For many seasons, Caps fans have been equal parts dazzled and frustrated with the winger that is #28, Alexander Semin. Semin has been seen to possess a gift of a shot, lightning fast hands and the ability to control a puck in the corners that is rare at the NHL level. But we've also seen the lazy Semin; the one who takes unnecessary offensive zone penalties and seems to disappear for games at a time. We've figured out why.
Semin wants to play center.
[Ed. Note: With overtime thrillers and unlikely heroes, the Washington Capitals first playoff series of the 2010-11 NHL Stanley Cup finals is surely one to remember. While we wait to find out the what lies ahead for the Caps, we here at Rock the Red took time to look back at some of our other favorite playoff moments, of series recent and past. Read Kevin's and Krafty's and feel free to share your own in our comments section.]
April 19, 2000
Two years removed from their Stanley Cup Final run, the Caps had made it back to the playoffs only to fall apart in the first round. The Southeast Division Champion Capitals had surged into the postseason with the #2 seed and a defensive juggernaut to find out that not only would they be playing the cursed Pittsburgh Penguins, but also scheduling conflicts at the Igloo took home ice away from the Caps, making the normally 2-2-1-1-1 series a 1-2-2-1-1. By the time Game 4 rolled arond, the Caps were down 3-0 in the series and my friend gave his section 107 tickets to me for free. Being a teenager with high hopes for the Caps, I jumped at the chance to attend my first ever Caps playoff game with my dad and just maybe see the Caps eke out a win.
With the untimely departure of the 2010-11 Hershey Bears from postseason play, the Washington Capitals' practice facilities at Kettler Capitals Iceplex are about to get a little more full. The Black Aces, you see, are making their way down from Chocolatetown to help out the big club.
For those who don't know the origins of the 'Black Aces', here's a bit of history (per the Washington Times):
"The term refers to the unlucky "Dead Man's Hand" in poker, which includes the black aces. In the 1940s, Eddie Shore, who was owner of the Springfield Indians, used this term originally to refer to players who he considered to be "out of luck" and needed to work their way back into the lineup from injury or the doghouse. Eddie was pretty famous for how hard he made his "Black Aces" work. Not only did they have to work extra hard in practice and scrimmages, they were also required to be available for every game to play on an emergency basis and to work around the hockey rink, doing various odd jobs such as painting, blowing balloons, and selling popcorn and programs."
With the sudden influx of young talent, the Caps have some decisions to make, namely what odd jobs these Aces should be tasked to do around Kettler and the Verizon Center.
[Ed. Note: With overtime thrillers and unlikely heroes, the Washington Capitals first playoff series of the 2010-11 NHL Stanley Cup finals is surely one to remember. While we wait to find out the what lies ahead for the Caps, we here at Rock the Red took time to look back at some of our other favorite playoff moments, of series recent and past. Read Kevin's here and feel free to share your own in our comments section.]
April 11, 2008
As I slid out of my office early on the day of the Washington Capitals' first playoff game since 2003, I thought back over the many happenings of the 2007-08 NHL season in DC. Starting the season with the worst record in the league at 6-14-1, inking Ovechkin to his 13-year contract (and his league leading 65 goals), Hershey Bears coach Bruce Boudreau taking the helm, seeing George McPhee bring in Sergei Fedorov and Cristobal Huet at the trade deadline, a Southeast Division title - everything that somehow miraculously allowed the Caps to string together 12 wins in 13 games, including 8 straight, to close out the regular season and earn the number three seed in the playoffs.
The electricity surrounding the team came to a head that Friday night, when the Capitals were to take the ice against the visiting Philadelphia Flyers. As I walked to my seats in the nosebleeds, I took note of the number of red-clad fans young and old, some even mowhawked, anxious for the game to start. I also noticed how little support the Flyers had in the stands, a sight I was unaccustomed to from years of attending games often where the visitors had the upper hand.
[Ed. Note: With overtime thrillers and unlikely heroes, the Washington Capitals first playoff series of the 2010-11 NHL Stanley Cup finals is surely one to remember. While we wait to find out the what lies ahead for the Caps, we here at Rock the Red took time to look back at some of our other favorite playoff moments, of series recent and past. Feel free to share your own in our comments section.]
April 25, 1990.
The Caps were playing the New York Rangers in the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs after beating the New Jersey Devils in Round 1. My mom managed to get tickets to Game 4 of both the Devils' and Rangers' series, which were the first playoff games I ever attended. The Rangers had won Game 1, but the Caps had managed to win game 2 in NYC and game 3 at the Capital Centre. Game 4 was a close game and eventually went into OT. Then, (from the Washington Post, 4/26/90): Read on to find out!
We all know professional hockey coaches and managers are serious men who take their jobs seriously. They work very hard to get where they are and have to work extra hard to stay there. So when the officials make a bad call that could cost them their jobs, a player makes a stupid mistake, or a fan does something that’s just downright obnoxious, sometimes coaches take that just a little bit too seriously, too.
Then, they explode.
More, after we clean this mess up...
If you’ve recently purchased tickets to a Caps home game or you’re gearing up to Rock the Red in Round 1 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, you may have noticed the reappearance of Standing Room Only ticket options on your vendor’s website. First appearing during the 2010 playoffs and now officially available as a season ticket option for the 2011-2012 season, Standing Room Only (or SRO) tickets at the Verizon Center have become a regular offering for the Caps faithful that provides fans a rather unique game-watching experience.
Considering SRO tickets? Read on!
The Red Rockers dig Standing Room Only
Matt Gajtka is a Featured Writer and Penguins Beat Reporter for Sports Haze Pittsburgh. He also hosts the Polish Prodigy Podcast, an audio exploration of sports and culture, on Blog Talk Radio (http://www.blogtalkradio.com/
In his first major act as general manager of the Pittsburgh Penguins, Ray Shero drafted Peterborough Petes center Jordan Staal with the second overall selection in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft.
The 6-foot-4, 220-pound jetliner scored 96 points in two Ontario Hockey League seasons prior to being chosen by the Penguins, who had just completed their third straight last-place season.
Brighter days seemed imminent for Pittsburgh, though: 2005 No. 1 overall pick Sidney Crosby had scored 100 points as an 18-year-old and 2004 No. 2 selection Evgeni Malkin was set to join the roster in the fall of 2006 after escaping his Russian club.
With enviable wealth already in place at center, Shero could have been excused for searching for an elite young winger to complement either Crosby or Malkin for years to come. Instead, the rookie GM bypassed available sniper prospects like Phil Kessel, Derick Brassard and Kyle Okposo in favor of a third pivot.
Upon first glance at the 2006 draft chart, conventional wisdom informs that the best player taken was at No. 3, where Chicago snagged current captain Jonathan Toews from the University of North Dakota. Toews led the Blackhawks to the Stanley Cup last season, has 266 points in 299 career games and is widely respected for his intense demeanor and precocious leadership skills.
Sweden’s Nicklas Backstrom went to the Capitals in the fourth spot, making it three consecutive centers taken after the Blues made U.S. National Team defenseman Erik Johnson the No. 1 selection. While Backstrom hasn’t received the attention of Toews, he is the only member of his draft class to record a 100-point season (101 in 2009-10).
Thinking back to my childhood, there are quite a few memories associated with being a fan of the Washington Capitals. My first live hockey game, sitting on the glass against the Rangers, meeting Olie Kolzig when he was in the minors, being upset when Mike Gartner was traded. But there is one memory that has lingered all these years simply because it happened in the playoffs. Unfortunately, it's not a good memory. So, after all these years, I'm finally ready to give in.
Pat LaFontaine, I forgive you.
There is nothing like going to overtime in Game 7 of a playoff series. It shows that the two teams are as even can be. As a fan of the losing team, there is no 'coming to terms' before the final horn. It's just over. So enduring three full overtimes (and part of a 4th) before that moment is especially heartbreaking. For years, despite his amazing skill and the gentlemanly way he played the game, I could never get past that one goal. I hated Pat LaFontaine.
But recently, my Washington Capitals Fandom has been in a forgiving mood. Hate is an intensely negative thing and when it's carried along for the ride no good can come of it. Now that the playoffs are at our doorstep, it's time for me to excuse the injustices of the past. To forgive and forget. I'm hoping for a bit of Karmic redemption in the form of a long playoff run.
Kevin, it's going to take more than just forgiving Pat LaFontaine for that to happen.
Oh, ok. Here's the list of everything else I'm forgiving for the playoffs:
So Caps Fans, what Caps Injustices can you forgive in exchange for a long playoff run?
Washington Capitals forward Brooks Laich will be an unrestricted free agent this summer. He is making $2.4 million this season as part of a 3-year, $6.2 million contract. Should the Capitals elect to retain his services, Laich will be due a significant raise over his current salary.
#21 Brooks Laich
Judging by his performance and by comparable players in the NHL, Brooks Laich's next contract is likely to be for $21 million over 5 years.
