10 October, 2008

Category Archives: Daren Machesney

It’s Getting Dazzling in the Competition for the Duchesne Cup

By pucksandbooks
Monday, September 22, 2008

This Gaetan Duchesne Cup competition, I’m starting to really dig it; I think the Caps may well wanna keep it around a while. Sunday’s first scrimmage was entertaining and good fun, but Monday’s, which featured Alexander Ovechkin in a competitive environment for the first time in the 2008 camp, was on a whole ‘nother level of spectator feast. Play today was a good deal more wide open than on Sunday.

Ovi — it’s no longer “Ovie”; the re-branding apparently took place over the summer, and among some good-natured ribbing in the media work area over the weekend, the WaPost beat reporter was tagged “Tariki” — wasn’t first out of the dressing room for today’s noon scrimmage, he was second. Slacker.

I imagine one Keith Aucoin might remember this September in tales years hence to his grandchildren. He found himself at center at puck-drop today between Ovechkin and Viktor Kozlov.

It was A versus C today, with Squad C in a must-win role. During the 10:00 a.m. opening session only the self-employed and vacationing were in attendance (about a dozen of us). But as noon neared, a very healthy ‘businessman’s special’ for hockey mushroomed — there were probably a couple of hundred on hand.

Forget about Hershey, Michal Neuvirth made a compelling case for the Caps keeping him in D.C. this season on Monday — he was under a barrage in the first stanza and turned aside all but one shot. Many of his stops were scintillating. Ovechkin dashed and dangled and lasered shot after shot. Mike Green made like Bobby Orr — over and over again. Karl Alzner continued to impress, including thwarting a bull-rushing Ovechkin in the first stanza with seeming ease. Sami Lepisto looked slick and poised. Eric Fehr is creating a buzz this camp with a cannon shot. And a center-right wing combo slated for Hershey this season — Mathieu Perreault and Francois Bouchard, excelling for a second consecutive day — was so often the authors of odd-man breaks that it looked like they were perpetually playing on the man advantage. Rather early on Squad C coaches Jay Leach and Mark French flipped their initial top line of Nylander with Chris Clark and Tomas Fleischmann (who played very well in their own right) and gave big-time minutes to Perreault and Bouchard. They were double-shifted; they were rested for a single shift and returned to the ice; they were used once for the entirety of a power play; they were everywhere. They were that good.

Bouchard’s skating, perhaps a weakness in his draft year, is vastly improved. Perreault is an impact pro hockey player — right now. Ovechkin had him lined up for an open-ice shoulder smash-a-roo that the under-sized Quebecois pivot deftly avoided, keeping the play moving up ice. In the offensive zone he consistently managed to maintain puck control and create time and space and scoring opportunity for his linemates.

Is there a commuter train to Hershey from Union Station — one that leaves every Friday say at 4:00?

Neuvirth was opposed by Brent Johnson at the other end. Michael Nylander opened the scoring by finishing a scramble that ensued after Neuvirth made a heart-stopping snuff-out of a Chris Clark one-timer from his center. And Squad C really controlled play in the opening, running 30 minutes of clock. There was no shot counter, but had there been, it might have read 18-5 for the team in white.

In the second frame, Varlamov replaced Neuvirth and Daren Machesney replaced BJ. Squad B got its act a bit more together in the 20 minutes that followed a prolonged intermission (three passes of the Zam (Olympia, actually) were required to generate a playable sheet — that’s how hard and fast a skate started the scrimmage). Near 5 minutes in, Viktor Kozlov missiled a wicked wrister through a dense scramble in front of ‘Cheese’s net that no one saw to knot things at a goal apiece. B’s pressure later generated a 5-on-3 power play advantage, and would you believe it, Quintin Laing successfully hurled his body at an Ovechkin point blast to help keep things even.

In the third frame, Chris Bourque tallied with 6:53 left, but Chris Clark lasered a top right shelf snap shot past Varlamov (it was Nylander’s second point on the day) with a little over three minutes left. After the scrimmage ending horn and some uncertainty as to how to reach a conclusion, Gabby, taking in the scrimmage from on high with the owner and GM, barked down instructions to shoot it out. Kozlov and Ovi scored for B, and Chris Clark’s failed shot rendered his squad eliminated from the inaugural Gaetan Duschesne Cup.

Tarik shared with me some fast-emerging details about the Duchesne Cup trophy. The team has apparently spent upwards of $500 on it, commissioning it from afar, and is working desperately to get it to camp in time for a timely presentation.

Your four stars of the scrimmage, as awarded by this blogger:

1. Michal Neuvirth. (Yes he played only half the game, but he was that good.)

2. The Perreault-Bouchard combo

3. Mike Green

4. Mike Denney, Caps’ season ticket holder, visitor this past weekend to Portland, Maine, from whence he returned with a 12-pack of Shipyard seasonal — one of America’s great microbrews — and presented it to moi before noon Monday. Now that’s a way to start a vacation. Incidentally, there is no sign at Kettler that reads, ‘Do Not Feed the Bloggers Beer.’ Just sayin.

Filed in Alexander Ovechkin, American Hockey League, Chris Bourque, Daren Machesney, Francois Bouchard, Hardcore Hockey Fans, Hershey Bears, Karl Alzner, Kettler Capitals Iceplex, Mathieu Perreault, Michal Neuvirth, Mike Green, Prospects, Quintin Laing, Sami Lepisto, Shootouts, Simeon Varlamov, Washington Capitals, Washington the Hockey Town, Zambonis| Permalink| Comments (5)

Ten Top Storylines for the Start of Training Camp 2008

By pucksandbooks
Saturday, September 20, 2008
AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Frank Gunn

AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Frank Gunn

(10) Gabby from the Get-go. Capitals players had plenty of time to come to grips with Bruce Boudreau’s system, what with his arriving from Hershey at Thanksgiving. In his 61 games in 2007-08, Boudreau went 20 games over .500 (37-17-7). Had that projected over the full season, the Caps not only would have won the Southeast handily but absolutely contended for first overall in the East (with 104 points, Montreal finished 10 better than Washington). It bears mentioning that Boudreau had to learn most of his new hockey club in mid-season just as they had to learn his system. This fall, Boudreau knows his roster quite well, they know him now by the title of Jack Adams holder, and he starts the season with a club as healthy and hungry as any the Caps have seen this decade. Let the good times roll.

(9) Renewed Might on the Right. What might have the Capitals’ fortunes been in the 2008 playoffs had they had the services of captain Chris Clark and his 30-goal skills and leadership? And what might a fully healthy Eric Fehr finally look like? We should find out in 2008-09. Both have told media late this summer that they’re “100 percent” and ready to go. We know what Viktor Kozlov, Matt Bradley, and Clark can do. Fehr is the wild card. But reasonably healthy, that quartet ought to offer some much-needed scoring balance on the right side of the Caps’ forward ranks.

(8) Is Karl Alzner NHL ready? In what appears to have been the final foray for the Caps in the NHL Entry Draft lottery, for some while anyway, the Caps selected Calgary Hitmen shutdown rearguard Karl Alzner with the 5th pick in the 2007 draft. In his draft class Alzner was lauded as being the “most NHL ready” of defense prospects. Nothing about Alzner’s ‘07-08 season suggested otherwise. He captained Canada’s Junior team to yet another gold medal, and he was named WHL Defenseman of the Year and WHL Player of the Year. The Caps may find themselves with an intriguing and difficult call to make on Alzner this training camp: today he may well be one the team’s top 6 talents on the blueline, but would his long-term development be better aided with top minutes in Hershey this season?

(7) Center by Committee. The Capitals have a clear no. 1 center (Nicklas Backstrom) and, in ability, potentially three no. 2s (Nylander, Fedorov, Laich). Brooks Laich will get a long look on a wing. Additionally, there is fantastic defensive play and faceoff ability between Dave Steckel and Boyd Gordon. Bruce Boudreau is virtually certain to carry 13 forwards out of camp, and you have to believe five of them will be centers. But who sits? And who earns no. 2 minutes? Will there be a trade?

(6) Who’s no. 1 in Net — in Hershey? Rarely at the start of a new season is there intrigue about the goalie rotation down on the farm, but the goalie story in the Caps’ organization is a lead one in 2008-09. George McPhee has indicated that in Michael Neuvirth and Simeon Varlamov he has two AHL-worthy 20-year-olds; neither belongs in the E. Additionally, Daren Machesney has developed solidly in Hershey. One option could be to loan out one of the kids to another American League club. But both 2006 draft picks possess talent such that there respective stays in minor pros could be brief ones. Meanwhile . . .

(5) It’s Certain That There’s Some Uncertainty in the Washington Net. Jose Theodore was signed by Washington the moment that contracts talks with Cristobal Huet fell apart. Theodore possesses nearly 450 games of NHL experience spread out over more than 10 years. His career has been marked by moments of exemplary play commonly followed by conspicuously mediocre results. He has Vezina and Hart trophies on his mantle and pitchfork and torch scars on his gear bag. Playing behind a strong team of forwards and defenders, expect him to look like a world-beater during many regular season nights in 2008-09; the postseason will be more the barometer of his signing. Somewhat overlooked in the Kolzig-to-Huet-to-Theodore transition — all of it carried off in less than 9 months’ time — is that the Capitals’ blueline corps will have to adjust to yet another new netminder’s angles and rebounds tendencies. And it’s a short preseason.

(4) Is Semin a Star? There’s absolutely no doubt that left wing Alexander Semin is an elite, world-class talent. His wrist shot is simply one of the finest on the planet. But to date he has not put together a complete season of health and high production. With the Caps’ top-six-plus skill, 2008-09 should Semin’s season to shine.

(3) Potential Pitfalls of Press Clippings. It was just late last November that the Washington Capitals resided in dead last territory in the NHL, their rebuild strivings generating little returns. One coaching and netminder change ushered in a division title, a sold out home rink, and a wild-about-hockey Washington, and one of the great from hell to heaven rises in Washington pro sports history. The summer delivered an abundance of awards recognitions for the feat. And the Caps’ feel-good story of last season has fostered a pervasive ‘they’re-the-team-to-watch-out-for‘ forecast for this season. But the team is hardly dynastic, and they’ll compete with plenty of quality at the top of the East (Philly, Montreal, and Pittsburgh) and throughout the league overall. They’ll also have fewer games against their Southeast rivals this season — hockey’s weakest division.

(2) Golden Era of Ovechkin. If you believe Wayne Gretzky, we haven’t seen anywhere near the best yet from Alexander Ovechkin. The Great One believes that Ovi can score 90. Today the hockey world is Alexander Ovechkin’s oyster. He enjoys a best-in-his-sport status, he loves the challenge of making Washington a hockey town, and in 2008-09 he will skate in possession of the richest contract in Washington pro sports history. Now 225 pounds and a training dynamo, he is arrived at something close to his physical prime. There is among his fast-accumulating hardware one lone conspicuous omission. His aim in ‘08-09 is to secure that one, too.

(1) As Good as It Gets? There were three striking qualities about Verizon Center in the final weeks of the 2008 season: it was consistently sold out; it was overwhelmingly red and partisan (except to Pierre McGuire’s eyes); and it was gloriously raucous and loud. It was an environment that I think caught even the Caps off guard; it seemed about two years ahead of forecast — if management could even imagine such environs here at all. Was it a fluke in response to a torrid and historic run, or is that the reception that hockey is hereafter to receive, the home team now competing, likely for a sizable number of years going forward, with coveted skill, depth, and youth? Washington’s hockey fans have been the butt of disrespect and ridicule for decades. A full season of Red Rockin’ during a lot of winning may squelch that slander permanently.

Filed in Alexander Ovechkin, Alexander Semin, American Hockey League, Boyd Gordon, Bruce Boudreau, Chris Clark, Cristobal Huet, Daren Machesney, Dave Steckel, Eastern Conference, Eric Fehr, George McPhee, Hershey Bears, Jose Theodore, Karl Alzner, Kettler Capitals Iceplex, Michal Neuvirth, Montreal Canadiens, National Hockey League, Nicklas Backstrom, Philadelphia Flyers, Pittsburgh Penguins, Prospects, Sergei Fedorov, Simeon Varlamov, Training Camp, Verizon Center, Washington Capitals, Washington the Hockey Town| Permalink| Comments (1)

Washington Capitals’ Top Prospects, Spring 2008

By pucksandbooks
Monday, May 5, 2008

Continuing an OFB tradition, we present our rankings of the Capitals’ prospects at the conclusion of the hockey season. Many of the names below you’ll have a chance to see at Kettler Capitals Iceplex this July, for Development Camp (July 7-12). What’s the lead storyline among the futures holdings? Gotta be the arrival of one of the best young hockey players in Western Canada, Karl Alzner — one of the best young players in Canada or anywhere else, for that matter. If he has a strong training camp come September he’ll bypass the American League this fall and begin his NHL career fresh from an awards-rich CHL career.

Another gleaning: that a Q-league scoring champ and MVP can’t crack the top 10 of an organization’s prospect rankings. That tells us that Ross Mahoney and his stable of scouts the globe over are getting it done.

Name Draft Class ‘07-’08 Club The skinny
Karl Alzner, D ‘07, 1st Rd. Calgary (WHL) WHL Player of the Year, Defenseman of the Year, CHL MVP Finalist. Any questions?
Simeon Varlamov, G ‘06, 1st Rd. Lokomotiv (RSL) Excellent RSL regular season stats, then, in the postseason, sublime: 16 games, 1.56 GA, five shutouts. Welcome to North American professional hockey, Simeon.
Sami Lepisto, D ‘04, 3rd Rd. Hershey Bears So much for struggle in a rookie pro season in North America: 45 pts. in 55 Bears’ games, and a +29. A Tier I candidate for promotion to the parent club in the fall.
Andrew Gordon, RW ‘04, 7th Rd. South Carolina (ECHL); Hershey Fought through early-season demotion, matured into reliable two-way, impact forward. Two hat tricks in his American League rookie season. Bright, bright future.
Chris Bourque, LW ‘04, 2nd Rd. Hershey Bears Bears’ MVP; became a top performer in the American League the final month of the season; ready to stake his claim to a lasting promotion.
Josef Boumedienne, D acquired from Ottawa, Dec. 2002 Hershey Bears Injury-marred ‘07-’08 campaign, but still posted 7 & 35 in 52 games, and a +18; less a prospect and more a quality depth signee; draft day trade bait?
Kyle Wilson, C Signed as a free agent, July 2007 Hershey Bears Only Bear to play in every regular season game; nearly a point-per-game performer through two American League seasons.
Jay Beagle, C Signed with Washington in March 2008 Hershey Bears Diamond in the rough? Big-bodied, mobile, and fancies the contact game; one goal shy of 20 in his freshman AHL campaign.
Francois Bouchard, RW ‘06, 2nd Rd. Baie-Comeau (QMJHL) Strong but unspectacular ‘07-’08 campaign; much improved skater; needs AHL seasoning.
Joe Finley, D ‘05, 1st Rd. North Dakota (WCHA) Enjoyed third straight season of statistical improvement — and ‘07-’08’s numbers included a conspicuous spike in offensive production; a team-leading +24; still magnificently mean and nasty.
Josh Godfrey, D ‘07, 2nd Rd. Sault Ste. Marie (OHL) 17 & 34 , +31, in 60 Greyhound games; Western Conference All Star; Team Canada WJC selection; time for pro hockey.
Michal Neuvirth, G ‘06, 2nd Rd. Windsor, Oshawa (OHL) More prime-time performing: 7-2 for the Generals with a 2.48 GA, .932 SP this postseason; led Plymouth to the Memorial Cup last spring; time for pro hockey — South Carolina or Hershey?
Mathieu Perreault, C ‘06, 6th Rd. Acadie Bathurst 2007 Q MVP, 2008 Q scoring champ; nothing left to dominate in major juniors; time for pro hockey.
Oskar Osala, LW ‘06, 4th Rd. Espoo Blues (Fin) Returning to Europe to advance his development, Osala put up impressive numbers in Finland’s top pro league: 18 & 17 and a + 12 in 53 games; will be interesting to see what’s in store for him in ‘08-’09.
Daren Machesney, G ‘05, 5th Rd. Hershey Bears Exceeding expectations — everyone’s — was the story of “Cheese’s” season. He got in 38 games with Hershey and went 22-10 with a 2.55 goals-against. He’s on track to be an elite goaltender in the American League; question is, with what Washington has arriving this summer in goal, is there room in the organization for Cheese?
Andrew Joudrey, C ‘03, 8th Rd. Hershey Bears Solid first full pro season, often centering another prized Caps’ NCAA prospect, Andrew Gordon; strong on his skates, superb hockey sense, makes smart plays.
Stephen Werner ‘03, 3rd Rd. South Carolina, Hershey Remains a longshot to see anything but a cup of coffee in the bigs. But his game matured in ‘07-’08. Skated a +4 for the Bears in just 8 games. Does have a pro stride.
Travis Morin, C ‘04, 9th Rd. South Carolina Big, big numbers for the Stingray pivot: 34 & 50 in 68 games, including 14 power play markers; still has issues with skating and strength at the pro level.
Patrick McNeill, D ‘05, 4th Rd. South Carolina, Hershey Split time between Carolina and Hershey this season; he’s undersized but not physically overmatched in the A; should enjoy a full year with the Bears in ‘08-’09.
Oscar Hedman, D ‘04, 5th Rd. Modo (Swe.) A top-4 pairing blueliner who by the age of 22 had completed five seasons in the Swedish Elite League. Though I’ve seen only glimpses of him in WJC play, I wasn’t going to pass on the opportunity to have two Oscars in my table. Should Osala and he connect on a scoring play in a game with the Caps, it’d be the first Oskar-from-Oscar feat in NHL history. I really want that.
Filed in American Hockey League, Andrew Gordon, Chris Bourque, Daren Machesney, Francois Bouchard, Hershey Bears, Jay Beagle, Joe Finley, Josh Godfrey, Karl Alzner, Mathieu Perreault, Michal Neuvirth, Prospects, Russia, Sami Lepisto, Simeon Varlamov, Travis Morin, Washington Capitals| Permalink| Comments (17)

Hockey Night in Hershey: Blogging on Reassignment

By Troublemaker
Saturday, January 12, 2008

I’m a blogger banished to the American League on a behavioral conditioning assignment. As banishments go, Hershey’s hardly a hardship. If you’ve read this blog for three months, you know of my affinity for this community, its state-of-the-art rink, the quality people surrounding the team, and its unrivaled hockey heritage.

There’s a lot more to recommend this visit. This Hershey Bears’ club, which a month into the season appeared to be in rebuilding mode, is today 21-14-0-2. They’re nine points back of first-place Philly but just three points back of Wilkes Barre for second. The Bears lost last night in Wilkes Barre 3-1, where BJ apparently stood on his head to keep the game close. No wonder he got called back to D.C. so fast. Anyway, big-time turnaround going on here. Sound familiar?

It’s also the first-ever visit to Giant Center by the first-year Lake Erie Monsters. That’s historical, not in an alert the National Archives sense, but quirky novel enough as inducement for me to drive up on a January Saturday night with the Caps idle. When the Monsters unveiled their logo prior to the season, we had a little fun with it. Tonight, too, there’ll be some prospects I haven’t seen play in Bears’ sweaters, like Daren Machesney and Patrick McNeill. And Chris Bourque is recently returned to the lineup recuperated from a concussion.

Machesney is fast becoming a real story here. He’s 11-2-1-1 with a 2.02 goals-against and am epe-popping .933 save percentage. As Caps’ goalie prospects go, I’m not sure he was on the tips of too many Caps’ fans tongues three months ago, but I wasn’t long in the Hershey press box tonight before a handful of writers and Bears’ folks brought him up to me.

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Eric Fehr played last night in Wilkes Barre but is getting tonight off. Understandable that the Bears wouldn’t want him going all three games this weekend. He’s likely to play tomorrow.

Josef Boumedienne is making his first appearance for Hershey tonight since December 1.

Stephen Werner scored his first goal of the season on a nifty shorthanded breakaway just 2:08 in. Then: the Monsters, on a Jeff Jillson tally, knot up it just seconds later.

The PA announcer may earn his stipend tonight: still not 5 minutes in, and three goals are already up on the board. 2-1 Bears on a Jason Morgan marker.

And not five minutes in, we have the evening’s first Louis Robitaille dance card, with Monster Mitch Love. A lot of prelude and prancing, but a decent tilt that I’d award the slight decision to Robitaille, though Love definitely got some un-love blows in.

It’s really enjoyable seeing two promising forward prospects — Andrew Joudrey and Andrew Gordon — skate on a line together, and at the 7:13 mark, Joudrey made a superb centering feed from the half boards that Gordon blasted home. If Hershey scores a fourth here in the first, will Monster netminder Tyler Weiman get the hook?

Speaking of getting hooked, I mean hitched, Oh My God, another marriage proposal at another hockey game! She said yes, but it took her a while. On this weekend when I’m trying to remind Mr. Leonsis of my virtues, being a bit of a Cupid karma in rinks is one, no?

16:12 into the first: Lepisto with a well-aimed, low bomb from the right point that Andrew Gordon deflected past Weiman. Weiman’s still in, but there was nothing he could do on that one. It was a superb redirect by Gordon. He’s doubled his goals on the season (4) after just one period tonight.

One uber-impressive period in the books: 4-1 Bears after one.

During the first intermission, I was invited to join Bears’ radio voice John Walton for a chat during intermission two. I wonder what he wants to talk about? Continue reading ›

Filed in American Hockey League, Bruce Boudreau, Chris Bourque, Daren Machesney, Eric Fehr, Hershey Bears, John Walton, Prospects, Sami Lepisto, Washington Capitals| Permalink| Comments (1)