CAPITALS EXTEND QUALIFYING OFFERS TO EIGHT PLAYERS

The Washington Capitals have though qualifying offers extended their rights for the 2009-10 NHL season to eight players -- Chris Bourque, Eric Fehr, Boyd Gordon, Milan Jurcina, Shaone Morrisonn, Steve Pinizzotto, Jeff Schultz and Kyle Wilson.

While these players are now restricted free agents and an able to negotiate with other teams, the Capitals can either match any offer or collect compensation if they sign with another team.

The Capitals report that among the group, Fehr, Gordon, Jurcina, Morrisonn and Wilson have arbitration rights. They can choose to have their salary for the coming season determined by salary arbitration, in which case hearings would reportedly be scheduled for late next month or early in August. Players and clubs have the option to elect arbitration by July 5th or 6th respectively, the team detailed.

Also, the Capitals did not extend qualifying offers to Andrew Joudrey, Daren Machesney, Travis Morin and Sasha Pokulok. These players will become unrestricted free agents on Wednesday and are free to sign with any team, including the Capitals.

Caps Extend Qualifying Offers to Eight Players Sphere: Related Content

CAPITALS GENERAL MANAGER McPHEE HAPPY WITH DRAFT PICKS

General Manager George McPhee thinks that the Capitals made terrific use of their picks in the NHL draft in Montreal this weekend.

“We really went for talent,” said McPhee. “And for the most part we drafted guys that are real good skaters, have hockey sense and are competitive. Talent, Talent, Talent – just trying to get the best.”

McPhee, known for seeking the best players regardless of position, has been hailed for his success in identifying the level of young talent that led affiliate Hershey Bears to a Calder Cup victory this year.

“I’m not sure what the breakdown is because you can’t really say that we are trying to draft one position,” he explained. “But I’ve always said that you’ve got to draft the best players because if you are looking for a certain position, you’ll make that kid at that position out to be better than he really is sometimes. So we just drafted, in my mind, the best talent.”

McPhee called first-round pick Marcus Johansson, a center from Sweden, “a very well-rounded player, very good in almost every area of his game. ... (He is) quick, smart and competitive.”

He said that second round selection Dmitri Orlov, a Russian defenseman from Novokuznetsk, “is a really talented kid -- great wheels, real smart and great hands. He’s about as talented as they come. … And he can hit. He’s gritty.”

And in describing third round pick Cody Eakin, a center from Winnipeg, Manitoba, McPhee said, “Ahh, speed, competitiveness, some ability there.”

Other prospects selected by the Capitals were Patrick Wey, a defenseman from Pittsburgh who played for Waterloo; Brett Flemming, a defenseman from Regina, Saskatchewan; Garrett Mitchell a right wing, also from Regina and Benjamin Casavant, a left wing who will come from the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.

“As I said,” enthused McPhee, “all of these guys can really skate – good wheels, and they have good hockey sense and are competitive.”

In discussing the entire Capitals organization, McPhee opined, “I think that we’re doing a good job, and we’ve really improved our drafting. Our minor league team plays well, and they’ve developed the kids pretty well. They’re winning championships. So we’re really happy with where our organization is right now. The big club has played well. Hershey plays well. The kids are really developing. But there are always ways to improve, and we’ll keep looking for ways to do that.”

McPhee also said that finding a replacement for Bob Woods, the Bears’ head coach who was recently promoted to assistant coach of the Capitals, is probably “a couple of weeks away. We’ve had to get through this week and next week, and then hopefully things will settle down and we can focus on that.”

In other action, the Capitals sent prospect Sami Lepisto to the Phoenix Coyotes in exchange for a pick in the 2010 draft. Sphere: Related Content

CAPITALS' DRAFT PICK -- MARCUS JOHANSSON FROM SWEDEN

Weeks of speculation as to who would be the Capitals’ first-round draft choice ended last night with the selection of Swedish center Marcus Johansson.

The Capitals selection of the 18-year-old from Farjestad marks the second straight year and the third in the last four that the Capitals have chosen a Swede in that position as its top pick.

“This was more than I expected, and I am really excited to get to know the team and the players,” enthused Johansson. “Anton I know, but not Backstrom. (Gustafsson and I) played on the national team a couple of times together, and sometimes he is up in Farjestad where I play and he is from there, so that’s how I know him pretty well.”

Capitals general manager George McPhee explained that he had been impressed by Johansson’s performance in the final of the 2009 WJC Tournament – adding that Johansson’s couple of concussions in the past did not dissuade him from making this first-round choice.

“He is a very well-rounded player, very good in almost every area of his game,” McPhee said. “(He is) quick, smart and competitive. I loved the way he played against Canada in the world junior final. In the final, in a real hostile environment with 20,000 Canadian fans going crazy, some of the Swedish kids didn’t show up, but this kid showed up and played hard.”

The Capitals' 24th overall pick in the NHL draft describes himself as a "hard worker."

And Hockey's Future has noted Johansson's "good all-around ability," adding, "A late 90-born, Johansson has been playing very well with Farjestad in the Swedish Elite League, contributing to both ends of the ice." Also on this website, "Johansson has impressive hockey sense, good technical skills and soft hands. He reads the play very well and is a skilled playmaker. (He) is also a speedy skater who does not shy away from rough stuff, although he is not really a big time physical player.”

Johansson scored 10 points in 45 games in the Swedish Elite League in 2008-09. And he was a member of silver-medal winning Team Sweden at the 2009 World Junior Championships where he scored two goals in six games. Earlier he represented Sweden at the 2007 Under18 World Championships, where the team captured the bronze, and the 2007 Ivan Hlinka Memorial tournament where they walked away with gold.



But this young Swede is not the first of his family to make a mark on the ice notes his nhl.com Draft Prospect Card. Johansson's uncle, Gunnar, played for and coached Farjestad BK, and his brother, Martin, plays for the Swedish Elite League. And, in fact, Johansson credits his father and brother as having the greatest influence on his career -- his father for always pushing him and his brother for inspiring him to be better.

It is expected that the 5’ 11” tall and 189 pound Johansson will play in the Swedish league next year.

Hockey’s Future, Marcus Johansson Hockey’s Future, Sweden 2009 WJC preview nhl.com Draft Prospect Card - 2009 Sphere: Related Content

CAPITALS GENERAL MANAGER McPHEE IS CONFIDENT THAT THE TEAM WILL MAKE OUT WELL IN NHL DRAFT

Washington Capitals general manager George McPhee, in speaking of his team’s 24th selection in the NHL Draft this weekend in Montreal, said, “It’s going to be an even bigger challenge this year to hit one out of the park, but we’re going to try to do it.”

This year’s 24th is the latest that the team has selected in nearly a decade, but McGee said that he expects to stay with his basic tenet of going after the very best talent available to the team regardless of position.

“If you are doing things right, you are always taking the best player,” explained the general manager, adding that it is better to acquire a left winger who can play than a right defenseman who is not going to play.

“I don’t think the philosophy changes,” he continued. “We want to draft the best players that we can …. It is more of a challenge now, when you are lower in the draft, to find players. We think we’ve been drafting pretty darn well the last four or five years, and we would like to keep that going. We thought that we did well getting (Anton) Gustafsson and (John) Carlson in the first round."

Does McPhee believe that the Capitals, with the 24th pick, can leave this draft with a future NHL player? “We still believe that there are a couple of players that, if we can get our hands on them, would have the upside that we are looking for," he expressed. "It is a good draft for defensemen, (and there are) some decent centers available as well. That’s what we see at this point, and we’ll see what develops.”

"The top two or three rated players are better than the rest" theorized the hockey exec, who added, “Then there is a group of about eleven players that are pretty darn good players, after which it levels off. And it isn’t quite as strong from the mid-point of the first round on.”

Making the selection job easier for teams today, including the Capitals, is the fact that so much information is easily accessible.

“It is a far different business than fifteen years ago,” said McPhee. “There are better ways of measuring players, their fitness levels and their capabilities going forward in terms of their physical capabilities. There is psychological testing and so on.

“But there are players from all over now that we have to keep an eye on, and the good news is that a lot of games are televised. That wasn’t available ten or fifteen years ago so there would be times when you would miss players. It was really hard to see them. You don’t miss them anymore. If you want to see a player, you can get to a tournament. You can watch them on television. You can watch them on tape. … I think that has really improved scouting for most teams.”

McPhee also does not discount acquiring veteran talent with long-term deals. “You can do long-term deals as long as you do the right deal with the right player," he said. "And that’s the key in the business now. We have options. We’re not locked into too many long-term deals which is nice. We will do long-term deals for the right people, but you have to have some options.”

But in turning to young talent, McPhee is quick recognize the team’s affiliate Hershey Bears. “ We think that we have a number of guys that can come up from Hershey and help out," he explained. "I believe there are some guys that can come up and make our team on a full-time basis. That will be determined in training camp obviously, but we’ve done a pretty good job there. You need these guys who can come up, contribute and help us win – so we’ll keep leaning on Hershey and promoting the kids that are ready to go.”

One of McPhee’s theories is that young players should not sit on the bench – that the way develop their talent is to put them out on the ice. So whether it is with the Capitals or the affiliate Hershey, he wants players actually playing and given every opportunity to learn and improve. And in the end, he believes this rewards both the Capitals and the individual players.

The Capitals’ additional draft picks this weekend are 55th, 85th, 115th, 144th, 174th and 204th.

Washington Capitals Sphere: Related Content

FEDOROV WILL PLAY FOR METALLURG

Washington Capitals forward Sergei Fedorov will be playing hockey in Russia next year, according to mosnews.com and Reuters.

Fedorov, 39, has reportedly signed a two-year deal that will garner about $3.8 million per season with the Kontinental Hockey League's Metallurg Magnitogorsk, and also will allow him to play on the same team as his younger brother, Fedor.

"He wants to join his brother there," Pat Brisson, his agent, told espn.com "Its a dream for his fahter for the two of them to play together. It's nothing against the Washington Capitals, but this is very important for (his) family."

The talented forward was acquired by the Capitals from Columbus early in 2008, and while playing for the team he was instrumental in their ascent to Stanley Cup playoffs for the past two seasons.

He scored 11 goals and 22 assists in 52 regular season games during 2008-2009, and scored a goal and seven points in 14 playoff games before Washington was eliminated in Eastern Conference semifinals.

Fedorov achieved the high honor of becoming a three-time Stanley Cup champion with the Detroit Red Wings for 1997, 1998 and 2002. And, in fact, he was the first Russian to reach 1,000 career NHL points and the first Russian recipient of the Hart Trophy as league MVP -- a trophy that he recently presented to teammate Alex Ovechkin. Previously Fedorov was also awarded the Frank J Selke and Lester B Pearson awards.

Capitals forward Fedorov signs 2-year deal with Russia's Metallurg
Fedorov signs two-year-deal with Metallurg
Fedorov leaves NHL, signs in Russia Sphere: Related Content

FLYERS VS BRUINS IN CLASSIC -- SOURCES SAYING

Even though no official announcement has been made naming the team that will play the Bruins in the NHL Winter Classic on New Years Day, there is no shortage of articles claiming that "sources" have indicated that the team will be the Philadelphia Flyers.

"The Flyers have been unofficially told that they will be in," cites an article by Ed Moran for the Philadelphia Daily News that appears on philly.com. "Earlier this week, reports indicated that the Washington Capitals would take ice against the Bruins for the third Winter Classic, but that changed at midweek, the sources said."

On Monday Capitals General Manager George McPhee expressed his doubts that the Capitals would be the team. "It doesn't sound like we will be part of it. ... Maybe that's not a bad thing. When you go, you have to play in front of 40,000 or 50,000 of the other team's fans. ... I would just assume if we were in it, that we would know by now."

"Flyers Reportedly Chosen to Face Bruins In '10 Winter Classic" headlines one article -- and "Bruins, Flyers to face off at Fenway on New Years Day," shouts another. But the official word is that an announcement will be made on July 15. "Then the mystery will be solved," said league spokesman Frank Brown.

Flyers told they'll play at Fenway
Flyers Reportedly Chosen to Face Bruins in '10 Winter Classic
Bruins, Flyers to face off at Fenway on New Year's Day Sphere: Related Content

CAPITALS NOT EXPECTED TO PLAY IN WINTER CLASSIC

"It doesn't sound like we will be part of the Winter Classic," said Washington Capitals General Manager George McPhee on Monday.

"Maybe it's not a bad thing," McPhee explained to nationalpost.com "When you go, you have to play in front of 40,000 or 50,000 of the other team's fans. ... I would just assume if we were in it, that we would know by now."

While all details have not yet been announced, it is known that the Classic will be held at Fenway Park on New Years Day with the local Bruins playing another team, initially thought to be either the Philadelphia Flyers or the Capitals.

However, "multiple league sources revealed there are concerns at NBC over television ratings with the Capitals, who are being pushed by the NHL," reports WEEI.com sportsradio network. "The network is instead holding out for Philadelphia, according to the sources, and the odds are improving daily that the Flyers will be traveling to the Fens in January."

Capitals unlikely to play in Winter Classic

Source: Flyers Expected To Play Bruins At Fenway Sphere: Related Content

BOB WOODS NAMED CAPITALS ASSISTANT COACH

Bob Woods, 41, at the helm as Capitals' affiliate Hershey Bears recently captured the Calder Cup, has been named an Assistant Coach with the Washington Capitals, according to General Manager George McPhee on Monday.

Woods, who was Hershey's head coach this past season and previously an assistant coach, helped his friend and current Capitals coach Bruce Boudreau lead the Bears to a prior Calder Cup title back in 2006. Previously he had been head coach of ECHL's Mississippi Sea Wolves from 2001-05.

Woods has a 83-47-15 record in 145 regular season games with the Bears.

Capitals name Woods assistant coach

WORDS YOU WANT READERS TO SEE Sphere: Related Content

Mike Green and Alex Ovechkin Awarded Spots on NHL All-Star Team

Mike Green, Alex Ovechkin Named to NHL First All-Star Team, Washington Capitals Sphere: Related Content

Congrats Ovi!!!! Hart Trophy Winner

Washington Capitals popular Alex Ovechkin has no reason to let what happened in Vegas stay in Vegas. There is every reason for both Ovechkin and the Capitals team to happily let the world know that Ovechkin has captured several of the sports most prestigious awards -- the Hart Trophy, the Lester Pearson Award and the Maurice Richard Trophy.

For the second year running, Ovechkin won the very prized Hart Trophy, awarded to the player deemed most valuable to his team by the Professional Hockey Writers Association. In fact, this year was the first time in NHL history that all nominees, including Pittsburgh's Evgeni Malkin and Detroit's Pavel Daatsyuk, were natives of Russia.

It is especially impressive that Ovechkin, 23, is the first player in more than a decade to win the Hart Trophy in consecutive seasons -- and the first non-goaltender to win since the Wayne Gretzky captured the prize from 1980-1987. The Capitals' left wing actually garnered 115 of a possible 133 first-place votes -- and was presented the trophy by Capitals teammate and former recipient Sergei Fedorov.

Adding icing to the cake, Ovechkin also garnered the Lester B Pearson Award -- presented to the most outstanding player chosen by members of the NHL Players' Association. This trophy was presented by Vladimir Konstantinov and Igor Larionov.

And for the second year in a row he received the Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy.

Ovechkin, thriled with his abundance of top awards, explained their meaning to him -- and how there is one elusive prize that he very much wants to win. "I don't want to stop," he enthusied. "I want to be the best again next year. I want to be in the same situation as Pittsburgh was. Personal stats is good, personal award is good. I just want to win one award, and that's the Stanley Cup." Sphere: Related Content

Congratulations to Calder Cup winning Hershey Bears!

What a thrill! What an amazing season for the Washington Capitals' affiliate Hershey Bears! The team's victory over the Manitoba Moose capped off a terrific season that gave the team their second AHL title in the last four years and their 10th overall title, establishing a whole new league record.

And if you did not get to see the Calder Cup games, you will definitely want to watch this Highlight video Sphere: Related Content

Capitals Offseason Discussion at DC Sports Box

The 2009 Stanley Cup series is over and the Penguins captured the prize. But the offseason is a chance to regroup, strengthen where there is weakness -- and return prepared and powerful for the coming new challenge of 2010!!
You will undoubtedly want to read Capitals Offseason Discussion (Part 1): Current Free Agents written by Craig Stone, Abran Fox and David Nichols for DC Sports Box.

Click here Sphere: Related Content

Congrats to Pittsburgh Penguins, Stanley Cup Champs!!

Congratulations to the talented Pittsburgh Penguins on their powerful Stanley Cup triumph!!! While this site is dedicated to our Washington Capitals team, we can appreciate the hard-fought series for the prized Stanley Cup, the incredible talent on the Pittsburgh team and the joy their players and connections are feeling on the morning after.

Links to some incredible stories written since the Pittsburgh Penguins became the 2009 Stanley Cup champions!

Pens' hard road leads to joyous destination by Shawn P Roarke for NHL.com Managing Editor

Malkin's transition now includes a Stanley Cup by Larry Wigge, NHL.com Columnist

Penguins win one for injured Crosby

Malkin earns Conn Smythe by Mike G Morreale, NHL.com Staff Writer

Shero knows winning is harder than 1-2-3 by Larry Wigge, NHL.com Columnist

Inspiring Gonchar gets his reward by Shawn P Roarke, NHL.com Managing Editor

Lots of great reading on the thriller Stanley Cup game -- and if the above is not enough, there are even more articles referenced below. What an amazing experience for the Penguins, their connections and their fans!! And, of course, we all look forward to getting the Caps back in action -- 2010 might just be the year that the Caps get to celebrate with that amazing Stanley Cup trophy!! Even so, 2009 was still a great year for our team -- they played well, they played tough and they made us all proud!

Here's Stanley, pass it on by Mike G Morreale, NHL.com Staff Writer

Key facts and figures from Game 7 by John Kreiser, NHL Columnist

Fleury robs Wings in final seconds to secure Stanley Cup for underdog Penguins

Cup win completes incredible journey

Malkin is 2nd Penguin to be playoff MVP

Top 2009 playoff moments

Penguins Talk After Stanley Cup win

Pittsburgh fans celebrate in Pittsburgh

Talbot's improbably two goals lead Penguins to Stanley Cup victory

Hossa's decision to leave backfires

Sphere: Related Content

Ovechkin To Be NHL 2K10 Cover Athlete

It's official -- posted on the Washington Capitals' website -- OVI WILL BE THE COVER ATHLETE OF 2K10!!

Alex Ovechkin, one of the Capitals' talented superstars, is apparently a huge video game buff -- so what could be more appropriate than to see his face on the cover of 2K Sports' NHL2K video game!

The box image shows Ovechkin dressed in the team's "road white uniform moments after one of his leage-leading 56 goals in 2008-09." Ovechkin, by the way, is nominated for the Hart Trophy and the Lester B Pearson Award.

A veteran of two game covers previously, Ovi will be traveling to Las Vegas to appear at a 2K Sports event. He will join in the company's public outdoor hockey motion picture session at Caesars Palace on Tuesday night from 8:30 to 11:30 pm. And joining him on the "ice" (a synthetic plastic sheet) will be Vancouver Canucks center and Selke Trophy finalist Ryan Kesler -- an San Jose Sharks play-by-play commentator Randy Hahn.

2K Sports' game producers will put Ovechkin through some drills to show off his signature style, and the public is invited to attend the free event.

To view on Capitals website Sphere: Related Content

NHLPA Exec Kelly Speaks Out on NHL/KHL Contracts

The NHL and KHL should be "respecting each other's contracts," said National Hockey League Players Association Executive Director Paul Kelly after recent Stanley Cup competition. This discussion was in part centered on Michael Nylander's contract status with the Washington Capitals.

Kelly was interviewed by Dmitry Chesnokov who presented these comments as part of a lenghier article for Yahoo! Sports.

The hockey association executive said that minus a transfer agreement between the NHL and the Russians, a player with an NHL contract cannot technically go to play in Russia.

"Technically, he can't," said Kelly. "Unless the Capitals take certain steps to end his contract by buying him out or something like that. And this is one of the issues we have had with the KHL. We should be respecting each other's contracts. The NHL shouldn't be signing any players under contract in Russia, and vice versa, they shouldn't be signing guys who have NHL obligations. We will watch that very carefully, but they should not permit players, who have contractual obligations elsewhere, to sign."

Kelly did opine that if such a signing with the KHL is "cleared by the club and the league approves, then it is a different story." But he added that he was not aware that such was the case with respect to Nylander.

When asked what needs to happen to "normalize the relationship with the Russsians," Kelly said:

"We want hockey to be strong everywhere. Including, we think it's good for hockey to have a strong KHL. You know, it'd be nice to have some kind of transfer agreement that would make sense. "Thus far, we've not had much success reaching common ground with the Russians on the transfer agreement.

"I think you're right that as long as we have people like Ovechkin, Malkin, Kovalchuk and others, young Russians will want to play in the NHL because still it is the finest hockey in the world. It is going to take many years before the KHL will come up to this level. Hopefully, they will someday. But I think we just need to continue to communicate with each other. We need to talk more, we need to meet face to face more often; we need to communicate. If we continue to do that, we will work through some of these problems."

Dmitry Chesnokov's complete article is available by clicking here. Sphere: Related Content

Capitals Draft of 2004 was a Real Winner

Looking back at the 2004 draft, the Capitals did an amazing job of selecting just the right kind of talent -- and specifically, the right players -- to the team. And, indeed, one of the picks of that draft was winger Alex Ovechkin -- who has turned out to be not only a top performer, but one of the greatest talents in all of the NHL.

A featured article by Dan Watkins for Hockey's Future provides the following information on Ovechkin:

Alexander Ovechkin, LW
1st round, 1st
overall - Moscow Dynamo (Russia)
NHL Games Played: 324
Status: NHL
Player

Taken with the first overall selection, Ovechkin has lived up to
the hype surrounding him in 2004. Already with 219 goals and 420 points in his
first four seasons, Ovechkin could be one of the highest scoring wingers
in NHL history.

Ovechkin has all the tools to be one of the best in
the world. Not only is he a speed demon on skates, but he is also one of the
best hitters in the game. Combine that with solid passing abilities, great
awareness, deadly slap and wrist shots, and personality to spare, and you have
yourself a franchise winger with a unique skill set that had never been seen in
the Capitals organization.

At the beginning of the 2008-09 season, Ovechkin was locked into a
13-year deal with the Capitals, so he is obviously expected to be the face of
the franchise for the next decade and beyond.

In that draft were Jeff Schultz, Mike Green, Chris Bourque, Mikhail Yunkov, Sami Lepisto, Clayton Barthel and Oscar Hedman. Also included were Pasi Salonen, Peter Guggisberg, Andrew Gordon, Justin Mrazek and Travis Morin.

To read Watkins' entire article: To read this article Sphere: Related Content