Ted Leonsis

Fire Bruce Boudreau

On May 4, 2011, In Opinion, By Russian Machine Never Breaks

Decisions, decisions (Screen-grab via @eahoff)

Photo credit: Mitchell Layton

Is that title too much?

The Capitals are likely to fall short in yet another run for the Stanley Cup. Almost forty years into the team’s history and in a city starved of championships, the stakes are as high as the desperation. The Capitals have started the last few seasons not with aspirations for the Cup– so much as expectations. And now that those expectations are (probably) going to be snuffed out, the fans are out for blood.

Bruce Boudreau’s blood.

The topic on the table is the continued employment of Bruce Boudreau as head coach of the Washington Capitals. Do you want to fire him? Well first, let’s be clear: who exactly are you talking about?

The Jinxiest Jinx Ever to Jinx: Aleksandr Reut’s “We are the Champions” Painting

On April 25, 2011, In Artwork, Exclusive, By Peter Hassett

Behold! Alexsandr's other "We Are The Champions" painting

Did you think this would be a slow news week? Maybe an injury update here or a scouting report there, but overall an uneventful period before the semifinals. Well, you were wrong. From the Internet’s very own disreputable flea market emerges what might become the cultural moment of the hockey season.

(Are we building this up too much?)

Artist Aleksandr Reut has crafted Washington Capitals – We are the Champions!, an exquisite 40″ x 32″ oil painting on canvas. This inspired (yet absurdly premature) work of celebratory art and its partner piece are available for bid or purchase on eBay right now. Starting bid is only $5,000, so crack open those piggy banks.

A 50-something Ukranian ex-pat living in Harrisonburg, Virginia, Reut fills the daytime hours as an architect, but the muses compel him to high art. A decade-old profile from Harrisonburg’s Daily News-Record (reprinted here by brama.com) extols Reut’s passion for mixed media as a sculptor, but he tells me that it’s hockey that really inspires him.

Tagged with: Alex Ovechkin • Alex Reut • Alex Semin • Artwork • Barack Obama • Dwarfs • George McPhee • Jinx • Lord's Stanley Cup • Michelle Obama • Mike Green • Mike Knuble • Nick Backstrom • Paintings • Pittsburgh Penguins • Semyon Varlamov • Ted Leonsis • Washington Capitals

William’s Dad Shares Their Experience on Day Two of Will’s Wish

On April 6, 2011, In Guest Post, Photos, By Chris Gordon

Alexander Semin picks up William after giving him his game jersey. (Photo credit: Shannon family)

Editor’s Note: By now, you’ve probably heard of William Shannon. He is five years old, has acute lymphoblastic leukemia and is everyone’s favorite little Capital. Thanks to the make a Wish-A-Wish foundation and the Caps, William had his dream realized and took the ice with Mike Green, Jason Chimera, D.J. King and Semyon Varlamov on Friday.

“This weekend was an incredible event!,” William’s father Devin Shannon said in an email. “William’s wish was to practice with the Capitals and he did! I can’t tell you how much everyone has done for us and what this weekend has meant for us.”

After practicing with the Caps, William’s journey continued on Saturday when he and his family took in Washington’s matchup with the Buffalo Sabres before riding the on the Zamboni and receiving the jersey off the back of Alexander Semin after the game. I’ll let Devin take it from here:

Day two was just as amazing as day one! Allyson Butler from Make-A-Wish met us in the hotel lobby and took us out to wait for our “ride” to the game! Within minutes a very long black stretch limo appeared before us! Bill, our driver, was very nice. William and Emily quickly climbed in and all we heard for a few minutes was: “Cool!” “This is so sweet!” Then we had chatty little ones for the short ride over to the Verizon Center! It is amazing how just the little things make such a huge impression! How neat it was for the kids to get out of the limo right in front of the Verizon Center with so many fans around wondering who the V.I.P. was!

Tagged with: Alex Ovechkin • Alex Semin • Bob Woods • Bruce Boudreau • Craig Laughlin • D.J. King • George McPhee • Jason Chimera • Joe Beninati • John Robinson • Make-A-Wish • Matt Bradley • Mike Green • Scott Hannan • Semyon Varlamov • Ted Leonsis • Washington Capitals • William Shannon

Caps Convention in Photos

On October 4, 2010, In Caps Convention, Photos, By Neil Greenberg

Elliot Segal glares as Alex Ovechkin high-fives an invisible child.

The second annual Caps Convention was held this past Saturday at the Washington Convention Center. Along with the entire Washington Capitals roster, a number of prominent alumni made appearances, including Olie Kolzig, Peter Bondra, Yvon Labre, and Rod Langway. Fans got to meet and greet their favorite players, get autographs, and demand “Happy Birthday” be sung to them.

The event was a tremendous success. RMNB’s own Neil Greenberg was there to document the day. Enjoy!

Tagged with: Alex Ovechkin • Alex Semin • Andrew Gordon • Caps Convention • Elliot Segal • George McPhee • Karl Alzner • Nate Ewell • Peter Bondra • Semyon Varlamov • Ted Leonsis • Tom Poti

Barack Obama To Attend A Washington Capitals Game Next Year

On August 2, 2010, In News, By Neil Greenberg

Photo by Ned Dishman/NBAE via Getty Images

All those that thought President Obama would attend a Caps game before physicists figure out how to teleport an object all the way across the galaxy, please step forward to claim your prize. Wait a minute, everyone, not so fast…

All hope is not lost. The Washington Post’s new Caps beat reporter Katie Carrera informed us that Barack Obama attended yesterday’s Washington Mystics game at the Verizon Center. Those of us here at Barack The Red were instantly filled with heartbreak.

Tagged with: Barack Obama • Barack The Red • SUCCESS! • Ted Leonsis • Verizon Center • Washington Capitals

One Time, At Development Camp…

On July 18, 2010, In Development Camp, By Neil Greenberg

RMNB’s resident casanova and now photog for the Examiner, Neil Greenberg, spent the week at the Capitals development camp. What follows are his thoughts on the experience.

What a week.

Overwhelming. Fulfilling. Humbling. No other words can describe it.

From when I said yes to cover it for the Examiner to when Kelly showed me where I could and could not go to when I got in my truck at the end of Fan Fest: total euphoria.

Not going to lie, I was overwhelmed when Michael asked me if I would be interested in taking pictures at the Camp for the Washington Caps Examiner – and would be jealous, too, of someone in that position. Of course, I could not say yes quick enough.

What an honor, right? Two things I am passionate about mashed up together for a surreal experience: the chance to cover the sport I love through art – despite being told that becoming an artist would never work for me. Specifically, “Neil, you can’t be an artist.” I tried everything: playing instruments (violin and saxophone), drawing, painting and even writing. In fact, most of my childhood I was told I couldn’t do stuff. Not shouldn’t – can’t. Told that if I tried to chase that dream it would end in certain, perhaps orchestrated, failure.

Tagged with: BFF • Bohumil Jank • Cody Eakin • Dmitri Orlov • Evgeny Kuznetsov • Marcus Johansson • Stephen Della Rovere • Ted Leonsis • Trevor Bruess

Day 6 of Caps Development Camp: Fanfest!

On July 17, 2010, In Development Camp, Guest Post, By Russian Machine Never Breaks

Equipment Sale

Merci Jose. Au Revoir. (Photos by Addison Huber)

The morning got off to an early start with the annual equipment sale. When I arrived around 7:40 there was a line at the check-in table stretching back the length of Kettler Capitals IcePlex [Ed note: Do you people ever sleep?!?!]. Making my way into the stands that served as a waiting area until the sale officially started at 8am, I was shocked to see a section of the bleachers already filled. At 8am the crowd was led to the upper level of the rink where a vast panoply of new and used hockey equipment awaited their perusal. The crowd quickly, but orderly, made their way into the sale area, making a beeline for the player sticks and used practice jerseys. Patrons could be seen with armfuls of gear and frantically pawing through piles of clothing – clearly the event was a success for the Capitals.

Tagged with: Addison Huber • Bruce Boudreau • Dmitri Orlov • Evgeny Kuznetsov • Stanislav Galiev • Stefan Della Rovere • Ted Leonsis

This Is Not A Democracy

On July 5, 2010, In Opinion, By Neil Greenberg

Lately, George McPhee hasn't gotten much credit for the 121 point team he's assembled. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

Lately, George McPhee hasn't gotten much credit for the 121 point team he's assembled. Is the criticism he's recieved justified? (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

Photo above taken by Phil of Capitals Outsider

It must be hard owning a professional sports team. Every crackpot with an internet connection is either emailing you, posting articles about you, or just simply trashing you in 140 characters or less.

It’s probably harder still to be a General Manager. Talk about loneliness. You get little credit for drafting the superstar everyone knew would pan out, yet take tons of abuse for those trades/signings that just don’t make sense. You even get crap for the moves that you don’t make, even if you told everyone beforehand that you weren’t going to make them. Then some of your precious assets file arbitration and you don’t know what to expect. On the surface it seems that you were shrewd in holding off on the UFA frenzy, but until we see what the arbitration rulings are and which, if any, of the deals you walk away from it’s too soon to tell.

Tagged with: Alex Semin • Free Agency • George McPhee • Jason Chimera • Mathieu Perreault • Matthew Lombardi • Mike Green • Nicklas Backstrom • Ted Leonsis • Washington Capitals

Should Olaf Kölzig’s Jersey Be Retired By The Capitals?

On May 26, 2010, In Opinion, By Neil Greenberg

Rumors, and for us Caps fans – despair, fill up most of the downtime until we wait for the puck to drop again in October. Some of us speculate on which UFA will be (re)signed, some of us debate hotness of hockey players with or without teeth and some of us debate who’s sweater should hang in the rafters of The Phone Booth.

Olaf Kölzig spent 16 years as a Washington Capital — including six appearances as their goalie in the playoffs. He owns many of the franchise’s meaningful goalie records (GP, W, SO, Pts, SVs and SV%). Should the Caps honor the now-retired Kölzig by hoisting his jersey to the Verizon Center rafters?

Tagged with: Dale Hunter • Jeff Halpern • Michal Neuvirth • Mike Gartner • Olaf Kölzig • Rod Langway • Semyon Varlamov • Steve Konowalchuk • Ted Leonsis • Washington Capitals • Yvon Labre

Will President Obama Attend a Caps Game & Barack The Red?

On March 11, 2010, In Exclusive, By Peter Hassett

We keep hearing that the Capitals are the talk of D.C. sports. Going to a game is now the hip thing to do. Red sweaters haven’t surpassed power suits in prominence, but it’ll happen eventually. So what could cement Washington’s reputation as a hockey town? Well, a Stanley Cup, sure. But also, we really want President Barack Obama to rock the red!

Russian Machine Never Breaks is proud to announce our new initiative…

BARACK THE RED!

Our intention is to get POTUS into the Verizon Center for a Caps game. Our mini-site is dedicated to this proposition. It is there you can find our Obama video, our open letter to the President, and much much more.

Caps Nation, We can pull this off. Go join the Facebook group today, print off a copy of the letter and send it Barack’s way, and make some artwork. Most of all, spread the word. If we can convince the most powerful man in the world to support the most powerful team in the NHL, good things are bound to happen.

Special thanks to Tim Montenyohl for creating the video, Peter Hassett for all the fantastic writing & the support of my friends and family. I couldn’t of done it without you.

Tagged with: Barack Obama • Barack The Red • Ted Leonsis • Washington Capitals

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A pretty rowdy hockey blog all about the Washington Capitals and some Russian dudes: Alex Ovechkin, Alex Semin, and Dmitry Orlov

Fire Bruce Boudreau

The Jinxiest Jinx Ever to Jinx: Aleksandr Reut’s “We are the Champions” Painting

William’s Dad Shares Their Experience on Day Two of Will’s Wish

Caps Convention in Photos

Barack Obama To Attend A Washington Capitals Game Next Year

One Time, At Development Camp…

Day 6 of Caps Development Camp: Fanfest!

This Is Not A Democracy

Should Olaf Kölzig’s Jersey Be Retired By The Capitals?

Will President Obama Attend a Caps Game & Barack The Red?

BARACK THE RED!

Ian Oland

Peter Hassett

Chris Gordon

Igor Kleyner

Fedor Fedin

Doug Johnson and Craig Brownstein

Ana Hansen

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