A NO-point night -- Game 1: Lightning 6 - Capitals 3

The Washington Capitals will not go 48-0-0 this season.  No one harbored such fantasies, we are sure.  But we wager there were a fair number of folks who thought that the Caps would come roaring out of the gate, offensive talent unleashed, new systems spinning opponents into circles on the ice, and helmet taps abounding after beating opponents.

That might happen down the road, but the Caps' 6-3 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning last night served clear notice that there is work to be done before happy days are here again.

The Caps were behind the eight-ball all night, allowing the first, third, and fifth goals of the game – tying the contest after each – before finally wilting under a barrage of three third-period goals by the home team. 

We noted before the contest that Steven Stamkos would get his goals this season, perhaps even a goal last night (he didn’t), but the Caps couldn’t let the Nate Thompson’s or the Benoit Pouliot’s beat them (they didn’t get any goals, either).  The point was that the Caps could not let themselves be beat by the character actors on the Lightning.  That is just what happened, though, 6:24 into the game when Eric Brewer matched his goal total of each of the past two seasons (one), scoring on Tampa Bay’s first shot of the season by taking a simple feed from Matt Carle and wristing the puck past goalie Braden Holtby’s glove.

Two minutes later Joel Ward put his name in the book as the Caps’ first goal scorer of the 2013 season, the product of bulling his way to the net to stuff in a loose puck off a scramble in front.  Tom Poti notched the secondary assist on the play, his first regular season point since the Caps beat the New Jersey Devils, 5-1, on December 21, 2010.  How long ago was that?  It was the night Andrew Gordon (remember him?) scored his first NHL goal.

The teams exchanged goals twice more over the first 40 minutes – the more familiar names of Vincent Lecavalier and Martin St. Louis for the Lightning, Joel Ward again – his first two-goal game in the regular season since March 18, 2009 (how long ago was that?...Chris Pronger was playing for Nashville’s opponent that night, the Anaheim Ducks) – and Wojtek Wolski responding. 

A 3-3 tie after 40 minutes was not the worst thing for the Caps, given it was opening night in a rival’s rink, and they were trying to work the kinks out of their new approach to hockey.  But then they were beaten again by the supporting cast.  Not at first; Martin St. Louis got his second of the game on a power play.  But for their insurance, the Lightning got goals from Cory Conacher (who looked so small out there his number “89” on the back of his jersey seemed to wrap around his ribs to the front of his jersey) and Eric Brewer – again, his first two-goal game since March 7, 2004.  How long ago was that?  Adam Oates was skating alongside him with the Edmonton Oilers.

Other stuff…

-  Braden Holtby allowed six goals on 34 shots in 59:48 of ice time (a .824 save percentage).  The six goals allowed were as many as he allowed on a total 108 shots of in the last 203:49 he played against the New York Rangers in the Eastern Conference semifinals last spring (a .944 save percentage).

- The six goals allowed by the Caps was the first time they allowed more than five goals in game since dropping a 6-3 decision to the New York Rangers on November 25, 2011, in what would be head coach Bruce Boudreau’s penultimate game.

-  The top line to start the game was Nicklas Backstrom centering Alex Ovechkin and Marcus Johansson.  They finished the game with eight of the team’s 30 shots on goal and 14 of the team’s 50 shot attempts.  They also finished with no points among them.

-  Joel Ward gets the team’s first star for his two-goal performance, but on a night when the defense and goaltending was suspect, John Carlson gets a stick tap for logging more than 25 minutes, finishing plus-2 with four blocked shots, a hit, and a takeaway.

-  The Caps took eight minor penalties for the evening, a different player logging each one.  Almost half the skaters being sent to the box?  Not quite the team building stat one might have been looking for.

-  Troy Brouwer took ten faceoffs on the evening, winning six.  He took a total of 83 draws in 82 games last season.  He won all four draws he took in the offensive zone.  Maybe there is a “why” in that… his center – Mike Ribeiro – was 0-for-4 on offensive zone draws.  In other faceoff news, maybe Matt Hendricks has a “paralyzer” move in the dot – he was six for six.

-  Mike Green skated 26:57 in ice time last night.  That was the most he skated in a 60-minute regular season game since skating 28:09 in a 1-0 loss to the Atlanta Thrashers on January 26, 2011.

-  Jack Hillen skated only 3:29 in ice time last night, the low minutes a product of his being shoved rudely into the end boards by Vincent Lecavalier.  He skated off under his own power, but favoring his left shouder.  It is described as an “upper body injury.”

-  Mathieu Perreault skated only 3:52 in ice time last night, only one shift in the last 27 minutes (hey, only four shifts in the first 33 minutes).  And on that last shift, he took a penalty.  On a team that dressed only 11 forwards for the game, that is a significant development, and probably not a good one.

In the end, it was not pretty, but if one was expecting “pretty” in Game 1, it might be time to dial down the expectations.  The Caps should be better this time next week than they are now, and better this time next month than they are next week.  That is why it is called a learning curve.  There were things to take away from this game, not the least among them is that this team is clearly more dynamic in all three zones than they were under Dale Hunter last season.  Breakdowns that created seams in the defense that the Lightning could exploit are what doomed the Caps in this game, especially on the penalty kill that went only 4-for-7.

The errors and shortcomings were obvious and seem correctable with time.  The problem is that there really is not a lot of time to glide up that learning curve.  It is going to have to be steeper.  And that means improvement Tuesday when the Caps hold their home opener against Winnipeg.

The Peerless Prognosticator is ON THE AIR!!! -- Game 1: Washington at Tampa Bay, January 19th

The Peerless Prognosticator is ON THE AIR!!!

January 19, 2013… Opening Night for the National Hockey League.  Never would have believed it if I didn’t see it with my own eyes.

"Don’t ferget my eyes?"

"Nor mine."

Well, the cousins – Cheerless and Fearless, respectively – have joined us for this Opening Night edition of TPP.  Are you guys excited?

"As excited as a bird seeing the first worm of the morning."

And you, Fearless?

"Although I do not share our cousin’s affection for Lumbricus terrestris, but I am thrilled that the boys are back on the rink."

Well, let’s get right to it.  Tonight’s opponent – the Tampa Bay Lightning – had the worst scoring defense in the league last year by miles, giving up 3.39 goals per game, almost a quarter-goal per game more than the 29th place Toronto Maple Leafs (3.16).

“They put the ‘suh’ in ‘suck,’ eh Cuz?”

Uh, yeah… As we were saying, Tampa allowed goals at a clip unmatched by any other NHL team last season.  This did not escape the notice of Bolts general manager Steve Yzerman.  Tampa Bay signed free agent defensemen Matt Carle, Sami Salo, and Matt Taormina (on injured reserve), and Skippy the Wonder Defenseman.  Anders Lindback was pried away from under the shadow of Pekka Rinne in Nashville to presumably assume the number one job in Tampa, although head coach Guy Boucher (being Guy Boucher) has not settled on a goalie for the opener.  

One supposes it’s all psychological.  

The Lightning might have redecorated the blue line and the crease, but the same heavy duty appliances are in the kitchen.  Steven Stamkos, Martin St. Louis, and Vincent Lecavalier accounted for 107 of the Lightning’s 232 goals last season.  The flip side of that coin is that 26 other skaters accounted for 125 goals, hardly an offensive juggernaut (the Lightning finished ninth in scoring offense).  Here is how the two teams finished up last year, numbers-wise:

1.  Tampa Bay had five defensemen with more than ten points last season; they had only one with more than five goals.  The three defensemen the Lighting added – Carle, Salo, and Taormina recorded 14 goals combined last season.

2.  Anders Lindback might not be starting against the best team (assuming he gets the start).  In two career appearances against the Caps he is 0-1-1, 3.46, .877.

3.  Steven Stamkos sure does like Southern cooking.  In 24 Southeast Division games last season Stamkos was 20-14-34, plus-8; he was 5-3-8, plus-2 in six games against the Caps.

4.  The Lightning had the best record in the NHL last season in one-goal games (25-3-8).  They were last in the league in two-goal games (4-14) and 28^th in games decided by three or more goals (9-19).

5.  Tampa Bay led the league in overtime goals scored last season (10).  Half of them were scored by Stamkos.

1.  Braden Holtby gets the start in goal for the Caps.  He comes into the game having played well for Hershey in the AHL.  He is fifth in the AHL goals against average, third in save percentage, third in shutouts.

2.  The Caps would like to tighten up their second period defense this season.  Only three teams allowed more second period goals than the Caps last season (Chicago, Toronto, and Tampa Bay).

3.  Washington had a better winning percentage last season when being out-shot (.510) than they had when outshooting their opponent (.500).  Relax, it was not uncommon; in fact, 19 teams finished that way.

4.  Of returning defensemen, John Carlson had almost as many goals scored last season (nine) as the rest of the defensemen combined (ten).

5.  One reason the Caps might be entertaining the idea of Alex Ovechkin killing penalties… only two teams had fewer shorthanded goals than the Caps’ three such tallies last season (Detroit, Tampa Bay).

The Peerless’ Players to Ponder

Tampa Bay: Vincent Lecavalier

Since the 2006-2007 it has been one long, slow statistical decline for the 13-year veteran.  Goals have gone: 40-29-24-25-22.  Points: 108-92-67-70-54-49.  Last season, his 49 points was his lowest total for a full season since 2001-2002 (37), and he had to close with a rush to get that many (26 in his last 30 games after Christmas). He is the second-best number one overall pick on his own team.  If Tampa Bay is to seriously contend for a playoff spot they have to get more production out of the one-time Richard Trophy winner.  Against the Caps he is a career 32-33-65, minus-5 in 73 games (1-1-2, minus-1 in five games last season).

Washington: Mike Ribeiro

For the Caps it is all about the start.  There just is not any time for a lengthy shakedown cruise under new head coach Adam Oates.  And there is no time for a long break-in period for the Caps’ new center to complement Nicklas Backstrom.  Last season with Dallas he was 1-6-7 in 13 games in October.  He was 4-12-16 in 16 games in January.  The Caps could use a “January” January out of Ribeiro, not an “October” one.  This might not be the best team for Ribeiro to start against; in 17 career games against the Lightning he is 3-6-9, minus-9 (none played against Tampa Bay last season).

Keys:

1.  Don’t be pecked to death by ducks.  Steven Stamkos will get his goals this season.  He might even light the lamp in this game.  What the Caps cannot allow themselves is to be beaten by the Nate Thompson’s or the Benoit Pouliot’s of the world.  That is where the Caps would be asking for trouble in this game.

2.  Pressure.  Anders Lindback had 13 decisions with Nashiville last season. In six of them he faced fewer than 25 shots on goal.  Overall he faced only 27.6 shots per 60 minutes; if he was his own team he would have finished with the sixth lowest shots on goal against in the league.  Let’s see how he does behind an iffy defense and more shots faced.

3.  1+3+1 = 1 (or more).   The Caps had a disappointing power play last season, finishing with a road record of 14.8 percent (20^TH).  Only six teams had fewer road power play goals than the 18 scored by the Caps.  New coach, new approach.  The Caps will need more success on the man advantage this season to cement a playoff spot.

In the end, it has been a long time in coming, but the anticipation ends now.  There is no time to bask in the “Opening Night” hoopla.  It is time to get down to business.  The Caps ran off seven straight wins to start the 2011-2012 campaign, including a 6-5 Gimmick win against the Lightning in Game 2 of the season.  On that night the Caps came from behind four times before winning in the trick shot phase.  One hopes it does not come down to that this evening, but two points ugly is no different than two points elegantly.

Capitals 4 – Lightning 3

Power Play...In Washington Style!

One of the benefits in having Adam Oates behind the Capitals' bench this season as head coach is his encyclopedic knowledge of the game and the possibilities he brings to resuscitating the Capitals' power play.  Mike Vogel and Japers' Rink have provided Caps fans with superb treatments on what lies in store with respect to that power play.

Essentially, the Caps are basing their man-advantage strategy on a "1-3-1" approach.  That's all well and good, but "1-3-1" sounds more like an area code (although there is no such code in the US).  We need something that has meaning to Washington Capital fans.

We bring you... "The National Mall" Power Play.

OK, Greenie, you set up at the U.S. Capitol where you have a clear line of sight to the slot and the crease.  Nicky, you set up at the White House.  We're counting on you to make a lot of "executive" decisions from over there, so keep your eyes open.  TB...you man the Washington Monument.  A lot of traffic comes through there, and I don't want you just sightseeing in there.  Stand tall.  Marjo... you get the Lincoln Memorial.  You've got to be sturdy as one of those columns for all the foot traffic you're going to get in there.  Ovie, you've got the Jefferson Memorial.  Declare your independence over there; don't be shy about firing the puck.

What's not to like?

Edit... Will a Green-to-Ovechkin one-timer be called "The Maryland Avenue?"  Or Green-to-Backstrom the "Penn Ave Wrister?"  The possibilities!

Questions, Questions... Then and Now: The Defense and Goaltenders

We have updated our look at questions concerning the 2013 Washington Capital forwards; now it is time to take a look at the folks who are trying to keep the puck out of the net – the defensemen and goalies.

Karl Alzner… Will Karl Alzner be among the biggest “values” among defensemen this season?

What we said back then… If you look at comparables at the capgeek.com Web site, you will find a lot of names that the casual fan – and, we dare say, a fair number of regular fans – would not recognize. Chris Butler, Kevin Klein, Theo Peckkham, Raphael Diaz, Brian Lee among them. Alzner represents a scant 2.0 percent of the current salary cap. Of the 21 Capitals skaters currently under contract, only eight have lower cap hits, and he is sixth of eight defensemen in cap hit (Dmitry Orlov and Jack Hillen are lower). Given Alzner’s growing ability as a shutdown defenseman, he might be the biggest value at the position in the league today.

And now?... When teams change coaches there is the uncertainty that comes with new ideas, new approaches, new voices.  When that change is accompanied by a sea change in style, one wonders what effect that will have on younger players, especially when the change involves moving from a style that seems compatible with one’s game to one that is going to push the boundaries.  This might be the case for Alzner, more of a defensive defenseman than a “puck mover.”  There is something of an anomaly in Alzner’s career numbers, though.  On a per-82 game basis they show little difference between those posted under Bruce Boudreau (2-13-15) and those posted under Dale Hunter (0-14-14; and yes, 60 games might qualify as a small population of events).  Adam Oates and staff are giving defensemen more latitude to join in the play, something that Alzner says will take a bit of time to become second nature.   In Alzner’s case that might not matter, and that could be a good thing.  Reliability and consistency are among his strengths.  It will be maintaining them that is the issue meriting attention concerning Alzner this season.

John Carlson… Which John Carlson will Caps fans see in 2012-2013, the regular season disappointment of last season or the post-season cornerstone?

What we said back then… John Carlson will not be 23 years old until January. It is a bit much, perhaps, to expect him to show the maturity of a player who is coming up on 33 years old. As such, there are bound to be potholes and detours on the road of his professional development. The best that one could say is that the regular season was something of a wake-up call, that nothing can be taken for granted. That Carlson stepped his game up in the post-season suggests a lesson learned. He has the tools to continue that march upward on his professional arc, and his head might be in the right place now to continue that progress.

And now?... If there is a defenseman who might show big improvement in his numbers under Oates, it could be Carlson.  This is a player who scored 76 points in 59 games in Canadian junior.  He also was on ice for only seven even-strength goals scored against the Caps in 14 games of post-season action last spring.  He can play at both ends.  But the odd part about his numbers is that while he recorded those 76 points playing for Dale Hunter at London in 2008-2009, he was 5-15-20, minus-20 in 60 games under Hunter last season.  In a system that provides a longer leash to defensemen Carlson could see his offensive game jump a notch or two.  Much will depend on the power play time he gets, but 20-25 points in the abbreviated season would not be out of the question for Carlson in such a system…  without the minus-20.

John Erskine… Is there room for John Erskine in the starting lineup?

What we said back then… The Capitals appear set on their top two defensive pairs – Karl Alzner and John Carlson being one and Mike Green and Roman Hamrlik being the other. The third pair will be one of those tough decisions for new head coach Adam Oates to deal with. While Dmitry Orlov would seem to have the inside track on one of the spots, his inexperience has to be weighed in the matter. His presence on that pairing is no sure thing. Erskine is in the mix with Jeff Schultz and Jack Hillen for a spot on that pairing. The difficulty for Erskine is that he does not stand out at either end of the ice, hence the fight for a third pair spot. Among 237 defensemen playing in at least 20 games last season Erskine was 167th in Corsi value at 5-on-5, 219th in Corsi relative to quality of competition., this despite being 46th in offensive zone starts. Oddly enough, however, his goals against-on ice per 60 minutes of 1.69 was much better than his corresponding value off ice (2.79). But again, his quality of competition faced was inferior to that faced by most other defensemen. According to behindthenet.ca it was 228th of 237 defensemen in this group. Perhaps having to comeback from significant injury played into this, but still, he is likely to face quite a battle for that third pair spot.

And now?... Dmirty Orlov appears likely to start the season on the shelf with an injury, which gives Erskine an opportunity.  And a challenge.  It would be tempting to say that Erskine’s skills and Adam Oates’ philosophy are incompatible.  Tempting, but premature.  Consider that Erskine was a “plus” player in each of his seasons playing for the offensive-minded Bruce Boudreau, including the 20 games (eight of which Erskine played in) coached by Boudreau last season.  If there is anything that might slow Erskine down, so to speak, it is his own injury history.  Since joining the Caps in 2006-2007 he has sustained foot, thumb, “lower body,” “upper body,” concussion, leg, hand, shoulder, and “lower body” injuries.  Only once has he played in more than 55 games in any of those six seasons.  It appears that there is room in the lineup for Erskine, given what could be Orlov’s absence, but whether Erskine takes advantage of it with good health will be a bigger issue for him than any perceived incompatibility with the new philosophy on the ice.

Mike Green… Can Mike Green stay healthy?

What we said back then… Since dressing for all 82 games in the 2007-2008 season, Mike Green has been absent for almost one-third of the regular season games played by the Caps (104 of 328). What is worse, his availability is a matter of diminishing performance – 75 games in 2009-2010, 49 games in 2010-2011, and only 32 games last season. It is entirely possible that the concussions suffered in the 2010-2011 season are far enough in the past to be of lesser concern. It is not unreasonable to think that the surgery he had to repair an injured groin last season will leave him stronger going forward. Productivity, at least at the offensive end of the ice, has not been a problem for Green, even in the midst of his injuries. His 11-20-31 line over 81 games in the last two seasons wouldn’t keep him among the game’s elite scoring defensemen, but it would have left him among the top 40 defensemen in points last season, and the 11 goals would have left him in the top 15. Not bad for a guy who has had to battle injury and changes to a more defensive style employed by the Caps. But it is that pesky injury bug that Green has to shake.

And now?... The groin problems appear to be in his rear-view mirror, and it appears that he can see that clearly.  Not a moment too soon, either, because if the defense is going to be expected to play a bigger role in scoring, Green will have to be a big part of that.  He is now three seasons removed from being the best offensive defenseman in the league.  He does not have to return to that level, necessarily, but he has to be a dependable threat from the blue line.  Over the last two season he compiled a total of 31 points in 81 games.  That 31 points (a 53-point pace over 82 games) might be a good benchmark to use for him in the 48-game season the Caps are about to play.

Roman Hamrlik… Does Roman Hamrlik get second-pair minutes with the Caps?

What we said back then… Karl Alzner and John Carlson are likely to get the most minutes as a pair for this club. Last year, each of them averaged about 18 minutes of even-strength ice time per game. Mike Green would appear likely to get almost as many minutes (he averaged 17 even strength minutes a night in his 32 games). Who gets the minutes on the other side of that second pairing is something of an open question. Dennis Wideman took his 18:41 of even strength ice time that he averaged last season to Calgary, and Dmitry Orlov might not be ready to assume than much of a load. It would be hard to think that anyone but Hamrlik would be paired with Green on the second pair to start the season (hey, humor us about that). Whether Hamrlik will have enough to be on that pair in the spring is another matter.

And now?... OK, so maybe Hamrlik doesn’t have a career in politics.    That is hardly a concern of the Caps or their fans.  What is a concern is that he will be 39 years old in April, and he has almost 1,500 regular season and playoff games under his belt in the NHL (1,490, actually).  But here’s the thing.  In his last 60 games last season starting with the change in coaches, including all 14 games in the post season, Hamrlik was 2-14-16, plus-29.  It seems a certainty that he will get second-line minutes with this team, this season.  And he has given no clear sign that age is yet a factor in his play.  Last season, any attention that came his way generally did so because he was not playing well.  If little is said about him this season (other than the odd pot-stirring quote), chances are that steady play he exhibited over the last two-thirds of last season is carrying over to this season.

Jack Hillen… Can Hillen leap-frog into a top-six spot?

What we said back then… Hillen was a top-six defenseman on Islander teams that had modest aspirations and a lack of depth. In Nashville, his 55 games might have been more a product of circumstance. Certainly that seems to be the case given that the Predators chose to stick with younger options in the lower pairings than re-sign Hillen. The Caps have a more veteran group fighting for third pair spots (Jeff Schultz and John Erskine have 797 regular season games of experience between them to 230 for Hillen), which will make the contest difficult from Hillen’s perspective. If he has an advantage it might be that he could be a more mobile defenseman than either Schultz or Erskine and a better fit for Oates’ approach. But since both Oates and Hillen are unseen commodities in these parts so far, it makes for a fuzzy picture trying to look ahead.

And now?... Hillen remains something of an unknown quantity.  New guy on a new team with a new coach.  He is part of the logjam among the eight (or nine, depending on how you stand on the matter of Tom Poti) roster defensemen battling for time as a third-pair defenseman.  He does not have the size or wingspan of a Jeff Schultz or a John Erskine (or a Poti) and does not have the low center of gravity sturdiness of a Dmity Orlov.  What he does have is a couple of 20-plus point seasons among the parts of five seasons on his resume.  It is hard to see him getting a lot of time absent injury, but then again teams do often have the need for dressing ten or more defensemen over the course of a normal season (the Caps dressed 10 defensemen last season).

Dmitry Orlov… Does Orlov’s absence in the 2012 post-season portend a sophomore slump in 2012-2013?

What we said back then… Base on the company he keeps in terms of his first-year production, the temptation is to say “no.”  But of course, this is really a question that has only a speculative answer in advance.  His being withheld from the post-season did not appear to be a clear product of any late-season slump.  He was 1-8-9, plus-3 in his last 20 games while averaging almost 17 minutes a game.  It is certainly harder to shelter a player when the level of competition ramps up, as in the playoffs.  It will be difficult to do so this season if Orlov gets some of the minutes that Dennis Wideman took to Calgary.  But that is going to be part of the pain to be endured as Orlov develops the defensive side of his game.  His offensive game is further developed at this stage than his game in his own end, and one might expect in that regard that he will not suffer such a sophomore slump.

And now?... Orlov appears unlikely to be ready to answer the bell to start the season.  He has one of those “upper-body” injuries and has only 18 games played at Hershey this season.  That is especially unfortunate; his 19 points in 60 games as a rookie (fourth among all rookies) made him one of the more intriguing story lines for a team that looked to be moving to a more offense-oriented, up-tempo style.  Missing any length of time to start this season will put him at a bigger disadvantage than what might be the case in an 82-game season – the need for the club to iron out its kinks early, integrating a new style of play, the need for the player to get back into game shape quickly upon return.  It makes for what could be a difficult season for Orlov.

Jeff Schultz… Is Jeff Schultz suited to the sort of game Adam Oates wants to play?

What we said back then… Again, no one has seen Adam Oates coach a game in anger yet, so his philosophy is a big unknown to Caps fans.  We hear he will not be as buttoned down as Dale Hunter, but not as Animal House as Bruce Boudreau.  Even if he achieves a happy median, it might not look too good for Jeff Schultz.  After all, Schultz dressed for only 33 of 60 games under Hunter, and he did not distinguish himself in ten playoff games (no points, minus-7) in place of Dmitry Orlov, who was effectively benched for the post-season.

For Schultz, will a game that could be more up-tempo than what Dale Hunter implemented be compatible with his skills?  Well, Schultz was that plus-50 under Bruce Boudreau, so it is not as if he is a slug out there.  The answer to the question might be more in whether Schultz can shake off any rust that playing in only 126 of the last 164 regular season games might leave him with or if he can find happiness – or at least stability – with this, his third coach in the space of 11 months.

And now?... From plus-50 to fighting for a sweater (and usually not getting one) in three seasons if quite a fall.  Schultz is one of those guys who might benefit from having a fresh set of eyes looking upon him (although this would be the second fresh set in a year).  But has Schultz become a defenseman who needs his minutes managed?  There is a curious number from last year – “11.”  He was on ice for 11 power play goals against in 54 games.  On a per-82 game basis that ranked third on the team behind John Carlson and Karl Alzner, who generally drew much more difficult assignments.  He had the worst goals against/on-ice per 60 minutes at 4-on-5 of any Caps defenseman.  What is more, he was a defenseman who while killing penalties got favorable zone occupation (tops among Caps defensemen in offensive zone starts and finishes).  On a team that does not have an abundance of “defensive” defensemen, one would hope Schultz could fill that role as a second-unit defenseman while shorthanded.  We will see if he gets that chance to put up better numbers.

Tom Poti… Huh?

What we said back then… Nothing.  After playing in only 21 games in the 2010-2011 season and missing all of the 2011-2012 season, he looked all but done. 

And now?... He gets a chance.  He is on a conditioning assignment with Hershey, having played in two games (0-1-1, minus-1).  But the road ahead of him is steep.  There is not a lot of time to get back into game shape at game speed at the NHL level.  A healthy, game-ready Poti would be a valuable addition to this team, given the way it appears the Caps want to play.  But he has been lapped by time and injury, and it is going to take a lot for him to catch up to the leaders – the eight roster defensemen – to make a contribution to the Caps this season.

Braden Holtby… Can Braden Holtby sustain his performance level to date over a full NHL season?

What we said back then… The simple answer to this question is “no.” Holtby’s top-end numbers so far in his young career are a 2.02 goals against average and a .929 save percentage. Let’s say Holtby was to log 2,500 minutes this season (27 goalies logged at least as many last season). That would get him to a little over 3,500 minutes over his first three seasons. No goaltender since 1990-1991 has achieved those goals against and save percentage numbers in at least 3,500 combined minutes over their first three seasons. Only two goalies have lower than a 2.02 goals against average in at least 3,500 minutes over their first three seasons: Roman Cechmanek and Marty Turco. Only ten such goalies have a GAA lower than 2.30. Only three goalies in that period under those criteria have a save percentage of over .920: Niklas Backstrom, Roman Cechmanek, and Marty Turco. Only 18 have a save percentage over .910 (teammate Michal Neuvirth is one of them at .913).

And now?... Holtby has gone from playoff hero to the weakest link to the likely starter for Saturday night’s season opener, at least in the eyes of his teammates.  Despite the roller coaster ride since last spring’s coming out party for Holtby, he remains a goalie who has yet to appear in more than 14 games in a regular season (ok, this is his third season).  It is still an open question if he can sustain a high level of performance when getting 70-75 percent or so of the appearances.  Given the nature of the schedule it would not seem likely he will get 30-35 appearances, but 25-30 is possible, a number that would be more than his career regular season total to date.  The advantage here is that Holtby had a baptism by fire as the number one in last spring’s playoffs.  If one looks at a 48-game season as merely a long first round of the playoffs, Holtby should be ready.

Michal Neuvirth… Can Neuvirth grab the number one job by the throat and hold it?

What we said back then… Michal Neuvirth had a chance to take the number one goaltending job for the Caps into the 2010-2011 regular season and took it, only to drop the ball in the playoffs after a fine opening round. It cost him a realistic chance at having a shot at the number one spot in 2011-2012 when the Caps signed Tomas Vokoun. But now, the lane is clear in front of him heading into training camp (whenever that might be). He has Braden Holtby on his outside running neck and neck, and if Holtby’s performance regresses (how could it not from where it was over his first 35 games of NHL experience), the job could be Neuvirth’s for the taking. He will be facing arguably his weakest competition in the last three years of the Capitals’ goalie sweepstakes – Braden Holtby is neither the first round pick Semyon Varlamov was, nor does he come close to the body of work Tomas Vokoun had – but Neuvirth will be coming off an injury while his competition compiled an impressive post-season performance last spring. There is no easy answer to this question.

And now?... It all seemed so simple.  Semyon Varlamov was traded to Colorado, Tomas Vokoun would get his year in goal to provide the transition, and Michal Neuvirth would take the reins as the number one goaltender.  Then Marco Sturm fell on his knee, Braden Holtby took over and become something of a media darling during the playoffs (not to mention being very good), and Neuvirth has become “the other guy” as this season starts.  There is also the matter of his being a restricted free agent after this season ($1.150 million cap hit this year on a full-season basis) and Phillip Grubauer making considerable progress in the Caps’ minor league system (2-1-0, 1.79, .938 in four appearances so far for Hershey after leading the ECHL in wins and ranking sixth in goals against average with Reading).  Being “the other guy” might be the least of Neuvirth’s problems.  He could be the odd man out after this season.

Questions, Questions...Then and Now: The Forwards

As the 2013 NHL season starts this weekend, there are questions.  So many questions.  And everyone seems to be doing a blog or a column or a tweet with questions.  We addressed a number of questions about the Caps during our previews last September.  Even though the season is late getting started, these questions still seem to have some relevance.  So, let’s start this look at “the big questions” with the forwards…

Nicklas Backstrom… Will Nicklas Backstrom be centering Alex Ovechkin on the top line, or will he be centering…something on the second line as Mike Ribeiro centers Ovechkin?

What we wrote back then… Just when the Caps solve one problem, another one pops up.  Since dinosaurs roamed the earth, it seems, the Caps have been searching for a second-line center.  That problem looked to be solved when the Caps signed Mike Ribeiro away from Dallas as a free agent (edit: if by "free agent" you mean "return for Cody Eakin and a second round draft pick in a trade"...thank you, dear reader).  But with neither Mike Knuble nor Alexander Semin being re-signed, the Caps do not have any proven finishers on the wings on the second line (yes, Knuble struggled mightily last season, but he had been a reliable 20-goal scorer before that).  The Caps could rotate a number of players through those spots, including (but not limited to): Brooks Laich, Jason Chimera, Marcus Johansson, Wojtek Wolski, or even Mathieu Perreault.  Will Backstrom’s greater familiarity with this group suggest matching him to some combination of this group on a second line?

And now?... Well, is he healthy?  When Backstrom entered the NHL in October 2008 he started what would be a 313-game streak of games played before going missing Game 68 of the 2010-2011 season with a thumb injury.  Since then he has appeared in 52 of 97 regular season games (he missed 40 games last season to a concussion).  He enters this season having sustained a neck injury while playing for Dynamo Moscow in the Kontinental Hockey League.  Although he has been pronounced fit by a specialist in Michigan, there lingers the question of whether Backstrom can return to being the iron man he was upon entering the league.  An absence for any length of time from the Caps lineup would likely doom the Caps to also-ran status and an early end of the season.

Jay Beagle… Can Adam Oates work wonders – even small ones – with Beagle’s offense?

What we wrote back then… Jay Beagle has demonstrated an ability to play a solid, earnest game in his own end.  It did not go unnoticed when the playoffs started last season.  But at the other end, one wonders if someone can find the key to Beagle’s offense.  He had 47 goals in 211 regular season games over four seasons at Hershey.  Maybe there is something there that some tweaks will uncover.  Consider this.  New Jersey Devil David Clarkson compiled a total of 52 goals in 298 games in the NHL before last season.  As an assistant coach with the Devils last season Adam Oates showed Clarkson some video and suggested he shorten his stick.  Clarkson finished the season with 30 goals, obliterating his previous season high of 17.  This is not to say Oates can make Jay Beagle a 30-goal scorer, or even a 20-goal producer.  But if Oates can get Beagle to, say, double his production (note: even prorated for the shortened season), those extra four goals could come in handy and at least make the fourth line a more credible threat.

And now?... Beagle still could be among the more intriguing story lines for the Caps this seaaon, but it still remains to be seen whether he can be a regular fixture in the Caps’ lineup.  He played in 41 games last season, the most in his four-year NHL career.  It might have been more but for missing 31 games as the result of a concussion from being on the wrong side of a decision in a fight with Pittsburgh’s Arron Asham.  He did chip in four goals in those 41 games, though, a level of production that is a bit more than one might expect from a fourth-liner.  What is more, all of those goals came in his last 17 games of the regular season.  But what might be more important here is his ability to help prevent goals.  He was on ice for only 13 total goals against last season in 41 games, the lowest goals scored against per game of any returning Caps forward.  That could be his role this season.

Troy Brouwer… At this stage of his career, does Troy Brouwer become a Knublian Force?

What we wrote back then… Up until now, Troy Brouwer has been a perfectly fine complementary player, averaging 17.2 goals per 82 games over a career than has spanned parts of six seasons. Last year’s 18-goal total was right in line with that level of performance.  But Brouwer might get a long look as the full-time top-line right winger on this Caps team.  It was a spot at which he logged significant minutes last season, but one had the impression the Caps could have or wanted to do better.

At the moment, though, Brouwer might have the inside track to play on the right side on a line with Alex Ovechkin and whichever center – Nicklas Backstrom or Mike Ribeiro – is penciled into the middle of it.  And that presents Brouwer with an opportunity to let him find his inner “Knuble” – to be a guy who does the dirty work of clogging the crease and collecting garbage goals.  It was good enough for the departed Mike Knuble to record 53 goals in 148 games in his first two seasons with the Caps.

Here is how that opportunity might be realized.  In his last three seasons covering a span of 239 games Brouwer has not had less than a 13.5 percent shooting percentage and has averaged 15.4 percent efficiency over those three seasons on a total of 371 shots.  In 82 games last season Brouwer recorded more than two shots in a game only 20 times.  He was also sixth among Caps forwards in even-strength and power play ice time.  If he gets a bit more ice time and more shooting opportunities in those situations as a product of a more permanent role as the top-line right wing, the shooting efficiency he has demonstrated over the past three years could pay dividends.

And now?... Today’s Troy number… 27.  That is the number of even strength points he had last season.  He was sixth on the club in even strength ice time, so it is not as if he was especially lacking in ice time (about half a shift less, per game, that Marcus Johansson who was fourth in ES ice time).  Brouwer’s offensive statistics have dropped over the past three years… goals (22 to 18), assists (18 to 15), points (40 to 33), and plus-minus (plus-9 to minus-15).  This despite his total ice time going up by almost a minute a game.  If there is an even strength silver lining, he did set a personal best in even strength goals last season (15).  Brouwer does not have to be a 50-point player (or 30 in this abbreviated season), but if he is playing on one of the top two lines, as seems likely, getting back to 40 points (his career high in 2009-2010) -- maybe 25 in this season -- would go a long way toward Capitals success this season.

Jason Chimera… “New Normal” or do I hear a clock striking midnight?

What we said back then… In setting a career high in goals last season Jason Chimera did so without the benefit of shooting efficiency that was far outside his career norm.  Coming into the 2011-2012 season his career shooting percentage was 9.03.  He finished the season at 9.76 percent on 205 shots.  The shot total was also a career high and was more than 50 shots higher than what had been his average per 82 games over his career coming into the season (153).

Here is the odd number in those shot statistics.  Chimera’s 10.4 shots per 60 minutes of total ice time was not far off Alex Ovechkin’s 11.8.  By way of further comparison, Alexander Semin was next at 8.5 shots per 60 minutes of total ice time.  If you are thinking 20 goals might be the “new normal” for Jason Chimera, then 200 shots is going to have to be the new normal for him.  If normal, it certainly would be new since he has not averaged more than 9.1 shots per 60 minutes of ice time in any season before last year.  Exclusive of last season he has averaged 8.1 shots per 60 minutes of ice time over his career.  If he reverts to 8.1 shots per 60 minutes and shoots at 9.03 percent (his career average before last season) over the same 1,184 minutes he had last season he will be back to 14 goals.  It is a long way around the barn to say that the answer to the question is all about shots on goal.

And now?... We’re pretty much where we were when we looked at Chimera in September. Last season Jason Chimera doubled his goal output over his 2010-2011 season, potting a career high 20 goals.  A lot of things went right for him to get to 20.  Even in a system that seems likely to be more dynamic offensively than what the Caps employed last season, having those things go right two years running would not seem the way to bet.

Joey Crabb… Can Crabb firm up that soft underbelly that has been the Caps’ third and fourth lines too often over the past few years?

What we said back then… Last season, if you look at the bottom half of the forward draw for the Caps, the quintet of Joel Ward, Mike Knuble, Jeff Halpern, Matt Hendricks, and Jay Beagle recorded a total of 24 goals in 333 man-games, a six-goal pace per 82 games.  Crabb had 11 goals in 67 games last season in Toronto getting 13:26 a game (that was more average ice time than any of the Caps we mentioned except Knuble).  But scoring more does not really help much if you are on the ice for a lot of goals against.  Of Toronto forwards playing in at least 40 games last season, only Matt Frattin and Mike Brown were on ice for fewer even strength goals against; he was also third best among that group in terms of goals against/60 minutes at 5-on-5 (numbers from behindthenet.ca).

And now?... Crabb not only set a personal best for goals scored last season (11), but he scored more in 67 games than he did in the 77 games in his career before last season (seven).  And his was also a product of a high shooting percentage (14.7 percent, second on the Maple Leafs among players playing in at least 25 games).  Can he repeat that performance?  It is a small sample, but going into last season his career shooting percentage was 8.3 percent.  Given the shortened season, five goals might be considered an achievement for a player who seems targeted to get fourth-line minutes.

Matt Hendricks… Can Matt Hendricks translate some of his “paralyzer” game to the 60-minute portion of the game?

What we said back then… As Matt Hendricks enters his fourth full season his offensive production shows a somewhat concerning trend: nine goals in 56 games in 2009-2010 (a 13-goal pace per 82 games), nine in 77 in 2010-2011 (10), and four in 78 games last season (four).  And this trend comes in spite of his getting progressively more ice time (9:16/game three seasons ago to 11:28 in 2010-2011 to 12:07 last season).  Part of the problem might be that Hendricks’ offensive zone starts dropped from 51.7 percent in 2010-2011 to 44.2 percent last season.  Still a 4.1 percent shooting percentage is not something that can be sustained, even from a fourth line forward.  That shooting percentage was 449th among 597 forwards dressing in the NHL last season.  Only 22 forwards playing more than half their team’s games had lower shooting percentages.  That 4.1 shooting percentage would have ranked Hendricks only 131st among defensemen in the NHL last season.

And now?... In a 48-game season, those Bettman points might take on added meaning.  Hendricks had five trick shot goals last season.  If he comes close to replicating that performance it might be the margin by which the Caps get into the post season.

Marcus Johansson… Can Johansson use the hard lessons learned in 2011-2012 to become a solid second line contributor in the 2012-2013 season?

What we said back then… Consider this.  At the 18:30 mark of the third period of Game 7 last spring against the New York Rangers, with the Caps down a goal, Marcus Johansson took the ice for his last shift of the season.  He did not do it as a center.  He was playing right wing to Nicklas Backstrom, Alexander Semin on the left side.  When play was stopped at the 19:20 mark on an offside call, the Caps had not registered a shot attempt on that shift.  Johansson skated to the bench in favor of Brooks Laich to take the ensuing faceoff.  Was that last shift something symbolic?  Something meaningful with respect to Johansson’s season?

Not in an obvious way, perhaps, but it did suggest that after 96 games (82 in the regular season and 14 in the playoffs) Johansson had not come as far as one might have hoped.  But that was in no small way a product of being thrust into a role that was outside his comfort level, given the state of his development.  He just was not ready to be a first-line center, and in the end was given a wing slot when things were most desperate for the team.  It was not a demotion by any means, but it was the sort of sideways movement that seemed to be his season.  The opportunity that results is that Johansson had a lot thrown at him in his sophomore season, and it might have been a blessing if he can take some of what he learned from that back to being a second-line center.

And now?... Here is the most important number to keep in mind with Johansson: “22.”  Johansson turned 22 on October 6^th.  He is still very green.  Since the lockout, 44 different forwards aged 21 or younger recorded 46 or more points, including Johansson.  There are a lot of big names on that list: Ovechkin, Crosby, Malkin, Stamkos, Toews, Kane, Kopitar, Seguin, Kessel, two Staals.  Caps fans seem a bit unimpressed with Johansson so far, but he is still in the midst of finding his niche.

Brooks Laich… What will his role be under new head coach Adam Oates?

What we said back then… It is precisely his versatility that makes this an interesting question.  He flourished at the offensive end under Bruce Boudreau, putting up 69 goals in 242 games over the 2007-2008 through 2009-2010 seasons.  Last year he started as part of a shutdown line – the “Meat and Potatoes” line with Joel Ward and Jason Chimera – but moved around the top three lines as circumstances (mostly injuries) dictated.  He can be (and was) deployed in a more defensive role; he can be deployed as a power play specialist.  Concerning this latter point, the departure of Mike Knuble and Alexander Semin suggests Laich will get more opportunities here.  Consider that 41 of his 116 career goals have been scored on the power play.

And now?... Laich comes into the season with a cloud over him.  Clearly he is injured, but the severity of it and the length of time it will keep him out of the lineup remains a mystery.  He could miss a week or two, which in the shortened season is almost like losing a month.    He was among the top five Capitals forwards in even-strength, shorthanded, and power play ice time last season, evidence of his versatility.  Missing him for a couple of weeks blows a big hole in the forward lines that has to be filled by multiple players, some with big questions of their own to answer.  For a team that could be on the edge of playoff eligibility, this could be a serious problem.

Alex Ovechkin… What does Alex Ovechkin have left?

What we said back then… That goal scorers enjoy their best years before the age of 27 is not exactly news.  But the difference between Alex Ovechkin of his first five seasons and the player he has been these last two seasons is considerable.  Ovechkin has never been an especially efficient shooter.  Even in the year in which he scored 65 goals he finished only in a tie for 46th in shooting percentage.  He did, as they say, a volume business in shots.  While he finished sixth among forwards in shots on goal last season, his total of 303 was 30 percent fewer than what he averaged over his first five years (432).  The matter of whether Ovechkin has more 40- or even 50-goal seasons left in him might come down to whether his drop in production is due to his being used differently by coaches, depressing his shot opportunities and shot totals, or to the fact that he can no longer get shots off from his preferred shooting areas.

And now?... Ovechkin overcame a bit of a slow start with Dynamo Moscow during the lockout.  Even now he is sixth in points and tied for fourth in goals in the KHL, despite playing in as many as ten fewer games than the players ranked ahead of him.  Granted, it is a level of hockey a rung below the NHL, but it did suggest he is ready to make an impression in the NHL when play resumes.  It makes the possibilities under new head coach Adam Oates even more intriguing.

Mathieu Perreault… Just where does Mathieu Perreault fit?

What we said back then… Mathieu Perreault is nominally a center, but it would be hard to think he has an inside track to any of the top three slots on this team.  Nicklas Backstrom and Mike Ribeiro are certainly ahead of him, and Marcus Johansson probably has an edge over Perreault on the third line, though that is by no means a certainty.  Perreault is an opportunistic goal scorer, as evidenced by his shooting percentage (he is over 20 percent in 120 career NHL games), but he does not have many opportunities.  That 26.7 percent shooting percentage last season came while averaging less than a shot on goal per game.  An offensive player is either going to have to generate more opportunities for himself, or he is going to have to do it for his teammates, and Perreault had fewer assists than goals both last season (14 to 16) and for his career (26 to 27).

And now?... Perreault is one of those players who might be asked to fill the hole left in the absence of Brooks Laich to start the season.  Perreault could get increased minutes at even strength and some power play minutes.  He showed the offensive skills to assume a bigger role last season, and his opportunistic bent might serve him well here.

Mike Ribeiro…  Can Mike Ribeiro be the contributor in the playoffs the Caps have lacked in the 2C slot?

What we said back then… It would be surprising if Mike Ribeiro did not have a regular season at the second line center slot better than that of any Caps’ center in the last ten years.  But the lack of a productive second line center has been crippling to the Caps in the post season in the post-Lockout I era.  Last spring the Caps got three points in 14 playoff games out of Marcus Johansson, who spent much of the season as the first or second line center.  The year before, Nicklas Backstrom had two points out of the first line center slot and the Caps got six out of Jason Arnott in the second line slot in nine post season games.  In 2009-2010 the Caps got a combined two points out of Eric Belanger and Brendan Morrison in seven playoff games.  Mike Ribeiro is here largely to improve on that… a lot.  But while he had 17 points in 18 games in his last playoff appearance, that appearance came in the 2007-2008 post season.  Will being out of practice influence his performance in the post season?  To the extent it does, it defeats much of the purpose of his being here.

And now?... If Backstrom is healthy, then the Caps really do get an opportunity to see what having an accomplished number two center will be like.  He has averaged 48 assists per 82 games since the lockout.  No Capital center other than Backstrom has had a single season with as many as 48 assists since the lockout.  On the other hand, do the Caps have enough accomplished finishers at wing to maximize Ribeiro’s talents?  This is going to be the recurring subplot for the season. 

Joel Ward… Was Ward’s season in 2011-2012 an aberration, or was it part of a slow decline in production?

What we said back then… 17-13-10-6… 35-34-29-18… 12.8 - 9.7 - 6.4 - 7.6.  That is Joel Ward’s four-year progression in goals, points, and shooting percentage, respectively.  There are 10 players that capgeek.com identifies as spot-on comparables with Ward in terms of his $3.0 million cap hit.  Those ten players averaged 75 games played last season with a 19-23-42 scoring line.  Ward was 6-12-18 in 73 games.  He certainly showed glimpses early on of what he was brought to Washington for, but as the season wore on his offense dried up.  To his credit, he played hard and responsibly in the defensive end in a system that valued those attributes.  But at $3.0 million a year, 18 points is probably below the low end of expected contributions in the offensive end.  Given the forwards the Caps have assembled for this season, can Ward expect to improve on his production from getting more than the 12:25 a night he skated last season?

And now?... We’re pretty much in the same place.  Ward is one of a logjam of big-body forwards who can give the Caps rugged play, but who have questions lingering about their ability to contribute offense on a consistent basis.  Last year Ward’s problem was perhaps not so much his own as how others chose to use him.  But that contract sticks out like a sore thumb.  It is too much for a fourth liner, if that is where he ends up getting his minutes.

Wojtek Wolski… Is Wojtek Wolski a contender or a pretender to be a top-six winger with the Caps?

What we said back then… Let’s face it.  If you are paying a former first round draft choice $600,000 on a one-year deal, you’re hoping for, not expecting big things.  This what is called a low-risk signing.  But if Wolski can score goals at something approaching his career pace per 82 games (18) and perhaps chip in a couple of extra goals with some power play time under the tutelage of Adam Oates, that just about replaces Alexander Semin’s production last season (21 goals) at less than a tenth of the cost.  And if he doesn’t, well, you still have the $6.1 million you’re not paying Semin this season (net of the $6.7 million cap hit last year) to do other things.  What is unnerving about Wolski is the idea that he has been traded as many times as he has in so few seasons and that he has gone from a team’s “topline to its fourth line to a healthy scratch to a salary dump.”  This is not the sort of career arc that one should feel comfortable thinking is that of a potential top-six forward.

And now?... What’s that sound?  Oh, it’s “opportunity” knocking.  With Brooks Laich looking at some time off to repair, Wolski has a golden opportunity to demonstrate that he can contribute as a scoring line forward.  He might prove that he can handle that workload, or that he will be a healthy scratch for a lot of the season when Laich returns.  The first 5-10 games might be his season.

Eric Fehr... Is he capable of "shouldering" any of the offensive load?

What we said back then... Well, nothing.  He was an unrestricted free agent about to sign a contract to play with HPK in Finland.  By the looks of things -- two goals in 35 games with Winnipeg in 2011-2012 -- he looked cooked.

And now?... In a sense he is the right-handed Wojtek Wolski.  Fehr has the same low-risk one-year, $600,000 contract.  He has the same sort of "damaged goods" history to deal with, which in his case really is damaged goods -- multiple surgeries on his shoulders and a back injury over the course of his career. He is also a reasonably efficient goal scorer given his injury history and limited ice time when in the lineup (15 goals per 82 games played over his career, even with that ghastly 3.7 percent shooting percentage last season).  If the Caps get anything approaching that level of scoring efficiency it will be money well spent.

Aftershocks

When thinking about the sort of post that would generate our highest volume of views and responses, we would have hoped it would have the headline, “Caps Win Cup, Cheerless Streaks at Kettler!”, not the post we entered last Friday.

But there it is, an unfortunate product of The Great NHL Lockout of 2012-2013. 

As we noted, we do not have any delusions that one rant is going to create a groundswell of resentment over what the NHL did over the last few months.  But the comments, e-mails, and tweets we received in response did suggest that there are more than a few hockey fans out there who are and remain upset over the behavior of management.

If anything surprised us in the responses it was that there were so few of a negative nature.  The vast majority of them were of the “me too” variety – fans who had come to similar conclusions that the business of the NHL was broken, one that seemed interested only in the commercial aspect of it at the expense of the “relationship” part of it.  To all those who took the time to respond, whatever your opinion, thank you for your attention.

The problem the NHL has is not one we think a week’s worth of so-called “appreciation” or a half-season’s worth of “discounts” will fix.  But that is the league’s problem, not ours.  We have severed our business relationship with the league; that is in the rear-view mirror.

It is time to return to the game.  The game itself remains, in our opinion, the most compelling spectacle in sport.  No other sport combines the speed, strength, endurance, and will that characterize ice hockey.  And it is that to which we will now return.  Besides, the cousins are getting itchy to get back to blogging about games. 

To those who stayed along for the ride during the lockout, we thank you for your own endurance.  For those who might be coming back after being away, or for those who might have stopped by out of curiosity after our rant, welcome.  It’s time to fire up the TV, pop open a cold one, and settle in for the thrill ride that is hockey.