- Update May 23rd 2004
Click above for the 2004 draft preview and no; it's not just about Alexander Ovechkin.
- Update May 23rd 2004
Portland Pirates Out of Playoffs
Since the last update...the Portland Pirates easily defeated the Providence Bruins in 2 straight games to move on in the 2004 Calder Cup playoffs. Only in the next round to face a strong Harford Wolfpack; evertually lose 4 straight after winning game one and bow out of the playoffs. The Atlantic Division Qualifying Series win against Provedince marked the first playoff series win for the Pirates in six seasons.
Although the Pirates exited early in the Playoffs; it was a sucussful run while using some key players in the future of both the Pirates and Washingt Capitals. Alexander Semin proved to everyone how potent of a scorer he could become (4 goals and 7assists in 7 playoff games), Boyd Gordon, Jared Aulin, Steve Eminger, and Shaone Morrisonn stepped up in the final weeks of the season to get the Pirates into the playoffs. Next season hopes to be even more successful with the possible arrival of even more talened players (Fleischmann, Kelpis, and Johansson)
- Click here for the Pirates final satistics for the regular season
- Click here for the Pirates playoff stats
- Click here for a great recap from Http://www.portlandpirates.com
-Update for April 13th 2004
Portland Pirates Streak Into Calder Cup Playoffs
With seven wins in eight games, the Portland Pirates have saved their best hockey for the right time as the Calder Cup Playoffs are about to gear up this week. Sparked by the offensive minded play of Jared Aulin, Alexander Semin and Andrej Podkonicky and also by some prospects startting to find their groove in Boyd Gordon (goals in 3 straight games) and Steve Eminger (assists in 3 straight games)...the Pirates are finding the O that was lacking for the majority of the season.
Semin has scored 3 goals in his 4 Pirates games and Aulin has 2 goals and 1 assist in his last 8 games and is starting to take command of the Power Play. Podkonicky finished the season by scoring six goals in six games including a hat trick against Lowell in the play off clinching game for Portland.
Photo courtesy of Ron Morin
Here is the schedule for the first round starting this Thursday:
Atlantic Division -- Series Q1 (best-of-3)
A4-Providence Bruins vs. A5-Portland Pirates
Game 1 - Thu., Apr. 15 - Portland at Providence, 7:05
Game 2 - Fri., Apr. 16 - Portland at Providence, 7:05
*Game 3 - Sun., Apr. 18 - Portland at Providence, 4:05All the games can be listened to on the internet via the Pirates website...click here for more info.
- In other prospect news. Tomas Fleischmann's season came to an end on Sunday night with a loss to the Red Deer Rebels in the WHL playoffs. Fleischmann ended the playoffs with 3 goals and 3 assists in 10 games. Fleischmann will need to be signed by the June 1st deadline to avoid returning to the NHL Entry Draft. He finished the regular season with 33 goals and 42 assists in 60 games.
-Update for April 6th 2004
Capitals Losses Equal Huge Gain
Going into the final weeks of the regular season...many wondered if the Capitals were purposely losing games to get a better shot at the #1 overall picking the 2004 NHL Entry Draft. The Caps put somewhat of a muzzle on those rumors in gaining 5 points of a possible 10 points in the final 10 games of the season to finish behind the Chicago Blackhawks and Pittsburgh Penguins for the the last overall position. It appeared going into today as if the Capitals would end up with the 3rd overall pick for the draft...if the lottery went with the actual percentages. But alas; after the ping pong balls stopped moving, the Capitals were awarded with that 1st overall selection. The chance to take Alexander Ovechkin.
To most, Ovechkin represents a sure thing for the first pick in the Entry Draft. Usually there are a few players that could go number one overall or little to no real seperations between the top picks... this player is the only one this season that stands above the rest according to most. Speed, puck handling, great shot, size, and strong. NHL European Scout Goran Stubb had the following to say regarding Ovechkin on NHL.com: "Ovechkin is a complete package," Stubb said. "He is a superb skater with excellent acceleration and he's creative with the puck. He has an outstanding touch around the net and I'd say he has excellent overall skill level and excellent hockey sense. He has a superb attitude. He's a finesse player, but does not mind playing physical. He can hit and take a hit. And he's a leader on and off the ice and a gentleman in private. He has all the tools needed to become a superstar."
Works for us here at Capital Prospect!
Adding Ovechkin to an already stacked prospect system will only help the future of the organization. General Manager George McPhee had the following to say after today great news:
"It's a very good day for us and our fans. We were happy to pick third, but with the number one pick, obviously, we can get the player we want. . . . We feel that we are in some way being rewarded for the difficult task we undertook, restructuring our team and preparing for the future. We hope today is the first day in a new era for the Washington Capitals."
-Update for April 5th 2004
Alexander Semin assigned to Portland
From the Pirates Press Release:
Semin, 20, spent his entire rookie campaign this season with the Capitals, aside from a six-game stint playing for Team Russia at the 2004 IIHF World Junior Championship. In 52 games with Washington, he scored 10 goals and 12 assists while recording 36 penalty minutes.
Semin was thought to have a clause in his existing contract with the Capitals that permitted him from playing in Portland ...unless of course he was willing to play for the AHL team ...which it appears he is. Good news for the Pirates and the struggling offense. Although in the past week the Pirates have rallied back into the playoff race with a four game winning streak and now have a 2 point lead over the Lowell Loch Monsters for the final playoff spot in the Atlantic Division.
- Leading the charge is the possible emergence of Jared Aulin. Acquired in the trade deadline for Anson Carter, Aulin has scored 2 goals and added an assist in his 8 games as a Pirate and is helping the offense find its game again.
- In some bad news for the Caps affiliate ... Pirates Captain Graham Mink suffered a broken orbital bone in a fight this past Friday. His status for the remainder of the season is still unknown at this point.
- Update for March 8th 2004
Normally it's a trade for a proven vet or and up and coming young NHL player. Not this time for the Washington Capitals. Instead it lies in the hands of these 6 players. Do they really know what they are getting into? Do they know that they apart of something unknown to the rest of the NHL? The possible resurgence of the Washington Capitals in the next 2-3 seasons? In the blink of an eye (well...6 total months), the Capitals traded away eight prominent NHL players from the roster ...the return comes in the form of 6 NHL Entry Draft picks and the 6 promising but unproven prospects. The offense is overwhelming in this group...but the defense still needs to be addressed. The Caps are looking to build again from the ground up ...going with youth and lower salaries over age, experience, and large contracts. Will these six players make a difference? Will the six players and picks erase the recent demise of the Caps and the sour taste left in the mouths of lifelong fans?
Only time will tell....
Next will be the 2004 Entry Draft....a some defense sure to come.
-Update for February 28th 2004
Tomas Fleischmann Joins Caps in Lang Trade
The talent tree keeps growing in terms of the prospects for the Washington Capitals while the current roster continues to wilt away. The team loses Robert Lang (the leading scorer in the NHL).and picks up a player forecasted to be a top six forward, a 1st round pick in 2004 and a 4th in 2006. Tomas Fleischmann comes to the Capitals organization via the Detroit Red Wings via the Moose Jaw Warriors (sound familiar) in the WHL ....currently Fleischmann is 13th in the league in scoring with 70 points in only 54 games. The Czech center/winger is extremely crafty and seems to be a sure bet to make it to the NHL at some point in his career. The only truely noticeable downside to his game would be his size. Listed at 6'0 168 pounds...he's a bit bigger now...in the 175 range. Being only 19, he has plenty of time to grow into his frame and its shouldn't be much of a problem with his development due to his reported excellent work ethic.. Fleischmann was a one time teammate of current Caps prospects Owen Fussey and Derek Krestanovich and was actually a line mate of Fussey in 2001...where the two along with Dallas prospect David Bararuk formed one of the top lines in the WHL for the last stretch of the season.
The Capitals ties don't end there. At the 2002 World Junior Championships...During the Canada - Czechoslovakia match up...Fleischmann had a run in of sorts with a familar face.
That's a scene that shouldnt be recreating itself any time soon.
The Capitals are expected to make mre trades in the coming weeks with the rebuild in full progress. Check back for more updates and and eventual score card on the final prospect accqusitions.
- Update for February 26th 2004
Caps Face Huge Decisions About Future
With little under 2 weeks before the March 9th trading deadline, the Caps and General Manager George McPhee have some pretty tough decisions to make about the future and about the present as well. The future of current Caps Sergei Gonchar, Brendan Witt, Olie Kolzig, Robert Lang, and others is rather cloudy at this point but only in terms of where they are going to end up and not if they are going to stay with the Caps beyond this season. Two players that could be moved are currently the Caps number 1 defensive pairing Gonchar and Brendan Witt.
Gonchar will likely merit the biggest and best return of all the players being shopped by GMGM. Currently upwards of 8 teams are looking to deal for Gonchar ...Toronto is leading the charge. For one the Leafs currently have Ken Klee whispering in their ear about Gonchar and the fact the two formed a rather impressive pairing last season for the Capitals. Also Toronto is loaded with prospects to offer in return for the services of Gonchar ...leading that group is former1st round selection Carlo Colaiacovo. Similar to current Capital/Pirate Steve Eminger's playing style ....Colaiacovo possesses great puck handling skills and an upside for the offensive aspect of the defensive position. So far this season with the St Johns Leafs he's netted 4 goals and 17 assists in 41 games and has a -3 rating. Other possible prospects that Toronto could move could be Matt Stajan, Alexei Ponikarovsky, and Alexander Steen.
The latest rumor has Witt heading out of town as well....most likely destinations being New Jersey or Dallas. Witt has been a Capitals for his entire NHL career (along with Gonchar and Kolzig) and would make his new team very happy with his steady play and physical presence. Dallas seems to be the front runner and could offer some very interesting prospects in return...one being John Erskine. Erskine is huge...6-4 and 215 lbs and loves to throw that huge frame around. In essence he's a bigger and younger Brendan Witt with perhaps a lower offensive output but more aggressive in nature. The Caps are lacking some toughness in the prospect ranks and a move to get Erskine would help in that category. Other canidates for trade could be Antti Miettinen, Trevor Daley, Martin Vagner, Matt Nickerson, or Dan Jancevski.
With 2 weeks more of rumors and trades...keep checking back for updates on the possible new prospects to enter the system.
- Update for February 18th 2004
Capitals trade Peter Bondra for Brooks Laich and a 2005 2nd Round Pick
Although it was expected it was still hard to accept that the Washington Capitals had traded Peter Bondra to the Ottawa Senators today..but the return for the 36 year old winger is a building block for the future. Bondra, who is the Capitals all-time leading point scorer, was dealt to the Senators for 20 year old center Brooks Laich (pronounced LIKE) and a 2nd round pick in 2005. Laich was a 6th round pick in 2001 where he played with Brian Sutherby on the Mosse Jaw Warriors; he has excelled ever since...he was a runner up for the WHL MVP in 2001 with a great season for the Seattle Thunderbirds scoring 41 goals and 53 assists in only 60 games.
Laich also appeared in the 2003 World Junior Championship for Canada (along with Boyd Gordon and Steve Eminger) where he netted 2 goals and 4 assists in 6 games. So far this season with the Binghamton Senators he has scored 15 goals and added 18 assists in 44 games.
Laich appeared in his first Portland Pirates game this evening; wearing number 44. He recorded 1 shot in the 2-1 overtime loss to the Bridgeport Sound Tigers. The Capitals are pretty thin at the center position in the organization and this move helps in that area. Although not extremely physical...the 6'2 205 lb Laich is a gifted player and has a great work ethic from all accounts.
The rebuilding process should continue in the next few weeks heading into the March 9th trading deadline. Robert Lang, Olie Kolzig, and Sergei Gonchar are all rumored to be on the market for prospects and picks.
click here for previous news updates
