Monday afternoon, the Washington Capitals announced that they had signed defenseman Mike Green to a three-year contract worth $18.25 million.  The deal, which covers two summers of unrestricted free agency for Green, has an annual salary cap hit of just over $6.08 million.

“It’s been a long process,” the defenseman said on a conference call Monday.  “With the setback of the injury, we were going to wait.  It’s been pushed back, but I think that obviously I wanted to be in Washington and they wanted me back.”

The Capitals should have wanted Green back, because they needed him.  As I wrote just hours before Green was signed, he is one of their best defensemen and, when healthy, is one of the best puck-moving rearguards in the entire NHL.

"Since Green signed his four-year contract before the 2008-09 season, only five defensemen have collected more points than Green's 180 – Nicklas Lidstrom, Dan Boyle, Shea Weber, Duncan Keith, and Zdeno Chara.  Only one, Weber, has scored more goals.  That is without doubt elite company, and though Green is by no means in the same class as these defensemen at this current moment, it shows just how good he has the potential to be.

His defense is improving.  Not only has Green visibly been better at blocking shots, holding coverage in his own zone, and making plays on the body, but he has been the Capitals’ best possessor of the puck on the blue line each of the last four seasons – despite the fact that his offensive zone start percentage decreased in each of those four seasons.  That is definition improvement, and even if you don’t believe in 'fancy stats,' he has yet to have a plus-minus season in the red since becoming a regular.  He’s not great defensively, but he is better."

Still, the signing is undoubtedly a risk.  A big risk.  When you look at the last two season’s of Green’s career, he has suffered with bad injuries – a bum ankle, a concussion, and an abdominal injury, to name a few.  Committing this type of money and term to a player with that type of recent injury history is scary.  But for his part, Green feels as though he is through with consistently being hurt and is ready to work harder than ever to return to his old form – that of one of the premier offensive defensemen in the NHL.

“I think they [the Capitals] know what I’m capable of,” he added.  “It’s been unfortunate the last couple years that I’ve suffered from injuries but I think I’m over them now, I think I’ve got them all out of my system.  I think that as happy as I am that they’re happy and they know that I’m committed to the hockey team and doing whatever I can to be the best that I can. “

Read more on Green's contract here.

The Washington Capitals announced they have re-signed restricted free agent defenseman Mike Green to a 3-year, $18.25 million contract.  He will earn $6 million over each of the next two seasons and $6.25 million in the final year of the deal.  This contract represents a raise over his previous contract, a 4-year deal worth $21 million ($6 million in 2008-09 and $5 million in each of the last three years).  Green had recently rejected the Capitals' one-year qualifying offer of $5 million, a deal that would have made him an unrestricted free agent after next season.  This may seem like a lot of money for a player with just 31 points in 81 games over the past two seasons, but it is a good reflection of Green's true value to the team. 

Read on.

Throughout his career in the NHL, Mike Green has been somewhat of an unjustified whipping boy for Washington Capitals fans, a person to blame the team’s failures on.

He’s a playoff choker.  He doesn’t play defense.  He’s soft.  And because he is supposedly these things, there are a significant portion of fans that want him off the team.

This summer, Green is a restricted free agent – something he hasn’t been for four years.  The last time he was, coming off an 18-goal, 56-point season, Green was rewarded with a four-year, $21 million contract.

Last month, the Capitals extended their qualifying offer to Green in order to keep his rights – which was valued at one year and a little more than $5 million.  It would have given the Capitals, and Green, a full season to judge where each other were before either hammering out a new contract or going their separate ways.

But as you probably know by now, Green declined the offer, allowing it to expire at 5 PM Sunday afternoon.  That means that for Mike Green to remain a Capital, (and all signs point to this being the case), he needs a new deal.  And that’s good.

Because the Capitals need Mike Green.

Read on about why the Capitals need Green here.

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Photo by Chris Gordon, RMNB

ARLINGTON, VA - On the final day of Development Camp, General Manager George McPhee addressed the Washington media for the first time in two weeks.  McPhee, who has been the subject of harsh criticism this off-season for not signing a big name free agent to replace Alexander Semin, spoke highly of Wojtek Wolski, whom he signed to a one-year contract earlier in the week.

“A former first round pick that’s had some real productive years in the League, then sort of fell off,” McPhee said.  The general manager also noted that he feels Wolski will be motivated after such a poor year last year.  “Last year was a lost year for him, but here’s a guy with some ability, and there’s an opportunity here.  The ability is there, and I think the commitment is there as well.”

I tweeted about this when he was signed, but this is what you do in thin markets.  At $600,000 for one year, this deal for a potential top-six winger is a great move.  You’re not going to find bargains on standout players in this type of market, but you can hunt for talented guys coming off bad years.

“I get seduced by talent from time to time,” McPhee added.  “I like it, and we have a good group of forwards that are big and play hard and this is an opportunity to add some talent in there.  We like the move and hope that it works out for him and for us.”

McPhee also addressed the signing for 2012 first-round pick Filip Forsberg to a three-year, entry-level deal on Friday.  He said that it was important to get Forsberg signed by September 15 so that at the end of his season in Sweden he could come over and get acclimated to the North American game in the best developmental league in the world, the AHL.  Dmitry Orlov did something similar in the spring of 2011, and it helped accelerate his development.

In addition, McPhee made sure to note how impressed he was at Forsberg’s play in camp, along with fellow first-rounder Tom Wilson.

“I like him a lot,” the GM said of the Swede.  “Really competitive kid, strong on the puck, and certainly got some development to do, he and Wilson.  They have the intangibles, they want to be out there, they want the puck, and for 17 years old, they are doing really well.”

It does not seem likely that either Forsberg or Wilson see NHL time next year – both because it would force them to burn a year of their entry-level deals, which are very valuable, and also because they may not be ready, especially Wilson.  McPhee said when he drafted Wilson that he needed some serious development to get to the type of player he wanted him to become, and one week at Camp does not change that.

Read more on the final day of camp here.

These scouting reports were compiled by Alex DeYoung based on practices and scrimmages on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Sergei Kostenko
5'11, 187, Catches: Left
Born: 9/17/92 in Novokuznetsk, Russia
Drafted: 7th Round, 203rd overall, by Washington in 2012
Last Season: Played in Russia for Kuznetskie Medvedi of MHL (Russian development league)
Scouting Report:
Has a wide butterfly, sometimes leaves gap in his five hole.
He has great lateral movement and footwork
Doesn't have a very aggressive stance, stays tall.
He seems very jet lagged.
He doesn't go down into butterfly all the way, he leaves the leg of the side the shot isn't on up.
It seems while he's moving laterally, he follows the shooter and not the puck.

See the reports on all 5 goalies.

Photo by Getty

The Washington Capitals have signed forward Filip Forsberg to a three-year, entry-level contract, the team announced on Friday.  Forsberg, 17, was the 11th overall pick in June's draft despite being the top-ranked European skater by NHL Central Scouting, and has been participating in the team's annual development camp for the last week.

It is important to note that this contract does not mean that Forsberg will start his North American career this upcoming season.  Still under contract with Leksands in Sweden, he will play for them next year before attending Camp again and then making a decision.  The contract does not start until he plays in ten NHL games or turns 20 years of age.  When it does begin, Foppa will receive an annual salary of $832,500 at the NHL level and $70,000 at the AHL level.

Riley Barber (Pittsburgh, PA) has been playing impressive hockey at the Washington Capitals Summer Development Camp.  Barber, 18, was the Washington Capitals' 6th round pick, 167th overall, at the 2012 NHL Entry Draft held in June in his hometown.  The 6', 190 lb right winger spent last season with the US National Development Program in Ann Arbor, Michigan, posting 20 goals, 35 points, and 85 penalty minutes in 56 games.  He also won the USHL championship, the Clark Cup, in 2011 with the Dubuque Fighting Saints.  Barber's father Don played 115 NHL games between 1988 and 1992.  Don Barber also played college hockey for Bowling Green just 3 years after Capitals General Manager George McPhee did, and Riley has also chosen to play his college hockey in Ohio for the Miami Redhawks next season. 

Barber's past coaches rave about him.  Danton Cole says “he’s got a pro shot, another kid with a real high compete level and hates to lose, his battle level is real good.  He does a lot of things, he’s kind of a pro winger, he gets pucks out, he understands the subtleties of the game, he’s got a good physical aspect to his game.  As I said, he’s got an NHL shot, he’s a goal scorer.”

Here is his interview from the Washington Capitals Summer Development Camp:

How did playing youth hockey in Pittsburgh shape you?

When I started playing, my dad always coached me.  We had a great group of guys, J.T. Miller, Vince Trochek, all those guys turned out to be great players, turned out to have good careers already. We had a great team.  When it was time for me to move on because they wanted me to play down on the ‘94s and not play on the ‘93s, it was time for me to move up to Detroit and take on tougher competition as my own age group.

Do you consider yourself more of a Pittsburgh or Detroit guy?

More of a Pittsburgh guy, for sure, because that’s where I grew up.  I have a lot more friends in Michigan, but Pittsburgh I just have a strong passion for because that’s where I was born.

How was it to see your former Pittsburgh Hornets teammates J.T. Miller and Vincent Trocheck get drafted last year? Did it inspire you?

Oh yeah, for sure.  I texted both of them and said congrats and they did the same for me this year. It’s funny, how each path a player goes, your buddies.  It’s kinda cool to see it unfold, see where everybody goes.

What was behind your decision to go to the National Team after winning a championship in your first season with Dubuque?

It was a family thing. My mom was diagnosed with breast cancer in the Clark Cup playoffs.  It was only a family thing, being closer to home, and it kinda worked out.  That was the only reason.

How has your junior career prepared you for your upcoming college career at Miami?

I think it has prepared me tremendously.  I stated off in Dubuque with Jim Montgomery and he really taught me a lot of the basics of being a pro, practicing hard.  I think it transformed me playing against bigger guys, stronger guys, older guys.  I think it has prepared me very well.

Matt Gajtka contributed to this report.  Follow Andy Green on Twitter here.

Photo by Chris Gordon, RMNB

As most people continue their summer lives this week, the Capitals continue to host their annual summer development camp at Kettler Capitals Iceplex.  The Caps hosted the third scrimmage of Camp on Thursday afternoon, and here are some observations from that game – which team Red, headlined by Stanislav Galiev, won handily at a 6-3 final score.

Goaltender Sergei Kostenko, a seventh round pick last month, was electric in his debut.  The Russian had been unable to get his visa situation sorted out and did not report to camp until Wednesday’s practice, so this was his first opportunity to play in a scrimmage environment.  Kostenko made some very acrobatic saves, and the only goal he allowed was on a net mouth scramble that he had no chance to stop.  He also stopped first round pick Filip Forsberg on a penalty shot, and made a flashy glove save immediately after that play.  “His athleticism, he’s very quick, very mobile,” said goalie coach Dave Prior of his impressions of the young Russian.  “Even when the game was going the other way, I didn’t see any change in his game, there was still compete.  He came across as a goalie.”  Again, the Capitals may have found themselves a good European goalie late in the draft.

David Vallorani, who recently graduated from UMass-Lowell, scored another two goals in the scrimmage and has been creating every time he gets the puck in open space.  A college free agent undrafted by any team, Vallorani is probably a long-shot to get a contract offer only because they rarely get handed out.  He certainly has the attention of the coaching staff.  “A point producing guy, very noticeable,” said head coach Adam Oates.

Defenseman Garrett Haar, who was drafted by the Capitals in 2011, played well in the scrimmage.  He made some nice defensive plays, especially along the boards in his own end, and makes good decisions with the puck on the first pass and in the offensive zone, as well.  Haar has three more years of eligibility left at Western Michigan, and, as he was named to the All-Rookie team in the CCHA last year, he seems to be a big part of the Broncos’ plans for the upcoming season.  He is obviously a ways away, but he seems steady enough.

Chandler Stephenson and Riley Barber have both impressed me with their physical play all week, especially in this past scrimmage.  Both are aggressive on the forecheck, using their speed to hunt the puck effectively.  Stephenson, a third round pick this June, and Barber, a sixth rounder, are hard nosed and strong on the puck once they get it and have the potential to be energy guys at the next level.  They are playing for Regina of the WHL and Miami (OH) next year to help further their development and will probably use most, if not all, of their developmental eligibility.

Filip Forsberg is going to be a good one.  He impressed me in the first practice I saw him in on Monday.  He was quiet since then, including below average scrimmages on Monday and Tuesday, as well.  The Swede performed a lot better Thursday, making good passes from his spot on the wing and producing some nice offensive opportunities for his teammates.  He broke free on a breakaway of his own in the first period but was stopped both on the play and on the penalty shot he was awarded following it.  Nevertheless, a much better day from the top ranked European skater in this past year’s draft.

Friday is an early day for the prospects, who have a scrimmage at 9:45 AM.  Development camp concludes with FanFest and another scrimmage Saturday morning at 10 AM.

The Washington Capitals have announced the signing of unrestricted free agent left winger Wojtek Wolski to a 1-year contract worth $600,000.  This is a significant pay cut from his previous contract (2 years, $7.6 million).

Wolski, 26, spent last season split between the New York Rangers and Florida Panthers, posting a combined 4 goals and 12 points in 31 games.  The 6'3, 215 lb winger also played a 6-game conditioning stint with the AHL Connecticut Whale, posting 3 goals and 5 points, as he rehabbed his ailing groin.  Over his career, Wolski has scored 95 goals and 258 points in 424 career NHL games, plus 8 goals and 17 points in 29 playoff games.  A native of Zabrze, Poland, Wolski grew up in Canada and played his junior hockey in the OHL.  He started his NHL career in 2005 with the Colorado Avalanche, who drafted him 21st overall in 2004.  Wolski posted four straight seasons of at least 28 assists and 42 points beginning in 2006-07, culminating in a 23-goal, 65-point season in 2009-10 split between Colorado and Phoenix.  He spent 2010-11 split between Phoenix and New York, posting 12 goals and 35 poitns in 73 games. 

At this price tag and term, Wolski looks like a bridge to Stanislav Galiev on the second-line wing.  Wolski should be expected to be an effective offensive player when he can stay healthy.  At $600,000, Wolski does not need to score much to be worth the money, but this contract means he has a lot to prove to get back to seven figure money.  He should be well-motivated to produce. This is also reminiscent of the signings of Jeff Friesen in 2005 and Richard Zednik in 2006, second-line wingers who get hurt.

In other news, the New York Rangers have signed Capitals unrestricted free agent defenseman Sean Collins and the Phoenix Coyotes have signed Capitals unrestricted free agent forward Joel Rechlicz. 

Follow Andy Green on Twitter here.

Washington Capitals Development Camp invitee David Vallorani finished his four year career at University of Massachusetts Lowell in March. The 5'8, 180 lb forward scored 114 points in 149 career games, finishing fourth on the River Hawks' all-time games played list and 29th in scoring.  As a freshman, the Hamilton, Ontario, native earned Hockey East All-Rookie Team and Rookie of the Month honors.  He has also has been named Hockey East Player of the Week once in every season since his freshman year.  

Photo: Christian Abraham / Connecticut Post

A small, shifty playmaker, Vallorani made several excellent passes during the Camp's opening day scrimmage.  He displayed the vision and technical passing skills of a pro player, but still has a few things to work on.  He is the kind of player who should get a pro tryout contract this season.  Here is his interview:

You fell down in drills this morning, you had a giveaway in front of your goal, and you had two chances to score and missed.  How did it feel to finally score a goal in the scrimmage?

It felt really good. I hit the post on the breakaway there. I had a great pass from Riley Barber, and I just put my head down and fired it.

How would you describe your playing style?

I’m more of a playmaker.  I like to distribute the puck, so I look to pass more than I look to shoot.

What made you choose UMass Lowell over Canadian Major Junior?

Just the education part of it, I just wanted to get my education first while playing hockey, and then continue playing wherever I can after that

How have you developed since you first arrived at UMass Lowell?

Going the college route, you develop as a player tremendously from your freshman year to your senior year.   It’s more about developing your game, the defensive part of it, those aspects.  Once you become a senior, you’ve been through the ropes, you’re a role model for the younger guys as well.

What would you say was the biggest factor in you never missing a game in college?

I don’t know, I like to play hockey.  I had a couple bumps and bruises, but I overcame those and still played every game.

What's your goal for next season?

I just finished up at UMass Lowell, so I’m looking to play anywhere I can right now.

What do you hope to show at this camp?

I’m just looking to prove myself, show I that can be a good hockey player.

Follow Andy Green on Twitter here.