Ovi reacts after being slashed by Brad Richards in the third period of game three. (Photo credit: Bruce Bennett)

A few summers ago, Alex Ovechkin did an interview with Mike Vogel where he slouched. I didn’t think it was a big deal. A few screenshots later, Ovi’s bulging belly was the topic du jour and commenters everywhere opined about the Russian machine’s new chubbiness. The whole Fat Gate thing was ridiculous to me, because if you’ve ever seen Ovechkin, you’ve noticed how strong his core area is. It sticks out past his chest. It’s one of the reasons why Ovechkin’s such a physical player and has such explosiveness in his strides.

But since Ovechkin absorbed a crushing hip check from Anton Stralman to his leg, hip, and core in the first period of game three, he hasn’t been quite the same player.

When the check happened, I didn’t think much of it. Ovi takes a hundred blows like this every season, and usually he skates right through it. After this hit, however, Ovi struggled to get up, labored to his skates, and when he winded up to shoot later in the shift, his wrist shot lacked its normal zip.

Since the hit, Ovechkin has zero points, three shots on goal, and two hits. He has been a non-factor in the last five periods. In the two games before that, Ovechkin had one goal, one assist, 12 shots, and 12 hits. That’s a big difference in play.

Of course, Ovi’s struggles could easily be the result of other things. In games one and two, when Washington got the final line change, Ovechkin was matched up against Dan Girardi just 73.7% of the time. In games three and four in Manhattan, Ovechkin was matched by Girardi 80% of the time. Tactics have surely changed as well, and the Caps spent 2 more minutes killing penalties (when Ovi is not on ice) in games three and four.

While there are a number of factors that could explain Ovi’s lack of luster in New York, a guy who should know, defenseman Ryan McDonagh, said Ovechkin looked “tired.”

Ovechkin takes a lot of punishment. Brad Richards slashed him at the end of game three (see the headline photo). Taylor Pyatt nailed Ovi at center ice in the first period of game four.

Also in game four, Girardi hit Ovechkin sturdily along the boards.

That’s not a complete list. Ovechkin’s been hit a lot. Playing him physically is certainly the Rangers’ game plan, and it appears to be working. It is possible Ovechkin is playing through some pain, and he may have a real injury we won’t know about until locker clear-out day. Maybe not. Either way, it’s apparent that Ovi has not been at 100% in the last two games, and the Caps depend on him dearly to succeed.

Photo credit: John McDonnell

Five years ago to the day, Jeff Halpern signed the first big-time contract of his career, a four-year, $8 million pact with the Dallas Stars. The contract took Halpern, who had just completed the most prolific two year stretch of his career (90 points in 149 games), away from his hometown team, and left Washington without a captain.

When Mike Luit, Halpern’s agent, addressed the signing with the Washington Post’s Tarik El-Bashir, he said, “It took Jeff a very long time to come to this decision. He said to me, ‘No matter which way I go, when I sign a contract, I’m going to feel sick.’”

After spending the first six years of his NHL career with the Capitals, Jeff saw himself turn into something like a hockey vagabond, playing for four different teams in those five years.

“It was definitely tough leaving the comforts of playing in DC, in front of everyone here,” Halpern said today in front of a large gathering of media at Kettler Capitals IcePlex. “At the time – taking everything into consideration – it was a good decision for me.”

In hindsight, however, leaving Washington was detrimental. After averaging 36 points a year and topping the 40-point mark three times in his first six seasons with the Capitals, Halpern saw his production dip precipitously, crossing the 30-point plateau only once since leaving DC.

The former Little Capital was also a part of two deadline deals during that stretch. First, he was involved in a five-player trade with Tampa Bay that saw Brad Richards land in Dallas. Then after spending 126 games with the Lightning, GM Brian Lawton swapped the Potomac, Marlyand, native to the Los Angeles Kings for Teddy Purcell and a third round draft pick.

In 2010-11, Halpern signed a one-year contract with the Montreal Canadiens and notched 26 points in 72 games. After battling a multitude of lower body injuries throughout the year, Jeff saw his season end in the first round of the playoffs as the eventual Stanley Cup Champion Boston Bruins eliminated the Habs in Game 7. He also absorbed a questionable hit to the head from Andrew Ference.

Fortunately, George McPhee moved quickly on Jeff during the first day of free agency. The signing, McPhee’s first transaction during a very busy day, added veteran leadership and grit to an already captivating lineup. With Boyd Gordon in line for a raise and the Capitals needing a solid, fourth line center to replace him, Halpern was a natural fit.

“Honestly, I said the first team that would call, I’d jump on,” the thirty-five year old Halpern explained. “I’ve always hoped to come back to Washington, and the fact that they called, I was ecstatic. It’s a place I have great memories playing. I jumped on the opportunity to come back.”

The one-year deal worth $825,000 nets Halpern a $225k raise over last year and also gives the Princeton grad a chance to win the first playoff series of his career. Maybe even a championship.

“This team right off the bat is a Stanley Cup contender just by writing the line-up on a piece of paper. And watching them over the years, it’s a hard team to play against.”

So how will the former Capitals captain blend in with new Capitals Kapitan Alex Ovechkin? Some encouraging words he once gave Tampa’s most talented young gun might shed some light:

“As far as Ovi, I can’t imagine a better leader,” Halpern said. “I told a story to Steven Stamkos. When I left Tampa, I saw the same things out of him that I saw in Ovi when I left here. And that was being a guy who was basically carrying a team on his back.”

Jeff Halpern’s return to the Capitals is not a reunion or even coming full circle; it’s a new chapter in a storied career– one that we’re privileged in DC to witness.

Photo credit: BridgetDS

Nothing like skating on the best real estate in the NHL in only your 9th ever NHL game to ratchet up expectations. Enough that some question if MJ90 should even be in the NHL. The answer is: of course he should. How else will the Caps know what moves to make in April?

And make no mistake, they will have to make a move because even with all the patience in the world, MJ90 is probably not the answer for the second pivot slot this year. And that’s OK. Tomas Fleischmann, who was recently benched asked to take his turn sitting out, isn’t either. Neither is Matheiu Perreault (sorry Nicci), Cody Eakin (again, sorry Nicci) or anyone else currently in the Caps organization. Patience (tålamod), not rash thinking, is what’s important.

For one, the organization will not know for sure where he ultimately belongs unless he’s playing at the NHL level. The twelve minutes a night he is playing, as soft as they may be,  are giving the Caps the chance to evaluate his talent and adjustment to the North American game. At times he has played well and others he has played like a rookie. And with only 9 games under his belt, that should be expected.

Secondly, aside from Brad Richards, only a handful of pending UFA centers playing 30+ games and 12+ min TOI last year could even be considered Top 6 forwards:

• Brad Richards
• Eric Belanger
• Brendon Morrisson
• Tim Connolly
• Marcel Goc
• Vernon Fiddler
• Mike Modano

Tough to get your hopes up that a deadline deal – without giving up something major in return – is just a phone call away. Maybe that’s why GMGM felt compelled to let it be known if another general manager called about Semyon Varlamov, Michal Neuvirth or Braden Holtby his response would be, “We’re not trading any of them.”

The deals made in April will be critical, so having a little patience with MJ90 will go a long way in making sure that when a deal is made, it’s the absolute right one for the Cup run.

[Ed. note- Our apologies.  Peter takes losses hard and then gets grumpy.]

Inconsolable.

Bah grumble grumble gah shucks snizzelfritz. Humbug dang meh ugg noooooo crap.

After the Caps’ shootout loss to the Dallas Stars, we’re just not interested in writing a recap tonight, so instead you’re going to get a list of stupid things.

• 

  Grumpy writer, grumpy bulldog, not-lucky t-shirt.

  Semyon Varlamov. A year ago he was the talk of the league, but it’s not a stretch to say he’s a shadow of his former self.
• People criticizing Varlamov. How bout some loyalty, folks?
• Hypocrites.
• Brad Richards. What a butt– going horizontal on Varly and then backhanding the puck high on the glove side? Where’d he learn that? Reading hockey blogs??? LOSER.
• Third period. That’s when the Caps are supposed to be awesome. The SECOND period is when two bad penalties and worser penalty kills are supposed to happen.
• Alex Ovechkin. Score two goals in a loss? What’s the point? And why does he play the shootout like his 2-car garage is on fire? It’s just him, the goalie, and 40-some feet of ice.  Patience, young padawan.
• Marty Turco. If 50-plus pucks get thrown at you, you’re supposed to let at least 5 past. Read the rulebook, old man.
• 

  Semin's recent play epitomized in photo. (Photo: Susan Walsh. Above: Jim McIsaac)

  We call Alex Semin‘s new shootout strategy “the divine wind.” Being better than everyone else doesn’t mean anything if you can’t score when scoring is needed.
• The Capstronaut. You’re fun when the Caps are winning, but the toy lights in your helmet might spur me to epileptic rage black-outs when they lose.
• Streaks. They’re not streaks if they aren’t achieved.  Now, it’s just a bunch of home wins in a row– but nothing that your boy Danny Steinberg is gonna write about.
• Lucky t-shirts. Yeah, I’m wearing my lucky “Ovie gives the stink eye to a plate of nachos” shirt. Well it’s just a normal t-shirt now. It’s pretty and it keeps my manly chest covered up, but it no longer guarantees winning hockey games. Buy yours today, ladies and gentlemen.

Grrrr fudge balls. Mekalekahi meka hiney hiney ho. Great Caesar’s ghost blah whatever mmmf.

Have a good night. See you on Wednesday, folks.