Washington Capitals

Japers' Rink Player Card (click for hi-res version; a glossary of terms used in this post can be found here; data via Behind the Net, Hockey Analysis, CapGeek and NHL.com; h/t Habs EOTP): Brouwer and his most frequent linemates: 2013 Capitals 5v5 Forward Usage, via Hockey Abstract: Brouwer's Past Five Seasons (via Hockey Analysis): Previous Rink Wrap: 2011-12 (5.60 rating) Key Stat: Brouwer’s 0.40 goals per game output (and 33 goal pace across a full 82-game season) was the highest output from a Caps second-line winger since Alexander Semin’s 0.43 goal pace in 2010-11. Interesting Stat: Troy Brouwer, a right wing, had a 48% faceoff percentage across 232 draws, a higher win percentage than Mike Ribeiro (45%). The Good: Brouwer had a good regular season, and was among the team leaders in a number of areas. He finished second on the team in goals with 19 (including a team-high 7 game-winners), power play goals with 7, shots (111) and hits (108). His average ice time(18:47) and power play time (1:31) were both third among Caps' forwards (excluding oft-injured Brooks Laich). And he only took nine minor penalties, finishing the season with the fewest minors per minute of any top-six forward. Overall, Troy did what was expected of a second-line winger – he scored, he was physical, he played special teams and he avoided putting the team in bad situations. He even danced. But the bigger question looming over Brouwer before the season started whether he would be able to fill the void left by the departing Alexander Semin, the divisive, love-him-or-hate-him (or both) former Cap who had the second-line scoring winger role locked down in the nation’s capital for years. Big shoes to fill, no doubt, but Brouwer’s stat-line was certainly comparable. In Semin’s last two seasons in DC, he averaged 0.35 goals, 0.76 points and 0.89 penalty minutes per game. Brouwer’s pace in 2012-13 was 0.40 goals, 0.70 points and 0.60 penalty minutes, a similar stat line (save for the reduced penalty minutes). Additionally, Brouwer was able to give the team a bit more in terms of penalty killing and physicality, while not being relegated to a perimeter game. True, Troy wasn't going to pull people out of their seats with marvelous play-making the way Semin often had... but all goals count the same, right? And with Brouwer’s cap hit of $3.7 million, they came at almost a 50% discount over the pricier Semin. More importantly, Brouwer’s ascendancy into the second-line wing at half the price freed up enough cash for the Caps to bring in Mike Ribeiro, aka that coveted 2C the team had desperately needed for years. Aside from the offense and the cheaper price tag, the way Brouwer was used by Adam Oates shouldn't go unnoticed (see above usage chart). He played tough minutes without the benefit of a lot of offensive zone starts, which likely explains his lower possession metrics (47.9% Fenwick, 10th among Caps' forwards, and a -3 CORSI Rel, 11th on team). Give him easier minutes and more o-zone starts, and it’s likely he’d see those numbers creep over to the good side of the Fenwick line. The Bad: While he mimicked Semin’s more recent output in the regular season, he also mimicked Semin’s more recent playoff disappearances - an aspect of Semin's game that were not missed when he left town. The Disappearing Act That Was Troy Brouwer wasn't for lack of trying, of course; he finished the playoffs with a respectable 13 shots and threw in some physicality with 19 hits. But in the end trying wasn't enough, as Brouwer netted just one goal and one assist in seven games against the Rangers, and was noticeably absent for long stretches of the series. Playoff performance aside, a further look at Brouwer’s numbers show that he, like some of his teammates, grew fat on the power play. Of his 33 points on the season, he only produced 13 at even strength, and his 1.35 P

It was far from a seamless process for the Capitals as they transitioned to a third coach and third system in just more than a year. As players grew into their roles under Coach Adam Oates, the team pulled itself … Continue reading →

Your savory breakfast links: Alex Ovechkin sits down for a one-on-one with Mike Vogel. [Monumentall (video)] If post-season player evaluations are your thing, today is your day: Troy Brouwer. [GM on a Couch, and look for our take on his year later this morning] Jack Hillen. [Peerless] Tomas Kundratek. [Ibid.] Jeff Schultz. [RtR] Tendies. [WaPo] And here's a look at the Caps' cupboard in Chocolatetown. Yeah, me neither. [THW] Y'know, the Reading Royals' goalie Riley Gill has been putting up some great numbers in this Kelly Cup run. Good enough that Coach Courville invited the Caps' scouts to come see for themselves. [Reading Eagle] Checking in on the players as they start their summer vacays: Karl Alzner is gone fishin'. [@MattHendy26] Brooks Laich rolls with the Sports Junkies. [106.7 The Fan] Here's more on Braden Holtby 's visit to his old stomping grounds in Saskatoon ... [Star-Phoenix, Shaw TV (video)] ... plus a few leftovers of Ovi dutifully stumping along at the Gagarin Cup celly. [Life.ru (video), Sports-Express (pics)] Don't call it a comeback. At least not yet. [CSNW]

Your place to talk about whatever it is you want to talk about. Your place to talk about whatever it is you want to talk about.

Ah, Sarge. A moment of glory. (WaPo) As the Washington Capitals’ 2013 season has come to a close, and many words have been written about the team as a whole, it’s now time to look at this club at an individual level. As such, we will be taking a look at each player who played a significant role on the club this season and what they could bring in the future. Next up is defenseman Jeff Schultz. Season Summary: Schultz played pretty regularly up until the end of March, seeing playing time despite a poor season due to injuries. Overall, Sarge played in 26 games with three assists and a minus-6 rating while posting a corsi rating of -7.84 and a corsi rel of -8.2. Schultz never seemed to find his groove as a stable, complementary defenseman this year, which he has proven that he can do in the past, and it was so bad towards the end of the year that he was sent to the press box at the end of March and did not return. It was a disappointing year for the double nickel in just about every facet. Grade: C- Role Play: As stated above, Schultz had previously made his case as a relatively reliable, solid defensive defenseman who kept the puck out of his own net despite constant cries that he didn’t “hit people enough” by the fanbase. But those wheels totally fell off the bus this year, as no matter who Oates put him with, he was decidedly poor according to both the eye test and metric test. Schultz failed to even come close to justifying his salary and took a big step backwards by almost all accounts. Grade: C- Playoffs: Schultz did not appear in a postseason game. Grade: N/A Future Potential: Schultz is almost certain to have played his last game in a Capitals uniform, as he has fallen out of favor hard with Oates and there is no need for him on the roster with the growth of Steven Oleksy as well as the presence of many young defensemen in Washington’s system. His salary cap hit would free up room necessary for people who are actually in Oates’ plan, so it seems as though this is an obvious choice. Expect George McPhee to try and trade him, and if no partner is available, hand him an amnesty buyout. Grade: C- Harry Hawkings is a college student credentialed to cover the Capitals for RtR. Follow him on Twitter here for all your news needs this season.

Tomas Kundratek"If you do not expect the unexpected you will not find it, for it is not to be reached by search or trail."-- HeraclitusRaise your hand if you knew in January that Washington Capitals defenseman Tomas Kundratek would record points at an 82-game pace that would be among his best seasons at any level of hockey. Here was a fellow who was the return package in a trade of “prospects” back in 2011. We use the quotation marks for “prospects” advisedly, considering that a trade of a disappointing youngster (Francois Bouchard) for what Caps fans might have been forgiven for thinking was little more than a warm body was not among the most newsworthy deals on the NHL ticker in November of 2011.But here was a player who methodically rose through the tiers of Czech hockey, was drafted by the New York Rangers in the third round of the 2008 entry draft, then came to North America in 2008 to skate for the Medicine Hat Tigers in Canadian juniors. Kundratek dutifully spent two years in Medicine Hat, then joined the Connecticut Whale in the American Hockey League. It was in his second year in Connecticut that he got the call – the trade to the Capitals’ organization – upon which he reported to Hershey to skate with the Bears for the remainder of the 2011-2012 season. During that season he was brought up for a cup o’ coffee – five games – with the Caps.Fans might not have seen the trail, but Kundratek was following it with diligence. The diligence was rewarded, even if it was the product of misfortune. When Jack Hillen was injured in the Caps’ season opener, Kundratek was recalled from Hershey to replace him. At the time of his recall Kundratek had already played in 41 games for the Bears, the product of the NHL’s late start to the 2013 season. And those 41 games presented a mixed case for his promotion. On the one hand he was 13-13-26 in those games. On the other hand, he was a minus-13, including a minus-15 during a November in which the Bears went 6-7-0.His elevation did not do much for his game. In his first eight games as Hillen’s replacement he was 0-0-0, minus-5. Then, against Toronto on February 5th, he recorded an assist – his first NHL point. He recorded another assist in his next game against Pittsburgh. It was the start of a stretch in which he would record four points (all assists) over five games. He would go on to go 1-6-7, plus-3 over a 12-game stretch after his eight-game streak without a point to start his season. At that point, Kundratek went dormant, failing to record a point in any of his next four games. The last of those, however, showed a spark that perhaps he was coming out of the slump. Although he did not record a point in a 4-0 loss to Carolina on March 12th, he did post a team high in shot attempts (eight) and shots on goal (five) in a career high 24:13 of ice time. That might have been the high point. In his next game, also against the Hurricanes, Kundratek got tangled up with Jeff Skinner on his fourth shift of the first period. He left the contest with a leg injury, his last appearance with the Caps for the 2013 season.It is hard to remember that Kundratek played in 25 games. Part of that is the fact that he spent more 5-on-5 ice time with Jeff Schultz – another of the lost brigade of defensemen – than he did with any Caps defenseman except Karl Alzner. And what a difference a partner makes. Consider the goals against at 5-on-5. With Alzner, the GA20 (from stats.hockeyanalysis.com) was 0.564. When apart from Alzner, it jumped to 1.093. A good part of that, no doubt, was his pairing with Schultz for large chunks of ice time. Kundratek’s GA20 with Schultz was 1.715, while it was only 0.504 when not paired with Schultz. Those are the numbers of an in-season rookie call up.Odd Kundratek Stat… In nine games against Southeast Division teams, Kundratek was 0-2-2, minus-1, but the Caps went 7-2-0. In 16 games against other Eastern Conference teams Kundratek was 1-4-5, minus-4,

This season, shortened though it was, marked the first time in recent memory that there was no question to who was the top choice in net for the Capitals. Braden Holtby not only earned the vast majority of starts, but … Continue reading →

Golf is a healthful, enjoyable activity that can enrich your life far into your senior years. Nearly anyone can play golf, you just need to begin. The following article will give you advice to improve your knowledge. You can determine the best golf stance for yourself by doing this. It is so crucial for you to have a stance that works well with your individual build and style, but also accomplishes a good swing while allowing for precision. A good stance will do a lot for your game. In any sport like golf your body plays a pivotal factor in your performance. It is important not to rely on just the arms, but instead to utilize both the upper and lower body together as a solid unit. Your whole body is instrumental in completing a swing. When your shot is powered by your body, you can usually get more distance without having to use as much power from your arms. A helpful tip when it comes to golf is to walk, instead of renting a golf cart. This will exponentially increase the amount of exercise that you get on the course, and turn it into an extremely beneficial way to improve your health! It also helps you keep your large muscle groups warm and ready for your next shot. The key thing to consider when looking for a powerful swing is using both your upper and lower body to create momentum through the ball. Beginning golfers rely too much on their arms for swinging power, which causes them not to hit all that far. Moving your whole body will transfer the strength and motion from your legs and torso through to your ball. Wiggling your toes while getting ready to swing will tell you if your posture is correct. If you are able to move your feet without difficulty, you are probably not leaning in far enough. You need to lean into your ball so your feet are able to move a little bit, just not extremely far. Be sure that all of your attention is dedicated towards your next shot. Whether you have been hitting well or poorly so far doesn’t matter – you’re only as good as your next shot. Fretting about mistakes will affect your swing; just forget about them and move on. You may want to ask the advice of a golf pro when deciding which new clubs to buy. This is a good idea because a pro will be able to analyze your swing and stance to see what clubs are likely to improve your game the most. The rules of the sport are easy to understand, and the mental, social and physical benefits of golf are many! Having read the advice in this article, you should be ready to go out and start playing some golf.

Japers' Rink Player Card (click for hi-res version; data via Behind the Net, Hockey Analysis, CapGeek and NHL.com; h/t Habs EOTP): Beagle and his most frequent linemates: 2013 Capitals 5v5 Forward Usage, via Hockey Abstract: Beagle's Past Two Seasons (via Hockey Analysis): Previous Rink Wraps: 2011-12 (7.80 rating) 2010-11 (5.45 rating) Key Stat: Jay Beagle had a tough time in the playoffs against the Rangers, his lone tally in Game 3 notwithstanding. He was on-ice for 14 even-strength goals-against in 48 regular-season games, but six in seven first round contests. Beagle skated to a -1 rating in five of those contests, four of which occurred in games the center received less than ten minutes of total ice time. Interesting Stat: Beagle tallied a single game-winning goal on the season, a Jeff Schultz rebound that he shoved under Lightning goaltender Mathieu Garon in the third period on Valentine’s Day. Riding that confidence, Beagle would fire four shots on the Rangers' cage in his next game out, giving him seven shots over two games, the most trigger-happy two-game he had all season. The Good: Beagle dressed in all 55 Capitals games in 2013, the three-year regular skating on the fourth-line with Matt Hendricks and Joel Ward or Joey Crabb for most of the journey, and playing big minutes on the penalty kill. A dependable bottom-six forward, Beagle was clutch in the faceoff circle down the stretch, winning more than half of his draws in 14 of the last 16 regular season contests and 58% of his defensive-zone face-offs overall on the campaign. When a team's fourth line can control the puck (whether it be in the offensive or defensive zone) off of the linesman’s hand, it has a chance to dictate the puck’s direction for the first couple seconds of each shift. Beagle also increased his offensive output a bit under Adam Oates, his .17 points-per-game up a tick over the past two seasons. While not close to some high preseason predictions, Beagle kept his nose to the grindstone each night to improve, and ended up being rewarded with a career-high 12:06 of ice-time per night. The Bad: The Capitals were finished by the Rangers in seven games because of the team’s inability to pierce New York’s defense and goaltender Henrik Lundqvist. While Beagle can count one of the team’s 12 goals in the series as his own (tipping Jack Hillen’s shot in for a third period lead in Game 3), it was his, and his linemates’, ineffectiveness in their own half of the ice that helped the Rangers skate into the second round. While the top-six forwards struggled to puncture New York below their own blue line the Capitals’ bottom-six had trouble returning the favor against the Rangers’ offense, and Beagle ended up being on the ice for those half-dozen even-strength tallies against, and just the one goal-for. The fourth-line didn't lose the series for the Caps... but it sure didn't help much to not lose it. The Vote: Rate Beagle below on a scale of 1-10 (10 being the best) based on his performance relative to his potential and your expectations for the season - if he had the best year you could have imagined him having, give him a 10; if he more or less played as you expected he would, give him a 5 or a 6; if he had the worst year you could have imagined him having, give him a 1. The Discussion: Beagle performed reasonably well for the team's investment and gave them big minutes on the penalty-kill, but there's room for improvement in his game - can he continue to improve his offensive production, or, at 27-years-old, is this what he is? If so, is that enough of a contribution for a regular on a team with aspirations? What would it take for you to give him a "10" next year? Poll How do you rate Jay Beagle's 2013 season? 10 9 8 7 6 5

Of the players who saw regular time on the Capitals’ roster this season, three are set to become restricted free agents and the team obtains negotiating rights simply by submitting a qualifying offer. Washington has the right to match any … Continue reading →