Tonight's line-up - analysis

Per Tarik

Forwards
Ovechkin-Backstrom*-Kozlov
Fleischmann-Nylander-Semin
Bourque-Aucoin-Fehr
Brashear-Steckel-Gordon

Defense
Morrisonn-Green
Sloan-Lepisto
Erskine-Cutta

Nice to see the first line skating together tonight. Should be fun to see if the chemistry that was formed last season is still strong.

Fleischmann will get some quality time on a pure scoring line. He has been a stand-out in the pre-season games so far.

Line three is the dog fight for a roster slot. All three players have staked claims as to why they should be a Washington Capital this season. If these three don't make the Capitals, this could be what the Bears first line looks like.

Should he stay or should he go?

It's late and after a my second shade of red was stifled by a clash of maroon and orange, I feel it's time to return to my #1 team and get back in a hockey state of mind.

With the Capitals sitting at 3-0 on the pre-season, and another set of cuts to come, the question is, who deserves to stay and who will go to chocolate-town?

There are many young players who deserve a spot on the roster such as Carlson, Alzner, Perreault, but one sticks out to me as the feel good story worth rooting for.

Last March my father told me to look out for Chris Bourque. I agreed, but I wasn't expecting him to make an impression just yet.

Bourque suited up for the Capitals in four games last season during Hanlon's nose dive, but didn't record a single point in those games. I considered Bourque to be a player at least two to three years away from cracking the Caps roster.

But I should have known I wasn't giving the kid enough credit when Bourque told the Salem News this summer...

"I'll do anything I can to make the big club -- even be a fighter," Bourque, who has one career fighting major in three pro seasons, joked. "I'd probably get beat up all the time, but I'd be happy if it was in the NHL."

And fight he has, not with his fists, but with a nose for the goal.

Bourque has been a smart and solid in the pre-season. In last nights game against Boston, Bourque recorded a goal and an assist. In the pre-season opener in Carolina, he also got on the scoring sheet with a goal and an assist.

Pre-season success should be taken with a grain of salt. If we were to believe our pre-season hype, many might declare us a clear contender for the Stanley Cup.

But what we can appreciate is when a player is going above and beyond to earn a slot on the big club's roster. Bourque is playing with the intensity that each pre-season game might be he last chance to earn a slot on the roster this year.

Sadly though, the Capitals roster is likely to be full up and decided within the coming days.

There are many youngsters still hanging around that are definitely going to play in Hersey. For example goalie Simeon Varlamov has not been sent down, but why send down a training camp stand out when you can keep testing him against NHL talent?

I see this happening to the likes of Bourque and Perreault. Chances are, they won't make the team, but that's no reason to get upset. If it were up to me, they would first in line for a call up in the event of injury or a slump.

So does Bourque stay, or does he go to chocolate-town?

R.I.P Reggie Dunlop

In a bit of sad news before the highly anticipated Bruins vs. Capitals pre-season tilt, Bruce Boudreau's co-star in Slapshot died today.

From CNN.com

"Paul Newman, the legendary actor whose steely blue eyes, good-humored charm and advocacy of worthy causes made him one of the most renowned figures in American arts, has died of cancer at his home in Westport, Connecticut. He was 83."

Rocking a different shade of red...

Go Big Red.

Worst slogan ever...

If you've been following Capitals training camp, you may or may not know that the theme of camp is "good isn't good enough."

Inspiring? Yes. The message goes along with Boudreau's famous quote "congrats, you've achieved mediocrity."

So one can only wonder what the message our fellow Southeast division teams are sending to a crop of AHL talent trying to make the team.

Here's Atlanta's slogan.

"Winning comes in CANS, not in Can'ts."

What did they let Atlanta area sixth graders come up with the slogan in exchange for season tickets?

Matt Bradley, Captain and Cut-up

I bring this question to the table. Who gives a funnier interview? Ovechkin or Bradley?

Ovie easily gets more interview opportunities, but when Bradley has a chance to speak with the press, it seems he is always making the most of it.

For example his comments on his first victory as captain.


“My record [as captain] speaks for itself. The guys were ready to go. I just basically went out there and do what I do - I got the game-winner.”

or let's not forget this incredible moment from the 07-08 season.



After getting the game winning shoot-out goal, Bradley reportedly declared himself a "shoot-out specialist," and was going to hold a seminar for the team after practice.

Another great Bradley moment comes when he wrote his ,"5 ways I'd change the NHL," article for Puckdaddy.

He offered this great tidbit of advice for Gary Bettman.

"4. Goalies are blindfolded for shootouts. We had a shootout go 12 rounds this year without a goal. It got so bad I had to hop over the bench and take things into my own hands."

Read his whole list, it's hilarious, especially the one about being on Ovechkin's line.

Another great Bradley quote came after the Capitals slaughtered the Boston Bruins in March. Sitting at 9 goals, Bradley scored the 10th, later telling the press "I gave the people what they wanted."

Sadly Bradley will not play in tonight's game, but it's safe to say his post-game comment is a leader for 08-09 quote of the year.

He's like the Chad Johnson of the Capitals without the ego and ocho-psycho attitude.

Dreamin'

OK, I'm probably the last person to see this (it has almost 80,000 hits on YouTube), but I followed a reference in the ESPN The Magazine cover story to this Pierre-Olivier Doyon video that pairs Ovi highlights with Aerosmith's "Dream On". The Goal is about 4 seconds of this, and not the most interesting part. Watch for Ovechkin hits paired with cymbal crashes, and for Ovi wiping out a ref during one of his celebrations. I am officially ready for the season to start after watching this!

TCF

Watch the Canes and Caps pre-season game?

Breaking news as you might be able to watch the young Caps in action tonight, and avoid hearing Steve Kolbe on the radio.

Yesterday it was announced that the Capitals would have radio broadcasts for their home pre-season tilts, but not for the away games. But a visit to the Canes website says that the games can be watched "here."

So it is possible you can watch the game tonight instead of listening to it. Not sure if there will be any limitations such as having to join the Canes Message Board, but we will see when game time comes.

The puck drops at 7 p.m. I wonder if the Canes will debut their new money making scheme third jersey tonight?

Let's Go Caps!

-CK

Nylander on the trading block?

The Sporting News thinks so, according to this article.

Considering that the Caps have three elite centers in Nylander, Fedorov and Backstrom and that Nylander's contract has a no-trade-clause, it seems doubtful.

With so many centers in Hersey and Washington, it is possible that the Caps will want to make room for a younger player but it probably won't come from trading Nylander. Fedorov is only signed for a one year deal and he will likely retire/leave the team allowing a Hersey center to move up to the Caps.

Of course we will know how true this rumor is if Nylander's house ends up for sale just like Olie's did.

More on the Capitals rock video...

This time from Yahoo Sports.

Here's the full article.

Sounds like Bradley, Brashear and Clark got the "un-cool," parts.

From the article -

"Chris Clark played the role of the band manager, although I didn't witness any band meetings, which means he isn't as efficient as Murray from "Flight of the Conchords." Matt Bradley and Donald Brashear were dressed in suits as "security," although at times resembled the "Men In Black" poster."

All I know is this video sounds like it is going to annoy visiting fans, and that makes me love it even more.

-CK

Capitals Intro Movie Filming

According to our friends from the Capitals Message Board, the Caps filmed their pre-game intro movie tonight at the State Theatre in Falls Church, Va.

The intro looks like it will involve the catch phrase "Rock the Red," and have something to do with music and umm...rocking.

Photos from the event are sure to surface soon but this YouTube video of Brooks Laich "rocking," out showed up on the message board. Here he is playing "You shook me all night long," from AC/DC.



Should have played "Don't stop believing," in my opinion.

Here is one report from poster LMC

"Players who were there: Ovie, Semin, Backstrom, Theodore, Green, Laich, Clark, Brads, and Brash.

It was a bit tedious, a cool process, great to see folks, and kind of cool to see the guys in a different setting. I may have nightmares about Sasha in guyliner (the guys had on tons of makeup). As CapsDC said, he looked like Nick Rhodes (sp?).

I welcomed JT to DC and he thanked me, and I heard him tell someone else he really likes it here. There was some good opportunity to interact with the players. And athough I've never cared about meeting them, it was cool to touch Ovie.

Oh and Nicky was rocking red underwear.

I'm sure someone else has a better report. The making of the video is being made into a TSN feature. "

Thanks to JMUAndy05 for the video.

UPDATE: A few more videos courtesy of SeminSecretion of the CMB.



Starting the video



Brooks Laich plays "What's My Age Again," with a Fan. Jose Theodore on drums.



Fans cheer as the boys show up in a "rocking," car.

Once again thanks to Semin Secretion for the videos.

Back and under-reconstruction!

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Capitals Kremlin returns Sept. 21st with Pre-caps, video and all the insignificant things On Frozen Blog and Japers Rink don't care about.