Caps promote Bob Woods

Hershey Bears head coach, Bob Woods is now the new assistant coach in Washington. Bob Woods lead the Hershey Bears to a Calder Cup championship in the AHL this year. He was an assistant coach under Boudreau in 2006 when Hershey won the Calder Cup.

Here's the link.

Personally I like this move a lot. Woods has experience working with Boudreau before, and he proved he can coach by himself this year. He's coached some of the players in Hershey before.

Ovechkin takes home Hart and Pearson, Green misses out on Norris

Alex Ovechkin won his 2nd straight Hart and Lester B. Pearson award. First forward to win the Hart in back-to-back years since Wayne Gretzky. Hopefully he'll make it 3 straight next year. I'll have more tomorrow including pictures and how all the voting went down. Green missed out on the Norris. Zdeno Chara won that award.

Caps re-sign Laing

The Washington Capitals have re-signed Left Wing, Quintin Laing this morning. Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but when ever they become known I'll have them on the blog.

Per the Caps press release.

The Washington Capitals have re-signed left wing Quintin Laing to a one-year contract, vice president and general manager George McPhee announced today. In keeping with club policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Laing, 30, played one game for Washington last season. He was recalled by the Caps from the Hershey Bears of the American Hockey League on March 19 and played the entire game (10:19) at Tampa Bay despite suffering a torn spleen on his second shift in the first period. Laing ended the game with a +1 rating.

The 6’2”, 210-pound native of Rosetown, Saskatchewan, spent most of the season with the Calder Cup champion Bears. He tallied 25 points (9g-16a) in 55 regular-season games before his recall. Laing missed more than two months with his spleen injury, but he returned to the Bears during the Calder Cup playoffs and had two goals and two assists in nine games.

It's nice to see Laing get re-signed. He's a heart and soul player who blocks shots. I'm hoping he'll be on the team next year because he will help the PK.

Mikhail Yunkov coming over to Washington?

According to this report, Mikhail Yunkov is going to be coming over seas from Russia and will participate in training camp this year. Yunkov was a 2nd round pick, 62nd overall in the 2004 NHL entry draft. He's been playing in Russia for the past 4 years. Check his stats out here.

Here's a quote from Yunkov(translated from Russian, so there are some grammar mistakes.)

In the end of summer I shall treat America to take part in training camp of beginners, - has told JUnkov " Soviet sports ". - At me the contract with "Spartakom" has ended, and I have decided to try the forces in NHL. Perfectly I understand, that there will get difficultly. Most likely, I shall leave for all season even if in AHL firstly will send.

Here's a scouting report on Yunkov and the type of game he plays.

Yunkov is a smart, two-way center with strong playmaking skills. The 6-foot, 180-pounder is good on face-offs and can also play on the wing. At a tournament earlier this year, Yunkov centered a line with wingers Alexander Radulov (selected 15th overall by Nashville in 2004 Entry Draft) and Roman Voloshenko (42nd, Minnesota). The trio combined for 19 points in just four games. Yunkov also posted four assists in six games at the World U18 tournament. Scouts who have seen him play marvel at his hockey sense and say he is a very solid complementary player.

Yunkov talking about his own game.

Yunkov: “I do consider myself a playmaking center but I also consider myself a defensive center. I don’t get to watch the NHL that much but during an interview in Toronto the Phoenix Coyotes said that I resembled Ron Francis in my style.”

The Capitals haven't signed him to a contract yet, but he doesn't need a contract to participate in training camp. He seems like a decent prospect.

Washington Capitals and NHL respone to steriod allegation

The Washington Capitals, NHL, and majority owner Ted Leonsis have released statements in the last hour. Steve Eminger also has some more to say.

NHL's Statement

"The Washington Capitals have no knowledge of any aspect of this allegation. Capitals players were subjected to no-notice testing three times in each of the past two seasons pursuant to the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement and there was no indication of any improper conduct or wrongdoing.

"Even though there are no specifics provided in the story and we have no reason, at this point, to believe the allegations are true, the National Hockey League takes all matters of this nature very seriously and will conduct a prompt investigation."

-- NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly

Capitals' Statement

"We have no reason to believe there is any merit to this story, but the National Hockey League and the Washington Capitals take all such allegations seriously. Capitals players have fully participated in the NHL's random drug testing program, and at no point has a Capitals player tested positive. In addition our players have been tested at international events, such as World Championships and Olympics. We welcome and will fully cooperate with the NHL's investigation."

-- Team president Dick Patrick

Here is what Leonsis had to say.

"I hope you all understand that while there is research and investigating going on that we will have to be silent as we cooperate and hope to exonerate our team and players from these allegations. Thank you for understanding."

Eminger also had more to say.

"It's pretty shocking," Eminger said. "I never once heard -- I'm not just talking about the Capitals, I'm talking about hockey in general -- a guy talk about steroids."

When I asked him about HGH (human growth hormone), which is hard to detect in urine tests, he said, "I don't even know what the heck HGH is. No. The only thing I take is coffee. I go with black coffee or mix a Red Bull with a Gatorade. But I've cut down on the Red Bull."

That's all the news I've got right now. It sounds like the NHL, Washington Capitals organization and the Caps players don't think much will happen of this. The players are innocent and the investigation should be quick.

Brooks Laich reaction to Steriods report

Brooks Laich is the NHL Players' Association representative for the Caps. He just got off the phone with Tarik, and here's the link. There's some interesting things in there.

Q: Do you have any idea what the suspect in the steroids case is talking about?
A: I have no idea. As far we know it's just speculation. The guy didn't say if it was 10 years ago that he sold to the Capitals. Whether it was five ago that he sold. We have no idea. I've already been in touch with all of our players, and there's nothing on our side to report.

Q: People always say that steroids are not prevalent in hockey. Do you buy that?
A: I can honestly say, I have never seen a trace of steroids, from bantam to midget to junior to here. I have never heard of a guy take a steroid, and I've never seen a guy take a steroid.

If someone was doing it, he would come in at the end of the summer looking huge. And you would have already written a story about it, 'Jeez, he looks great. Look how big and fast he is.' But by midseason, he would have shrunk down again because we have testing. There hasn't been any of that. So as far as I'm concerned, it's just a rumor and it doesn't concern any of our present guys.

I'm going to side with Brooks on this one and say no Caps players have been on steroids. It's just a guy trying to get publicity for himself. I'll have more updates as they come along.

Caps fire a coach, lose a player to the KHL, sign a prospect, and aren't sure about Fedorov

This news broke yesterday. Caps assistant coach Jay Leach will not be with the team next year.

Assistant Coach Jay Leach will not return to the Caps after five seasons with the team, GM George McPhee confirmed this afternoon. Leach coached the defensemen.

"It was a mutual decision," McPhee said. "He's a good man and a good coach and he helped us get to where we are."

Personally I like this move. Leach coached the defenceman, and that's the area we struggled in this year. As for a replacement for Leach, I'm thinking Hershey Bears head coach Bob Woods. He coached with Boudreau in the AHL.

Now onto other news. Viktor Kozlov is leaving the NHL for Russia.

"I can't give an answer to that question right now. I can only say that I have made a firm decision to return to Russia. But it's still unclear which team I'll end up with. Negotiating is a difficult process. Discussions are ongoing and I think that I'll make a final decision on a team as soon as possible, and then I'll sign a contract."

Sad to see Kozzie go. He was pretty good on Ovechkin RW. Kozlov made 2.5 million last year, so that will free up a little bit of cap space. I wish him the best in the KHL.

Caps sign player out of USHL. Jake Hauswirth is now under contract by the Washington Capitals.

Observers in attendance at last summer’s Caps rookie development camp couldn’t help but notice a big center whose dominant presence was noticeable day in and day out during the week’s scrimmages and drills. Today, the Caps signed that hulking pivot, 21-year-old Jake Hauswirth.

The 6-foot-5, 210-pound Hauswirth hails from Merrill, Wis. He had signed a letter of intent to begin playing at Michigan Tech University this fall but will forgo that to turn pro instead.

Here's what Jake had to say.

“I’ve been on Washington’s radar since I participated in their development camp last summer,” Hauswirth said. “The conversations really started to heat up last week and I was just so excited and relieved to sign the contract this morning.”

I went to development camp last summer, and Hauswirth was very impressive. He scored a goal in every scrimmage and worked really hard. He was blocking shots in practice and was very physical. Here's also a big boy at 6-5.

Last but not least. Sergei Fedorov has been offered a contract from the KHL.

I just spoke to Sergei Fedorov's Los Angeles-based agent, Pat Brisson, who confirmed that he's still pursuing a deal with the Caps for his client.

"Sergei has a lot of options in the KHL, but we'll still continue to talk to the Washington Capitals," Brisson told me by phone. "I'm not sure right now whether Sergei will play for the Capitals or [in Russia next season]. He doesn't want to put a timetable on his decision, but he's probably going to make up his mind soon."

Fedorov has been offered a contract by the KHL team his brother, Fedor, plays for. The contract is reportedly worth 3.8 million per year for 2 years. It would be sad to see Fedorov go, so hopefully General Manager George Mcphee can get Fedorov signed to a contract.

Washington Capitals mentioned in steriod bust

A man busted for steroids in central Florida claims he sold to Washington Capitals players.

Here's the link.

"Cops say they have plenty of evidence that Richard Thomas and his wife Sandra were big-time steroid dealers. At a Tuesday night press conference announcing the arrest of the pair, Polk County Sheriff's officials were surrounded by thousands of doses of anabolic steroids.

What investigators aren't sure of is whether Richard Thomas, 35, is telling the truth when he says he is the biggest steroid provider in Central Florida and that he sold mostly to professional athletes, including those on the Washington Capitals hockey team and Washington Nationals baseball team."

Nothing has been confirmed, or proved yet. The Police don't have any evidence connecting Richard Thomas with the Caps. The Washington Capitals organization or the NHL have not spoke about the subject yet. Some of the Caps players and former players have though.

Here's what Steve Eminger had to say.

"No, never, not once -- it was never talked about once," Eminger said. "We got tested two-three times a year. Never once -- I don't know, you see guys. Guys aren't extremely ripped or anything."

Here's what Eric Fehr had to say.

"I can honestly say I never heard or seen anything about steroids in our dressing room," Fehr said. "That's the first I've ever heard of it."

"Honestly, we have steroid testing -- that would be the stupidest thing in the world to take something. That's not even something I've even thought of thinking with any guys on our team."

"It has never crossed my mind," Fehr said about using steroids in the postseason. "I don't know what goes through other people's heads, but the rules are there for a reason that you can't take steroids because it's not safe and it's not right for the sport."

Here's what Donald Brashear had to say.

On the chance that any of his teammates have used performance-enhancing drugs: "I would really doubt it. I mean, I would really doubt it. I don't know. It's a tough position; it's hard to say, I mean, maybe there is and we don't know the ones that are doing it. They wouldn't necessarily tell us."

That's all I've got for now. I'll update you if anything else is said.