Capitals Host Annual Media Luncheon

Semyon Varlamov and Mike Green chat with the media

Hockey Mom attended the Capitals' annual media luncheon today where players and team management welcomed members of both the mainstream and new media (including the entire gang at On Frozen Blog). Prior to the luncheon, the team posed for the official team photo and conducted a practice on Verizon Center ice. Sporting the 'A' on their red jerseys were Alex Ovechkin, Tom Poti and Mike Knuble.

Coach Boudreau spoke to the media about the leadership that Knuble brings to the room and the respect he has from his fellow players, contributing to Gabby's decision to give him the assistant captain nod.

Once again, the Michael Nylander saga was the elephant in the room as the veteran Swede's salary takes up a significant $4.875 million against the salary cap. Rumours of Nyls being sent to Russia's KHL League haven't materialized and he hasn't suited up for any of the Caps' pre-season games. The Nylander situation played a role in the bummer of the day, as Chris Bourque was placed on waivers less than a day after he was told he made the team and would travel for the first game in his hometown of Boston. Stay tuned sports fans, as the Nylander situation could change in an instant.


Matt Bradley talks about his new choice of helmet.

One of the most interesting conversations Hockey Mom had this afternoon was with tough guy Matt Bradley regarding his new Cascade helmet. Spearheaded by hockey legend Mark Messier, the Cascade helmet is designed with a special liner system aimed at diminishing the results of major-impact hits with a primary focus on reducing concussions. Bradley spoke about the issue of kids and sports-related concussions and feels that if a helmet can extend a player's career (especially one who has suffered from recurrent concussions), then choosing protective gear that can prevent this is a no-brainer (no pun intended)! He noted that the Cascades helmet is just as comfortable as other models he's used and joked that if he gets any flack about it from opposing players - well, he's a big boy and we know Brads is not afraid to drop the gloves! HM offers a big high-five to Matt Bradley for his efforts in spreading the awareness of hockey-related concussions!

Next stop for the Caps, the season opener on Thursday against the big, bad Bruins (minus Phil Kessel).

Caps Make More Cuts

With countdown to the season opener now less than three days away, the Capitals have trimmed their roster even more as reported by Corey Masisak of the Washington Times.

Not making the final cut: Alexandre Giroux, Keith Aucoin (Hockey Mom sighs sadly), Karl Alzner and Brandon Sugden. The winners of the Golden Ticket this round are everybody's favorite grinder Quintin Laing, Chris Bourque and defenseman Tyler Sloan. Bourque is hoping to see ice time when the Caps open in Boston, his birthplace and home to most of his dad's Hall of Fame career. Congrats to all these guys for making the roster - hope to see ya at the "Gaw-den."

Hockey Mom also wants to extend kudos to a local Pee Wee player and my boys former linemate, Tyler Lohmeyer, for advancing to the Finals of the Washington Capitals Shoot Out Competition as the Virginia State Champion! Tyler faced some staunch competition and on January 7th during one of the intermission of the Caps vs. Senators game, he'll be playing alongside a goalie from Charlottesville, Va. against the champions from Maryland to determine the overall Capital's Shout Out Champion. Way to represent!

Capitals Host Sold-Out Inaugural Convention

Covering the Caps panel discussion

Hockey Mom just returned from the Capitals Convention and I have to give a huge round of applause to the Caps organization for orchestrating a first-class event for the best fans in the NHL! Unfortunately, I had to skip out for some of the highlights of the day including the Young Guns and Dropping the Gloves panels, as we have a kid's hockey game. But from what I observed during the four hours I was in attendance, most of the 5,000 fans in the house were having a fabulous time.

There was no shortage of things to do for fans of all ages - with all kinds of games for the kids, panel discussions on just about everything you ever wanted to know about the team, new and used Caps merchandise and a wide variety of displays and vendors. The day kicked off with the opening session featuring Ted Leonsis and NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman. Bettman adressed a mryiad of questions from the vocal audience and noted that no fans in professional sports are better connected than hockey fans. When emcee Elliot Segal commented on how kid-friendly Caps games are, Uncle Ted drew a huge laugh from the crowd when he replied "Yeah, but would you take your kids to a Caps/Flyers game in Philly?", drawing a finger wagging from the Commish. Of course, Leonsis emphasized throughout the course of the day, that despite the successes of late, his goal is to bring a Stanley Cup to D.C. He also noted to the fans, that this is "your team."


Jon Press, Joe Beninati, Craig Laughlin, Corey Masisak, Steve Kolbe and Lindsay Czarniak

One of the most interesting panel discussions that I attended was the Cap-ology session conducted by Caps Capologist Don Fishman. Fishman enthusiastically led this interactive discussion as he addressed the hows and whys the team has stuck to their plan of building around their core of young talent.


Majority Owner Ted Leonsis with Tarik El-Bashir of Washington Post and OFB's John Keeley

Fans lined up in droves for player and alumni pictures and autographs and new Capitals merchandise (I was having so much fun I forgot to buy my Knuble shirt) was flying off the racks faster than my two teenagers can go through an all-you-can-eat buffet. After seeing the incredible turnout and hearing the buzz about this year's team from fans young and old, there should no longer be any question as to whether or not D.C. is a hockey town.


Fans line up for the latest in Caps fan gear.

Kudos to the Caps for a phenomenal event - what a great way to kick off a new season, which begins in less than a week!

Best of Luck Olie!

Here's more information from the Capitals organization regarding today's announcement from Olie the Goalie on his plans to retire:

The statement from Caps majority owner Ted Leonsis on Kolzig's countless contributions to the team and the D.C. community:

"Olie was the face of the Capitals franchise for years, on the ice, in the locker room and around Washington, D.C. He was a great Capital and the organization and our fans will always have fond memories of ‘Olie the Goalie.’ We wish him and his wonderful family all the best in his retirement."

As you all know, Kolzig was an exceptional leader both on and off the ice. Some of his outstanding accomplishments with the team include the following Caps goaltending records:

• Career games played (711), minutes (41,259), wins (301), save percentage (.906), saves (18,013) and shutouts (35)
  


• Single season games played (73, 1999-00), minutes (4,371, 1999-00), wins (41, 1999-00) and save percentage (.920, 1997-98)
  

Here's the complete rundown on one the Capital's greatest of all time from the NHLPA's press release:

OLAF KOLZIG RETIRES AFTER 14 NHL SEASONS
Veteran goaltender played in 719 games

TORONTO (September 23, 2009)– After 14 seasons, veteran goaltender Olaf Kolzig announced his retirement today from the National Hockey League.

Kolzig, 39, a two-time NHL All-Star (1998, 2000) and former Vezina Trophy winner (2000), appeared in a total of 719 NHL games, 711 of those with the Washington Capitals. His 303 career wins rank him 21st all-time among goaltending wins leaders. Olaf also posted a career 2.71 GAA along with a .906 save percentage and 35 shutouts.

“I feel very privileged to have had the opportunity to play the game of hockey at the NHL level for many seasons and I am grateful for everything the game has given me,” said Kolzig. “I would like to thank my family, all my teammates and the fans for making my time in the NHL so special.”

Drafted 19th overall in the 1989 NHL Entry Draft by the Washington Capitals, Kolzig, 39, was the first South African-born player to be drafted into the NHL. Prior to joining the Capitals on a full-time basis, Kolzig played his junior hockey in the Western Hockey League (WHL). On November 29, 1989, Kolzig achieved a rare feat for a goaltender when he scored a goal while with the Tri-City Americans of the WHL.

“Olie” or “Godzilla” as he came to be known to fans and teammates, made his NHL debut in the 1989-90 season with the Capitals. While Kolzig appeared in game action with the Capitals in both the 1992-93 and 1993-94 seasons, he steadily began earning more playing time in 1994-95 in Washington. From the 1997-98 season through until the 2007-08 season, Kolzig provided exceptional play as the Capitals’ starting goaltender.

In the 1997-98 NHL season, Kolzig led the Capitals to the Stanley Cup Finals against the Detroit Red Wings. During those playoffs, Kolzig amassed four shutouts and posted a 1.95 GAA. Kolzig’s finest season came in 1999-00 with the Capitals, when he recorded 41 wins, including five shutouts and a 2.24 GAA. That season, Kolzig also played in the All-Star game, was named to the NHL First All-Star Team and captured the Vezina Trophy as the league’s top goaltender.

During his time as the Capitals’ starting goaltender, Kolzig was one of the most popular players in franchise history. Following the 2007-08 season, Kolzig signed with the Tampa Bay Lightning. An injury cut his 2008-09 season with the Lightning short, with Kolzig playing just eight games. He was then dealt to the Toronto Maple Leafs at the trade deadline.

Kolzig, born in Johannesburg, South Africa, also holds German citizenship, which has enabled him to represent Germany in numerous international hockey competitions. At the 1998 Nagano Winter Olympics, Olaf helped lead Germany to two wins during the tournament, a competition that featured the best players from around the world for the first time in Olympic history. Kolzig’s other international hockey experiences representing Germany include: the World Championships (1997, 2004), the World Cup of Hockey (1996, 2004), and the 2006 Torino Olympics.

Kolzig is a dedicated humanitarian and supporter of many charities. He and his wife founded the Carson Kolzig Foundation in support of their son Carson. Kolzig also co-founded Athletes Against Autism, along with former NHL players Byron Dafoe and Scott Mellanby, and he received the King Clancy Memorial Trophy in 2006 for his leadership qualities and humanitarian contributions.

“While I appreciate everything the game has given me and certainly will miss it, I am looking forward to spending more time with my family and remaining involved in hockey in some capacity,” Kolzig added.

Olaf and his wife Christin will reside in Kennewick, WA with their three children.

Please join Hockey Mom in raising a toast to the magnificent career of Olie Kolzig and wish him well in his new endeavors.

Olie the Goalie Hangs 'Em Up

Former Capital and perennial fan favorite, Olaf Kolzig (or more affectionately known to Caps fans as Olie the Goalie) announced his plans to retire today. The face of the Capitals franchise for an incredible 711 games, we wish Godzilla the best in his retirement and look forward to seeing his jersey raised to the Phone Booth rafters soon!

Caps Make More Cuts

The Capitals have trimmed their roster down to 36 players.

From the team's PR staff:

The following players were assigned to Hershey (AHL) this afternoon: Jason Bacashihua, Andrew Joudrey, Francois Bouchard, Patrick McNeill, Steve Pinizzotto and John Carlson.

To have too much talent - now that's a nice problem to have. Keep your ears open for great things to come from these players during Hershey's upcoming season.

Caps Fall to Sabres in Pre-Season Home Game

The Capitals stars were all present and accounted for in last night's pre-season contest against Bufffalo at the Phone Booth. But apparently the stars "weren't aligned" as Alex Semin, Mike Green and pals looked a bit rusty in the 2-1 loss. The Caps power play unit struggled throughout the evening and Jose Theodore was the unlucky recipient of two Sabres goals within 11 seconds of each other. The spark plug known as Keith Aucoin scored the lone tally for the home team. But that's what the pre-season is for, eh? Let's work out all those kinks now - and remember we've got a looonngg season in front of us. And just keep Mike Knuble's butt parked right in front of the crease all season - yep, we're going to be just fine.

In other pre-season action, the Capitals' much disliked rivals and Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins fell to the new and improved Montreal Canadiens by a score of 4-3 in front of a packed house in hockey-mad Montreal. The talent the Habs picked up in the off season came up big, with little guy Brian Gionta netting two for the home team. Gionta and team mate Scott Gomez were definitely benefiting from the chemistry that goes back to their years together as New Jersey Devils. Probably a team to keep your eye on the Eastern Conference for sure.

The Caps will take on the Blackhawks for a second preseason meeting tomorrow night at home. HM will have to miss some of that one due to back-to-school night. Speaking of back-to-school, if any of you fellow hockey moms have any great tips on waking up and herding teenage boys out the door in a timely and orderly fashion, I'd love to hear from you. I swear it's like trying to hustle a couple of neanderthals with backpacks and hockey bags (though the neanderthals would probably be faster, knuckle-dragging and all). And the day following a 10:30 p.m. practice end - forget about it!