Bradley Back in the Fold

Even as the Stanley Cup finals continue, the Caps’ roster for the 2008-09 season is beginning to take shape. Right wing Matt Bradley inked a three-year deal to remain in Washington today. He would have been an unrestricted free agent on July 1.
Bradley just completed his seventh NHL season and his third with the Capitals. [...]

Alzner Terms

As you no doubt know by now, and as I wrote about on www.washingtoncaps.com, the Caps signed defenseman Karl Alzner to a three-year entry-level deal today. The base salary of the contract is $875,000, which is the league maximum for rookies in Alzner’s draft year. With incentives and bonuses, the most Alzner will count toward [...]

Caps, Bears Keep Connection

You had to figure this one was just a matter of time; it makes way too much sense. The Washington Capitals and Hershey Bears today announced that the affiliation agreement between the two teams has been extended for two more seasons with an option for a third. The two clubs will remain affiliated through the [...]

Ovechkin, Green Earn Sporting News Recognition

Based on a vote of NHL players, The Sporting News has named Alex Ovechkin its NHL player of the year. Ovechkin was named at the top of 250 of 287 ballots. Expect a similar margin next month when the Hart and Pearson balloting is revealed.
Ovechkin and Caps defenseman Mike Green were also named to TSN’s [...]

Four Caps Vie for World Gold

On the 17th and final day of the 2008 IIHF World Championship, it has come down to Russia against Canada for the gold medal. Washington is represented well in the title game; Russians Alex Ovechkin, Sergei Fedorov and Alexander Semin comprise a forward line for Team Russia, and Caps defenseman Mike Green in Team Canada’s [...]

Sami Does in Uncle Sam

Caps defenseman Sami Lepisto lifted Team Finland to the semifinals with his overtime game-winning goal against the young and plucky Team USA earlier today in IIHF World Championship action. 
Lepisto’s goal came after the Americans erased a 2-0 deficit in the final five minutes of regulation on goals by Phil Kessel and Drew Stafford. The two [...]

More From Ovie at the Worlds

Thanks again to our friend Dmitry Chesnokov for sending in this translation of Alex Ovechkin’s Saturday interview with Sovetsky Sport.
As a result of a poll conducted by “Sport” [Russia’s public sports channel] and Sovetsky Sport [Russia’s largest newspaper], Washington Capitals and Russian national team forward Alexander Ovechkin was named Athlete of the Month in April. [...]

Olie Outtakes

Here are a few more quotes from Caps goaltender Olie Kolzig from our lunch meeting on Friday.
I asked him whether he could feel himself slowing down as an NHL netminder:

“Not really. Earlier in the season there were points when I was a little tired. I changed things around right before we played in Toronto [on [...]

End of an Era

There is a much different tempo to the off-season for those of us in the hockey business. During the season, you’re in a constant “go, go” mode because there are always practices, games, planes, buses, press conferences, scrums and dozens of other things demanding your immediate and/or constant attention.
The pace of the off-season is slower, [...]

Ovie at the Worlds

Extreme thanks to our friends Dmitri Chesnokov and Pavel Lysenkov for passing along this lengthy Sovetsky Sport interview with Alex Ovechkin.
Sovetsky Sport continues the tradition of “on the road” Q&A sessions with players at major hockey tournaments. Sunday night, right after the game against the Czech Republic, NHL’s highest scorer and simply a great guy [...]