It’s the offseason, even for shavers.
Friday, Washington Capitals radio announcer John Walton debuted a slick new beard while speaking about Alex Ovechkin’s upcoming trip to China on NHL Network.
The Dowd family is about to become one bundle of joy bigger.
Friday afternoon, Paige Dowd announced that she is expecting the couple’s first child in January.
“Our sweet surprise 🌈 baby dowd coming january 2020” Dowd wrote on Instagram. “Thanks to my friend @nikkisaar for these photos! #momanddad #rainbowbaby”
Friday afternoon, the New York Rangers announced that they had signed restricted free agent Jacob Trouba to a seven-year, $56 million deal.
The Rangers landed the coveted 25-year-old, first-pairing defenseman from the Winnipeg Jets in June. The Rangers sent defenseman Neal Pionk and the 20th overall pick at the 2019 NHL draft (Finnish blueliner Ville Heinola) to the Jets in exchange for 6’3” d-man.
Trouba refused to sign longterm with the Jets because he wanted to play in the United States and allow his fiancée, Kelly Tyson, to pursue her medical career.
“Everyone kind of views me, and I guess most athletes, just as athletes, but there’s other goals in life that I have,” Trouba said after the trade. “I want to be a husband and a father and all that stuff, and her career is important and she’s worked extremely hard. I want to see the best for her as much as she wants to see the best for me.”
It may be mid-July, but a major trade between aging forwards is about to be announced between the Edmonton Oilers and Calgary Flames.
According to Nick Kypreos and The Athletic’s Eric Francis, the Oilers are close to dealing Milan Lucic to the Flames for James Neal.
Look out, collectors. NHL mascots are the latest to get the Funko POP! treatment.
On Thursday, the company teased the release of the new collectibles with previews of six NHL mascots in figurine form: Gritty (Philadelphia Flyers), Tommy Hawk (Chicago Blackhawks), NJ Devil (New Jersey Devils), Blades (Boston Bruins), and Chance (Vegas Golden Knights). The last mascot, Toronto Maple Leafs’ Carlton, is only available through Canadian distributor Grosnor.
No formal release date was given for the NHL mascots line, just a mysterious “coming soon”.
While Funko has released a number of Capitals players figurines in the past, like TJ Oshie last year, it does not appear that Slapshot, the Capitals mascot, will be included in this first wave of Funko POP! mascots. That’s probably better for our wallets anyway.
By Elizabeth Kong 1 day ago
In March, the Washington Capitals signed forward Joe Snively to a two-year, entry-level contract that starts during the upcoming 2019-20 campaign. Snively made his AHL debut for the Hershey Bears last season after his collegiate career ended with Yale and scored an impressive 7 points in 9 games.
Not only can Snively flat out play, he’s also a local product. A native of Herndon, Virginia, Snively played for the Little Caps and has been a Capitals fan all his life.
How big of a fan is he? In a Development Camp interview with Mike Vogel, Snively revealed that he jumping up and down and cheering with you outside of Capital One Arena during the Capitals’ Stanley Cup-clinching win against the Vegas Golden Knights.
Nearly three years ahead of the 2022 Winter Olympics, Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin will make an NHL-sponsored visit to Beijing, the host city, to serve as an international ambassador.
During his time in China, Ovechkin will participate in youth hockey clinics, a media tour, and business development meetings.
The announcement advances the NHL and the NHLPA’s commitment to growing the game globally.
For Lars Eller, no ice is no problem
On Wednesday evening, the Capitals center showed off what appears to be his custom hockey setup in his garage.
“I like to take a few months off the ice after every season. But I don’t think you can do to much of this in the summer,” Eller wrote on Instagram.
Former Capital Andre Burakovsky signed a one-year, $3.25 million contract earlier this week with his new team, the Colorado Avalanche.
The Swedish forward, who asked to be dealt from Washington before last season’s trade deadline, is hoping that a change of scenery will jumpstart his career. And there’s one analyst who definitely believes that’s going to happen.
NHL Network’s Mike Johnson recently made the case why on NHL Tonight.
As we noted in our article reporting the signing, Jakub Vrana is on an ABSolutely terrific vacation in Marbella, Spain with several of his closest friends.
Vrana posted a photo from the pool on Monday. Today, the Czech winger posted several photos and video from a pool party featuring hundreds of beautiful people. Beautiful people as far as the eye can see.
It appears he has still not located his shirt.
