The AHL released their schedule for the 2021-22 season, a day after the NHL did.
The Hershey Bears will play a 76-game regular season, with first puck drop on Saturday, October 16. The Bears will host the Charlotte Checkers at Giant Center that night in their home opener. They will also take on the Lehigh Valley Phantoms the next day at 3 PM.
Two of the greatest players in Capitals history reunited in Russia on Friday.
Alex Ovechkin took a selfie with his longtime running mate, Alex Semin, and posted it to his Instagram Story.
“With my brother @alexandersemin28,” wrote Ovi.
Brenden Dillon’s name has surfaced in offseason trade rumors, though it’s unclear if the Capitals defenseman is even available.
TSN’s Darren Dreger brought up Dillon while revealing that the NHL’s three Western Canada teams are looking for a makeover on their backline. Dillon, 30, has three years remaining at a $3.9 million cap hit.
NHL schedules are officially out!
The Washington Capitals will open the 2021-22 season at home against the New York Rangers on Wednesday, October 13.
Alex Ovechkin has not been re-signed by the Capitals, but the question now becomes: For how much longer?
Shortly after the NHL’s 1 PM roster freeze ended, Nastya Ovechkina took to her Instagram Story to post a photo of her hubby on the phone.
By Ian Oland 4 days ago
As the clock struck 1 PM, an NHL roster freeze, prohibiting signings and trades for the Expansion Draft, was officially lifted.
The news came in both fast and furious.
Vitek Vanecek took to Instagram on Thursday to say his own goodbyes to the city and organization that helped him reach his dream of playing in the NHL. Vanecek was selected in the Expansion Draft by the Seattle Kraken.
Earlier in the morning, Vanecek received an outpouring of messages from his former teammates, some of which he replied to on his Instagram Story.
Vitek Vanecek, the Capitals starting goaltender last season, was tragically snatched up by the Seattle Kraken in the Expansion Draft on Wednesday. Vitek will form a battery in net with Chris Driedger (FLA) and Joey Daccord (OTT).
During the night, tributes poured in from Vitek’s former (sigh) Capitals’ teammates.
Evgeny Kuznetsov was suspended for disciplinary reasons by the Capitals during the 2020-21 regular season, part of some rule-breaking that caused Washington to be fined $100k, and contracted coronavirus twice. Those antics, combined with his struggles to return to his previous form in 2018, resulted in reports in May that the Capitals were looking to deal Kuzy over the offseason.
“I think we’re always open to trading people if it makes sense for what’s going on if it makes our team better,” Capitals GM Brian MacLellan said after the season. “I don’t think anybody’s off the table. We’re not going to trade Ovi or Backy, those types of people, but you have to be open on anything. So we would talk to anybody about any player.”
During an appearance on TSN1260’s Jason Gregor Show, Frank Seravalli of The Daily Faceoff reported that the New York Rangers, who are aggressively remaking their team under new GM Chris Drury, had shown interest in acquiring Kuznetsov as well as fellow star center Jack Eichel.
But Seravalli hedged that a Caps-Rangers deal wasn’t close, surmising that there hasn’t been “a ton” of interest in general on Kuznetsov.
By Ian Oland 5 days ago
There were no surprises in the first half of the 2021 NHL Expansion Draft, as the Seattle Kraken proceeded to draft its first roster in franchise history, mostly because nearly every one of the Kraken’s picks leaked several hours prior.
But midway through the program, ESPN broadcaster Chris Fowler had a slip of the tongue heard ’round the hockey world. Fowler announced that Seattle’s next pick would be coming from…the Carolina Panthers.
Oops.
By Elizabeth Kong 5 days ago
