A look forward to what could impact Hershey's 2nd half

Yesterday I briefly recapped the seasons first half and talked about where the Bears stand now compared to other teams in the league.  Based on that you would have to say that Hershey is in good position moving forward.

But will that continue?  Will they get better?  Or will they possible get worse?  Those are all questions that will be answered over the next few months.

Here are 5 different things to ask or consider when looking at the remainder of the season.  Some of the following items will help Hershey and a couple will hurt.  And one is just a simple answer to a common question amongst Bears fans right now.

1.  The return of Mathieu Perreault and Jay Beagle.

Obviously this would help the Bears if it were to happen.  Right now the Caps are at 22 players will 3 players on IR (Alex Semin, Eric Fehr, and Tom Poti).  Semin is expected back as early as tonight.  If he returns that would place the Caps at the 23 man ceiling.

Poti could return to practice sometime next week with Fehr returning the following week.  Neither would be back in the lineup immediately but they would be close.

So if we assume (and it really is a big assumption based on how the season has gone) that the remaining Caps stay healthy and Poti and Fehr return in say 3 weeks.  We COULD see Beagle and/or Perreault back in Hershey by the end of the month.

At one time I thought Perreault could beat out Marcus Johansson for the #2 center spot in Washington but that isn't the case as of now.  Perry has only 5 goals and 3 assists in 24 games with the Caps this year.  MoJo isn't any better at 6 and 6 over 38 but he is more likely to get the place because of being higher rated by the organization.

So I no longer think Perry will remain in Washington.  When Semin returns it will be interesting to see how he produces as they did show some chemistry earlier this season.  So we will see.

Beagle is actually more likely to stay but I would say that it is more likely he gets recalled for a playoff push or that he makes the team next year permanently.  He isn't going to provide much offense which is what the Caps need.  They have Bradley, Gordon, Steckel, King, Hendricks, and Laich already and they all play similar games to Beagle's.

In the playoffs Beags is a more interesting idea but assuming there are no more injuries and the Caps actually get healthy...he should be back in Washington.

But that might only be temporary....

2.  The Caps trade for a 2nd line center

There has been speculation since last summer that the Caps would sign or trade for an established 2nd line center.  I would say that as of right now...they 100% will do something.

Plenty of bloggers have offered their opinions in the past few weeks on who is available and who the Caps might target.  I am not going to do that.

The question for Bears fans is...what will it cost the Caps?

And that depends on what they go after.  If you go and get a guy that can fill in for a couple years while the youngsters (Johansson, Eakin, Galiev, Kuznetsov) get ready it will cost you more.

Personally I think there are 3 players that Bears fans should be worried about losing:

• D Patrick McNeill - he is one of the Caps top rated defenseman and could develop into an NHLer but Washington really doesn't need him anytime soon.  Plus there are younger guys (Dmitri Orlov, Patrick Wey) who have higher upside.
• RW Francois Bouchard - he has skills, no one can deny that.  He might just need a change in scenery.  He scored 21 goals with 31 assists last year but has only 6 and 8 this season.  He isn't breaking into the Caps lineup anytime soon so he could be trade bait.
• C Mathieu Perreault - I think he had his shot.  With the young players the Caps have coming up through the minors and Russia there is lots of talent at the position.  He didn't exactly shine with his opportunity and other teams would definitely love to give him a chance.

Personally I think if you packaged the 3 of them together with a middle rounds pick you could probably get yourself a pretty good 2nd line center from a team that is out of the race this season.

I am not going to pretend that I know what teams would ask for or what you would give up but those 3 players look expendable to me.

Pay attention because the trade deadline is coming up...February 28th, 2011 at 3pm.  I 100% the Caps to be active at this time and some Bears (or at least future Bears) could be on the move.

3.  Cody Eakin and Dmitri Orlov

Could these two players join the Bears later this season?  Absolutely.  Eakin joined Hershey late last season for 4 games and then played in 5 more during the playoffs.  He followed that up with a very impressive training camp for the Capitals where he almost made the team.  They decided that he could return to juniors for one more season and see how he improved.

He began the season with Swift Current in the WHL before being traded to Kootenay for 8 different players or picks.  Yes 8.  If I remember correctly it was 5 players and 3 draft picks.  Kootenay is in the playoff hunt and is likely to make it in which will delay Cody joining the Bears.

I expect him to bring energy and depth to the Bears when they need it most.  I would say it is unlikely that we will see him before the Bears regular season is over based on where Kootenay sits in the league but if Hershey manages to stay alive for an extended playoff run we should see Eakin in Hershey this spring.

Orlov is a different case.  The biggest issue is that he plays and is under contract in the KHL which doesn't exactly have a wonderful working relationship with the NHL.  Reportedly he has already said that if he isn't traded to another KHL team for the playoffs he would like to join the Bears for the AHL playoffs.

As of today he has not been traded and currently resides on the last place team in the KHL.  But who knows.  He is a talented offensive defenseman who will likely start his career in Hershey no matter when he comes over.  If it is this season to provide some depth on the blue-line or in the next couple of seasons he will surely develop into a solid player.

During the playoffs it is as much about the depth and effort of the players as it is about the overall skill.  Both Eakin and Orlov show a desire to play for the Bears and will be willing participants to do whatever they can to help the team.  Surely Yingst and French would welcome the players with open arms should they make the move.

4. Capitals Goalies

Lately the Caps goalies, Varlamov and Neuvirth, have struggled to stay 100% healthy.  Each have dealt with minor lower body injuries and have missed time.  But that might not be the bigger issue.

At some point the Caps are going to have to pick one goalie and stick with him.  That goes for the short term and the long term.  You can't have goalies looking over their shoulder every game wondering if they let in a goal will they get to start tomorrow.  It is the same with a quarterback in football...if your starting quarterback is constantly worried about getting replaced after a bad pass he will play more cautious and won't be as effective.

The Canadiens were in that position last season.  Halak and Price were both playing well and they needed to pick one.  They did and it got them to the Eastern finals.  Then they traded him.

The Caps are facing the same situation except theirs goes one step further with Holtby in Hershey.  They have 3 goalies that could all likely be #1's in the NHL now or in the near future.  Eventually they will trade 1 or 2 of them.

Could that be this season?  I doubt it.  I don't think they have decided which 1 or 2 they would like to keep.  Neuvy and Varly have both played extensively at the NHL level but neither has stood out and neither has stayed healthy.  Braden has played a few games in the NHL and has stayed healthy but he hasn't been tested enough in the AHL.  Surely the organization would like to see him as the #1 during the Calder Cup playoffs to see how he handles the pressure.

While I don't think they move one of the goalies this spring it is possible.  Braden has shown that he could be a serviceable goalie right now in the NHL.  And trading one of the young goalies would definitely bring a good second line center or more which the Caps definitely need.

We are probably 1 year to early to worry about this but don't be shocked if it happens this year.  The goalie remaining in Washington would feel much better about his position and they would have a definitive #1 for the playoffs.  Then they could add a veteran backup or bring Braden up to ride the pine for the playoffs (or Dany Sabourin could do that as he would fill both qualities).

5.  Can Hershey catch (and pass) Wilkes-Barre?

This is an easy one to answer...yes.  BUT they have to win at least 4 of the 5 remaining games between the teams.  If they win 4 of those 5 they would pick up 6 points on the Pens overall  and would only need to make up an additional 6 points in their remaining games.

They also have 2 games in hand on the Pens so if they win those they would only need to make up 2 points over the remaining 25 or so games to pass them for the division lead.

Can it be done?  Absolutely.  Will it?  Who knows.  But does it matter?  Not really.  Hershey has won the division 3 of the past 5 years and won the cup twice (the last two).  But they finished 2nd in 05-06 before winning the Cup that year.  Wilkes-Barre won the division that year as well.

As I mentioned yesterday...the Bears currently are the better team stat wise than the Pens in many categories.  The standings is the only difference and that is meaningless once the playoffs arrive.  Records are forgotten and the regular season becomes an after thought.

The Bears are a veteran team that knows what it takes to win in May and June.  16 players on this team have won a Calder Cup at some point...some played minor roles at the time but they know what it takes to get there and what it takes to win.

They are ready!

LET'S GO BEARS!!!!

My 2010-11 Preview

A couple things happened this week that significantly strengthens what was already a very deep and talented Hershey team.

Andrew Gordon cleared waivers and Sheldon Souray was loaned to Hershey from Edmonton.

Wow.

I really thought Gordon might get picked up by another team. He isn't making a ton of money, 500k in the NHL, and is a young talented player with substantial upside. But with so many teams tight against the cap and struggling to get their own rosters down to 23 there was no one to take the gamble.

And Gordon wasn't happy about it but who can blame him. Basically he was passed over for a promotion and a significant raise. If he stays in Washington he #1 gets to play in the NHL and #2 would get paid $500,000 for the season. Being in Hershey he makes $90,000 this season. Definitely nothing to sneeze at but if any of us were up for a promotion and a raise of that magnitude we would be pretty upset too.

Souray is a completely different case. He hasn't played in the AHL since a 6 game stint with Albany in 97-98. He has scored 109 NHL goals including 23 two years ago with Edmonton. Unfortunately he has dealt with some injuries recently and has only played in 144 of a possible 246 games the past 3 seasons.

After a falling out in Edmonton the Oilers placed him on waivers but due to his salary, 5.4 million, no other team wanted to take a chance on him.

It is a very similar situation to Michael Nylander who the Caps are paying almost 4.9 million to play in Rochester this season. With the poor relationships with these players neither team wanted to send them to their minor league affiliate and basically just make the situation worse. So both players were loaned to other teams in the AHL in hopes that they can resurrect their careers and get picked up some other time this season.

Souray, like Nylander, will have to clear re-entry waivers to be called up to the NHL (he is the property of Edmonton and CAN NOT be called up by Washington). I believe (and I am not certain of this so if I am wrong someone please correct me) that if Souray is recalled by Edmonton and claimed on re-entry by another team the claiming team would only owe 50% of his 10-11 salary with Edmonton picking up the other half. So the hope of the Oilers (and Caps with Nylander) is that some team might be interested in doing that at some point this year.

The Capitals did this once before with Ben Clymer. They sent him to Hershey and would do a paper recall of him throughout the season in the hopes of someone taking a chance on him and signing him away. That never happened though and Clymer spent the 07-08 season in Hershey before heading to Europe the following season.

Time will tell what happens with Souray but for now he is a Hershey Bear and hopefully he is determined to help the team and show he can still play.


The rest of the team has been known for a while now and looks very strong. You can find an updated roster on the left side of this page.

Last years team was as talented as any team in recent memory. With Giroux, Bourque, Aucoin, Gordon, Wilson, Perreault, Bouchard, Alzner and Carlson you had 2 to 3 full lines that could score at will and a defense that could shut down anyone.

Well many of those players are gone. Alzner and Carlson are in Washington. Giroux is playing in Oklahoma City at the moment. Wilson is still with Columbus. And Bourque is currently traveling around Europe after leaving his KHL team to play in Switzerland this year.

So are the Bears going to be able to compete.

Umm...yeah I think they will be okay.

In place of the above mentioned players you have Kyle Greentree, Brian Willsie, Brian Fahey, Lawrence Nycholat, Souray, and Dmitri Kugryshev joining forces with Bouch, Perry, Coiner, Gordo, Pinner, Kane, Joudrey, McNeill, and Beags to form what is generally considered the favorite to win the Calder Cup again in 2011.

Here is the Hockey News preseason rankings.

Greentree is probably the highlight of the newcomers. He has scored 64 goals over the past 2 seasons and will now get to play with Aucoin, who routinely helps wingers achieve career years.

Willsie, formerly of the Hershey Bears in 02-03, comes back to Hershey after splitting time between the NHL and AHL over the last 8+ years. In fact last year was really the first time he played a full season in the 'A' since the 2000-01 season in Hershey. And he did okay last year for Lake Erie scoring 26 goals and adding 31 assists.

Souray we talked about already. Fahey is a career AHLer to this point who routinely scores double digit goals and can add triple digit PIMs if needed.

Nycholat, another former Bear, returns to Hershey after spending some time in the NHL with Ottawa and Vancouver. He is a great locker room presence who will help Fahey in solidifying the blue line.

There are lots of young guys who will be making appearances this season in Hershey including Patrick Cullity, Trevor Bruess, Jake Hauswirth, and Nikita Kashirsky but the player who I am most excited to see is Dmitri Kugryshev. He has spent the past 2 years playing in the QMJHL where he totaled 171 points (67 goals) in 132 games. He will be getting good opportunities to show what he can do this year.


The biggest questions facing the Bears this year are in goal and on the blue line. And well the blue line should be okay. Between McNeill, Miscovic, Collins, Fahey, Finley, Souray, Nycholat, Wellar and Cullity I think they will be okay. But when you lose 2 NHLers and 2 veteran players like Helmer and Amadio there will be questions.

The goaltending issue is another one entirely. Last years #1 Michal Neuvirth is in the NHL splitting time with 08-09 #1 Semyon Varlamov. Last years #2 Braden Holtby takes over as the #1 and eventually Dany Sabourin will be in Hershey to be the #2.

Honestly that isn't bad. The problem comes when Varly or Neuvy get hurt, which lets face it, will happen. In fact Varly is already hurt which is why Sabourin is still in Hershey.

Behind Sabourin is Todd Ford and Jared DiMichele. Both are solid prospects but if Hershey has to rely on them for an extended period things could get hairy. I am not saying they can't handle the job but they are both unknowns on this level, although Ford has played 20+ games in the AHL through his career.


For more team and league preview articles check out PennLive.com. Tim Leone did a few articles for the Bears preview section of the Patriot News, which came out today, that you can find on PennLive.com. Definitely worth checking out.


Now lets talk expectations and predictions.

To expect this years team to achieve what last years team accomplished is probably asking a lot. AHL records were set often last year by the Bears and that was likely a once in a lifetime team we got to see.

But this years team can be very good. There is an issue of having too many veterans after the addition of Souray that could result in some lost ice time for players like Nycholat or Kane. Could that disrupt the locker room....maybe.

Will the young players step up and rise to the challenge or buckle under the pressure? Guys like Bruess, Finley, Cullity, Holtby, and Kugryshev are going to be handed some solid minutes and they have to perform.

The team won't use the term '3-peat' as they don't want to think too much about it. I will talk about it today and then probably stash it away until necessary this Spring.

No team has won 3 Calder Cups in a row since the 59-62 Springfield Indians.

Can Hershey do it?

Yeah I think they can but obviously a lot has to fall in to place. Last years East division was not nearly as strong as recent years and it will be better this year. In fact Hershey might not win the division.

Personally I think goaltending is going to be an issue this year. Holtby looked questionable in the playoffs last year and Neuvirth and Varlamov can't stay healthy. Something tells me there will be quite the goaltending shuffle happening in Hershey this season.

And I think it will cost Hershey the division title. Not sure which team beats them out for it but everyone seems to think that Wilkes-Barre will be pretty good again this year. But it doesn't matter as we don't hang Division or Conference Championship banners in Hershey...we only want one thing....

Hershey will raise the Cup again in June...and in October of 2011 we will be watching the 12th Championship banner being raised to the rafters at the GC.

As a disclaimer....I am a believer and an optimist so I will always think they are the favorites to win it all. But I truly do believe that this team could be just as good offensively as last years team and defensively they might be even better. The question comes in goal. As it always does in hockey.

But when you have players like Boyd Kane, who scored 24 goals last season, and Ashton Rome, he added 5 in 26 games, playing on the 4th line you have a definite advantage over 90% of the other teams in the league.

Hershey's depth will again be the difference come May and June.

It is going to be an incredible season and I am hyped for it to get started!!!

LET'S GO BEARS!!!!!!

Caps and Bears make cuts

Yesterday we got word of 7 cuts by the Bears and today we get word of 4 cuts from the Capitals.

First the Bears cuts...

These 5 are off to South Carolina:

• F David de Kostrazza
• F Anton Gustafsson
• F Jake Hauswirth
• G Jared DeMichiel
• D Dustin Stevenson

In addition to those, F Kaleigh Shrock is headed to Fort Wayne of the IHL. And D Wes O'Neill was released from his tryout contract.

No real surprises there. The biggest might be Gustafsson. Former 1st rounder just isn't quite performing to that level. Stevenson had a good camp with the Caps but he is coming from a tier 2 junior league so a little more work is probably good.

Was hoping to see Hauswirth make a claim on a roster spot as I am curious how he uses his size in the offensive end. But Hershey is deep at center right now so he was expendable.

Now onto the Caps cuts...

Mathieu Perreault and Jay Beagle are on their way to Hershey now and Andrew Gordon and Brian Fahey were placed on waivers.

If you have been reading this blog recently you would know that I didn't think Washington would cut Gordon because he is a risk to get picked up on waivers. I figured he would stay in Washington and get the extra forward spot at least to start the year.

So now he has to wait until noon tomorrow to see where he will end up. It is quite possible that Washington knew a while ago that they were going to send him down but waited until this date for a reason. All NHL teams must get their rosters to 23 now so by waiting until all teams are making tough decisions you might be able to slip Gordon through waivers.

Hopefully it works out. As a Bears fan I selfishly want Gordon in Hershey but at the same time if he gets picked up by a team that is going to give him a legitimate shot than I will be very happy for him and his chance.

As for the other two players....I was right. Perry didn't beat out Marcus Johansson and due to MoJo's willingness to go back to Sweden, Perry wasn't going to start the season in Washington.

Beagle...he is a 4th liner in the NHL (at this time anyway) that could potentially develop into a 3rd liner. But Washington already has 5 guys that can play on the 3rd/4th line so Beagle, who doesn't have to worry about waivers, was a long shot to make the club.

I can assure you though that Beagle and Perreault are likely the top 2 recall candidates going into the season.

Bears hockey is only 4 days away!!

Preseason kicks off tonight

The first of 3 preseason games is tonight at 7:05 in Wilkes Barre against the Baby Pens. The Capitals reassigned Nycholat and Holtby leaving the Caps with 28 players (not counting Patty McNeill). That means there will be at least 5 more players arriving from Washington in the next week.

So far the (camp) roster looks something like this (I apologize if I miss anyone as I am not sure I know all the camp invitees):

Goalies:

• Braden Holtby
• Todd Ford
• Jared DeMichiel

Defense:

• Josh Godfrey
• Johann Kroll
• Dustin Stevenson
• Dylan Yeo
• Patrick Cullity
• Joe Finley
• Sean Collins
• Zach Miskovic
• Patrick Wellar
• Wes O’Neill

Forwards:

• Trevor Bruess
• Boyd Kane
• Joel Rechlicz
• David de Kostrazza
• Anton Gustafsson
• Jake Hauswirth
• Nikita Kashirsky
• Dmitry Kugryshev
• Ashton Rome
• Francois Bouchard
• Kyle Greentree
• Grant McNeill
• Brian Willsie
• Keith Aucoin
• Andrew Joudrey
• Lincoln Schrock
• Jordan Pietrus
• Steve Pinizzotto
  

Players expected in Hershey some time soon that are still in Washington:

• G Dany Sabourin
• D Brian Fahey
• D Patrick McNeill (injured but listed on Caps roster)
• F Jay Beagle
• F Mathieu Perreault
• F Matt Hendricks

and, while long shots, still possibly...

• F Andrew Gordon
• F Marcus Johansson

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According to Tim Leone the lineup for tonight will look something like this....

Lines:
G. McNeill - Gustafsson - de Kastrozza
Greentree - Willsie - Kugryshev
Pietrus - Kashirsky - Bruess
Schrock - Hauswirth - Rechlicz

D-pairs:
O’Neill - Miskovic
Stevenson - Cullity
Finley (game-day decision)/Yeo (if Finley is scratched) - Godfrey

Goalies: Ford, DeMichiel

Training Camp Underway in Hershey

Yesterday the 2010-11 season of Hershey Bears hockey kicked off as training camp started up. There aren't a ton of bodies in camp yet as many of the players remain in Washington.

The biggest story moving forward is the 3rd line center battle in Washington. The outcome will directly affect the Bears so it deserves some attention.

So far all 3 candidates (Eakin, Johansson, Perreault) have looked very good. They have scored goals, recorded assists, and have fit in each place they have played. It is still anyone's guess to who will win the job to start the season. And I have a guess too or maybe more of a theory.

Assuming Fleischmann starts at 2nd line center (which appears likely) there is only 1 spot open in the starting lineup. There is also room for one extra player on the roster that last week I thought would go to Hendricks or Andrew Gordon but now there are rumors that it could be one of the centers.

I don't see it happening. If it did though it would likely be Cody Eakin...at least for a few games. I believe the Caps would have 10 games to see what they have in Eakin and still send him back to juniors for the year...I think. If that is the case I could see them giving him a few games. If it works out and he shines then he stays on the NHL roster this year. If not, then they send him back.

But I don't see them risking Hendricks and/or Gordon on waivers just to keep Eakin for a few games.

I still think MoJo will be the #3 center on opening night and Perry will be back in Hershey to start the season.

As for the Gordon/Hendricks battle...now that Hendricks officially has a contract (a one year 2 way deal) this is actually a position battle...I think Gordon is still likely to get it. And the main reason is waivers. The chances are better that a team takes a shot at Gordo instead of Hendricks and that is not something the Caps are going to take a chance on...at least I don't think so.

The Hershey roster could look drastically different come opening night. If Gordo does make the Caps two thirds of the top line from last season would not be in Hershey this year.

But fear not Bears fans as this won't be a repeat of 07-08 either. In 07-08 Hershey was coming off a 2nd consecutive Finals appearance and the roster that year featured many young unproven players like Gordon, Joudrey and Wilson. The main 'veteran' leadership and 'star' role (and I use those terms VERY LOOSELY here) was Joe Motzko. Oh and the million dollar man Ben Clymer was also there.

This year....

Willsie, Hendricks (assuming the above happens), Greentree, and all the returning Bears (Pinner, Coiner, Bouch, and others) and young new Bears (Kugryshev, Hauswirth, Gustafsson, Kashirsky) will still make this a very good year.

The talent level in Hershey will still be very high and as long as the goaltending holds up we could be watching live hockey at the Giant Center well into spring again in 2011!

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Hershey released their 3rd or alternate jerseys this past week. Some of you might have already seen 'leaks' of these jersey's online but they were officially unveiled earlier this week...


While it isn't the 'traditional' skating bear logo that we all love it is closer. Definitely expect to see some of these in the GC this season. And it could be as early as this weekend...if you are a season ticket holder headed down for the ticket night festivities tomorrow night these jersey's WILL be on sale.

Hendricks stars as Caps open preseason

The Capitals opened their preseason slate last night in Columbus with a 6-2 win. Plenty of potential Bears got a chance to showcase their abilities including Braden Holtby, Andrew Gordon, and Mathieu Perreault.

But Matt Henricks made the biggest argument for a roster spot as he scored 3 goals on 4 shots. He is only in camp on a professional tryout contract so production like that will definitely help his cause for either a spot in Washington or in Hershey.

Of more concern for most following Washington and Hershey is the battle for the 2 center positions. Based on the roster makeup the Caps would much prefer to have Tomas Fleischmann win the 2nd line center spot. With 4 wingers (Semin, Laich, Fehr, Chimera) all penciled in on the 2nd and 3rd lines if Flash were to end up at wing someone would be out of regular minutes. And that just doesn't make sense.

So how did the centers do?

The 4 that played, Flash, Eakin, Perreault, and Johansson, all had solid games. In fact, of the four, only Perry failed to record a point. But according to some write ups (Capitals Insider, Japer's Rink) he played well.

Flash had the best night of the four however as he scored 2 goals and added an assist as his line (alongside Laich and Semin) accounted for 2 goals and 5 assists on the night. Eakin added a goal and MoJo added 2 assists as well.

It seems to be a 3 horse race for the 2 spots and with Flash penciled in at #2 center it would be a surprise to see either Eakin or Keith Aucoin (who didn't play last night) beat out Perry or MoJo for the #3 spot.

Obviously one preseason game is a bit early to start making predictions but considering the dynamics of the situation I think, barring an exceptional performance by someone over the next few weeks, the lines are probably set.

Line 1 ~Ovechkin - Backstrom - Knuble
Line 2 ~ Laich - Fleischmann - Semin
Line 3 ~ Chimera - Johansson - Fehr
Line 4 ~ Bradley - Steckel - B Gordon
extras ~ King, A Gordon/Hendricks

Why is that you ask...

It's simple. MoJo isn't going to come to Hershey (more than likely) so its either Sweden or the NHL. If he goes back to Sweden he really doesn't develop anymore. His main issue is adjusting to the pace and rink size here in North America. So sending him to Sweden is silly unless he is straight beat out for the position, which seems unlikely.

In addition Perry can come and go freely form Hershey. If they need him for 2 games then they can call him up without worrying about waivers. Plus Perry's main problem is probably consistency and size, which he can work on in Hershey too.

If MoJo was a candidate for Hershey I think this would be more of a battle but that doesn't seem likely as he isn't interested in playing there. If that changes then you could see the battle play out longer as he could adjust to the rink size in Hershey for a few months.

Both players will get plenty of time in Washington but to start the year I think MoJo gets the opportunity.

As for the other battles, Gordon and Hendricks are probably fighting for the final spot in Washington. There are others up for the position too, Beagle, Willsie, Pinner, but Gordo and Henricks are the leading candidates.

This is a tough one to call. One, Hendricks, has played regularly in the NHL (60 games the last 2 years with Colorado) but has a lower 'ceiling'. The other, Gordon, has played in only 3 NHL games but could become a regular producer for an NHL team.

Both players have to clear waivers to come to Hershey, which factors in to the decision. I think it actually makes the decision for the Caps. If Gordon shows enough I don't see how he gets sent back to Hershey.

Why risk losing him to a waiver claim like Bourque last year? Honestly the Caps were pretty much done with Bourque when the sent him through waivers last year. Obviously he has talent but they had given him every chance to win a spot and he couldn't do it. Gordon is a different case as they don't want to lose him right now.

So in my highly unprofessional opinion we have likely seen the last of Andrew Gordon in Hershey as well. I think he makes the Caps as the 13th/14th forward and will see time on the 3rd and 4th lines with regularity this season.

But remember it is still early in the preseason with plenty of games to go.

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Hershey's training camp starts on Monday the 27th and 9 players were reassigned to Hershey earlier this week:

G Todd Ford
D Patrick Cullity
D Joe Finley
F David de Kostrazza
F Anton Gustafsson
F Jake Hauswirth
F Nikita Kashirsky
F Dmitry Kugryshev
F Ashton Rome

Expect more cuts to be made this weekend as the Caps will want Hershey to have a full (enough) roster for their camp on Monday.

Andrew Gordon a Cap.....

I figured with all the forwards already in Washington that Gordon would return to Hershey for another season but I didn't really factor in the waiver wire.

Much like Chris Bourque last year, Gordon would have to clear waivers to end up in Hershey. And considering his talent, production, and age I wouldn't be so sure that he would get through.

Now keep in mind that if he were to be picked up he would have to clear waivers again to get him to the AHL which, like Bourque last year, could allow for Washington/Hershey to come in and get him back.

Corey Masisak seems to think he will be in Washington to start the season...

Gordon scored 37 goals for Hershey last regular season and added 13 more in the Calder Cup playoffs. He doesn’t turn 25 until December, and is versatile enough to play on either an energy line or a scoring line at the AHL level and maybe in the big leagues as well. Plus he earns high marks for his work ethic and compatibility in the dressing room.

Does that sound like a player some NHL franchises might be interested in acquiring for free? Um, yes. The Capitals have 13 forwards signed to one-way contracts. Subtract Michael Nylander and add Johansson or Perreault or Aucoin, and that is 13 forwards on the opening-night roster. If Washington only carries seven defensemen that leaves one spot open.

Gordon would have to clear waivers if he is sent back to Hershey. Does he make the team in part because the Capitals are worried about losing him for nothing? If no other forwards are moved between now and cutdown day, that might be a pretty sound bet.

In the same post Masisak also lists his top 30 organizational prospects. You can find the whole post by clicking this link (there are 5 stories to watch for as well in there) but I also provide the list below.

I am excited about the list not for this season but for future seasons...plenty of talent in the pipeline. The teams beside their name are where you can likely find them this season.

1. John Carlson, Washington
2. Evgeny Kuznetsov, Traktor Chelyabinsk (KHL)*
3. Michal Neuvirth, Washington
4. Marcus Johansson, Washington
5. Braden Holtby, Hershey/Washington
6. Cody Eakin, Swift Current (WHL)*
7. Mathieu Perreault, Hershey/Washington
8. Dmitri Orlov, Mettalurg Novokuznetsk (KHL)*
9. Andrew Gordon, Washington/Hershey
10. Patrick Wey, Boston College (NCAA)*
11. Stanislav Galiev, Saint John (QMJHL)*
12. Patrick McNeil, Hershey/Washington
13. Jay Beagle, Hershey/Washington
14. Anton Gustafsson, Hershey
15. Philipp Grubauer, Kingston (OHL)*
16. Steve Pinizzotto, Hershey
17. Dmitry Kugryshev, Hershey
18. Dustin Stevenson, South Carolina/Hershey
19. Trevor Bruess, Hershey
20. Francois Bouchard, Hershey
21. Caleb Herbert, Sioux City (USHL)
22. Garrett Mitchell, Regina (WHL)
23. Brett Flemming, Mississauga (OHL)
24. Zach Miskovic, Hershey/Washington
25. Greg Burke, New Hampshire (NCAA)
26. Dan Dunn, St. Cloud State (NCAA)
27. Jake Hauswirth, South Carolina/Hershey
28. Phil DeSimone, New Hampshire (NCAA)
29. Samuel Carrier, Lewiston (QMJHL)
30. Sean Collins, Hershey

Rookies win 4-3....Camp begins tomorrow

Congratulations the the Caps rookie's as they defeated the Flyers rookies 4-3 yesterday. Defenseman and sometimes Bear Josh Godfrey scored 2 goals while Cody Eakin scored the game winner with just over a minute to go.

Some players impressed more than others this week. Eakin, Marcus Johansson, Stanislav Galiev, and Dustin Stevenson were the position players mentioned and Braden Holtby, who volunteered to take part in camp so he could get some extra work, was also mentioned for his obvious work ethic and eagerness to show what he can do.

But how will those players do over the next couple weeks and what does all of this mean to the Bears?

Here is the main storyline to watch during Caps camp that will greatly shape the Bears opening night roster.

The 2nd (and 3rd) Line Center Competition

The Caps are still looking for that second line center that has been missing from their roster since Sergei Federov left a couple years ago. By my count there are no more than 6 players competing for not only the 2nd line center but the 3rd line center spot as well.

• Keith Aucoin -a definite veteran presence that has shown year in year out at the AHL level the ability to make those around him better. He played 9 games for the Caps last season collecting 1 goal and 4 assists. Extended out over a full season that equals 9 goals and 36 points. As a 3rd line center that wouldn't be bad.
• Cody Eakin - the 2009 3rd round pick has impressed everyone on a consistent basis. He earned playing time in the 2010 Calder Cup Playoffs after a stellar junior season where he scored 47 goals and 44 assists in 70 games. Not eligible for Hershey this season so its either NHL or WHL.
  
• Tomas Fleischmann - played much of last season at center and was okay. Not a consistent force on faceoffs and highly inconsistent offensively. He has frustrated fans and the organization and some speculated that he could be traded this summer but that didn't materialize. Last year was his best year as a pro as he scored 23 goals and added 28 assists in 69 games. Boudreau loves him too, which doesn't hurt.
  
• Marcus Johansson - the 2009 1st round pick was "the most consistent player on the ice" during the rookie game yesterday. Playing in the Swedish Elite League the last two years he has totaled 15 goals and 15 assists. Highly unlikely that he would end up in Hershey so if he doesn't make the Caps he is back to Sweden.
  
• Brooks Laich - another player who had a career year in 09-10 as he scored 25 goals and added 34 assists (both career highs). He is more than likely a winger but has played some center during his career and if any of the players falter he could step up.
  
• Mathieu Perreault - the diminutive, late round pick has done nothing but impress since making the Hershey roster 2 years ago. He is listed at 5'9" and 166lbs but has supposedly spent the summer adding muscle to his frame. There might not be a better pure playmaker on this list as he will always look to pass first, sometimes too often. He played in 21 games for the Caps last season scoring 4 goals and 5 assists. Extended out over a full season would be roughly 16 goals and 20 assists.
  

Beyond those players you could make an argument for Boyd Gordon or Jay Beagle being up for the 3rd line spot but I would say they have little to no chance in beating out the other 6.

Obviously if the Caps give the spot(s) to either Aucoin or Perreault (or both!) then Hershey will definitely feel it beginning opening night. As of now Coiner and Perry are both penciled in to the #1 and #2 center positions in Hershey.

In my completely unprofessional and unwarranted opinion I would rank them like this:

1. Perreault
2. Johansson
3. Fleischmann
4. Aucoin
5. Laich
6. Eakin

Personally I love watching Perry play and truly believe that he would be a great addition to the Caps. Sure his size is a concern but plenty of smaller players have thrived in recent seasons, Patrick Kane being front and center. His stick handling is unparalleled and his vision on the ice is tremendous. The only flaw in his game it seemed was his strength and endurance which if he spent the summer working on should be much improved.

Selfishly I am hoping they give the spots to Flash and MoJo since we aren't going to see them anyways but I am not convinced Flash is an every game center and I think MoJo would be better served spending a season on the 3rd line between Laich and Fehr.

Eakin would be 3rd if he wasn't still junior eligible. I think they would prefer him to Flash at center but considering they can't send him to Hershey and have to commit in the first 10 games (I think) for the whole season I don't see them keeping him around. If he was AHL eligible he would probably make the opening night roster. But he needs to add more strength as well. He could remain on the Caps for the opening week or so before they send him back just to give him a 'test' run.

Coiner deserves the chance and if this were last season I think he would have had a shot but with MoJo and Perry getting so much better over the past year I think he is stuck in a numbers game. Which is just fine for us in Hershey but unfortunate for Coiner as he would surely love another chance at a full time NHL gig.

Keep an eye on this over the next couple weeks as Hershey's roster could be greatly impacted by the outcome.

Rookie Camp, Matty Hendricks, and More

I don't really have much to report from Caps Rookie camp as I am not there. But the links below should give you some information:

Dustin Stevenson is impressing Corey Masisak

Interview with Caps director of player development Steve Richmond Mike Vogel

5 Rookies to Watch Puckhead's Thoughts

Guys to keep your eye on Ravings of a Rink Rebel

If you are more interested in Caps training camp and what players may or may not make the Caps try these:

Alzner and Perry set for camp Capitals Insider

Caps Training Camp Primer Japer's Rink

And let's welcome back former Bear Matt Hendricks as he has been invited to try out with the Caps during training camp:

Who is Matt Hendricks Rock the Red


Caps camp starts Saturday as all the veterans and rookies will join up for a few weeks. Hershey camp will surely start sometime the following week as the Caps send players to Hershey or back to their junior clubs.

Hockey is back!!

This Sunday marks the beginning of the hockey season. Sure some players have been working out at Kettler for the last few weeks but nothing has officially started.

Until Sunday.

At 10:30am the Capitals Rookie Camp officially kicks off with the first practice of the (almost) week long camp.

24 players (listed below) will be a part of the 2010 camp which will conclude with a scrimmage against the Philadelphia Flyers rookie players on Thursday night.

And then training camp starts on Saturday the 18th for 42 other players on the Caps roster including many players expected to play in Hershey this season.

Rookie Camp Roster:

Goalies:

Philipp Grubauer
Jared DeMichiel
Brandon Anderson

Defense:

Samuel Carrier
Patrick Cullity
Joe Finley
Brett Flemming
Josh Godfrey
Johann Kroll
Zach Miscovic
Dustin Stevenson
Dylan Yeo

Forwards:

Trevor Bruess
David de Kastrozza
Cody Eakin
Stanislav Galiev
Anton Gustafsson
Jake Hauswirth
Marcus Johansson
Nikita Kashirsky
Dmitry Kugryshev
Felix LeFrancois
Garrett Mitchell
Anthony Pisano

2010-2011 Schedule is here!

Finally the AHL released the 2010-11 schedule. You can find Hershey's entire schedule by clicking on this link. Or head over to the AHL site and find it there.

It is a fairly favorable schedule for the Bears to be honest. There are really only 2 tough road trips (as far as travel is concerned anyways) and multiple home stretches where Hershey is basically at home (save a couple trips to New York) for weeks at a time.

Some thoughts:

• Hershey starts the season on the road with 3 straight road games beginning in Wilkes Barre on October 9th.
  
• There are 15 different 3 in 3 weekends and 5 of those are parts of 4 in 5's. That seems like a lot to me but looking at last years schedule it is actually the same 3 in 3 and one less 4 in 5.
• Brutal stretch from March 5 to the 13th. In those 9 days Hershey plays 7 games including their longest road stretch of the season, 4 games. That trip in total will be almost 12oo miles on the road and will go from Hershey (2 home games) to Portland, Worcester, Hartford, and Adirondack before returning to Hershey for 2 more home games.
• Another tough road stretch...February 9 to the 19th. It begins in Manchester on a Wednesday, heads to Providence on Friday, back in Hershey on Saturday, Wilkes Barre on Sunday, to Norfolk on Tuesday, Rochester on Friday before returning to Hershey for Saturday/Sunday home games.

On the good side...

• 2 nice home stretches: January 25 thru February 6 will see Hershey play 8 home games (including 4 straight) with 3 short road trips to New York thrown in. That stretch also includes the AHL All Star game in Hershey.
  
• The other is over Christmas...December 18 to January 2nd where they get 6 at home, including another 4 straight, with only a trip to Pittsburgh to play the Penguins at the new arena on the 30th thrown into the mix.
• Unlike last year Hershey finishes the season at home with 6 of their last 10 games in Hershey.
• The 2 games against Rochester (10/10 and 10/16) will feature throw back uniforms from way back. That will be cool.

And in case you have forgotten...Hershey will host the 2010-11 AHL All Star game and Festivities on January 30-31. This years game finally sees a return to the East vs West format instead of the previously used Canada vs World.

Definitely should be an exciting season. Rookie camp opens in the next few weeks in Washington.

Current Roster

As of today (August 2) this is what Hershey's roster COULD look like come October.

Goalies:

Braden Holtby
Dany Sabourin
Todd Ford
Jared DeMichiel

*players in bold should start season in Hershey*

This was an easy position to figure out. Ford will likely be the first recall option with DeMichiel also getting some time in Hershey potentially.


Defense:

Sean Collins
Brian Fahey
Joe Finley
Josh Godfrey
Patrick McNeill
Zach Miscovic
Dustin Stevenson
Johan Kroll
Dylan Yeo
Patrick Wellar
Lawrence Nycholat

*players in bold are those I expect to start the season in Hershey*

That is 11 defensemen. 4 of them (Kroll, Yeo, Wellar, Nycholat) are on AHL only deals. I would expect at least 8 to be full time in Hershey this season. Obviously though with injuries and call ups all of these players are likely to see some time in Hershey.

The one name that many expected (and maybe still expect) to see on the list is Bryan Helmer. I have not heard anything about him resigning or retiring as of yet. He seemed interested in returning for another season in postseason interviews but who knows. There is still potential for him to come back but he won't play as much as he did the past seasons.


Forwards:

Keith Aucoin
Jay Beagle
Francois Bouchard
Trevor Bruess
Andrew Gordon
Kyle Greentree
Anton Gustafsson
Jake Hauswirth
Andrew Joudrey
Dmitri Kugryshev
Mathieu Perreault
Steve Pinizzotto
Brian Willsie
Boyd Kane
Nikita Kashirsky
Grant McNeill
Joel Rechlicz
Ashton Rome

*players in bold are players I expect to see in Hershey immediately*

That is 18 forwards, 5 of which (last 5 on there) are on AHL only deals. With all the moves being made in Washington I highly doubt any of these players will make the Caps roster out of camp. But if some do it would likely to be Beagle or Willsie as they can both be contributors on multiple lines. Gordon could too but I think they would rather see him score in the AHL for another year.

Of those 18 only 2 are officially listed as left wings, Greentree and Kane. Right wing and center are both stacked with talent while there is lots of other potential on the left side with guys like Hauswirth, Bruess, and Pinner listed simply as 'Forwards'.

Predicting lines is almost impossible at this stage but unless one of them makes the Caps I would be willing to put money on a Greentree, Coiner, Gordon top line.


There will probably be a few more signings before the summer is out. But if not then this is what Hershey will enter the season with. In all honesty I think this roster has just as much potential as last years did. The main difference is last years team was less potential and more actual production. Guys like Giroux, Wilson, Helmer, Alzner, and Carlson were known producers. You didn't have to worry about them.

This year though guys like Gustafsson, Kugryshev, and Hauswirth have tons of potential but haven't proven it as of yet. But there are still the solid production guys too...Greentree and Willsie join the team while Coiner and Gordon are still there.

It is going to be another great season for the Hershey Bears and their fans.

It has been a while...

July was a busy month for me and the Bears with lots of signings and even a minor trade.

So let's get caught up...

~ Hershey signed 2 goalies for the upcoming season. Jared DeMichiel and Todd Ford will likely be suiting up in South Carolina for much of the coming season. Both players add depth in case of injury or call up to Hershey's goaltenders.

Ford spent much of 09-10 in South Carolina racking up an 18-7-2 record with a .910 save percentage and a 2.79 gaa in 29 games. He also played 15 games in the AHL for Manitoba and Texas.

DiMichiel just finished up his college career at R.I.T. where he started 38 games last year posting a .921 save percentage and a 2.09 goals against average while going 27-10-1 for the year.

~Elsewhere Hershey officially added Ashton Rome to the 2010-11 roster. This deal was first reported back in May but apparently only became official this past month. Rome played in 26 games for the Bears this past season, recording 5 goals and 3 assists in those games. Mainly seen as a third or fourth line player he showed a willingness to get his nose dirty and play a very physical game.

~ Boyd Kane will return for another season in Hershey as well. Kane recorded a career high in goals last season with 24 while adding a significant veteran presence to the team. He has played 2 seasons in Hershey, winning Calder Cups in both 05-06 and last season.

~ Dylan Yeo resigned with Hershey for 2010-11 as well. Yeo spent much of last season playing for South Carolina where he recorded 14 goals and 16 assists in 49 games there. Not too bad for a defenseman. He did appear in 6 games for the Bears including 2 in the playoffs.

~ Joel Rechlicz will also be joining the Bears this season. The 6'4" 220lb right wing is an enforcer type player. He played last season for Bridgeport and the NY Islanders collecting a combined 155 penalty minutes in 27 games between the two leagues.

~ Not sure if I mentioned this but forward Nikita Kashirsky was also signed by the Bears for the 2010-11 season. He spent most of 09-10 in South Carolina, recording 19 goals and 16 assists in 39 games for the Stingrays. He also played in 25 games in the AHL for Manitoba and Springfield.

~ Also of note was a recent trade. Stefan Della Rovere was traded to the St. Louis Blues by the Capitals in exchange for tough guy D.J. King. Rovere was always going to play the pest role that Pinizzotto plays right now which made him expendable in the eyes of the organization.


I think I got everything. If I forgot anyone in this post or previous posts please let me know in the comments section.

Caps (Bears) sign 2, Bears add 1

The Washington Capitals and more likely the Hershey Bears signed 2 players this past week. One will likely fill Alexandre Giroux's spot at left wing on the top line and the other will likely fill one of the many defensive openings. And then the Bears signed another defensemen to an AHL only deal as well.

Kyle Greentree will be the left wing. Last season he played for Rockford in the AHL, totaling 25 goals and 20 assists in 64 games. That was his third season in the AHL and his least productive season. In 07-08 he played with the Philadelphia Phantoms where he had 24 goals and 24 assists in 72 games. In 08-09 he was with the Quad City Flames where he registered 39 goals and 37 assists in 76 games. He has also played in 4 NHL games although he does not have any points.

Greentree is not Giroux and he is not going to replace Giroux's 139 goals over the past 2 seasons. BUT players routinely have career years playing in Hershey and playing with Keith Aucoin. Before coming to Hershey in 06-07 Giroux had a career high of 36 goals in one season. Before playing with Aucoin, Graham Mink's career high in goals was 31 (he hit 32 with Coiner). Before playing with Aucoin this past season, Andrew Gordon's career high in goals was 21 (he scored 37 this year).

Greentree will likely at least come close to his career high of 39 goals and 37 assists. And if he does that he will be one of Hershey's top performers. I can actually see him scoring even more than that if he and Aucoin stay healthy.

The other addition from the Caps side was defenseman Brian Fahey. Fahey is an AHL veteran having played in the league since 03-04. He played 12 games for the Bears that year and has played for 5 other franchises. Most recently he played for the Lake Erie Monsters where he registered 11 goals, 14 assists and 97 penalty minutes in 71 games.

With the Bears losing Karl Alzner, John Carlson and Greg Amadio they are going to need defensemen to step in. Fahey has shown some offensive abilities throughout his career so he should help out in that regard as well.

Hershey also signed former Bear captain Lawrence Nycholat to a one year AHL only deal this week. He spent last season with the Manitoba Moose after spending 08-09 bouncing between the NHL and AHL.

He was a critical member of the 05-06 Calder Cup Championship team and was an important piece the following season before being traded. Like Fahey he will bring a solid offensive component to the table to help replace Carlson. He also brings a certain leadership quality that always helps in the locker room.

Surely the Bears are not done in free agency. For one thing there are still restricted free agents out there including Gordon and Beagle. Surely there will be plenty of news coming over the next couple of weeks.

The Capitals resigned a couple of their restricted free agents this week which closes the door to potential roster spots for Bears. Eric Fehr, Jeff Schultz and Boyd Gordon all signed contracts this past week and will be in Washington next season.

That means there are now 10 forwards and 7 defensemen on the Caps roster next season. Fleischmann is the last RFA that spent considerable time in Washington last season and I would expect to see him get a contract soon.

Obviously there is lots of time left before the opening of training camp and the season but the rosters are starting to take shape. I will have much more next week about the roster. Also the development camp rosters were announced so I will have something on that this weekend or early next week.

Bears being disassembled

Well the Hershey Bears won two Calder Cups with a lineup that most people would have agreed was deeper than any other teams. Consider that Jay Beagle was at times on the 4th line for the Bears and you can see how deep they were.

That is changing...drastically.

Honestly I thought this was going to happen last year but somehow the Bears managed to keep almost all the major players together. So far this week Hershey has lost Jason Bacashihua, Kyle Wilson, Alexandre Giroux, and Greg Amadio.

Obviously everyone sees that list and first notices Giroux's name as the biggest loss. When you score 139 goals in 181 games spread over 2 seasons you will be sorely missed.

But I think the player we will miss most on that list is Kyle Wilson. He wasn't the offensive stud that Giroux was obviously, with 'only' 122 goals over his 4 seasons in Hershey. But did you know that he played in almost every game Hershey played over the past 3 seasons? He missed 3 games this past season due to recall to Washington (where he played 2) over the last 3+ seasons.

He joined Hershey early in 06-07 and played in every game after that. Impressive considering the physical nature of the sport. Some guys (including the goalies now in Washington) struggle to get through 10 games at a time while Wilson played through everything.

He was a constant in Hershey. You knew he was going to be there and you knew he was going to play. Unfortunately he got caught in a numbers game with Washington. As a center he finds himself behind Aucoin, Perreault, Johansson, and maybe even guys like Eakin and Gustaffson on the Caps organizational depth chart.

How, I will never know but he has. Now he gets his chance in Columbus and I for one will be rooting hard to see him get his shot at a full time NHL job.

But back to why this hurts Hershey more than Giroux.

With the Caps not signing a 2nd line center (as of yet) it looks like Perreault could get his shot in the NHL next season. And with other players not resigned or getting picked up Washington could have a spot or two on its fourth line or for players to step in...which could mean Beagle would get an NHL spot too.

That would leave the Bears thin at center with Keith Aucoin and ........ who knows. Trevor Bruess is a center, but he couldn't crack the lineup in the playoffs. Jake Hauswirth is listed as a center but is he ready after one season in the ECHL? Anton Gustaffson will likely get a shot but again he couldn't crack the lineup.

Who is left? Obviously Hershey will be adding some players through free agency but can they compare to what they are going to be losing.

Oh and for those of you waiting for me to list Cody Eakin...he can't play in Hershey next year until his junior season ends. He is only 19 and in order to be eligible for the AHL he must be 20. So...not until 2011-12!

Now don't get me wrong...left wing is an issue too. With Giroux gone and Bourque not likely returning Hershey is very weak on the left side. But they could resign Michael Dubuc and give him a shot on the left side. He is a top talent goal scorer but his defensive end play is weak. But if he plays on the top line with Gordon and Aucoin he could score 30 goals and not have to play too much in his own end.

Any way you look at it Hershey's roster is going to be drastically different this season. So far 4 players have signed elsewhere and there are plenty of free agents left.

Do you all remember the 07-08 season? We all mentioned how 'young' it was all year with players like Wilson, Gordon and Joudrey playing lots of minutes.

The 10-11 Bears will look very similar to them. Guys like Hauswirth, Bruess and Gustaffson will get every chance to play. Add to that Dmitri Kugryshev and Stefan Della Rovere. And pay close attention to the developmental camp being held from July 12-17 in Washington. It would not be surprising to see a few of those players get signed to deals and play some in Hershey this season.

It is going to be a 'rebuilding' year in Hershey. They aren't going to be as deep as last year but you know what might make all the difference...

While the 07-08 veteran/star was Joe Motzko the 10-11 player that will fill that role...Keith Aucoin.

Not a bad presence to have on the top line.



***And good luck to Alexandre Giroux as well. He has played so well in Hershey leading the Bears to two straight Calder Cups it sucks to see him leave.

G, we are all pulling for you to make the Edmonton Oilers roster and get the chance to show the NHL what you can do!***

Caps sent qualifying offers...and other news

Before the Monday deadline the Caps sent qualifying offers to their 9 restricted free agents. They include Jay Beagle, Chris Bourque, Andrew Gordon, Patrick McNeill, and Zach Miscovic.

That does NOT mean they will all be back within the organization but it does mean the Caps can match any offer they bring in.

If Bourque signs in Russia, which has been reported and he confirmed that he is TALKING to them, the Caps have no options as there is no agreement between the NHL and KHL for that type of thing.

I would be shocked if the other 4 weren't back in the organization next season and would be really surprised if more than 1 of them weren't in Hershey next year. But you never know.


In other news, Caps GM George McPhee says the team will be active in free agency but don't expect any big news. He also discussed the prospects:

• He hinted that Perreault could be NHL ready and might get the opportunity to play on the 2nd line with Semin. I think that would be the right move.
• He mentioned that the organization thinks Marcus Johannson (09 1st rounder), Cody Eakin, and Evgeny Kuznetsov ('10 1st rounder) might be ready for the NHL in the next season or two.
• He confirmed that the Caps will go with Neuvirth and Varlamov in goal next season. (Again the right move) So in Hershey we will see Holtby and someone Hershey brings in to share the load....hopefully that will be Bacashihua but we will have to wait and see.

Free Agency starts tomorrow...lots of the questions will be answered early on as far as the Caps are concerned. But most of the Bears questions will not be known until later in the month and summer.


One more thing...are you interested in watching the Calder Cup Finals again?? You can this Saturday from 10-6 on NHL Network. They are showing games 3-6 back to back starting at 10am.

Change is in the air

Well the season is over and free agency begins in less than 2 weeks so it is already time to start discussing next season.

Who is under contract and who isn't for 2010-11? Well let me tell you:

First lets look at players who are unrestricted free agents...meaning they can sign anywhere they want on July 1:

• Alexandre Giroux
• Bryan Helmer
• Kyle Wilson
• Andrew Joudrey
• Boyd Kane
• Greg Amadio
• Jason Bacashihua
• Simon Ferguson
• Dylan Yeo
• Michael Dubuc

Not too bad a list but some big names. The two biggest (offensively speaking) are Wilson and Giroux.

First lets talk about Giroux...

I know I was saying this last year and he came back but I don't see Giroux in Hershey next season. Why? Because the Caps aren't interested anymore. He got to play 9 games for the Caps this season and they weren't very impressed. If he wants to play in the NHL I think it will have to be with someone else. He has said that if it was all about money he would already be in Europe so maybe he stays to win again.

Now to Wilson...

One of my favorite players honestly. A very good offensive player and has been in Hershey for parts of 4 seasons now. Unfortunately for Kyle he is now considered a Vet. He has played in 291 regular season games in professional leagues. AHL teams are only allowed to dress 6 players on any given night that have played 260+. But Hershey only has 1 under contract right now, Keith Aucoin, that is a vet so that doesn't hurt too much at this point but considering other free agents they want to sign who knows. The bigger issue is does Washington want to keep him around? He would have to clear waivers to go up and down and he plays center...a position of depth within the organization. He got to play in his first 2 NHL games this season and had 2 assists. I wouldn't be surprised to see him go either way.

Names most likely to see return next season from that list:

Helmer, Joudrey, and Kane. None will be 2 way deals but I think all 3 would be happy to return to Hershey. Kane and Helmer are both veterans which would hurt other veterans like Wilson and Amadio. Joudrey is just a great defensive forward who will add a goal from time to time. Constant hustle and great penalty killing likely get him another go in Hershey if he wants it.

The team would surely like to have Bacashihua back but he is looking to be a number 1 goalie somewhere and that won't happen in Hershey unless there are injuries.


Now lets look at the restricted free agents. If these players are offered qualifying offers by the 28th of June they can still sign with another team but the Caps have the right to match any offer and would receive compensation for them if they sign elsewhere. If they do NOT receive qualifying offers by the 28th they become unrestricted free agents:

• Chris Bourque
• Patrick McNeill
• Andrew Gordon
• Jay Beagle
• Zach Miscovic

I can all but guarantee that McNeill, Beagle, and Miscovic will be back. Neither Beagle or Miscovic would have to clear waivers so they can go up and down freely and McNeill showed a lot of growth this year and I don't think the Caps will let him get away.

The other two though are more interesting. I think Gordon gets an offer because he has a legitimate shot at making the Caps next season but he has to clear waivers to come to Hershey so don't be surprised if we don't see him in Hershey again.

Bourque is the most interesting case though. First of all he is a veteran, having played in 352 games so far in his career. Second he had an outstanding year in Hershey. The question is...do the Caps think he can play for them? If so then you can watch him play for the Caps but it isn't likely you will see him Hershey because he probably won't clear waivers. The other possibility with Bourque is trade-bait. His value will probably never be higher than it is right now so the Caps might sign him to trade him at the draft.


So who is left for the Bears next season?

These players are under contract with Hershey/Washington for 10-11:

• Braden Holtby
• Michael Neuvirth
• John Carlson
• Sean Collins
• Karl Alzner
• Keith Aucoin
• Steve Pinizzotto
• Francois Bouchard
• Mathieu Perreault
• Stefan Della Rovere
• Anton Gustafsson
• Trevor Bruess
• Josh Godfrey
• Joe Finley
• Dmitry Kugryshev
• Cody Eakin
• Dustin Stevenson
• Jake Hauswirth

Who is most likely to make the Caps from that list...Carlson, Alzner and Neuvirth are probably locks assuming the Caps don't sign a goalie. But after that Perreault or Coiner could get a shot but not likely both of them if either. Everyone else (except Eakin) will see time in Hershey next season. Eakin is not yet 20 which makes him ineligible to play in the AHL until after his junior season ends.

I will have much more on this list next week.


And finally here are the players under contract with Hershey next season...they are not 2 way deals with the Caps:

• Johann Kroll
• Ashton Rome
• Grant McNeill
• Patrick Wellar
• Nikita Kashirsky

Those players will likely spend time in Hershey next season. Kashirsky, for those of you that don't know (like me), is a forward that spent time in South Carolina last year and was loaned to Syracuse and Manitoba for parts of the season.


I will have much more about the players on Hershey's roster and potentially on Hershey's roster next week. It is a very intriguing offseason because the Caps actually have some spots open this season unlike last year.

In addition to that the Caps have alot of players becoming free agents after next season so that has to factor into their decision this year on players like Bourque, Gordon, Beagle, and Wilson. They might need a couple of them in 2011-12.