A Tragic Day

I don't know if he was fan or friend, but shortly after the Capitals took the ice to skate this morning, a man in the stands waved and yelled Alex Ovechkin over to the tunnel that splits the Kettler bleachers. 

At first I thought he was asking for an autograph. But the two briefly exchanged words, and Ovechkin leaped back onto the ice and shouted over to Stanislav Galiev and Dmitri Orlov, who had just gotten onto the bench.

Ovechkin spoke with them for a moment, and Galiev, who had been standing, immediately sat down on the bench. Ovechkin left the ice and went back to the dressing room. A few seconds later, Orlov and Galiev followed him to the dressing room.

The news of the plane crash that killed most of the KHL team Yaroslavl Lokomotiv, coaches, and of course flight crew had just hit Twitter about 10 minutes before the Capitals began their morning skate. The man had been telling Ovechkin about the tragic accident.

The Russians took a few minutes in the dressing room to collect their thoughts, perhaps make some phone calls back home, and they returned to the ice about five minutes later.

Ovechkin, I think, put on a brave face for the two young Russian rookies. During a scrimmage, he was his usual self, hollering after scoring a goal. Galiev was visibly upset throughout the skate, but seemed to be comforted by the recent arrival of friend Cody Eakin, who joined practice for the first time today. Orlov was reserved, but focused his attention on the task at hand.

Ovechkin did leave the ice much earlier than his teammates. He returned to the bench in regular clothing while the skate was still going on, and spoke some more with Galiev and Orlov, as well as Jeff Halpern. While he was talking with them, Halpern was shaking his head in disbelief.

All three Russians had friends or national teammates on the flight. Nicklas Backstrom and Tomas Vokoun also had friends on board the plane.

Right now, it shouldn't matter if these players ever made it to the NHL or not. These men were fathers, sons, husbands, brothers, and friends. In a truly horrific offseason, we mourn the lives of those lost today.

Capitals Hockey from an Outsider's View

As many of you know, I didn't grow up a hockey fan. Growing up in suburban Chicago, Blackhawks games weren't broadcast on TV thanks to the beliefs of Bill Wirtz.

My mother, who still lives in my hometown of Barrington, Illinois, is of course acutely aware of my obsession with the Capitals, and she comes to visit DC a fair amount to see me. A few months ago, she mentioned that she wanted to go to a Capitals game with me when she was next in DC. That moment came this past weekend.

My mother's a fifth grade teacher, and her spring break was last week. Since I was in Canada the first weekend of her spring break, she chose the second weekend of the break to visit me. It happened to be the weekend of the Capitals' Fan Appreciation night against Buffalo on Saturday. I managed to buy great tickets at an ungouged cost thanks to a season ticket holder friend (thanks Addison).

The day of the game, I went to cover Capitals practice since I can only go on the weekends to act as media at Kettler. I took my mom with me so she could see a typical Caps practice and also so that we could go to the Team Store to outfit her before the game that evening. It was after practice that my mom revealed to me that the first (and last) time she had been to an NHL game was a Blackhawks game in (approximately) 1979.

My mom's definitely never watched much Capitals hockey, and basically knows Ovechkin and whatever other players I've babbled on about to her or players whose jerseys I've requested for Christmas (my first ever Caps jersey I got for Christmas in 2008, and I got my Mike Knuble Winter Classic jersey for Christmas last year). She knows the names of most of the Blackhawks thanks to more recent news coverage in Chicago. But that's basically her extent of the hockey world.

It occurred to me that she was attending this game as a total outsider - as what all of us start as. My first Caps game was so long ago that I don't really remember what my feelings were, only that I fell in love with the team.

We got to the Verizon Center, found our seats, and I explained to my mom the significance of Bill McCreary's retirement that evening and how most Caps fans felt about him. I guided her through the pre-game rituals: made sure she knew the puck-in-play rule, pay careful attention to the awesome opening video, stand when the team comes out, and remain standing because the National Anthem comes right after.

My mom seemed fascinated the whole game. She got increasingly into it, slapping her knee with a groan when Alex Ovechkin had a shot saved by Jhonas Enroth. Holding me back (literally) when I got into an expletive-filled screaming match with the obnoxious Sabres fans down our row (oops). She was amused by my participation in Unleashing the Fury, and told me that she thought it was a fantastic video montage.

When Ovechkin got the overtime game-winner, she actually cheered! She then said she loved the Ovechkin victory dance, and thought it was very classy of him to go and shake Bill McCreary's hand after the game (something I didn't even notice). We then watched the Jerseys Off Their Backs portion post-game, and my mom only said good things about the conduct of the players. It couldn't have been a better game to be her first.

I'd forgotten what it's like to be a hockey outsider at a Capitals game, but I'm fairly confident that she became a convert. Yesterday she emailed me to let me know that she wore her Kettler purchase, a Capitals track jacket, to school and was Rocking the Red in her classroom in Cary, Illinois.

We all were new to hockey at some point, and I can only hope that I made my mother into at least a casual Capitals fan - and not just because her daughter is a fan.

The Case for Willie Mitchell

 photo by Getty Images

GMGM has remained vague about signing any more free agents, saying that the Caps were done but not sounding definitive while saying it.  With Willie Mitchell visiting the Capitals and Kettler Capitals Iceplex this week and having "a very good meeting," could Mitchell be the ace up McPhee's sleeve?

A related question could be: Do the Caps really need Mitchell?  In a word, yes.  One of the persistent issues with the Capitals roster has been the lack of defensive defensemen - the "stay at home" guys who aren't afraid to make the tough hits and are valuable on the penalty kill.  The Caps lost perhaps their only good stay at home defensemen when free agent Shaone Morrisonn (who last year trailed only Alex Ovechkin for the team high in hits) signed with Buffalo.  

The Caps are gaining John Carlson and Karl Alzner,  but both are rookies who lack the experience of a seasoned blue-liner.  Jeff Schultz has stepped up his defensive play in recent years, leading the league in +/- last year, leading the team in blocked shots (129), and improving his hit count with 66 last year.  However, for some perspective, John Erskine bested Schultz in hit total (by over 40 hits) while playing 30 fewer games.

While Willie Mitchell, 33, missed almost half of last season with post-concussion syndrome (thanks to a hit by Evgeni Malkin), his 2008-09 stats show a definite knack for defense.  In that season, he had 82 hits (one per game) and blocked 125 shots.  He was fourth on the Canucks in takeaways with 39.  He also led the team in +/-, finishing up the season with a career-high +29.  Mitchell was awarded the Canucks' trophy, the Babe Pratt Trophy, for best defenseman on the team in 2008 and 2009.

With Kevin Bieksa, Mitchell has been a one half of arguably the best defensive pairing on the Canucks - Bieksa's offensive mindset complements Mitchell's strong defense and long reach (Mitchell uses a stick at the league-maximum of 63 inches).  I'd love the idea of a top defensive line of Mike Green and Willie Mitchell - Green would be a little more free to explore his offensive side without too much worry over the blue line going unprotected.

Only time will tell who Mitchell decides to sign with - Los Angeles and San Jose are in the signing mix with the Caps.  The Canucks haven't been ruled out either; re-signing Mitchell may be an option for them.  But Caps fans are pushing for McPhee to sign someone of Mitchell's physical presence.  The Caps have a decent amount of room under the salary cap.  And it's undeniable that the Caps could use him.

Mitchell is expected to make his decision by the end of the week.
UPDATE 8/25/10 - Willie Mitchell has signed a 2-year contract with the LA Kings.

Marcus Johansson: A Solution at Center?

 photo by Neil Greenberg

TFP ended up posting this article!  So go to the TFP website to view it here: http://www.thefourthperiod.com/news/was100811.html.

Focus on... um... Dudes Traded to the Caps

I've admitted that I have a weakness when it comes to the Western Conference - basically I don't (edit: can't without Center Ice which I can't afford) really watch much of it or know all the players.  But I definitely wasn't the only Caps fan saying "Who?" when it was announced that the Capitals traded (Ed. note: *sniffle*) prospect Stefan Della Rovere to the St. Louis Blues in exchange for D.J. King.  So for all those Caps fans who were wondering who the heck this D.J. King is, I've compiled some information, much in the style of my "Focus on Prospects" posts.  Just to help Caps fans get acquainted and know what to expect.  Here we go...

photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images

Name: Dwayne "D.J." King

Position: LW
Shoots: Left
Height: 6'3"
Weight: 230 lbs
Birthdate: 1984-06-27

Hometown: Meadow Lake, Sask.

Based on popular opinion, there's no question over what King's role is on a hockey team: he's a fighter.  A Donald Brashear 2.0 if you will - obviously younger than Brash at 26, but big, tough, and willing to drop the gloves with the toughest guys in the league.  In fact, he's already dropped the gloves with, well, all the toughest guys in the league.  Blues fans have pointed most often to his regular bouts with Derek Boogaard pretty much every single time the Blues met the Wild (and now with Boogaard also joining the East as a New York Ranger, their bouts can continue).  A notable fight with Boogaard is below, and is one of the longer hockey fights I've seen, as well as covering about half the ice:
 

He's also regularly matched up with Ducks tough guy George Parros (three times alone in the 2007-08 season).  King has even traded blows with... John Erskine?  In the 2003 preseason (a year after King was drafted), Erskine was with the Dallas Stars.  In a preseason game against the Blues, King and Erskine got into it, and King dropped Erskine with a heavy right hook.

All right, so the guy can fight.  Anything else?  Well, not really.  But that's why he's a fourth-line guy.  King started out his career playing in the WHL with the Lethbridge Hurricanes.  While there, his stats very much mirror Matt Bradley's current NHL stats - usually averaging around 12 goals a season.  He hasn't scored much more than 1 goal a season since being in the NHL, though that's not his job.  Hockey's Future says he can be a "fourth-liner in the NHL when his team is in need of some muscle."  He doesn't have much of an offensive prowess but can "bang in the occasional goal."  Not that we would need another power forward with the likes of Ovechkin, Backstrom, and Semin.

And "muscle" is something that the Capitals need - the Caps have been without a proven fighter since the departure of Donald Brashear, aside from the occasional fights courtesy of Matt "Paper Skin" Bradley, and to a lesser extent, Jason Chimera.  This has been a bit of a weak spot for the Caps - without a tried and true enforcer, guys like Mike Green, Alexander Semin, and Nicklas Backstrom have had a target on their backs (targets that have gotten Green and Semin injured in the past).  It's important to note in the above video that in the scrum, King seems to be coming to the defense of his teammate Weaver, who was boarded a bit after the whistle.  Case in point: after the trade, King was told about Max Talbot's recent comments on Ovechkin, and King responded:

"Wow. I guess that’s not going to be happening too much longer, I guess."

In summary, King is huge, physical, and protects his teammates.  While he's not exactly a 2C or the defensive defenseman that the Caps still need, he is filling a role that has been missing in the past.  He's had major problems with injuries, but seems to be recovered from his latest, and is fresh off a conditioning stint in Peoria.  He should be right at home on a tough forechecking line with Bradley and David Steckel.  It's tough to say how well he's going to do in an offense-loaded system as is typical to the East, but let's just say that training camp should be very interesting.

What's Wrong with the Caps?

 photo by Jonathan Newton/the Washington Post Photo

The Caps have tied Montreal in the series at 1-1, but they have played notably poorly in their first two games.  What do the Caps need to do in order to win this series?  Here are my very own "keys to the game."

Solve Halak

Luckily, we already know how to solve Jaroslav Halak, but now the Caps need to actually do it. Eric Fehr's breakaway goal is a perfect example of where Halak is weak - high blocker side.  When Halak goes into the butterfly on lower shots, he's near unbeatable.  The Caps need to avoid shooting so low and shoot higher in order to best him.  Both Carlson's and Backstrom's goals were high glove side.  We solved Henrik Lundqvist last year (remember high glove side?) so Halak can be solved too.

Solve the Habs D

Especially after the first two games, it's become abundantly clear that the Habs D is, well, really freakin' good.  Hal Gill is a) enormous and b) leads the league in blocked shots in this postseason (he blocked 9 shots in Game 1 alone).  Jaroslav Spacek was a major problem for the Caps in Game 1.  Andrei Markov has also been excellent thus far.  This one is a little bit tougher to solve, but at least in the case of Hal Gill, he's not very fast.  Bruce Boudreau may want to consider putting speedy guys like Jason Chimera and Éric Bélanger on the ice against Gill.

Caps Goaltending

While José Théodore was outstanding in Game 1 with some sparkling saves, he allowed 2 goals in the first 2 shots last night.  The first goal was embarrassing, and you could chalk up the second goal also to some poor defensive moves.  Pulling him in favor of Varlamov was absolutely the right call, but who to start in Game 3?  Theo has been solid all year, but many are saying start Varlamov, who has a great playoff record but was shaky during this regular season.  Coaches will want to keep an eye on both in practice and definitely rotate the goalies to keep them fresh.

Top Line Must Improve

This definitely improved last game, as Nicklas Backstrom notched a hat trick in OT.  Ovechkin had a goal and a helper, but Bruce may want to consider putting Alexander Semin on the top line instead of Mike Knuble.  Both Knuble and Semin have not been effective so far in the playoffs, so shaking up the top line might benefit both of them.  Obviously Ovechkin-Backstrom-Semin can get too cute, but other times, they're outstanding.  It could be worth it to try out the line combination and see if it can spark the offense we all know they can produce.

No one knows what Bruce Boudreau and the Caps might do, but they can't continue playing as they are right now and expect to move on in the playoffs.  Game 3 is tomorrow night at Bell Centre in Montreal.  We'll see what happens.

Focus on Prospects: Cody Eakin

photo by Getty Images

Name: Cody Eakin

Position: C

Shoots: Left

Height: 5'11"

Weight: 179 lbs

Birthdate: 1991-05-25

Hometown: Winnipeg, Manitoba

Cody Eakin is pretty much your typical Canadian hockey-playing kid.  Playing up through the ranks in Canada, he was drafted in the first round out of bantam ranks by the WHL's Swift Current Broncos in 2006.  His first season of 2007-08, he scored 11 goals and had 6 assists, and then really shone in the playoffs of that year, when he had 7 points in just 12 games.  In his next season, he exploded into the WHL star ranks - 24 goals, 24 assists, and was named the Broncos Rookie of the Year.  The same season, he was selected to play in the CHL Top Prospects Game, and scored 2 goals for Team Orr, earning him the Player of the Game award.  He went on to play in the IIHF U18 tournament for Team Canada, where his team earned the gold medal.
 

This season, the Broncos were 3rd place in Eastern Conference at the end of the regular season, but were knocked out in the 1st round of the playoffs by the Brandon Wheat Kings.  During the season, Eakin was #7 on the list of top scorers in the WHL with an astounding 47 goals and 44 assists.  As a reward, Cody was named to the All-WHL Eastern Conference second team this season.

The main thing that coaches and scouts point out about Cody Eakin is his speed.  He's not terribly big, but what he lacks in height and weight he makes up for in his skating ability.  He's good on the forecheck and effective on the PK, and definitely isn't a selfish player - he sees the ice and his teammates extremely well.  Eakin has said he models his skating after Ottawa's Mike Fisher.  That's a fair assessment, being that Eakin is skilled as a two-way forward, much as Fisher is.  However, Eakin does say that his favorite player is Ovechkin due to his passion for the game - a passion that scouts have seen in Eakin.

His idolization of Ovechkin meant that he was a thrilled little quote machine after being drafted by the Capitals in 2009 in the 3rd round (85th overall).  He told reporters that he'd recently become a Capitals fan, largely for the exciting play of Ovechkin, Semin, and Backstrom.  He said after the draft:

"I'm looking forward to getting there and see the guys. I'm probably going to be a little shell shocked because of those amazing players. I watch the Capitals all the time...It is a good young team and I am excited to go down there."  

He had no idea who would select him getting down the 3rd round, but was excited when the Capitals called his name.  He said, "I wasn't really sure who or where I was going to go. But I am happy and I couldn't ask for a better team."

Signed to an entry-level contract in October 2009, Eakin knew that he was eligible to play with the Hershey Bears once his Swift Current season was over.  But he didn't even really expect to go that far this year.  In a January interview with Japers' Rink, he was asked about how he felt about possibly playing with the Bears this spring.  Eakin responded with:

"Oh, that would be exciting!  ...If I get a phone call and be asked to come up, whether it's to watch or to practice or what have you, it would be an exciting time for me, and I think definitely would be an eye opener for me."

Eakin was called up to the Hershey Bears on March 25, and his first game was in Syracuse against the Crunch on March 31, wearing #34.  He scored his first AHL goal - on his first shot.  He finished the night with a +2.  Eakin's new coach Mark French said that he intends on keeping Eakin in the lineup for a little while, indicating that the organization wanted to take a good look at him.  It seems to be the beginning of a very exciting career for the 18-year-old Eakin.  From the interview with Japers' Rink, he shows that he's very smart about the game and should go far:

I think if you get called up to any team, you gotta play a simple, smart game.  You gotta be reliable player.  You wouldn't expect to go up there and log big minutes.  But the minutes that you are out there -- you gotta take advantage and show that you're smart, reliable, and you can be put on the ice and you don't have to be worried about.

Here is a link to the highlights from Eakin's first AHL game.  Be sure to check out his impeccable positioning on his goal.  The goal comes right off the face-off around the 0:29 mark (thanks Kathryn).

Focus on Prospects: Dmitry Kugryshev

 photo by russianprospects.com

Name: Dmitry Kugryshev

Position: RW

Shoots: Left

Height: 5'11"

Weight: 187 lbs

Birthdate: 1990-01-18

Hometown: Moscow, Russia

When it was announced last week that Dmitry Kugryshev was signed by the Caps to a three-year entry-level deal, fans were excited.  Anyone who attended development camp knows that he looked to be a promising young player from the land of Alexander Ovechkin.  The Moscow-bred 20-year-old is now eligible to play with the Hershey Bears once his Québec Remparts season is over.

Dmitry first came into the hockey public eye in the 2008 World Junior Championships.  He had 4 points (including a goal) in 7 games, and helped the Russians toward a bronze medal.  His 2008-09 rookie season with the Remparts was a great entrance into North American hockey.  That season, he scored 40 goals and notched 54 assists, and won the Michel-Bergeron Trophy, awarded by the QMJHL to the Best Offensive Rookie of the year (an award that Sidney Crosby won in 2004 with Rimouski Océanic).  Drafted by the Caps in 2008 (2nd round, 58th overall), Dmitry showed excitement about his drafting team, especially considering the Russians on the team at the time - Ovechkin, Alexander Semin, Viktor Kozlov, and Sergei Federov.  On his visit to Washington after the draft, Dmitry was invited to dinner with Ovechkin, his parents, Semin, and Federov.  On his blog (H/T to On Frozen Blog), Dmitry was pleasantly surprised by his selection:

I was extremely happy – to be picked at all, and to be picked by them. There are a lot of Russians on the team, and the team itself is really good. Went there for the training camp. Loved everything: the City, the Team. Honestly, everything was awesome.

Now into his second QMJHL season with the Remparts (of which he's considered the star), his numbers have improved still - in 66 games played, he's scored a whopping 87 points (29 goals and 58 assists).  Hockey's Future currently ranks him #10 on their list of Washington Capitals prospects - one spot above Cody Eakin, who was signed by the Caps earlier this season.  Hockey's Future offers the scout's perspective on Dmitry's skills.  He's called a "solid winger" and especially talented along the boards "where he uses his technique, balance and toughness to win most of the battles also thanks to his resilience to opponent’s physical play."  His passing still needs work, but some work with the Bears' A-line (Giroux, Aucoin, and Gordon) should definitely help his passing play.  He's a very dedicated and passionate player, but doesn't "over-rush his play to impress the coach or the scouts."

His Remparts coach Patrick Roy agrees.  In an interview with Dmitry Chesnokov in June 2009,  Kugryshev said:

Patrick told me that I have everything to play in the NHL. But he also told me that I shouldn’t stop working on improving myself and turn my good hockey skills into even better ones. He is very interested in me realizing my dream of playing for the Capitals as soon as possible.

With his current numbers and provided his improvement in some areas (which is certain in a system like Hershey), Kugryshev is poised to become the next Nicklas Backstrom (although Kugryshev says he gets inspiration from Semin's play).  But knowing how valuable Backstrom is to the team, the eventual addition of Kugryshev to the lineup will be a very good move for the Capitals.

Update:

I enjoy this interview that Kugi did with sportsandmoore.com earlier this season.  His English has improved by leaps and bounds since his first training camp.

An Open Letter to George McPhee

photo by Washington Post/Newsweek Interactive 

Dear George,

First off, I'd like to thank you and Owner Ted Leonsis for everything you've done for this team over the past couple years. You've taken risks with the team and they've paid off (see: Ovechkin, Alex and Boudreau, Bruce). With the trade deadline less than a month away, I'd like to give you some advice for this important date:

Do absolutely nothing.

Yes, I said do nothing. I can honestly say right now that this is a Stanley Cup team. We of course have the stars, our "Young Guns," but the trades from last year's offseason and this year's mid-season have created the depth the team has been lacking in previous seasons.  

We now have Mike Knuble, "the garbage man," whose work in front of the net is undeniably valuable. His GWG against Pittsburgh just added to his impressive stats – he has 16 points in the last 14 games. He's also become a leader on the ice, perhaps filling a little bit of the hole that Sergei Federov left when he departed for the KHL last year. The respect that his teammates have for him is evident; he didn't get the "A" on his sweater for nothing.

Brendan Morrison was also a great pick-up. Another veteran, and a former member of the famed "West Coast Express" line, he's become a solid assist man for the Caps, racking up 21 assists so far this season. While he's been having a bit of a goal slump lately, he's remained decent on faceoffs, winning just over 50% of all his draws. He has also shown us some gorgeous moves that have rivaled Alexander Semin.

A more recent acquisition was Jason Chimera from the Columbus Blue Jackets. It's no secret that I was never a fan of Jurcina, but I'll try to keep that bias out of this post in this case. I'll admit I didn't know much about Chimera before he arrived in Washington. In his first couple games, I couldn't really formulate an opinion. But I've come up with an opinion now: He is the fastest player I have ever seen. When there's a race to the puck, Chimera is the guy you want on the ice. Not only that, but he also has become a bit of an enforcer, but unlike Brashear, he's an enforcer that can also produce. He has 10 points in his first 20 games as a Capital. He's already gotten a Gordie Howe hat trick for his play on January 13 in an eventual shootout win against the Panthers, just two weeks after joining the team.

Jose Theodore has been having his best season yet as a Capital, and looks to be the Vezina- and Hart-winning goalie he once was. It's been wonderful seeing him finally have confidence in his ability and make those saves that someone 10 years younger than him probably couldn't make. We also have that depth in the crease now; even with Semyon Varlamov injured, Michal Neuvirth has been providing solid goaltending in his recent starts, and continues to improve. Neuvirth will definitely become a valuable NHL goaltender once we start needing him full-time.

I also have to address Jeff Schultz. To be honest, I've never been a fan of his. I thought he often was lazy and loose with the puck. But this season, he has proved me wrong. He has matured to an extent I didn't think possible. He's been a shot-blocking machine lately, and his impressive +/- rating can't be denied. Hey, I can admit when I'm wrong.

With this roster, the Capitals have their best chance yet to become Stanley Cup Champions. We finally have that depth we've been seeking for so many years. It's becoming more and more evident when you look at our unprecedented 14-win streak. Let's stick with what we got, George. Let's just let these guys win.

Sincerely,

Erika

Tomas Fleischmann at ESPN Zone

photo by Ned Dishman/Getty Images

Last night, in one of those breaks between several back-to-back games, I headed down to the ESPN Zone in downtown DC with 2 friends to see Tomas Fleischmann speak and have an autograph session. Fleischmann is one of those players that rarely has primetime interviews and that you don't often see at these meet-and-greets. In his first full season with the Capitals, he had arguably been a secondary player – scoring every now and then, but for the most part not very noticeable on the ice.

Since then, he has surged to the forefront of the Washington Capitals team to become one of their most valuable players. Making the recent switch from wing to center, he now is part of the second line with powerhouses Brooks Laich and Alexander Semin – and he is making a name for himself even among talents like Semin, Laich, Alex Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom, and Mike Green. He has 17 goals so far on the season, whereas he had 19 in the whole of the 2008-09 season. He leads the team in shooting percentage with 21.5% - the next Capital who's even close is Eric Fehr with 16.9%. Clearly Fleischmann has settled into a groove on the team, and his skills are continuing to improve.

During the Q&A last night led by host Steve Kolbe, Fleischmann also proved that he was very humble, honest, and surprisingly witty. He noted that Bruce Boudreau "talks a lot" (no big surprise there for someone whose nickname is "Gabby") and that he's enjoying playing with his linemates. He's looking forward to playing in the Olympics as part of the Czech national team, but will be focusing on that only once the Olympic break begins. Once he gets to Vancouver, the Czech team will have only 2 days to practice together and try to establish some chemistry before playing on the international stage. However, he'll be in good company with talented players like Martin Havlat, Patrik Elias, and goaltender Tomas Vokoun.

He also said he definitely hears the fans in the Verizon Center during games, and is "very proud" to have such great fans.

It's obvious that Fleischmann not only has growing confidence, but also a sense of humor. When a young boy asked him, "How many goals do you want to get this year?" Fleischmann responded, "How many do you want me to get?" Kolbe told the kid to pick a large number, and he came up with 45.

Fleischmann then responded, "Well I'd better start tomorrow!"