Mike Ribeiro has been playing the game the right way so far this season, even amid the Washington Capitals' inconsistency. He's far and away the team's leading scorer with 17 points, making the offense go even as consistent production from Alex Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom has been lacking.
George McPhee saw the landscape of unrestricted free agency and the dangers it entailed. It was a players market, with not a lot of talent available and plenty of teams with money to throw around.
George McPhee had conversations, but the NHL draft wasn't quite the trade bonanza many expected. Jordan Staal joined his brother with the Carolina Hurricanes, and naturally the Washington Capitals weren't consulted by the rival Pittsburgh Penguins.
Jordan Staal wanted a family reunion, and the Pittsburgh Penguins obliged.
Jordan Staal wanted a family reunion, and the Pittsburgh Penguins obliged.
Jordan Staal wanted a family reunion, and the Pittsburgh Penguins obliged.
The Washington Capitals have lacked a second-line center since the departure of Sergei Fedorov three long years ago. Mathieu Perreault, Brooks Laich, Marcus Johansson, Jason Arnott, Tomas Fleischmann and Brendan Morrison were part of the rotating tryout process.
Coming out of the NHL All-Star break, the Washington Capitals should be rested and refreshed. All-Star defenseman Dennis Wideman and call-ups Cody Eakin and Joel Rechlicz were the only ones playing over the past several days.
The butterflies were going for defenseman Karl Alzner on Tuesday. The Washington Capitals already had lost two in a row with a showdown against the reigning Stanley Cup champion Boston Bruins looming.
