DC Caps Report, Fedorov on Defense?

Here is your daily news round up for the Washington Capitals

First, the countdown: 7 days to go until the Caps open the regular season!

You have probably caught the news on Sergei Fedorov practicing on the blue line with the Caps, we mentioned it yesterday in our Caps report. Listening to NHL Home Ice this morning on my way to work, those guys made the inference that maybe the Capitals defense is not as strong as they anticipated. That’s crap.

Here is my take. One, Fedorov has played the blue line before when he was in Detroit. He likely approached Bruce Boudreau about options of clocking some ice time there again. Why? We’ll wait to answer that until we hear directly from Fedorov.

Second, I am also thinking here the Caps are open to the idea because it would permit them to possibly start the season with 6 natural defenseman instead of seven. Why? It allows an extra forward to make the roster. Who? My bet is — Chris Bourque. If you are going with 7 defenseman, I just can’t see where Bourque has a roster spot, unless Boudreau and McPhee pull off a gutsy move and release a veteran. I don’t see that happening. Yet, if any player deserves a roster spot based on training camp, pre-season, and improvement to his game, it would be Bourque.

Ross McKeon graces us with his ten things to watch for this season. Check out McKeon’s stunning predictions.

Alexander Ovechkin will score 80 goals and win the scoring title. Anaheim’s Ryan Getzlaf will be the league MVP. San Jose’s Evgeni Nabokov will win the Vezina Trophy. Fabian Brunnstrom will be the top rookie. Zdeno Chara will win the Norris Trophy. Detroit will win the Presidents’ Trophy but lose in the second round of the playoffs. Dallas and Washington will meet for the Cup.

Whoa! Ovie 80 goals and the Caps in the Cup! I’ll take it, I’ll take it now!

CNNSI has up there Southeast division preview.  I can remember the last two years how much was written about how bad the Southeast division was, they actually called it, the Southleast.  Big difference.

The Southeast will definitely be one of the most intriguing divisions this season. For one thing it has the electrifying Alexander Ovechkin and his up-and-coming Capitals, but there is also the dramatically revamped Lightning with the charismatic Barry Melrose behind the bench and top overall pick Steven Stamkos joining forces with the stellar Vincent Lecavalier and Marty St. Louis. It’s also easy to overlook the Hurricanes, who are only two seasons removed for a Stanley Cup. And then there are the youth movements in Atlanta and Florida.

I love how they dispel the myth of yester-year that the Washington Capitals are Alex Ovechkin, and that is about it.

But a shrewd procurement program has been at work during the past few years that allows Washington to boast of one of the most dangerous offenses in the conference.

Hand applause to GM George McPhee.

Power Poll Watch … Taking a look at pre-season Power polls that have been published and where the Capitals have landed …

Yahoo NHL Sports:  Rank 6th

Comment:  This team is huge and fast. And Alex Ovechkin is on a mission.

CNNSI:  Rank:  10th

Comment:  The renewal rate for season ticket holders is about 93 percent, the highest since Ted Leonsis purchased the team in 1999. That’s bound to happen when you make the playoffs and boast the league’s most exciting player in Alex Ovechkin. But even if A.O. sets career highs in goals and points, this team will need Jose Theodore to be solid in net — especially with just an average group of blueliners in front of him. The Caps are banking on him, since Cristobal Huet and Olaf Kolzig are gone.

Caps Blog Nation:

Check out Peerless’ preview on Eric Fehr, nicely done.  You can read more on Fedorov on defense with our friend at Hershey Bears Hockey Blog.

In Chocolate Town …

PennLive is reporting that South Carolina Stingray goalie Bobby Goepfort was recalled.  With Varlamov recently reassigned to Hershey and nursing a sore groin, Goepfort is needed until Varlamov is ready.  In addition, it looks as if Nuevirth took a shot to the head, not serious, but just another Bear’s concern. As for the status of G Daren Machesney …

If Machesney was to get loaned out that won’t happen now as he is the only 100% healthy guy we have other than Goepfert.

Tim Leone thinks Sean Collins is making a push for a spot on the Hershey blue line.

General NHL Snippets

Snippet from the Globe and Mail, worth watching, the Nashville Predators have defaulted on a $40 million loan. The Nashville owners insist this has more to do with previous owner’s bankruptcy situation and it will get straightened out. We’ll see.

Oh, and if you wan to get a head start on studying the 2009 NHL entry draft, here are the 30 top prospects ranked by The Hockey News.

More at DC Pro Sports Report