Spec from Ek on Ovechk...

We're surprised it took Eklund this long. Under the breathless headline, "Ovechkin Situation 'VERY TENSE' (emphasis his),"he writes...

"The Ovechkin deal that many felt was going to be signed in mid-January is looking very much in doubt according to several sources tonight."

And?...so what? Wait..let's let that one sit for a moment. Here is the money quote that makes Eklund hockey's version of comic relief...

"When getting rumours involving Russians go to the Russians..."

Really? You mean, like the Russians (the ones at Sports-Express) that leaked in late November that Ovechkin's signing of a $10.3 million-per-year deal was to be comsummated in the next few days?

Despite noting "several sources," Eklund notes only one, and not a published report at that; rather, an e-mail. But it was a "top" source...

...uh-huh. Eklund...and Russian sources. Where facts are accidents.

The credibility of the report aside, what makes January important? The Caps have six months to complete a deal. At the moment, to the extent they are "negotiating" with the player the Caps would be bidding against themselves. One hopes that the sides can come to an agreement soon, if only to end these silly (if entertaining, in their own perverse way) speculations, but it isn't as if Ovechkin is spending off days scoping real estate in Toronto or Detroit or Montreal.

The deal will happen when it happens.



Thanks to ThomasP518 on The Official for the heads-up.

Separation...

In football, coaches and players talk of "separation" -- the ability of a receiver to create space between himself and a defender. For our purposes, it is a function of the standings...to wit, the Southeast:

The Caps have 43 games remaining, 15 of them against divisional rivals. If they can get some separation from this tightly bunched pack in that last column, playoffs might not be a pipe-dream afterall.