After midnight came and went, hockey’s biggest league is now out of order and NHL stars are free to sign contracts withh Russia’s KHL. Free from their contractual obligations as of now, players can sign with teams overseas (though some leagues, such as Swedish Elitserien (SEL), don’t allow temporary contracts).

Earlier, the KHL announced requirements for players signing temp deals. A single team can sign no more than three players and only one of them can be non-Russian (though teams are not obligated to dress more than five foreigners to games). They don’t count against the salary cap, but they can’t be signed to contracts worth more than the 65% of their NHL deals’ annual value.

Foreign KHL players must meet one of the following criteria:

• Play in more than 150 NHL games in the previous three seasons;
• Have KHL experience;
• Be a Stanley Cup winner or finalist;
• Be a winner of one of the NHL’s annual awards;
• Play for their national teams on the 2010 Olympics, one of the last two World Champs or one of the last two World Junior Champs.

These rules don’t apply to the KHL teams representing countries outside Russia.

Below the jump, we give you the blow-by-blow of the KHL’s version of a free-agent frenzy.

• The Pittsburgh Penguins’ Evgeni Malkin and the Ottawa Senators’ Sergei Gonchar have signed with Metallurg Magnitogorsk, their official site announces. Malkin is Magnitogorsk-native and Gonchar played there during the 2004-05 lockout. Malkin left the club with scandal in 2005.
• The Flyers’ Ruslan Fedotenko and the Winnipeg Jets’ Alexei Ponikarovsky have joined Donbass Donetsk, according to their official site. Two of the NHL’s three Ukranian players will now play for the only Ukranian team in the KHL.
• New Jersey Devils’ Ilya Kovalchuk will play for SKA St. Petersburg, as per the official release. His agent Yuri Nikolaev said in an interview with Sportbox.ru, his client has been talking with SKA for two years and had obligations with them.
• Ottawa Senators’ Kaspars Daugavins will join Dinamo Riga, Dinamo’s official site reports. Daugavins is a Riga-native.
• Toronto Maple Leafs’ Nikolai Kulemin has become a member of Metallurg Magnitogorsk, his hometown team, according to their official site. With Malkin, Gonchar and Kulemin, Metallurg has used their limit of temporary contracts. So, no Crosby.
• Ak Bars Kazan has released an official statement saying that they will not sign temporary contracts. Ak Bars was one of the most agressive clubs during the 2004 NHL lockout, but it didn’t work out well for them in the playoffs. This fall, they’ve been linked to Pavel Datsyuk and Alexander Burmistrov.
• Dinamo Minsk‘s official site has announced that they’ve reached a verbal agreement with Minnesota Wild goaltender Niklas Backstrom. The signing makes sense, because Backstrom once played under their goalie coach Ari Hilli.
• The Calgary Flames’ Jiri Hudler and the Philadelphia Flyers’ Jakub Voracek have signed with Lev Praha, according to the KHL’s website. It’s an aggressive move for the Western Conference leading Lev, who is in its first year of existence in the KHL.
• Barys Astana‘s official site has announced that the club has come to agreement with Nik Antropov of the Winnipeg Jets. Antropov, the best Kazakhstani player in the NHL, will join a Barys team which is currently tenth of twelve teams in the Eastern Conference.
• Pavel Datsyuk will play for CSKA Moscow, his agent, Gary Greenstin, told SovSport. It was officially confirmed earlier that Datsyuk’s hometown team, Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg, was kicking tires to acquire the Detroit Red Wings’ center.
• Anton Khudobin of the Boston Bruins has signed with Atlant Moscow Region, according to the team’s official site. Khudobin, who was considered a back-up goaltender on the Bruins’ depth chart after Tim Thomas announced his hiatus, played for Metallurg Magnitogorsk before coming over to play in the Minnesota Wild organization.
• Vladimir Tarasenko of the St. Louis Blues will return to SKA St. Petersburg, according to their site. The news over the last few days showed a lot of hesitation – the young forward, who is considered one of the Calder Trophy frontrunners, had to choose between the AHL’s Peoria Rivermen and coming back home.
• New York Islanders’ defenseman Lubomir Visnovsky has joined Slovan Bratislava, KHL site reports. Visnovsky played for Slovan (then of the Slovak Extra League) before coming to the NHL.
• Philadelphia Flyers goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov has signed with CSKA Moscow, per their official site.

Photo credit: Justin K. Aller

Yawn. These Washington Capitals / Pittsburgh Penguins games are always such tedious affairs. Nothing interesting ever happens.

Okay, but for real. This game was a monster. The Capitals looked wounded in the first period, surrendering easy goals early and firing just four shots on net. They came back in the second transformed and reinvigorated. After Mike Knuble crashed the net and just barely missed a goal, the offense turned on. The Capitals regained the shot lead and kept their foot on the gas until the very end.

No one challenged Kris Letang on the power play, so he had a great lane and great screen on the game’s first goal. James Neal flicked one past Neuvirth right after a face off to make it 2-0. The game was six minutes old.

In the second, Dennis Wideman set up Brooks Laich for a crucial goal during 4-on-4. Alex Semin cleaned up Mathieu Perreault’s rebound to tie the game and blow our freaking minds.

In the third, Alex Ovechkin caught a wide pass from Alex Semin and beat Marc-Andre Fleury to open up a lead. James Neal finished off a brilliant zone entry by Evgeni Malkin to knot the score again. That tie took us all the way into overtime, where Malkin casually tipped in the game-winner. Pens beat Caps 4-3 (OT).

• We got bad news this morning: Marcus Johansson would miss this game due to injury. Without him and Nick Backstrom, the Capitals had just two viable options at center: Brooks Laich (who is a winger) and Mathieu Perreault (who is tiny). I wrote extensively about the center problem in Washington earlier, but now this long-smoldering problem is a four-alarm fire.
• That said, Mathieu Perreault was freaking awesome today.
• Going down two goals is the kiss of death. Washington is ranked 27 out of 30 at puck possession while down two goals.  This game should have been unwinnable after the first Neal goal. That’s how bad our hockey team seems right now. But the players on ice rejected that common wisdom.
• Alex Ovechkin leveled a bad hit on Zbynek Michalek in the second period, but we don’t think it’ll be suspension. Check out our post for video and analysis.
• A few minutes later, Michalek elbowed Matt Hendricks in the head from behind. There was a call on that one, and it should yield supplemental attention.

• The second period was scrappy– seeing a fight between Tyler Kennedy and Troy Brouwer as well as a bunch of tense scrums. At the end of the period, Paul Martin might have said some naughty words to Jason Chimera.
• Martin and Michalek didn’t start in the defensive zone once. For whatever reason, those players are being protected fiercely by Bylsma.
• Brooks Laich took 39 faceoffs. He didn’t win half of them, but after number 30 you stop caring about that.
• Kris Letang is a monster and a boon to the NHL. With a sterling Corsi rating (plus-11) and a gorgeous goal, the Penguins are a dramatically better team when he’s on the ice.
• Cody Eakin and Jay Beagle got under 8 minutes of ice time in a game that went to OT. They weren’t that bad when they got on, but man— that’s not a vote of confidence by the coach. It’s hard not to assume that this coach dislikes his roster.
• Evgeni Malkin, with two assists and the game-winner, is the best player in the NHL right now. It’s not up for debate.

What an exhausting game. From above, the Capitals look wounded. Their systems are broken, and their offense is inert. But each game is a universe unto itself, and we could not have predicted the heartfelt performance these players gave us. From Mike Knuble’s first net-crash and all the way into overtime, the Capitals were a team possessed. They put aside the off-ice drama, the injuries, the doubts, and the uncertainty. They played some gritty end-to-end hockey of the exact brand that Caps fans fell in love with a few years back.

The outcome isn’t what we wanted, but there were a lot of good things that the team can hang their hats on. This was the best loss of the season.

Washington’s ability to repeat performances like this is dubious, but it serves a stern reminder to the most cynical fans: anything can happen. And thank goodness for that.

After long negotiations, the Russian National Broadcasting Company (VGTRK) has secured the rights to broadcast the NHL on their sports channels (free SD Russia 2 and cable HD Sport 1).

Back when RMNB was in its infancy, I described what it was like to be a fan of the Washington Capitals in Moscow. Staying up until 6am and searching the internet for feeds of Caps games (where there’s no guarantee I will hear Joe B. and Locker), is neither convenient or healthy.

Understanding this shortfall, the NHL started offering a Russian version of their website this season, and they allowed Europeans to watch games on NHL GameCenter Live. The VGTRK deal — which was completed in November — is another step towards globalizing the NHL.

HD Sport 1′s first game was the Detroit Red Wings at Boston Bruins on November 25. The free SD Russia 2 broadcasted the New York Rangers at Washington Capitals game that very same day.

For the first time in 15 years, the NHL is widely available on Russian TV.

VGTRK aired a commercial promoting their new relationship with the NHL. It features the Capitals’ Alex Ovechkin, Alex Semin, and Dmitry Orlov as well as other big-name players like Ilya Kovalchuk, Evgeni Malkin, Pavel Datsyuk, and renaissance man Ilya Bryzgalov. Below, you can check it out for yourself.

At the end of the commercial, there’s some Russian spoken. The narrator says “The NHL on Russia 2. Nothing cooler than that.” He’s right. Now maybe I can finally get some sleep!

Photo credit: Mitchell Layton

In his first game back since January 8th, Alex Semin led the Capitals with four shots on goal in 17:47 of ice time. After a 12 game layoff that stretched over 26 days, Sasha Minor looked rusty and missed on several golden opportunities. The Capitals fell to the Sharks 2-0, and endured their eighth shutout of the season.

After the game, SovSport’s Pavel Lysenkov caught up with Semin and asked him how he felt in his return, his thoughts on Bruce Boudreau’s trap, and what it’d mean to him to open next season in Russia. RMNB’s Igor Kleyner has your translation below the jump.

I GOT INJURED IN DECEMBER

Semin played on the second line with Brooks Laich and Mathieu Perreault. Alex was so upset by the loss, it took some persuading to get an interview. “We have waited for a month for your groin injury to heal!”

“It’s kind of hard at first,” admitted Semin. “But I played out the game without any pain.”

Pavel Lysenkov – Do you remember how you got injured?

Alex Semin – No. it happened a long time ago, in December.

PL – Did you play on with injections?

AS – Why would I? This is not the playoffs. I played through the pain. When I couldn’t tolerate it anymore, I went to the doctors.

PL – Evgeni Malkin just came back after his injury, and went down again. Did Washington push you to return to the ice?

AS – Not at all. I finished my treatment and returned to the lineup.

PL – The team is playing more defensive hockey now. Does this style fit you?

AS – The coach chooses the tactics. I haven’t changed my game. You simply have to execute your assignment. But you do what you want in around the opponents’ goal.

PL – Washington has tightened the neutral zone coverage…

AS – That is one of the coaches’ ideas.

PL – Was the game against the Sharks playoff-like?

AS – No. We just did not score. Their goalie had a good game. What kind of tactics is it if we end up losing 2-0? We need to do something differently. We relaxed in the third period, and the game got away…

PL – Is the team talking about the need to overtake Tampa?

AS – I have not heard anything like that. We need to win every game. And not think about who we’ll get in the playoffs. And what’s the difference anyway?

BETTER TIMES ARE COMING

PL – It appears Washington is simply lacking emotions this season.

AS – We used to win a lot of games. For whatever reason, it’s not happening this year. We need to find ourselves and play like we can.

PL – You beat Tampa 5-2 a few days ago…

AS – That’s what I am talking about. Or the game against Pittsburgh: 3-0.

PL – Are you sick of the press-box? You sat up there while injured.

AS – Oh, totally. I even wanted to stop coming to the games. I was fed up with watching hockey from the sidelines. I wanted to go on the ice. But you can’t rush.

PL – Earlier this season, when everything was going wrong for him, Kovalchuk said, “Maybe someone put a spell on me.” Are you superstitious?

AS – To each his own. Yes, I do believe in such things. But I don’t know why anybody would put a curse on me. Who would want to do that?

PL – It seems the whole Russian Olympic team has been cursed.

AS – Things happen. We are all going through a dark period. But it will get better. You can’t get hung up on that.

PL – Do the words of the NHL commissioner Gary Bettman bother you? He doesn’t want to send his teams to Siberia.

AS – But he has never been there. It’s a longer flight from here to Los Angeles than from Moscow to Novosibirsk. It’s only four hours to my hometown Krasnoyarsk…

PL – Would you like to go there with Washington?

AS – From what I have read, we are opening our regular season in Peter [Saint Petersburg] against Buffalo. But I did not hear anything about playing against the KHL teams. We’ll play if we need to. And we will not be taking it easy. If you relax, it’s easy to get seriously injured.

PL – Ovechkin said: if the Capitals get to play at Khodynka, a half of Krasnoyarsk will gather there.

AS – There will be a lot of people supporting me. Although nobody has asked for a ticket yet. It’s still too early.

Additional reporting by Ian Oland.

Photo credit: Greg Fiume

In Sunday’s matinee against their most hated rival, the Washington Capitals had their second straight dominant performance, beating Pittsburgh at home 3-0. Since they lost to the Pens in game seven of the 2008-09 playoffs, the Capitals have won six out of their last seven meetings and have outscored the Pens 29-17 during that same span.

Unfortunately, there were two key incidents that overshadowed talk of the game itself. First, Tim Wallace tried to exact revenge on “Danger” Dave Steckel for his incidental contact with Sidney Crosby in the Winter Classic. And second, perrenial agitator Matt Cooke tried to take out the Great 8 with a knee-on-knee collision late in the third period.

After the game, SovSport’s Pavel Lysenkov spoke with Alex Ovechkin and asked him what he thought about Cooke’s hit, the physical nature of hockey, and Evgeni Malkin’s season-ending injury. Below the jump, RMNB’s Igor Kleyner has the translation.

Pavel Lysenkov – What do you think about the incident at the end of the game, where Matt Cooke hit you knee-on-knee?

Alex Ovechkin – It was just a collision, and part of the game. There’s nothing to worry about.

PL – Was it payback by Pittsburgh for Crosby’s injury?

AO – Oh, come on. Payback to whom? For what? ::in a dismissing tone::

PL – Did you see Malkin’s injury?

AO – I did not see the replay. It’s very disappointing that the season is lost for him. I don’t know when he can recover. It’s a very serious injury.

PL – Will he be able to return to the level where he was scoring 100 points in a season?

AO – I have no doubt about it. Zhenya knows how to recuperate after injuries, how to return to form. What? Has he become a lesser player now?

PL – But Bure’s career ended because of similar injuries.

AO – I don’t think it’s that serious.

PL – Do you want to say anything through the newspaper to your Sbornaya (national team) comrade?

AO – What can I say? “Hang on, Malych. Such is life. Get better.”

PL – Should the NHL switch to the bigger ice surface to avoid such an avalanche of injuries?

AO – I disagree. That would lead to a less spectacular game. Yes, there are a lot of injuries, but that’s because it’s a man’s game. Everybody is fighting to make the playoffs. What’s the alternative, skate around empty ice, like ballerinas?

PL – So, injuries are the price for entertainment?

AO – I do not want the NHL game to become less physical. Then we may as well go play in China. Have a normal tournament there, everybody will stay healthy. Or you can make a career playing in a beer league.

Everybody takes risks here in every game. If Cooke was more precise, he would have shattered my knee. In hockey, you are not guaranteed anything.

PL – Did you see the KHL All Star game?

AO – No, I didn’t see it.

PL – Avangard’s defenseman Denis Kulyash had a harder slapshot than Zdeno Chara. What do you think?

AO – Boston should immediately sign Kulyash to a contract. And let Chara go to Omsk.

PL – Washington’s Evgeny Kuznetsov won the breakaway competition.

AO – Awesome! Soon there will be two showmen playing for the Capitals!

Additional reporting by Ian Oland.

When a Caps Prospect goes above and beyond the call of duty, a one paragraph summary in Prospect Watch does not suffice. Today, we detail the fantastic first half of Evgeny Kuznetsov’s sophomore KHL season. Take it away, Fedor.

Kuznetsov gestures to Traktor fans during a post-game celebration. See the video below for more.

During the 2010 NHL Entry Draft on June 26th, General Manager George McPhee had his sights set on one player. In his eagerness, he even tried to trade away a prospect for a move up ten spots in the first round to get his man. That would prove to be unnecessary.

Evgeny Kuznetsov fell to the Caps at pick number 26. “We think he’s a very, very dynamic player,” McPhee said of Kuz at the time. ”He can skate, he thinks the game well, he moves the puck, he really attacks the net.” Braden Holtby agrees.

Fast-forward five months. You’ll find the 18 year-old tearing up the KHL in only his second season. Since being put on the “Young Guns Line” with Andrei Popov (a Philadelphia Flyers ’06 draftee) and Anton Glinkin, Kuznetsov has found some serious chemistry with his linemates. He has four goals and two assists in six games since the EuroHockeyTour break ended on November 17th. His team, Traktor Chelyabinsk, has won five straight games.

Kuznetsov and the team’s development has also been aided by legendary coach, Valeri Belousov. He has been the bench boss for all of the Big Siberian Three teams (Traktor, Avangard, and Metallurg Magnitogorsk) and has coached both Jaromir Jagr– during his lockout stint with Avangard– and Sergei Fedorov last season with Metallurg.

The official blog of Traktor lays it out:

The November break allowed Belousov to get the team closer to the version he wants to create. He went to great lengths to reassure his players– despite the pressing responsibility of making the playoffs– and has made them believe in themselves more. To create the line combinations he has found a balance between veterans and youngsters.

In the realm of statistics, Kuznetsov has scored 8 goals and tallied 4 assists in 25 games. 25 games remain in Traktor’s regular season. Kuz projects to finish the year with 16 goals and 8 assists. How would this compare to the seasons Alex Ovechkin, Evgeni Malkin and Alex Semin had the year after they had been drafted?

* Year of the NHL Lockout where the level of competition in the RSL was considered higher

Pretty favorable comparison. Kuznetsov is on pace to score more goals than all three players at the same age. Does that mean Kuz will be a slam-dunk, 50 goal scorer when he inevitably joins the Capitals? Goodness, no. But it does mean that George McPhee’s comment that “[Kuznetsov's] probably talented enough to play in the NHL”  sounds awfully sage.

To get a better idea of Evgeny’s skillset, burgeoning creativity, and talent, let’s take a look at some of his most recent goals (Kuz wears #92).

Evgeny scores on a curl-and-drag move against CSKA to tie the game at two. Traktor went on to win 3-2. Remind you of a anyone?

After the game, Kuznetsov was asked about how it felt to score such a beautiful goal during the locker room interview: “I’m just trying to be ready to score if I can,” Kuznetsov said, “and it doesn’t matter how. The main thing is to get a goal up on the scoreboard.”

At 1:35 in this video, Evgeny fakes a wraparound, curls back around the net, and scores in front. This goal came late in a game with Dynamo Riga, making the score 3-1.  Traktor won 4-1:

In his interview after the game, Kuznetsov reflected on chance. “I think it’s luck when you get a good opportunity to score. Whether you use it or not depends on the skill to make everything right. The puck went the right way, I tried to get it low, and it hit the five hole.”

At 7:01 here Kuznetsov scores a tie-breaking PPGWG via wraparound. This extended Traktor’s winning streak to four games:

Finally, at 4:07, Evgeny Kuznetsov expertly deflects a shot from the paint to tie the game at 2. Traktor went on to win 3-2 in the shootout:

For Kuznetsov, it doesn’t matter how you score. His play reminds this writer of Claude Giroux.

Bonus. Evgeny Kuznetsov and Petr Vampola celebrate with their fans after a win. Nice showmanship, better than those tame Ovechkin-Backstrom’s jump-bumps. [Ed. Note: Please watch until the end. You'll be glad you did.]

Additional reporting by Ian Oland.

Sunday per Championat.ru, Washington Capitals Superstar Alex Ovechkin and recently-signed New Jersey Devil Ilya Kovalchuk held a charity hockey game at Sokolniki Arena in downtown Moscow. The reason? To raise money for the children affected by the terrible wildfires in Russia this summer. The high-scoring match ended in a 13-13 tie and raised 13,870,000 ruble or $451,900 American Dollars for the children’s fund.

Both teams were filled with past and present Russian Hockey Legends including on Team Kovlachuk: Evgeni Malkin, 2-time Stanley Cup Champion Vyacheslav Fetisov, and Dominik Hasek. Meanwhile Team Ovechkin featured Nikolai Zherdev and Vladimir Myshkin. Also, many Russian political figures participated in the game who were spread across both rosters.

Several famous Russian celebrities also showed up to support the game. The most notable of such was Leonid Yakubovich, host of the Russian Version of the “Wheel of Fortune.” Leonid is generally considered the most well-known television personality in the country. You can actually see him posing in a photo (center) with Alex’s Dad, Mikhail Ovechkin (right), below.

Three 15 minute periods were played in the charity game and both “Kapitans” fared well: Ovechkin managed to score two goals while Ilya Kovalchuk had a hat trick. At the end of the third period, Team Ovechkin “won” 9-7. However, since it is customary that charity games in Russia always end in a tie, the teams agreed to have a fourth period. The game-tying goal was eventually scored by Evgeni Malkin.

Naturally, the final score of the game was secondary to the reason for the event in the first place. Over 15,000 people have died in Russia this summer from the heat-wave and its subsequent wildfires and smog. And we here at RMNB couldn’t be more proud of Ovi for putting his celebrity to good use and bringing so many influential people together. The money raised will ultimately make a huge difference in the lives of others who have suffered through an unimaginable tragedy.

Additional Photos

Video

If you’d like to read up more about the match and see some post-game quotes from the players, check out Alex Ovetjkin’s brilliant recap.

“Is it October yet?” takes a back seat to “Is it Draft Day yet?” for us Fantasy Hockey poolies. We eagerly wait to draft Ovechkin or any other Capitals our forwards, defensemen and goaltenders and trash talk our way to victory! However, one player’s value seems to be fairly uncertain: Alexander Semin. ESPN has him ranked as the 8th best player overall for your fantasy team, while Yahoo’s Puck Daddy ranks him 33rd. We here at RMNB try to answer the most important question facing you on draft day: What is Semin worth in fantasy hockey?

Coming up with a draft list for a fantasy hockey league takes planning and some tempered expectations. If you give-in to impulses, you’ll find yourself in trouble. And by the end of the draft, make sure you have drafted well enough to get quality players at each position. If not, you will be on the outside looking in come playoff time.

The league you are playing in will determine a large part of the value. For instance, most leagues count goals, assists and points – categories which Semin performs well in year after year. If your league also counts Power Play Points and/or shots on goal then Semin’s value could increase depending on roster sizes and number of teams in the league. However, being ranked 8th or 33rd leaves a lot of room for error, so let’s see if we can narrow that down a bit.

We will use stats from the last three years to determine Sasha’s initial value and then make some projections for age/linemates/playing time to determine where he could rank in league that uses the following structure:

• “Snake draft” format
• 10 Teams
• Roster of C,C,LW,LW,RW,RW,D,D,D,D,G,G + 8 bench players
• Skater categories of: Goals, Assists, Points, Plus/Minus, PIMs
• Goalie categories of: Wins, Save %, GAA % and Shutouts

If you’re thinking: Semin cleans up in most of those categories you are correct, which is why when we look at the Top 15 rankings below we side more with ESPN than Yahoo’s ranking:

Semin comes out ahead of some other high profile skaters, such as Ilya Kovalchuk (who may be playing in the KHL) and reigning Hart Trophy Winner Henrik Sedin. He even ranks higher than Steven Stamkos and Zack Parise. Now you see why it is called fantasy hockey.

Whether he is taken 8th or 33rd in your draft one thing is for certain: With Ovechkin, Backstrom and Greenlife52 in the Top 10, expect Alex Semin to make a major impact to any fantasy squad in 2010-11. And maybe the Capitals too.

“We need a blueliner” is a typical Caps Fan’s lament this offseason (second only to DAMMIT!) and recently unrestricted free agent defenseman Willie Mitchell has been rumored to be in the Capital’s cross-hairs. Mitchell has been training and skating for 18 days and is finally symptom-free after his latest concussion – all fueling speculation that his signing is imminent.

But would Wilie Mitchell a good fit on the Capitals’ blueline?

No conversation on Mitchell can start without first addressing his health and the risks that come with signing him. Willie’s latest concussion, his third, caused him to miss almost 6 months – which is much more than the 9 games he missed in 2006 and the 8 games he lost in 2002. Mitchell is also more likely to have a relapse, which calls into question: How will it affect his physical play? If this question was an easy one to answer, the 10 year veteran would have been signed on the first day of free agency this year.

If healthy, Willie Mitchell is one of the better shutdown defensemen in the league and most analysts would quickly pencil him in as a top 4 pairing on the Caps’ Blueline. The problem is: Would it be an upgrade that’s worth the risk?

Behind The Net had an interesting post that tried to solve Defensive Contribution. Essentially, if we subtract Goals Against when the player is off the ice (per 60 minutes) from Goals Against when the player is on the ice (per 60 minutes) we can get an approximation of their defensive contribution after adjusting for Even Strength playing time.

Using this method would put Mitchell (-1.12) behind only current Caps’ defensemen Jeff Schultz (14.68), John Erskine (7.93) and Tom Poti (6.78).

When we analyze the puck possession stat (via CORSI), we notice that Willie Mitchell (-.71) would be in the bottom three in regards to all Caps’s defenseman. Mitchell would only be ahead of Karl Alzner (-2.81) and Tyler Sloan (-3.73). To be fair, Willie started only 43% of the time in the Offensive Zone against the toughest competition VAN opponents had to offer. But even after adjusting his Shot Differential for Quality of Competition and Quality of Teammates he would still only be ahead of Sloan and Alzner.

Looking at the Penalty Kill shows us a totally different picture however. Mitchell would be second in Defensive Contribution (2.53) to only Jeff Schultz (7.63) and slightly ahead of recently departed Shaone Morrisonn (2.40). Adjust PK CORSI numbers for Quality of Competition and Quality of Teammates and Mitchell would lead all Caps blueliners that played 40+ games last year.

Which brings us back to the issue: Do three concussions (or the risk of a 4th) affect Mitchell’s game to the point where he ceases to be an effective Top 4 blueliner? Or is a shutdown defenseman who could upgrade an already weak Penalty Kill unit worth the risk? It’s a tough question to answer.

(Editor’s note: Michael Russo reports:

The former Wild defenseman, I’m told, actually could sign a contract with performance bonuses because he spent 100 days on injured reserve last year — including the playoffs.

Certainly this would help lessen the risk of signing him.)

• 

  Please. Not the face.

  As we regurgitated yesterday, Brooks Laich got brained by an errant puck and left the ice in pain.  Following a game of Juice Boy, John Carlson rang the post that deflected straight into Brooksy’s noggin.  Laich was visited by trainers and then taken to the hospital, where X-rays revealed he has a fracture in his face.  Tonight’s absence will end an ironman-sized streak for Brooks, but the real worry is borne by the Scarlet Caps, who fear that pretty boy Brooks may lose his chiseled good looks as a result.  Coach Bruce Boudreau wins Quote of the Day:  “It’s not a pretty face. And it was a pretty face.”  We expect/hope that Brooks will be back in action by next week.
• Boyd Gordon is still out with a back problem.  If this is a re-injury to the persistent back issue Gordon spent the earlier part of the season fighting, this may be a lengthy break for the center.  This is doubly disappointing as the right winger seemed to be having a good year in the games he did play.  Hopefully we’ll see him for more than half of the season next year.
• 

  Turf toe is no laughing matter.

  Scott Walker tweaked his knee sometime during or after his fight with Zenon Konopka at Tampa Bay.  My practice spies have not reported a sighting of him since.  Wherever he is, we hope he’s practicing not looking like a bald version of character actor Richard Tyson.
• If it’s any consolation, Pittsburgh superstar Evgeni Malkin is out with a bruised foot.  Geno’s ’09-’10 season hasn’t reached the same epic heights as last year, but he’s still a dynamic force on the ice.  And don’t give him a hard time for missing a game because of a toe injury; those things can be bad.  Check out this case of “turf toe” my college roommate got playing Ultimate Frisbee (right).

The puck drops on the Pens and Caps a little after 7 PM.  For those of you looking to synchronize your World of Wings Cafe and Wingery carryout, 7:43 PM is looking like the sweet spot.

[Ed. note - Thanks to Emily Karol for additional reporting.  See her perform in Frederick this weekend!]