In Glacialis Blog

1145: a.m.: In medius is week EGO admiratio super videor of prodigo is proprius weekend in Ipsa, coincidental ut Gero’ domus patefacio. Suus’ nunquam a nocens informatio sumo in a Imbuo nox noctis hockey venatus procul Giant Center, quod magis in Hersheys’ domus Oris Nox noctis. Tamen EGO sententia mitis tumulosus of meridianus central Pennsylvania amo in promontorium autumn colo colui cultum, quod duos plenus nox noctis intus lemma perficio subterlabor ex hustle quod tumultus of D.C. Tardus is oriens, coegi Oriens per Lebanon Valley en iter itineris ut Adamstown quodVigoratus’ brew pub, nonnullus 30 minutes Oriens of Ipsa, EGO animadverto Id’ no a splendens eo sententia is weekend.

central tellus iustus north of Maryland Hasnonium’ tolero quisquam amo estas quod mane cado sitis of summitto Midatlantic, quod ut EGO drove sub splendens sunshine is oriens viridis ager scamnum sicco ut novus ut meus eyes, lush inter exuro orange, frons, quod maroon coma supremus quod, intermittently, vibrant orange pumpkins stacked quod respergo super porches, yards, quod vegrandis- urbs merchants’ repono porta.

Vigoratus’, dum non near Ipsa, est mihi a must- saluto in sulum saluto. beer est brewed quod solum gelu, voluntas ut parumper viator amo mihi EGO can repono is in meus Jeep quod sino is foveo pro gelu is iterum vacuus minimus vulnero. Vigoratus’ Pils, Stilus, quod seasonals supervenio in beer diligo’ lingua amo nectar ex an unearthly regnum. Illic’ a quirky lex ut postulo Vigoratus’ patronus emo beer pro take- sicco ut transport tantum 12- sarcina procul a vicis ut suus car. EGO had a shopping album probus non tantum pro myself tamen quoque pro meus professor in totus beers of plagiarius amicus Michael, quisnam ago tergum domus in Caput Tumulosus. Is nisus reddo dies’ exerceo. Hodie in airs’ crispness quod tumulosus’ panoramic colo colui cultum EGO thymbra universus of 40-mile coegi. brewery patefacio procul noon. EGO eram illic procul 1211:.

1245: p.m.: EGO volito tergum ut Ipsa ex shopping gratia opportunus a propitius invitation ex Pium Novus’Tim Leone, pello pepulli pulsum opinio pro Gero, quisnam invited mihi ut suus domus ut vigilo a dimidium meridianus’ dignitas of contraho football pro caput capitis super Giant Center una. USC eram lascivio Notre Dame Imbuo. Tim est a USC grad, quod, EGO amo ut kid Tim, Im’ a “ pium” sic is eram a showdown slate nobis. Tim has a basset hound nomen Audacia quisnam waddles in prosapia yard exemplum ut es melior castrensis quod ocius quam ullus of Bellator Irenses’ prolixus suscipio. EGO reputo Audacia vires run clausus melior quam ullus ND versus pariter.

515: p.m.: Tim quod EGO caput capitis super ut rink. Suus’ Chamber of Ineo ingurgito sicco. Si EGO didnt’ have a venatus tectum, Id’ have haud forsit sipping pauci Vigoratus’ in meus hotel cella’ veranda quod iustus astrum procul sol solis occasus super horizons’ tumulosus. Ipsa est lascivio alter plurimus repono suffragium in American League tonight, Rochester Americans. Suus’ a novus compositus, Leone informs mihi, ut saluto reddo Rochesters’ primoris ut Giant Center in fere duos annus. Rochester has a dual affiliation per Plaga quod Florida.

EGO dont’ teneo identities of vir quod mulier baculus credentials traba in porta aula of press ianua procul Giant Center, tamen ut EGO inform ut ut Im’ per OnFrozenBlog, era dico mihi “Oh vestri’ per glacialis blog. Vos guys es effectus a magnificabiliter job.” Illic est usquequaque nonnullus ratio of tepidus exspectata EGO usus in sulum saluto sursum hic, in nonnullus restuarant vel procul nonnullus muneris constituo vel procul rink, quod is ordo inter optimus of lemma totus mihi.

Gero es 0-3 in novus season, in basement of AHLs’ Oriens Divortium. Is est valde unfamiliar tractus, proprie pro Bruce Boudreau quod suus baculus.

655: p.m.: In pre- venatus obscurum quod oris nox noctis lasers, a res- consentaneus Eric Fehr est induco ut domus turba. Im’ sic defessus of seeing Eric in a res interpellatio. Sami Lepisto est quoque a scratch, quoque quoniam sit vulnero. A Gero’ baculus informs Leone quod mihi ut Boudreau mos vestio iustus quinque tutaminis tonight. EGO reperio ut interesting in lux lucis of quod Gero’ bus got domus ex Iunctio in medius nox noctis.

Fatum vultus: Ben Clymer est indutus pro Gero. EGO sum sollicitus video vidi visum Sasha Pokulok, cuius’ utor quispiam of a renaissance in suus hockey tutela in permaneo three mensis. Is led Gero in ustulo per preseason.

domus est super quartus- diapente plenus.

715: p.m.: Utriusque in paper quod in mane iens tonight EGO animadverto minor mico ut Gero’ versus cognatus ut preteritus duos seasons. Unus bonus causa illo est graduation of Tomas Fleischmann. Tamen Dave Steckel, quoque, loco sursum magnus numerus quod ludio ludius an enormous persona pro Bruce Boudreau preteritus seasons in Ipsa. In medius estas EGO asked Leone si is sententia is would exsisto a “rebuilding” season in Ipsa. Is vere sententia theyd’ impleo pro Oriens divortium titulus iterum, quod is said is iterum ut mihi hodie in suus domus. (persevero)

Nonnullus dominor lemma celeriter emerged procul ludio ludius’, cogo’, quod imperator procurator’ interventus placitum is oriens sicco procul Kettler Caput:

• Quis a distinctus a annus planto in terms of palaestra facilities. EGO asked Sarcalogos Expedio quis is sententia erant suus officium ut caput ut suus teammates is estas, quod velociter is innotesco quam in preteritus seasons “ nos didnt’ have quisquam advenio to,” tamen ut is estas, per Kettler, “ nos had fere a plenus team skating hic dies ago.” Is said ut is volo impetro everybody sedatus in urbs, mane, impetro off- glacies distractions finitumus moving quod adjusting ut novus amplexus ex via, quod Kettler quod suus amenities eram an securus exigo ut suus teammates mane in estas.

“is est optimus facility in league,” George McPhee said. “suus’ a locus ludio ludius volo futurus. . . is planto panton ut nos operor melior. Is succurro [ per] defero consanguinei, interventus consanguinei. . . Is succurro vos servo vestri ludio ludius quod is adverto solvo procurator”

A annus abhinc in Ashburn, Va., palaestra castra eram se gero in makeshift quod refercio castra aestiva. “permaneo annus nos erant vagabonds [ sicco procul Ashburn,]” Olaf Kolzig said.

“quis [teams’] instructus went per permaneo annus est a fabula in ipsum” Glen Hanlon said.

• “illa es melior dies” Is venit rectus ex Kolzigs’ os mane in in suus session per interventus. Prothoplastus res ex Kolzigs’ os, ut is commotus pro venit quod microphones, eram “ is est Caps [press vicis]?” Utriusque is quod Hanlon erant pulsatus per amplitudo of interventus contingent sequax Interventus Dies. Ut weve’ seen in repens dies, illic est an intensity of interventus penitus in Caput, proprie inter locus mainstream interventus, cognatus ut ut of repens annus nunc.

Nonnullus opinio erant sermo a laudo Jason Spezza gave Canadian Press is week: ‘’ego reputo Lavatio could exsisto a darkhorse team ut could adepto in playoffs. They no nonnullus bonus acquisitions in off-season quod they had a pulchellus bonus substructio of tener guys sic they could exsisto quidam quaedam quedam quidam a team ut vires sneak sursum quod planto playoffs.'’

Solio secundum Solio venit porro Thursday oriens per vox “playoffs” in suus labiae. Suus’ non an entitlement, suus’ quispiam they must mereo, tamen Caput Expedio no absentis ut rectus ut could exsisto: “nos have panton nos postulo impetro illic”

bonus karma inter is team iam has had a videlicet labefactum in Kolzig. “meus fanaticus quod navitas campester est procul an totus- vicis altus” is vindicatum.

• Etiam novus guys es maximus, tamen dont’ desparatus nostrum core. Hanlon innotesco ut Caps perfectus 25 cuspis shy of playoffs permaneo season. “ solvo procurator [ per themselves] cant’ confingo 25 cuspis” is said. Illic est a indoles ut overvalue altus- pretium, solvo procurator newcomers ut saviors swooping in protelo a surge in superstes. Hanlon cuspis ut emergence permaneo season of tot tener ludio ludius in Pittsburghs’ roster, guys quisnam, amo tener Caps of preteritus iugo of seasons, ludio ludius una per scabrosus vicis. Amo Therrien in Pittsburgh permaneo season, Hanlon est vultus ut suus core advenio per is season. “nostrum super 16 vel 17 ludio ludius have provectus” is said.

• Suus’ AOs’ plagiarius, nos iustus partis is per him. “vestri English has gotten melior” unus opinio video secundum Alex refero prothoplastus question posed ut him, quod opinio admiratio si AO had opus in is per estas.

“ego meditor in [ nox noctis] stipes” is restituo, lusum a diabolus frendo.

satus goaltender dedi a obduco speculatio super superstar left pennae’ incomptus saeta. A opinio brought is ut Ovechkins’ intentio.

“suus’ gangster penicullus” is respondeo, grinning iterum.

imperator procurator dedi a numerus of insightful assessments finitumus tendo quod repens preteritus. Is agnosco ut ultra volo of three magnus solvo procurator, is added bodies per pro usus — guys amo Boumedienne quod Lepitso — in respondeo ut usus ut team went per permaneo December, ut pestifer quod aegrotatio oppugno an supremus-.500 stipes ut eram sniffing a lascivio macula tunc. Is quoque dedi visum ut chemistry per three significant novus visio in cella est minor an proventus vel sollicitudo quam is eram ut league eram primoris usus significant solvo procurator tractus. Cognatus pauci teams erant condita potissimum significant acqusitions mane in, is innotesco, tamen hodie “ sulum team est usurpo [ solvo procurator]”

Qua es Caput procul diluculo of palaestra castra 2007?

“A iugo of annus abhinc, nos erant vultus [ iustus] expleo explevi expletum tabernus. Iam nos have bonus ludio ludius expleo explevi expletum pauci numerus of [ patefacio] positus” McPhee vindicatum.

“Offense exigo tickets, tamen tutaminis wins games” est quam vetus adage goes, quod in nostrum in- iens offseason inviso norma, nos probatur a blueline somes per a novus visio, an vetus visio recidivus, quod a bunch of vegetus visio vultus facio nonnullus sonitus.

Competition pro 7 exertus defensabiliter macula should exsisto ferus, quod vel pauci nocens meditor vel scrimmages may exsisto distinctus inter interpellatio sursum pro an NHL stipes vel recidivus ut Juniors vel Europe.

Karl Alzner – Washington’s primoris- rotundus pick in June’s 2007 NHL Viscus Draft, Alzner lascivio a surprisingly subolesco venatus, per altus panic threshold quod praeclarus in- glacies awareness. Non a magnus banger, neque nec prone ut nisi a plaga offa ex cuspis quoque sepius, Alzner lascivio a firmus, constans venatus ut mos eventually eat sursum magnus minutes in NHL. Pro iam, is videor, he’s slated ut reverto ut WHL’s Calgary Hitmen, sententia illic est theoricus ut is may adepto a sapor of NHL officium primo of season pro res reverto ut suus junior stipes.

(persevero)

Herewith, nostrum rudimentum struo profundum Carnotense pro Caps ut congruo per repens peractio of teams’ annual Rookie Development Castra. Suus’ maximus ut nota ut per is nos es non forecasting imprimis versus certamen tamen quinymo rudimentum ut socors ludio ludius per positus secundum suum professio uber quod plurimus repens effectus in censeo occasus. Suus’ quoque maximus ut nota ut a numerus of porro in Caps’ ratio lascivio praeter unus positus sursum frons. Russian elites quod Res Pettinger videor crines in laevus levus pro puteus in tunc decade, quod vox pars videor gero plures question vestigium.

Weve’ envisioned is ut a lima hopefully mico ferox reaction quod pius challenge. Nos exspectata vestri propono modifications.

Saturdays’ infero scrimmage ut Rookie Castra 2007 drew recedentia quod absentis amplus Kettler turba of week, quod fidelis erant remuneror per weeks’ plurimus entertaining outing. Puteulanus optimus Niveus 7-3 in a plenus three periods of subsisto clock, poena accersitus epulum pro puck fames. Joe Finley went down per a pupillus malum midway per venatus, tamen ut reddo, ut optimus ut EGO could dico, ambitus of tentatio is week. Ut’ usquequaque bonus novus.

In lieu of a scrimmage epitome ( tot vestrum erant illic video vidi visum is per vestri own eyes usquam), quod quoniam Mike Vogel has suus usitas palmariumratio of is, EGO sententia hodie Id’ calamus a weeks’ dignitas of amplus impressions.

* Hockey Lavatio eram magnus victor is week. Kettler Caput no suus debut in obnoxius a castra of ullus genus, quod is graded sicco valde ex meus vantage. dies illae team contendo in aliquanto nomadic formo per estas castra es history. Ut EGO primoris philologus ut Kettler eram iens futurus a multi- ovis facility quod palaestra domus pro team, EGO sententia super vicis norma could have pro obnoxius a week- porro vicis amo vetus Permetior Urbs, Michigan, rookie castra ut populus a manus manus of NHL teams quod bred a valde competitive aer. Ut could venio hic eventually — statua prolecto pro totus illud tener prospicio ex hockeys’ rusticus limes pro prodigo a week in U.S. caput — tamen erant’ quoque puteus servo pro nostrum hockey fixes per quis nos saw is week. Quantus, quoque, eram is pro facilitys’ glacies baculus impetro in locus novus logo in ovis in vicis pro castra, quod pro totus skaters futurus outfitted in overhauled vultus of team? Volo EGO had a vicus pro sulum castra patronus EGO saw pedes ex Kettler pro shop gestum novus Caps’ colo colui cultum quod logo aut in suum caput capitis vel scrinium, quod sepius utriusque.

* In a valde verus voluntas rookie castra es secui pro an NHL teams’ explorator. Illic can exsisto haud magis directus via ut censeo cumulative opus of a teams’ North American quod European explorator quam ut congeries dozens of repens draft lectio onto a rink, vexo lemma a puck, quod have lemma vado procul is sulum nox noctis. EGO would oro ut secui nostrum explorator quod team procuratio threw is week procul Kettler ordo sursum illic per potissimus leagues’ 30 teams. Quod Mike Vogel congruo:

“ego iustus sedatus meus notitia ex Capitals’ 2003 castra aestiva procul Tabesco Orchard. Illic erant 22 ludio ludius in custodis ut estas, foedus ut 42 is season. Tantum 13 illorum 22 ludio ludius in 2003 erant Caput draftees, quod plurrimi notabilis famulor erant Steve Magnificentia, Boyd Gordon quod Eric Fehr. Is year’s castra featured 30 Caps draftees ex 42 ludio ludius in custodis, quod comprehendo quinque primoris- rotundus quod quattuor secundus- rotundus choices.”

Quod Id’ congruo per Vogs ut illic est hodie “arguably quantus quantus tener talentum ut has been in ratio aliquando in team’s history.”

* Saturdays’ eram primoris quod tantum scrimmage EGO didnt’ animadverto erus Ted Leonsis famulor. Is vigilo sulum secundus of sulum alius unus. Is gero repreating, proprie in a urbs of aliquantounpopular, concussio lusum team proprietas, ut nostrum erus est a hockey fanatic. OFB team quoque had an vicis condeco quod chat per Zachary Leonsis, cuius’ caput capitis ut Penn pro suus vegetus annus tunc annus. Zach partis nobis nonnullus prodigiosus repono super Alexander Ovechkins’ coegi hoops potestas quod imperator athletic virtus.

* Nostrum procer inculco urbs EGO sententia dedi sursum nonnullus magnificabiliter occulto of castra, tamen EGO eram admiratio ut a facility quod an vicis commodo ipsum singulariter ut television pes drew paululum obvius of venit quod correspondents. Al Koken quod Joe Nidor erant castra fixtures, tamen of locus lusum anchors, EGO eram procul opera ut macula a singulus unus per a singulus scrimmage. In proprius, EGO admiratio procul AWOL absentis of Tellus Regina of Locus Lusum.

* Memor Mr. Leonsis’ effor opto a firmus synergy captus habitum inter hockey communities in D.C. quod Ipsa, Pa.? EGO saw magis illius is week. Bruce Boudreau opus scamnum quod helped evaluate players every day. I met up with Bears’ man about all things communications John Walton, and Tim Leone of the Patriot News actually spent a portion of his summer vacation at Kettler. A hockey reporter getting away from his day job at the rink by coming to a rink, in July. Sounds like a pro to me.

* I asked Vogs to share with me five names of campers who really caught his eye this week. He went with Karl Alzner, Francois Bouchard, Michal Neuvirth, Sami Lepisto, and Nicklas Backstrom. Mine: Joe Finley, Nicklas Backstrom, Sami Lepisto, Mathieu Perreault, and Francois Bouchard. Tarik today also shows Francois Bouchard some love.

* I think from every rookie camp you want two separate but equally compelling storylines: breakout/head-turning/buzz-generating efforts from guys who a half season or so earlier were under everybody’s radar, and we got that this week from the likes of Francois Bouchard, Mathieu Perreault, Joe Finley, and Sami Lepisto. If not others. But you also are looking for performances that are so strong that they evoke forecasts for cracking the big club’s roster come September, and here too I think we saw that with Bouchard, Karl Alzner, and Lepisto.

The Caps this afternoon released a finalized roster for this week’s Rookie Camp out at Kettler Capitals. Here’s what it looks like:

From a source at Kettler Capitals: already on the ice with Coach Hanlon today are Nicklas Backstrom, Sami Lepisto, Viktor Dovgan, and Stephen Werner.

In the days immediately following the 2006 Entry Draft the Caps commonly earned exceptionally high evaluations for their work in Vancouver. The grade range generally ran from ‘A+’ to ‘A.’ The success of their 2007 draft, however, is inextricably linked to 2008’s, in light of George McPhee’s preference to defer selecting at times Friday night and Saturday in favor of acquiring picks for next June.

There were compelling reasons for the Caps to acquire additional picks for the 2008 draft. For one, it’s light-years better in terms of high-end quality and overall depth. But just as importantly, there’s a bit of a glut of strong prospects crowding the Caps’ organization these days. Since 2002, the Caps have drafted 12 players in the first round. Twelve. They’ve added eight second-rounders in that time, too. This morning, it’s difficult to point to a single one of these 20 high-enders and pronounce him “bust.”

That’s the good news. But beginning this very weekend Caps’ management has some difficult decisions to make in terms of committing next season to the likes of Jacub Klepis and Tomas Fleischmann. Qualifying offers come due then, and as they impact 2002 picks, it’s that portion of prom when the band strikes up the slow song. To dance or not to dance?

Or you could call it the 5-year itch.  

Some of these high-enders will make the Caps this fall. The rest need a place in the organization to play. (Only a couple, you’d think, could and would be packaged in a trade or two.)

The past couple of years, I’ve thought about how many European prospects the Caps have who’ve yet to make a commitment to playing in North America. (There are some good ones over there, too.) But even that’s changing; early in this offseason the Caps inked Josef Boumedienne and Sami Lepisto.

With training camps in 2005 and 2006 the Caps brought in a conspicuous number of tier II and III free agents to address the organization’s lack of quality depth. But this September, there will be a far more organic quality to the 60 or 70 skaters at Kettler Capitals, the likes of which Caps’ fans have never seen.

We may well see all 20 of those first- and second-rounders from the past five drafts then. We will likely see all of the collegiate free agents the Caps have inked the past couple of springs. We will see some fresh faces from Europe. And most exciting, from my vantage, will be the appearance of late-round draft gems like Andrew Gordon, Travis Morin, Viktor Dovgan, Mathieu Perreault, and Andrew Joudrey, all of whom possess viable pro hockey aspirations.

A preview of this our-guys-on-the-ice aura arrives in two weeks’ time at Kettler, with the Caps’ July Rookie Development Camp. Fans understandably are preoccupied with the end-game results from early October through April, but the foundation for a durable rebuild requires reliably successful drafting and development. The drafting work appears to be working well; the development aspect is more in question, as the Caps, beginning this fall, need to see some Hershey Bears graduate and make a positive impact on the parent roster — guys like Dave Steckel, Mike Green, Klepis and or Flash.

The Caps left Columbus with more high-value assets — three from the first two rounds. One, though (Alzner), may step into the big league soon, and another (Ted Ruth) can be stashed on a university campus, if need be, for four years. It was a savvy and sage handling of his organization’s development blueprint by George McPhee.   

Robert Picarello provides a taste of things to come in DC on NHL.com, profiling several players in the Capitals’ youth movement. The focus is on Nicklas Backstrom (of course), Sami Lepisto, Patrick McNeill, Andrew Gordon, and Michal Neuvirth. While the article overlooks other intriguing prospects like Francois Bouchard, it’s a good snapshot of the impressive pipeline of young talent the team has built over the past few years.

The article also includes a photo of goaltender Michael Neuvirth; yes, he still looks a bit like Bjork — though thankfully he’s in a Caps sweater rather than, for example, a swan dress.

This weekend affords area media a terrific opportunity to think outside the penalty box of puck silence and make a most managable commute up I-83 and report on the record-breaking Hershey Bears. Hershey, you may have heard, is rather family friendly. As in, take in Games 1 and 2 of the Calder Cup Finals tonight and tomorrow at the Giant Center and placate the kiddies with 70 or so roller coaster rides and such and double doses of world-famous chocolate by day. The pinnacles of Hershey Park’s highest coasters can be seen plainly from the front entrance of the hockey rink. 

Count this blogger as one seated for both games. It will be interesting to inventory the breadth of media outlets also present perhaps to chronicle history. The Bears have won seven consecutive playoff series dating back to last postseason, tying an American League record, and with one more triumph that can lay claim to a new one all their own. Anyway, I’ll take a peek at the press box seating chart, ring good ole’ Gus on the cell, and have him relay the tally to you OFB loyalists.  

Why would BigMedia here consider covering the Calder Cup Finals this weekend, or ever? (1) the hockey is world-class, with two teams chock full of first-round NHL talent; (2) the Giant Center playoff atmosphere, as anyone who was there last spring already knows, is mind-blowing in its blow-the-roof-off passion, and merits coverage in and of itself; (3) Hershey is attempting to make American League history; (4) there are no small number of Bears who are likely staples of future Caps’ clubs, beginning this fall; (5) it takes less time to drive up to central PA, park, and seat yourself (distinctly cheaply) than it does to leave Danny Snyder’s parking lot Sunday evenings and return home to Northern Virginia; (6) three words: women’s pro softball.

Last week I offered up a defense of the assets the Caps already possess as a rationale for an optimistic, reasonably near-term future. With yesterday’s inking of Sami Lepisto, General Manager George McPhee has added to his stable of maybe-studs.

European prospects are particularly difficult for we in North America to monitor and assess, and with that in mind, I thought it’d be helpful to share with you some of the scouting assessments of Sami we’ve subscribed to in recent years. Here’s McKeen’s take on him from his draft year of 2004:

August 2004 — “Played in a big role for Jokerit . . . was promoted from the third pairing up to the second, performing in an offensive role alongside Canucks’ prospect Markus Kankaanpera . . . skates well and uses his speed to join the rush when the right chance comes along . . . a dangerous puck mover on the powerplay, but did not show much of his famous point shot . . . does not shy away from contact despite modest size, dishing out a couple of sturdy open ice hits . . . was ejected from the second game after some pushing and squabbling . . . will see more of the puck this season.”

And from January 2004:

 ”. . . after earning well-deserved top defenseman honours at the Under-20 World Juniors this winter, Lepisto has become a highly-coveted player. What sets Lepisto apart from other smaller offensive rearguards is his willingness to play the physical game — [he] doesn’t intimidate, but stands up for himself and stays on his feet. Very agile with an explosive, accurate slapper from the point.”

The signing of a 22-year-old third-rounder is hardly the panacea for all that ills the current Caps’ blueline, but it’s more fruit from the harvest the organization has sewed in recent years in beefing up its scouting department, particularly overseas.