatus per a plenus- in nixus per denique frame.”

Ive’ vigilo EGO reputo 10,000 hockey venatus in meus vita, forsitan magis. Ive’ seen comebacks subtilis amo Caps’ permaneo nox noctis a iugo of centum vicis. Nonaginta three vicis ex centum, Id’ praesumo, comeback kids fortiter constans themselves quod altivolus phasmatis of domus fautor ut stratosphere, tantum, utlimately, ut trinus themselves sursum, perdo, quod opus inritus.

Caput Sarcalogos Expedio, secundum Rick DiPietros’ net quod puck a inermis 199 feet, 9 inches ex Olie Kolzig, trinus sursum an Isles sedatus dum suus team eram in rabies’ plenus fuga. . . quod per ut erroris genitor terminus of comeback. EGO said quantus quantus ut Gus ut haud. 17 skated ut sin bin; is didnt’ velitatio mihi. Accidit fere sulum vicis. Is eram absolute pessimus locus in glacies sumo a poena procul valde pessimus vicis. A dementis comebacks’ navitas repente screeched sullen quod silens. Tunc vos could audite a callide gemo inter hockey cognescenti in suum sessio.

agnitio.

Nonnullus in Quin Center sto lima sicco permaneo nox noctis reputo of mollis ut slithered preteritus quod humiliated Kolzig. They erant mollis, etiam. They vulnero, certainly. Tamen they erant’ ut terminatio ut Expedio miscue.

threatening committo snake had been tabernus- venter in obsequens per Russian snake- lepor lepos taedium haud. 8. (nos in sto erant quinymo lepor lepos ut puteus) Is eram officium of suus teammates — totus of lemma — non ut permissum suum Bauers sursum off caput capitis of snake.

Duos minutes pro tripping.

viper recoiled.

Hockey teams amo Isles in suscipio terminus of talis torva surges es verum inops. Versus change inter dominor tamen glacies somes tilted. coaching baculus of beleaguered can hortor, reassure, vexo towels vel unda solum, is res nullus. Suus’ accersitus hockeys’ momentum, quod in tertius periods suus’ directus procul defying nex — losing. Quod may planto is sic validus, sic unprecedented ut ceterus of mane factum. Suus’ a rectus vis, vis 10 of rabies.

Quod is can exsisto laxo in an instant.

Procul a novus placitum yesterday, Lavatio Caput chairman quod major domus erus Ted Leonsis orator of quam professio athletes es sepius laudabilis pro suum virtus. Is innotesco ut virtus can take plures vultus, ex vir nostri bellicus quod primoris respondeo ut nostrum liberi pugna morbus. Ut reperio a via ut suum universus norma quod fans could ostendo suum suscipio, they partum Virtus Caps.

Virtus Caps es team- proventus quod torqueo hats quod ero miles militis, satus October 26th, pro $20 procul defero consanguinei traba procul Caput domus venatus quod online proculWashingtonCaps.com quodNHL.com. “ut nostrum fans gero illa hats”, Leonsis persevero, “they ostendo suum suscipio pro fortis populus per nostrum defero”

Quod, taedium of Virtus Caps hats ostendo suscipio, venditio suggero financial suscipio. centum% of venditio pretium mos vado beneficium CureSearch Populus Childhood Baculus Crepidoinis. CureSearch est a Bethesda- substructio nonprofit “ quod an NHL charitable socius ut focuses in erigo crumens pro Children’s Oncology Humus, world’s amplus consensio cancer research norma ut tracto 90% of liberi per cancer”

team electus an vetus amicus iuvo debut is novus progressio, pro press placitum took locus per teams’ annual saluto ut Liberi’ Populus Medical Center. universus team, Leonsis quod socius Raul Fernandez erant procul hospitium pro press placitum.

Pro annus Audivi of teams’ saluto ut Liberi’ Populus Medical Center, tamen is eram prothoplastus vicis ut EGO eram in manus manus ut vigilo ludio ludius quod liberi penitus. Ut a abbas of a quattuor- annus- vetus per alter obvius, saluto eram heartwarming quod tear-jerking. ludio ludius — totus of lemma — sat down procul traba quod infucatus per liberi ut erant puteus satis dimitto suum beds quod exsisto patesco ut unmasked salutor quod untold germen. Is infractus meus pectus pectoris video vidi visum illa liberi, nonnullus in wheelchairs, alius per multiplex IV tubes quod fascia, quod admiratio qualis abyssus they quod suum parentes es victus. Tamen tunc vos animadverto smiles in suum visio ut Sarcalogos Expedio chirographum a hat pro lemma, vel Brent Johnson asks quis colo colui cultum is should colo colui cultum hockey ludio ludius’ galea, vel ut aliquantulus puella runs super ut Olie Kolzig ut inquit “Hi illic pigtails, quam es vos?” Illic est quoque a simplex tripudium of seeing illa amplus- quam- vita hockey ludio ludius sessio per suum ventus Crayola hue quod trying moror in versus.

EGO eram narro per hospitium’ procurator of publicus consanguinei, Emily Dammeyer, quisnam told mihi ut is est hospitium’ ventus vicis of annus. “They vere prodigo vicis per liberi, non iustus planto an vultus, singulariter upstairs qua venit es off.”

Quod no mihi recordor Olie, quisnam non tantum has been coming ut Liberi’ Populus Medical Center praeter quisquam alius in norma, tamen est quoque a abbas. EGO asked him quam is usus has changed ex pro is eram a dad ut secundum.

“Ive’ usquequaque had a fondness pro kids, quod been a magnus puto ut res a kid quod res infirmus shouldnt’ vado manus manus in manus manus … tunc vos fio a abbas tunc vos animadverto quam vital is est habeo a facility amo is”

Solus res absentis ex yesterdays’ vicis eram interventus. Press solvo renuntio vicis quod photo op erant sent sicco per Caput quod Liberi’ Populus Medical Center. Forsitan EGO requiro nonnullus visio quod nomen, tamen EGO puto tantum Ego, a Comcast SportsNet TV Cameraman, quod duos photographers famulor. Quam talis tremendous officina per an norma quod suus ludio ludius can vado unnoticed vel per parum penitus est repugnant.

Meus gratiae progredior ut Caput quod sulum procul Liberi’ Populus Medical Center, singulariter Emily Dammeyer quod Vestigium Miller, pro affording mihi beneficium arbitro arbitror is annual vicis of pietas quod charisma.

Pauci magis pictures of vicis can exsisto seen secundum effrego.

(persevero)

What did the Washington Capitals accomplish with their preseason this September? A good bit, I think. First and foremost, they accomplished the most important task: they avoided serious injury — we’ve no indication that Alexander Semin’s ankle sprain is serious. The second most significant accomplishment, in my opinion, was seeing a healthy number of fresh faces perform at a high level and well integrate with the returning Caps’ core. Tomas Fleischmann, it appears, has won first line right wing duty. He’ll be centered, at least initially, by Viktor Kozlov. So two-thirds of Washington’s top line is new this season. It looks more playoff worthy than either of its previous incarnations the past two seasons.

Speaking of looking playoff worthy, the Caps break camp boasting one of the most intriguing second lines in all of hockey — assuming Alexander Semin’s ankle is merely a day-to-day ailment. Nicklas Backstrom’s poise and production from his very first exhibition game on exceeded I think even management’s rosiest forecast. Look for him to improve month by month as his freshman season progresses, and for him to be lodged on everybody’s short list of Calder candidates come spring. Like the Caps’ top line, the second, centered by Michael Nylander, is 66 percent new this autumn.

Line three will have a new look as well. Boyd Gordon will center it, and Matt Pettinger will flank him on the left. But another Hershey Bear, Dave Steckel, made real loud noise (especially in the faceoff circle) this training camp. He may best draw man in the entire organization, he plays a smart game, and he partners exceedingly well with Gordon. (Caps’ fans can only hope Gordon and Steckel replicate in Washington their two-way work from Hershey’s postseason run to Calder glory in 2006.) Captain Chris Clark appears to be a bit of the utility infielder for the first three lines — he’s likely to see duty on all three this season. At times he should skate on Gordon’s right, at others — perhaps as with this week, when a teammate up top is injured — he’ll skate in the top 6.

That Caps’ fourth line, just 30 hours before opening night rosters must be submitted to the league, may still have five bodies vying for assignment: Donald Brashear, Matt Bradley, Brian Sutherby, Brooks Laich, and Ben Clymer. In recent seasons the Caps’ roster has had the look and feel of too much muck and grit too high up front. This autumn, a lot of it has been pushed downward, and a logjam has emerged. It’s been at least five years since the Caps could credibly claim three lines capable of producing points with any reliability. They’ll be able to in 2007-08.

There’s considerably less turnover and churn on the blueline: only Tom Poti arrives from outside in the top 6. Caps’ management is looking for its blueline corps to mature and blossom organically, and this September, there were encouraging signs of marked improvement from within. Milan Jurcina returned to Washington brimming with bulging biceps; his teammates coined for him the nickname “Juice.” He doled out dozens of bruising hits last season after arriving from Boston, and 2007-08 could see him stake a legitimate claim as an impact, top-2 physical force.

When the Caps sent Mike Green back to Hershey last spring they instructed him to go offensive. He did. That burst of production from the blueline continued this preseason, when for much of it Green led the Caps in scoring. He was on nobody’s radar for power play point duty three weeks ago; now he may be part of the unit’s second pairing.

Last season Brian Pothier, out of necessity, was forced into roles and minutes he wasn’t accustomed and suited to. Look for him to flourish in a more stable — and within an overall more talented — defensive unit. But he is also capable of performing at a high level — anyone who saw him skate for Mike Sullivan and the United States at last spring’s World Championships would agree.

There were no questions about the Caps in net heading into camp. There are none departing it.

There is health. There is the league-wide sense that while the rest of the Southeast stood pat, the Caps upgraded. There is buzz. There is optimism. All is good. Now, it’s time to drop the puck.

What most caught my attention during last night’s 2-1 exhibition loss to the Flyers while listening to the ‘Net call of Kolbe and Vogel was word that despite an off-day the following day, superstar forwards Alexander Ovechkin and Alexander Semin hopped in a car earlier in the day and journeyed up to Philly to watch their camp-mates compete in the evening. There are precious few off days during camp, and more than enough rink time for these two in the seven-plus months ahead. Vogel was impressed by the act. So was I.

This display of conspicuous camaraderie occurs within a larger context worth reviewing. Back in mid-summer, as management moved and shook the roster up for the better, we first learned of guys being eager to get back in their gear and out on the ice together at Kettler Capitals. And it actually happened, in impressive numbers, weeks ahead of the official start of training camp. Guys wanted to skate here, together.

At camp’s kickoff, on Media Day, captain Chris Clark shared a bit of his outreach efforts to his teammates spanned across the globe. He wanted them back in town early, to put the distractions of moving and settling behind them so that their collective focus could be on the important new season immediately in front of them. It was, it appears, an easy sell.

Now captains of course lead by example, and with regard to Clark, his leadership this summer extended beyond the norm. He re-signed with the Caps, at compensation and contract length irrefutably more modest than what he’d have fetched on the open market next summer. In a conference call to discuss the deal, he referenced his wanting to be a part of what the Caps were building. “I wanted to be a part of it, [of] where we’re headed,” he said. There is no guarantee of on-ice success in this season or of those ahead, of course, and yet Clark, his body memorably battered within the rebuild, wanted to lead the effort.

“We’ve got a great room” is truly a common refrain in this sport and especially this league, but there has been something distinctive about the Caps’ claim of one. Going back fully three seasons, back all the way to the early hours of the dispiriting selloff and roster overhaul, we first heard claims from some of the building blocks and even some of the roster placeholders about the caliber of the Caps’ room. That quality was certainly forged to no small degree by Olie Kolzig. But it also has to have been enhanced by a handful of recent draft classes, many of the members of which acclimated themselves to the world of pro hockey together, in recent years, in Portland, Maine, and Hershey, Pennsylvania.

Even more remarkably, the chemistry has been enhanced by free agent acquisitions conspicuous for their team-first ethos: Matt Bradley, Ben Clymer, Brian Pothier, and now, it appears, the entirety of the 2007 free agent class. Free agents in the modern era of pro sports typically arrive carrying high price tags and big egos and rarely meld seamlessly into their new environs. We aren’t hearing any of that in D.C. these days. In fact, as the Caps mature from basement dweller to contender, the growth carries some personnel anguish: some of the glue of the past couple of seasons will be cast aside, to make room for greater talents. This training camp, we are learning too how this reality is affecting the affected.

The chemist is named George McPhee. Ultimately the verdict on his tenture in town will be rendered on wins versus losses, sooner rather than later. But as GM he’s succeeded on a vitally important if under-reported upon front: assembling smiling faces and committed collectivism in shared car rides and summer shinny.

There’s an irony to the chemistry found in NHL locker rooms: no other U.S. sport knows the global diversity of the NHL’s athletes gathered on a single team, and yet no other sport knows its I’ve-got-your-back-at-all-times ethos, first through fourth lines, from Flin Flon-ner to Finn. It’s a criterion never acknowledged in fantasy leagues (reminding us of their superficiality), and yet nothing is more important to a team.

It’s a day of rest not only for Washington Capitals’ players and coaches — well, the players at least — but for the team’s frenzied communications staff as well. Being out at Kettler as much as I have been the past 10 days, I gained a deep appreciation for the commitment of Nate Ewell, Julie Petri, Paul Rovnak, and Mike Vogel, among others. Their days during camp begin early and end late, and at this time of year they’re not only facilitating one of the heavier media flows following camp in years but also putting together the in-season communications products, such as the Media Guide. It’s forecast to be a stunning late September Sunday today, and I hope they’re all out having fun in the fun and recharging their batteries.

The pause in on-ice action is a good time to take stock of what the Caps have achieved thus far in what I believe is the most important training camp in the organization’s history. I made a point during my visits to survey the hockey-savvy heads also taking in the daily doings at Kettler, from print and broadcast reporters to fellow bloggers to fans in the stands, and herewith I’m blending their leading storylines of camp to date with my own.

• Proud Papa. I’ve regularly seen Owner Leonsis as training camp spectator during the past 10 days, and while it’s true he’s no longer involved with the day-to-day operations of AOL, he remains a busy communications man. I think what’s happened with his training camp interest level mirrors that of the rest of us: the quality and depth of the organization on display is so impressive you are fairly compelled to make the trip out there and simply revel in the turned corner of the team’s competitiveness.

• Nylander to line 2. Two years ago Michael Nylander left Washington as a very good hockey player. This fall he’s returned but done so appearing to be more a star. He’s a dynamic playmaker, in supreme condition. And while almost everyone in hockey this summer forecasted an Ovechkin-Nylander top-line pairing, way back in July Head Coach Glen Hanlon very publicly stated his intention of experimenting with top-6 forward combinations, and thus far in camp, the conspicuous chemistry appears to have melded among Alexander Semin, Michael Nylander, and Nicklas Backstrom as Hanlon’s second unit.

• Slick Swede Part II. Speaking of Backstrom, he is irrefutably gaining comfort on the North American-sized sheet of ice — making progress “on a daily basis,” to quote my friend Mike Vogel. At the World Championships in Moscow in May, former Cap and Swedish National Team Head Coach Bengt Gustafsson told us that Backstrom would make that transition successfully and reasonably swiftly, and he was right. Tim Leone up in Hershey thinks it in Backstrom’s, and the Caps’, best interest for him to have a cup of coffee with the Bears this season. Ain’t happening.

• It’s my puck, and I’m keeping it. The Caps don’t (yet) have a dominant shut-down defenseman, so Glen Hanlon’s strategy for improved defensive play this season rests with his club maintaining possession of the puck more often than in the past two seasons, when often they chased it around the rink in futile fashion. If you have the puck more often than your opposition, your goalie isn’t get apt to face 40 or 50 shots each night, and surrender five or six goals most nights. So far, this strategy appears to be taking hold. In training camp’s scrimmages and through the Caps’ first three preseason games, you can see more puck possession and fewer netminders collapsing from fatigue.

• Captain, My Captain/Son of Kono-Dahlen-Halpern. I’ve changed my views on cloning, because of Chris Clark. Meaning no disrespect to Dale and his retired sweater, but should Clark captain the Caps to a Stanley Cup title in one of the next three seasons, he will have to be regarded as the best and most important captain in team history, having guided the team from the barrens of an unprecedented bottoming out to the promised land. And sitting here in September 2007, I wouldn’t stand in line to wager against it. (See Carolina ‘05-06, Tampa ‘03-04.)

It is Chris Clark’s team-first, two-way versatility that has Glen Hanlon fantasizing about a two-way, impact third line along the lines of the great Steve Konowalchuk, Jeff Halpern, Ulf Dahlen trio of a few years ago. That line, you’ll recall, was so dominant that Ron Wilson opened just about every game with it. It was also one that was a lynchpin to the Caps’ postseason participation. The coach has told the media that he’s looking for 60 goals from his third line this season, and given the defensive acumen of Clark and Boyd Gordon, and Matt Pettinger’s offensive pop, it’s natural to invoke the KDH comparison.

I’m also not wagering on Clark’s offensive production diminishing, dramatically, by virtue of his dropping down to line 3. As he noted himself on Media Day, he’s spent the past two seasons taking shifts against the likes of Zdeno Chara and top defensive pairings. Less so, it would appear, beginning this season.

• Deep Depth. The Caps this weekend have 35 players battling for spots on the opening night roster. It’s reasonably easy to forecast another five cuts, but the leap from about 30 to 23 is another matter. To put it charitably, the Caps’ are in uncharted territory, post-lockout, in terms of the skater quality they’ll be showcasing out at Kettler in week two of camp. This is the most basic and encouraging sign of the overall success of the rebuild.

• Three games, three leads. Through three exhibition games, the Caps have only once fielded a fairly veteran lineup — last Thursday night in Ottawa. They opened in Carolina, against a comparatively veteran Hurricanes’ lineup, dressing only John Erskine and Mike Green on the blueline as guys with significant NHL experience from last season (and with BJ in net). In all three games the Caps have played significant stretches with a lead (twice with two-goal leads). There remain mistakes (penalties) and concerns (penalties) aplenty, but we shouldn’t lose sight of the fact that Coach Hanlon’s strategy of playing a more puck possession game is abundantly evident. In order to win more often, a team must first establish competitiveness, then achieve leads in games. The Caps have accomplished both early in this preseason.

The next step is to close the deal once you have the lead.

• When did Toronto’s print media come to work in Washington? For the first time in my hockey life, I wake each day knowing that with my morning coffee I need to visit the web sites for both of Washington’s big newspapers in order to follow coverage there of Caps’ training camp. There are files there basically every day. And good ones. Additionally, blog files there. This is as it should be, but to our print guys — and most especially the Times’ Corey Masisak, who’s only taking on the beat of a departed legend — good on you.

• Sharp-dressed men. It’s not anywhere near as important as the talent upgrade, but in this the autumn of uniform mischief, the Caps have showcased the best-looking new threads in the entire league. And it’s not even close. I’ll be particularly grateful when those snazzy white uniform system tops are rightfully returned to wearing on home ice.

No Ovy or Captain Clark on the ice today at Kettler. They were given the day off. The team, Nate Ewell told me, got back in town from Ottawa near 2:00 this morning.

Also, Tarik has word that Flash will be John Hancock-ing his name to a new, two-way deal any moment now.

Some summer dreaming: imagine that we can recast — overhaul — that which exists as the lamentable in the contemporary pro sports landscape. It would be within our power to vanquish the hooligans, the record-stealing cheaters, and the greed merchants, all of them, and replace them with clones of quality character, of athletics’ admiration-worthy. One stipulation: we select our replacements from the present or the recent past, to illustrate that there are in uniform better angels already among us. (Just not enough of them) I welcome your additions.

To be silent about today’s status quo is to be complicit in it, no?

As Training Camp slowly (so slowly) approaches, we decided to take a quick look at some of the new faces, returnees, hopefuls and last-chancers that will be vying for a spot in the Caps’ forward corps. Battles at many slots are expected, and this may be one of the most competitive camp in Caps’ history.

First, we’ll examine the forwards, a group that received an infusion of talent down the middle and added a veteran scoring winger:

Nicklas Backstrom – The youngster is seemingly a lock for the big squad. A slick-passing center with hockey sense and puck-control, the most impressive thing about his game at this point may be his attention to the other end of the ice. His awareness and positioning without the puck, coupled with his creativity and vision should be a boon to either of the Caps’ elite left wingers. Foot speed is a concern, and while he won’t arrive in North America to the same fanfare that Alex Ovechkin did, the “Next Great Swede” will have all the eyes of his country upon him.

(Continued)

Herewith, our attempt to devise a depth chart for the Caps to coincide with the recent completion of the team’s annual Rookie Development Camp. It’s important to note that with it we are not forecasting specific line combos but rather attempting to slot players by position according to their professional production and most recent performances in evaluative settings. It’s also important to note that a number of forwards in the Caps’ system play more than one position up front. The Russian elites and Matt Pettinger appear locks on the left side for well into the next decade, whereas the right side seems to carry many more question marks.

We’ve envisioned this as a file hopefully sparking spirited reaction and respectful challenge. We welcome your proposed modifications.

The captain of a hockey club obviously leads his teammates on the ice and in the dressing room, but his influence can extend outside an organization as well. During this afternoon’s Caps’ conference call to announce Chris Clark’s contract extension, one that will keep him in D.C. through 2010-11, two things were readily apparent: (1) this captain feels very much at home in Washington — “I love the area,” he said; and (2) the moves Caps’ management has made in the first half of the offseason played a determinative role in Clark’s foregoing free agency next summer.

“We got what we needed,” he told conference call participants, alluding to the team’s free agent acquisitions. “I wanted to be a part of it, [of] where we’re headed.”

I especially liked this: “We’re not a rebuilding team anymore.”    

Earlier this offseason I wrote that we in D.C. were beginning to see a change not just in team logos and colors and roster names but in something more important: the Caps as less the perceived spinster seated in the dark at the dance and more the coveted cutiepie. (Kevin Lowe, for instance, might be more inclined to believe this this summer.)  

The 30-goal captain in the prime of his career was one year away from virtual Brinks Truck riches. He’ll be very well paid as a hockey player here the next four years, but what was most important to him at this point in his career was remaining a Cap.