Peter Hassett

About Peter Hassett (@peterhassett)

Nate Schmidt makes impossible catch, wins home-run derby in Vegas charity softball game

Last night was the Battle For Vegas, a charity softball game played by professional athletes to raise money for developmental disorders and autism causes. The game was well represented by Las Vegas athletes, with Raiders running back Marcus Allen captaining one team and Knights forward Reilly Smith captaining the other. But the highlight of the night and its biggest star was a player not from Vegas at all — at least not anymore.

Folks, it’s Nate Schmidt. Here comes a Schmidtuation Update.

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By Peter Hassett 1 day ago

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Brian MacLellan walks back trade talk around Evgeny Kuznetsov

Before we begin, some background:

In May, Brian MacLellan gave an open-ended response about about trading Caps forward Evgeny Kuznetsov. In June, Frank Seravalli reported that the Caps were “tired of Kuznetsov’s antics” and ready to move on after the Caps would pay Kuznetsov his $5 million signing bonus in July. And just last week, Seravalli linked Kuznetsov potentially to the New York Rangers.

But on Saturday night, Caps general manager Brian MacLellan walked back the trade hype.

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By Peter Hassett 1 day ago

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Caps hope to re-sign Alex Ovechkin by Wednesday

Washington Capitals general manager Brian MacLellan spoke to the media on Saturday following the NHL’s entry draft. MacLellan covered a few topics. but the one you and us and everyone else cares most about is the next contract for the namesake of this website, Alex Ovechkin.

In short: the team hopes to have Ovechkin signed to a new deal before the free agency period begins on Wednesday.

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By Peter Hassett 1 day ago

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Capitals players available for the expansion draft, ranked

The Washington Capitals have turned in their protected lists for this upcoming week’s expansion draft by the Seattle Kraken. There are a lot of big names available, and Seattle has some very big and wrinkly brains making decisions for them. With all that in mind, let us now mentally prepare to lose one of our nephews. I’ve arranged them into tiers based on how likely each player is to be selected. That way you can prioritize your despair.

Also, I am once again obligated to remind you that the last expansion draft was brutal on the Capitals, taking away an unappreciated, talented young defender and leaving the team barely able to win the Stanley Cup against him the next season.

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By Peter Hassett 1 week ago

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Here’s every player available for the expansion draft

The NHL has released the list of all available players for Wednesday’s expansion draft for the Seattle Kraken.

There are some VERY big names on the list.

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By Peter Hassett 1 week ago

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Caps expansion-draft protected list revealed: Oshie, Samsonov, Kuznetsov, Sprong on the list

The list of Washington Capitals players available for and protected from the Seattle Kraken expansion draft is now known.

Among others, the Caps have chosen to protect American hero TJ Oshie, goalie Ilya Samsonov, controversial forward Evgeny Kuznetsov, and young forward Daniel Sprong. Defender Trevor van Riemsdyk is a surprise inclusion on the protected list.

The Kraken’s choice from the list of available players will be announced on Wednesday.

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By Peter Hassett 1 week ago

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Looney Tunes cartoons are better than Disney cartoons

The expansion draft protected lists are due at 5 PM today, and it’s going to be a big deal across the NHL. Last time this happened the Caps lost Nate Schmidt and completely fell to pieces.

But that’s later. For now, and in the wake of Space Jam 2: Dark World, which I have not seen and I will not see, I have discovered a new hill upon which to die: Looney Tunes is better than Disney cartoons.

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By Peter Hassett 1 week ago

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Ryan Suter hung up on Bill Guerin during his buyout call

Tuesday was a tumultuous day in the NHL for lots of reasons, but only one of those reasons was rife with dramaaaaa.

Having lost to Vegas in the first round, the Minnesota Wild decided buy out two veteran players, Zach Parise and Ryan Suter, the latter of whom has been linked with the Capitals. GM Bill Guerin says he was in anguish about the buyouts. “It was a very difficult decision [made] over lots of time and lots of meetings,” Guerin told the media. “Lots of things went into this decision, but it’s a big decision that I feel we needed to make in order to keep moving forward.”

Writing for the Athletic, Michael Russo breaks down how Guerin communicated the buyouts to Parise and Suter, which gets downright sassy. Russo reports that Suter ended his buyout call by abruptly hanging up on his former General Manager.

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By Peter Hassett 2 weeks ago

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Elliotte Friedman: Bought-out Ryan Suter could land in Washington

Bill Guerin announced on Tuesday that the Minnesota Wild would be buying out the final four seasons of forward Zach Parise and defender Ryan Suter. The two players signed tandem 13-year, $98 million contracts on July 4, 2012, which had a $7.54 million cap hit (AAV).

“We want to thank Zach and Ryan for the nine years that they’ve given the Minnesota Wild,” the GM said according to NHL.com. “They’ve given everything they’ve had on the ice and off the ice. And they’ve had an incredible impact on this organization and in the Twin Cities. A very difficult decision that over lots of time and lots of meetings, lots of things went into this decision. But it’s a big decision that I feel we needed to make in order to keep moving forward.”

The buyouts will make both players unrestricted free agents on July 28. While Parise’s next move seems obvious, Suter’s next destination is less clear.

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By Ian Oland and Peter Hassett 2 weeks ago

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