With the Stanley Cup Final now over and the Colorado Avalanche crowned as champions, the injury horror stories have started to leak out and one big one features former Capitals winger Andre Burakovsky.

Burakovsky was held out of the last four games in the final series with the Tampa Bay Lightning with the painful combination of a broken ankle and a broken thumb.

Bednar says Andre Burakovsky was playing with a broken ankle and thumb. Unbelievable.

— Summer of George (@GeorgeStoia) June 27, 2022

Bura was first injured in Game One of the Western Conference Finals against the Edmonton Oilers when he blocked a slap shot from defenseman Evan Bouchard with his foot/ankle.

He would go on to play just one more time in that series, toughing out 14:15 of ice time in the Avalanche’s Game Four 6-5 overtime victory. Less than two weeks later, he took a puck to the hand in Game Two of the Cup Final via Victor Hedman that NHL.com’s Tom Gulitti reports broke his thumb in four places.

Gulitti also says that the 27-year-old Swede was going to attempt to return for a Game Seven if the Lightning had been able to force one with a victory on Sunday.

I never report news anymore, but the Avs Andre Burakovsky is skating on the ice with a stick at Family Sports. His right thumb is wrapped. Here is a video live in the field from my friend who runs a summer camp: pic.twitter.com/b5VosXug7g

— Derek Kessinger (@DerekinDenver) June 22, 2022

As mentioned previously, Burakovsky would not return for another game against the Lightning. It did not end up costing him though as the Avs took home their first Stanley Cup victory since 2001 and Burakovsky’s second of his career.

“It’s just as good (to win his second time),” he told the Washington Post’s Samantha Pell. “To win the Stanley Cup once is really hard. To do it twice is even harder. So proud of this group to be able to dig down going through a lot of injuries, hard work and sacrifice to get this done.”

Congrats again Andre! Heal up!

Screenshot via ESPN/ABC

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The Colorado Avalanche became Stanley Cup champions on Sunday after defeating the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game Six 2-1. Most importantly for us, Andre Burakovsky became a Stanley Cup champion for the second time.

Minutes after the buzzer sounded, 2022 Stanley Cup championship gear was released in the NHL store. You can see all of the Avs’ champs merch here.

For those of you who are Burakovsky superfans, there are customizable Stanley Cup champion jerseys and customizable Stanley Cup Final jerseys available (they are going fast), which you can throw Dre’s 95 on the back. For those of you more on a budget, you can also customize a Stanley Cup champion t-shirt.

There are also signed Burakovsky autographed pucks and photos that are on presale. They will ship, according to the NHL Shop, “within 91 business days.”

View all of Andre Burakovsky’s championship merch.

Headline photos: Shop.NHL.com

The Colorado Avalanche won their first Stanley Cup since 2001 on Sunday night after defeating the Tampa Bay Lightning 2-1 in Game Six at Amalie Arena.

The Avalanche’s celebrations got underway quickly and it didn’t take long for the team to get careless with the Cup. You guys, it’s bent already!

Avs forward Nicolas Aube-Kubel was the culprit after tripping to the ice while joining the team photo. Aube-Kubel braced himself for the fall with the 130-year-old trophy driving the base hard into the ice. Whoops.

lmao pic.twitter.com/gd2xfLu01z

— Dimitri Filipovic (@DimFilipovic) June 27, 2022

The damage was, uh, definitely noticeable.

Well, that didn't take long #StanleyCup | @Avalanche pic.twitter.com/ZSfX4Bd9KD

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) June 27, 2022

Aube-Kubel’s gaffe led to what is easily the greatest photo captured in the National Hockey League this season.

Another beauty mark. https://t.co/IaSmgAVhzf

— The Stanley Cup (@StanleyCup) June 27, 2022

This is far from the first time the Cup has suffered some sort of damage in the pandemonium of celebrations thrown after a team has taken home the storied prize. In fact, the Washington Capitals ended up bending the rim of the Cup in 2018 due to their insistence on doing completely awesome Cup stands. Worth it, in my opinion.

Alex Ovechkin did a keg stand out of the Stanley Cup

(via @tonyandjoes) pic.twitter.com/sCaqxLwLkC

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) June 9, 2018

“It happens every year, the bowl gets damaged – basically it gets ‘out of round’ if you know what I mean,” keeper of the Cup Phil Pritchard told RMNB four years ago. “It happens because it is a 125-year-old trophy and not designed for guys to hoist like [they do]. It is nobody’s fault, it just happens every year. It has become part of the lore of sports’ greatest trophy.”

Pritchard is definitely correct. The Cup gets dinged up a whole bunch. The following reporting is from 2018 when Ian and Cara worked on documenting all the bumps and bruises the trophy has taken over the years.

1905 Ottawa Silver Sevens

The Ottawa Silver Sevens won the Stanley Cup so many times that by the later years it didn’t even mean anything special to them. A Sports Illustrated article from 1977 written by Arnold Schechter reminisces on some of the Silver Seven experiences. The best came from the 1905 win.

After the battle, the Silver Seven retired to the bar in the Russell Hotel for a celebration. It was reported that Forward Harry Smith, Alf’s ebullient brother, had, on a dare, drop-kicked the Stanley Cup into the Rideau Canal, returning with a hangover the next morning to reclaim the trophy from the dry bed of the waterway. “We only took it home to show it to mother,” said the Smiths, who also admitted, “We did throw it around a little.”

The team drop-kicked the Stanley Cup into Ottawa’s Rideau Canal, leaving it overnight and returned in the morning to reclaim it. Luckily it was in a dry part of the canal so there wasn’t severe water damage.

1999 Dallas Stars

After the 1999 win, the Dallas Stars partied with Pantera. That might seem like an incredibly random matchup, but the Stars managed to build a friendship with the Arlington, TX band and they really like to party.

When the Cup managed to get a massive dent in it, the Stars spokesperson said it was dropped in the locker room while celebrating. But, other stories circulated back to this party.

From Hooked on Hockey:

. . . Guy [Carbonneau], Luds (Craig Ludwig), and Matty (Richard Matvichuk) were upstairs. They were yelling something out of the window that I could not make out.” He went on to explain that Carbonneau tossed the Cup out of the window, but said it looked more like he accidentally dropped the Cup than intentionally threw it. The cup then hit the lip of the swimming pool and fell in. While the keeper of the Cup claims that didn’t happened, the source I spoke to simply said, “Didn’t see him,” and that reactions were a mix of party attendees laughing, indifference, or shock.

Vinnie Paul was more direct: “It really got dented when Guy Carbonneau threw it off my balcony into my pool.”

2008 Detroit Red Wings

After the Detroit Red Wings Stanley Cup parade in 2008, the team went back to party at Chris Chelios’ restaurant in Detroit. The Cup was pushed off the table and got a big dent in it that the team paid to have smoothed out. It wasn’t until later at the NHL Awards that it was revealed the damage was way worse than original believed.

2011 Boston Bruins

The damage the Cup endured in the summer of 2011 cannot be hidden under some false story, as there is actual video evidence of it when Michael Ryder took the Cup to his hometown of Bonavista, Canada. As the Cup was sitting on a table during an outdoor event, the table’s legs collapsed and the Cup took a tumble. The top part suffered a great deal of damage and had a oval opening.

2016 Pittsburgh Penguins

After the Penguins won the Cup in San Jose in 2016, the Keeper of the Cup posted a photo of Matt Cullen walking onto the plane to head back to Pittsburgh. The bottom of the Cup visible in the photo had quite a big ding in it. No one knows what happened, but it probably took a spill during their locker room celebrations.

Matt Cullen carries the #stanleycup onto the plane, back to @penguins country as a champion. @NHL @HockeyHallFame pic.twitter.com/XvWkujNReQ

— Philip Pritchard (@keeperofthecup) June 13, 2016

The NHL typically makes teams that damaged the Cup pay for the repairs, having the 1962 Toronto Maple Leafs foot the bill after fire damage and the 1987 Edmonton Oilers repair it themselves at a local body shop. It is unclear whether it is preferred the repair has to come from the damaging party before returning it or if the NHL bills the team that damages it.

So, don’t worry about it, Nicolas. You aren’t the first and surely will not be the last.

Screenshot via Sportsnet

The Colorado Avalanche are Stanley Cup champions after defeating the Tampa Bay Lightning 2-1 in Game Six, Sunday. The Stanley Cup marks the Avalanche’s third in franchise history and the first during the Nathan MacKinnon Era.

The championship is also Andre Burakovsky’s second career Stanley Cup win. The Swedish forward previously won win the Capitals in 2018.

Burakovsky is the first major player from that 2018 Caps team to win a second Cup.

Photo: Ian Oland/RMNB

Burakovsky immediately joined his teammates out on the ice as time expired, wearing his away no. 95 Avalanche jersey. Burakovsky and Darren Helm were the only players on Colorado who had previously won a Cup.

Burakovsky had 8 points (3g, 5a) in 12 postseason games for the Avs, including the overtime game-winning goal in Game One of the Stanley Cup Final. “This was a dream since I was a kid,” he said afterward.

Burakovsky did not play since Game Two after suffering what appeared to be an upper-body injury. He had three points (2g, 1a) in those two SCF games.

Burakovsky spent a bulk of his time in the postseason skating on the Avs’ second line.

Congratulations, Burkie!

The Colorado Avalanche will once again look to win the Stanley Cup tonight – this time in Tampa Bay after the Lightning forced a Game Six in dramatic fashion. Ondrej Palat scored his seventh third-period goal of the postseason, giving Tampa the 3-2 win.

Tonight’s telecast is once again on ABC at 8 PM.

Refresh frequently. We’ll be updating this article throughout the game.

Braden Holtby may be a contracted member of the Dallas Stars (at least until mid-July), but his heart remains in DC.

The 2018 Stanley Cup-winning goaltender, who bought a new house in the area, was spotted at DC’s Pride Parade earlier in June.

Holtby was wearing a tie dye LOVE IS LOVE shirt from Northern Virginia beer maker, Starr Hill Brewery. (A portion of the proceeds of that shirt went to four local LGBTQ+ organizations.)

Photo: @mackeyscanlan/IG

“I ran into him at the pride parade while he was getting ice cream,” RMNB reader Mackey said when explaining his photo. “He was super friendly. I was definitely taken aback when he replied to his name when we shouted it. I’ve been a lifelong fan and it felt pretty epic to shake the hand of the man who made The Save.”

Holtby and his family, including his two kids, were noticed by several readers at the parade.

Saw him at pride fest last weekend. Shook his hand real quick but no photo. He was with his family so didn’t want to take up too much of his time.

— Drew D (@drewguy38) June 18, 2022

Holtby’s appearance at the Capital Pride event marked, as far as we know, the first time he’s been spotted there since 2019. That year, he participated in the parade on a Monumental Sports & Entertainment float.

Holtby also walked in the parade in 2016 and 2017, but due to the Capitals’ Stanley Cup win, only Brandi walked in the parade in 2018 — though Braden still managed to find a way to show his support.

“The first year that we were able to do it, you could tell the joy and the change it can bring,” Holtby said in 2019. “We just want to do our part. The thing that I’m most proud of is our team and Monumental are here beside us showing their support and trying to teach the younger generation about what we believe in.

“There shouldn’t be a time in today’s world where you should be hidden away and not be able to be yourself,” Holtby added. “I think us, and the organization, and Monumental and the Caps being here is hopefully shows people the way and improves peoples’ lives.”

Holtby was also spotted at a Sheryl Crow/Jason Isbell concert at Wolf Trap on June 17.

Photo: @erinisveryirish/Twitter

“He was siting on the lawn,” Erin said. “Unfortunately we didn’t get a picture with him. My husband gave him a fist bump and said ‘thank you.’ He said in response, ‘thank you very much.’ He’s was very gracious to everyone who came up to him. I wanted to ask him to come back and play for the Caps!”

Holtby will be an unrestricted free agent on July 13.

Michal Kempny is a new man after getting what appears to be his first haircut in a calendar year.

“Lettuce is gone!” Kempny wrote on Instagram, Monday. “What do you think?”

Kempny got several responses from his current and former Capitals teammates.

“Thank you,” Tom Wilson said. “Been asking for 6 months. Although, Viking kemps was too”

Added Vitek Vanecek, “Konečně nevypadáš jak gorila .” Translated into English that reads, “Finally, you don’t look like a gorilla.”

Former Capitals Jonas Siegenthaler and Nathan Walker expressed themselves in emoji.

Siegs was feeling the heat, “”, while Walks added some hearteyes, “ wowwwww.”

Kempny’s previous look gave him Jesus/Cockapoo vibes.

Headline photo: @michalkempny/Instagram

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin signed a one-day contract yesterday with Dynamo Moscow to make his professional soccer debut in a friendly against Amkal, a talented team full of social media stars and bloggers.

Ovechkin actually scored in the game, hitting the far corner of the net from the penalty area. A grinning Ovechkin celebrated with the same intensity and enthusiasm that he would normally have in a hockey game, jumping high into the air with both of his arms outstretched to the heavens like Cristiano Ronaldo.

Ovechkin’s goal came in the 11th minute of the game. Here’s another look.

Dynamo Moscow posted a series of incredible photos after the goal. Ovi is one more goal closer to Wayne Gretzky’s record , they wrote in Russian.

“Well, the dream came true – to score a goal,” Ovechkin said per sports.ru and a Google Translation. “There was one more moment, it was necessary to beat, but I tried to find Smolov. I must give credit that the guys found me in that position, under the left leg. Well, I got it.”

Ovechkin was wearing the captain’s armband for Dynamo Moscow while he was out on the pitch. He later handed it off to Danya Fomin as he left the game.

Ovechkin wore the number three during the game in honor of his father, Mikhail, who rocked the digit during his time playing for Dynamo.

Additional media

The Stanley Cup will be in the building for Game Five.

The Colorado Avalanche will have an opportunity to win its first championship of the Nathan MacKinnon in front of their home fans at Ball Arena, Friday. Nazem Kadri scored the OTGWG in Game Four to give the Avs a 3-1 series lead.

Tonight’s telecast is once again on ABC at 8 PM.

Refresh frequently. We’ll be updating this article throughout the game.

Dynamo Moscow announced on Friday that Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin signed a contract with the team. But, thank goodness, it’s not to play hockey. It’s to play in exactly 1 soccer game.

Ovechkin will suit up for Dynamo Moscow in a friendly on Saturday, June 25, against “popular blogging team” Amkal. The game will be held at VTB Arena in Moscow.

OFFICIALLY: @ovi8 joins Dynamo!

The legendary hockey player signed a contract with our club for one match

How would you rate the transfer of a promising player? pic.twitter.com/kv19nn6874

— ФК «Динамо» Москва (@fcdynamo) June 24, 2022

Ovechkin will wear the number three – the same number his father, Mikhail, wore back when he played for Dynamo’s soccer team.

“Today we signed a contract with [Ovi] for this match,” Dynamo general director Pavel Pivovarov said per a Google Translate. “Alexander is a great athlete, he scored more goals than Cristiano Ronaldo. We invite everyone to watch this action! Let’s hope that Alexander will not let you down and perform well on the football field.”

Ovi added in a video, “I’ve been a fan of Dynamo all my life.”

Ovechkin is a graduate of Dynamo Moscow’s hockey team where he won a Russian Super League championship and the Gagarin Cup. After winning the Stanley Cup in 2018, he brought the the NHL’s championship trophy to its practice facility. He has spoken about officially retiring from hockey with the team when his NHL career is over.

Ovechkin is a longtime soccer fan who’s geeked out in the past meeting Pelé, Messi, and Neymar. He plays over the summer to train, and participates in team-wide Sewer Ball games before puck drop of his NHL games.

Screenshot via @fcdynamo/Instagram

Trevor van Riemsdyk took on a much bigger role in 2021-22, and the Capitals were a better team for it.

By the Numbers

Visualization by HockeyViz

About this visualization: This series of charts made by Micah Blake McCurdy of hockeyviz.com shows lots of information for the player over the season. A short description of each chart:

• Most common teammates during 5-on-5
• Ice time per game, split up by game state
• 5-on-5 adjusted shot attempts by the team (black) and opponents (red)
• 5-on-5 adjusted shooting percentage by the team (black) and opponents (red)
• Individual scoring events by the player
• 5-on-5 adjusted offensive (black) and defensive (red) zone starts

Fan Happiness Survey

About this visualization: At three times during the season, RMNB shared an open survey with fans, asking the following question for each player:

On a scale from 1 to 5, how HAPPY are you to have this player on the team?

1 means VERY UNHAPPY TO HAVE THEM ON THE TEAM
2 means UNHAPPY
3 means NEITHER HAPPY NOR UNHAPPY
4 means HAPPY
5 means VERY HAPPY TO HAVE THEM ON THE TEAM

The numbers above show the average score for the player in each survey period.

Peter’s Take

Trevor van Riemsdyk played in just twenty games in the abbreviated 2020-21 season, so his 72 in 2021-22 was a major promotion in usage. I think TvR excelled in his bigger role. Although the Capitals were narrowly outscored during his shifts (46 to 42), opponents had to outscore their expected-goals rate by 0.5 per hour to do so.

Here’s a HockeyViz heatmap of from where opponents shot while TvR was on the ice. The big blue blobs mean opponents shot less from that location.

That’s some reliable defensive play, and although he offsets it with some diminishment in team offense, van Riemsdyk’s utility as a shutdown defender is clear. There’s a persistent suggestion that he and John Carlson (although both righties) could pair well together. I wish the team would give it more of a look next season.

According to Orson Welles

TvR on RMNB

• TvR debuted this season in his off-hand side.
• In a November game, he had to play a bit as a forward too.
• Early in December, TvR went on COVID protocol.
• And in March he got banged up in a game against the Hurricanes, returning on April Fools Day.
• On holding a players-only meeting in April: “I think [players-only meetings] can be really effective this time of the year.”

Your Turn

Is handedness a showstopper for a potential TvR-Carlson pairing?

Read more: Japers Rink

The Washington Capitals haven’t hosted one of their summer Development Camps since 2019 due to the coronavirus pandemic, but this year it’s returning. The Caps announced the news in a press release earlier in the day.

Capitals 2022 Development Camp will run from July 11 through July 16 and will be highlighted by a scrimmage at Capital One Arena on Friday, July 15 at 7 PM that’s free to attend for all fans.

COME ONE, COME ALL!

This year's #CapsDevCamp scrimmage will be held at @CapitalOneArena on Friday, July 15 and open to the public with prior registration. https://t.co/KYxwsn9xTv

— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) June 23, 2022

The Capitals will use the scrimmage as an open house at Capital One Arena so fans can explore different seating locations and consider buying season tickets.

Fans can meet the Capitals’ team dog, Biscuit, at the event and also get autographs from select alumni.

The full press release from the Capitals is below:

Capitals to Host Open House and Development Camp Scrimmage at Capital One Arena Friday, July 15
Development Camp to Take Place at MedStar Capitals Iceplex July 11-16

ARLINGTON, Va. – The Washington Capitals will host a Development Camp Open House and Scrimmage at Capital One Arena on Friday, July 15. Doors open at 6 p.m., with Capitals prospects participating in a scrimmage at 7 p.m.

The event is free and open to the general public and offers fans the opportunity to test drive season ticket locations at Capital One Arena for the 2022-23 season.

Fans are asked to RSVP at WashCaps.com/OpenHouse. Current Club Red 365 members will receive a special invitation to the event directly from the Capitals Membership Services team.

There will be special closing incentives for those who purchase seats during the event, as well as games with prizes on the concourse.

Fans will also have the chance to enter to win prizes via a digital scratch-off ticket in the arena. Once they enter to win, they will receive a text with their digital scratch-off ticket. Prizes include bobbleheads, rally towels, and more.

Select alumni will be at the event, signing autographs for fans. Fans will also have the opportunity to take photographs with the C-A-P-I-T-A-L-S letters and Weagle on the concourse. In addition, there will also be a photo booth featuring additional photo opportunities.

Attendees are also encouraged to visit the Kids Club and Caps Canines tables on the concourse to learn more about the fan clubs. There will also be a meet and greet station featuring Capitals and America’s VetDogs service-dog-in-training Biscuit where fans can interact with Biscuit and learn more about America’s VetDogs.

The Capitals Development Camp will run from July 11-16 at MedStar Capitals Iceplex in Arlington, Va. The entire camp is open to the public (complete on-ice schedule and roster will be announced at a later date). All on-ice sessions are free and open to the public.

Upcoming Capitals Events:

Thursday, July 7: 2022 NHL Draft – first round (ESPN)
Friday, July 8: 2022 NHL Draft – rounds 2-7 (NHL Network)
Monday, July 11: Caps Development Camp begins at MedStar Capitals Iceplex
Wednesday, July 13: First day of NHL free agency
Friday, July 15: Scrimmage at Capital One Arena, camp concludes

Conor Sheary has an undeniable offensive touch, but he’ll need a boost to keep reaching those goal-scoring heights.

By the Numbers

Visualization by HockeyViz

About this visualization: This series of charts made by Micah Blake McCurdy of hockeyviz.com shows lots of information for the player over the season. A short description of each chart:

• Most common teammates during 5-on-5
• Ice time per game, split up by game state
• 5-on-5 adjusted shot attempts by the team (black) and opponents (red)
• 5-on-5 adjusted shooting percentage by the team (black) and opponents (red)
• Individual scoring events by the player
• 5-on-5 adjusted offensive (black) and defensive (red) zone starts

Fan Happiness Survey

About this visualization: At three times during the season, RMNB shared an open survey with fans, asking the following question for each player:

On a scale from 1 to 5, how HAPPY are you to have this player on the team?

1 means VERY UNHAPPY TO HAVE THEM ON THE TEAM
2 means UNHAPPY
3 means NEITHER HAPPY NOR UNHAPPY
4 means HAPPY
5 means VERY HAPPY TO HAVE THEM ON THE TEAM

The numbers above show the average score for the player in each survey period.

Peter’s Take

Conor Sheary’s career high in goals was 23 in 2016-17, when he took shifts with Sidney Crosby. A half decade later and with less Crosby-y linemates, Sheary put up 19 goals in a middle-six assignment. He drew 16 penalties while committing just seven, and he had a higher point rate than any full-time Cap except Ovechkin.

And he did it all despite being 5’8″.

Okay, I admit we go to the “he’s short” well too often, but it is a curiosity that a player so physically different from the Protases and Wilsons of the league can still be deadly effective on offense.

Though that’s not to say Sheary is a particularly effective driver of play. HockeyViz regards his impact on both sides of the ice as negative (more opponent shot danger, less Capitals shot danger). And Sheary’s most common linemates seemed to control the puck better (see the shot-attempt percentages below) when they weren’t paired with him.

(That Backstrom row is kind of interesting though.)

I’m not sure what the right role for Sheary is. I know he’s not a viable full-time right winger for the Ovechkin line. He’s not going to grind either. But he’s an interesting player with apparent talent, and I hope the Capitals can get some more value out of his last season on his contract.

According to Orson Welles

Shears on RMNB

• In November, an upper-body injury to Sheary cut short his stint with the top line.
• On January 15, Sheary entered COVID protocol.
• By March, Sheary got another look with Ovechkin and company.
• On March 18, Sheary scored the second earliest empty-net goal in NHL history.

• Sheary missed some more time in April with a non-COVID illness.

Your Turn

What line do you want Sheary on, and how many goals do you expect from him next season?

Read more: Japers Rink

Nazem Kadri has had an absolute whirlwind of a 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs and on Wednesday night he added what could be the beginning of a fairytale ending chapter.

Returning from thumb surgery that caused him to miss four games, he roofed the overtime winner in Game Four of the Stanley Cup Final. The only problem is…no one realized the puck went in for an awkward amount of time before the celebration could start.

Kadri’s postseason roller coaster ride to this point has featured thrown water bottles during postgame interviews…apparently in the name of God, a hat trick goal and a flying elbow attempt, and most recently a dirty hit that took him out of action until Wednesday night.

He has persevered through all and capped off a win that takes the Colorado Avalanche to the brink of hoisting Lord Stanley.

Nazem Kadri scores the biggest goal of his career pic.twitter.com/58eKHjWEZs

— Peter Baugh (@Peter_Baugh) June 23, 2022

On the goal, Kadri receives a brilliant outlet pass from Artturi Lehkonen that springs him right up the middle of the Lightning zone with control of the puck. He then makes a wonderful push-through move on a tired Mikhail Sergachev to bring the puck to his forehand and fire past a stunned Andrei Vasilevskiy.

The puck lodges right up between the bar and the top of the net and it appears that only really Vasilevskiy and defenseman Bowen Byram of the Avalanche, who may have been the furthest player away from the play on the ice, noticed the game was over.

IT'S A #StanleyCup PICTURE PERFECT MOMENT

Cc: Nazem Kadri (@43_Kadri) pic.twitter.com/abCxFP1Nqm

— NHL (@NHL) June 23, 2022

“I’ve been waiting for this my whole life, so I figured I’d stop waiting and just try to join the party,” Kadri told ESPN’s Emily Kaplan in a postgame interview on the bench. “I’m just grateful I’m able to be in this position and with this group of guys, you couldn’t have written a better story.”

In a goal full of confusion when it was scored, Tampa Bay head coach Jon Cooper only added more fuel to the fire in his postgame comments. Cooper took one question, spoke for two minutes, and said his “heart breaks for the players” because the winning goal shouldn’t have counted but refused to elaborate on why until tomorrow.

Jon Cooper abruptly ended his news conference in the middle of his first answer. pic.twitter.com/3NEj5PlmHf

— Peter Baugh (@Peter_Baugh) June 23, 2022

Without clarification from Cooper, we have to assume that he’s speaking of a potential missed too many men on the ice call on Colorado.

I mean that’s a pretty clear missed too many men right? https://t.co/cgaAZ22r5K

— Thomas Welch (@twelcher15) June 23, 2022

Drama, spice, and everything nice. Playoff hockey, baby.

Screenshot via ESPN

What was thought to be a gimme sweep for the Avalanche is now a series. After flattening the Avs 6-2 in Game Three, the Tampa Bay Lightning will look to tie the series in Game Four.

The Avalanche will get (future Capital?) Nazem Kadri back in the lineup tonight after returning from injury.

Tonight’s telecast is once again on ABC at 8 PM.

Refresh frequently. We’ll be updating this article throughout the game.

The Washington Capitals announced on Saturday afternoon that legendary center Nicklas Backstrom underwent hip resurfacing surgery. The team called the surgery a “success” and said his recovery process will be “lengthy”.

Hockey players and other athletes that have undergone the same surgery in the past have seen their returns to their respective sports careers questionable at best.

It’s why many are openly wondering if Backstrom may have played his final game in a Capitals uniform.

The Athletic’s Craig Custance, writing for ESPN at the time, did a story in 2014 on Florida Panthers defenseman Ed Jovanovski getting the procedure done. This is how Jovanovski described the surgery.

“They dislocate your joint,” Jovanovski said to Custance. “Pull it out of your leg. Then shave the femoral head down to a certain size and cap it with titanium. Then do the same for your socket, shaving out the socket and hammering in a new socket where everything kind of joins together.”

Jovanovski went through a long rehabilitation process afterward — a full year — and went on to play only 37 more games in the NHL during the 2013-14 season. The sad part is that’s considered the most successful return for an NHLer after getting a resurfacing done.

Custance added in his piece that the average age of someone getting this type of surgical work is 51.

Less “successful” examples in hockey include the plight of center Ryan Kesler, who got the procedure done in 2019 and never played again. Long-time NHLer Mike Sillinger also had it done and he did so just so that he could have a pain-free retirement.

WWE Hall of Famer, The Undertaker, was the first known professional athlete of any sort to return to their work after getting the surgery in 2010. ‘Taker’ was reduced to having two professional wrestling matches per year through 2020 and a majority of those matches involved more than two wrestlers so he was not forced to carry a match by himself. The schedule of a professional hockey player and the intensity of their job would not allow for that kind of rest.

“Only thing then is I kinda had to learn how to walk again,” The Undertaker said in 2021. “I mean I could walk, but my gait was so screwed up from dragging the leg and everything.”

The one small beacon of hope in an otherwise doom and gloom world of hip replacements is former tennis world number one, Andy Murray. Murray had the procedure done by the same exact surgeon that did Jovanovski’s, Dr. Edwin Su, and was able to return to at least be competitive at major tournaments. He hasn’t reached his previous heights but the 35-year-old Scot is 16-9 in singles action in 2022 after going a combined 30-27 in 2018-2021, a period in which he had two separate hip surgeries including the resurfacing.

“There was certainly no guarantee that he was going to be able to reach the same level of tennis that he had achieved before, particularly with regards to movement, explosiveness, and endurance,” Dr. Su said of Murray. “However, the fact that he was still playing at a very high level of tennis with a problematic and painful hip gives confidence to the belief he would be able to do it with a pain-free and more mobile hip.”

Backstrom certainly wasn’t his best last season but he wasn’t “bad” per se either. That makes Dr. Su’s statement about Murray a tad reassuring for those hoping number 19 will make an eventual return to the Capitals lineup.

But for the Swedish center to do so, it will require a long and grueling rehabillitation process and, as Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman said, “it’s a lot to come back from for a guy that’s had the miles that Backstrom’s had.”

Headline photo: Elizabeth Kong/RMNB

Justin Schultz is a defender who sometimes struggles to defend the part of the ice where a lot of goals get scored.

By the Numbers

Visualization by HockeyViz

About this visualization: This series of charts made by Micah Blake McCurdy of hockeyviz.com shows lots of information for the player over the season. A short description of each chart:

• Most common teammates during 5-on-5
• Ice time per game, split up by game state
• 5-on-5 adjusted shot attempts by the team (black) and opponents (red)
• 5-on-5 adjusted shooting percentage by the team (black) and opponents (red)
• Individual scoring events by the player
• 5-on-5 adjusted offensive (black) and defensive (red) zone starts

Fan Happiness Survey

About this visualization: At three times during the season, RMNB shared an open survey with fans, asking the following question for each player:

On a scale from 1 to 5, how HAPPY are you to have this player on the team?

1 means VERY UNHAPPY TO HAVE THEM ON THE TEAM
2 means UNHAPPY
3 means NEITHER HAPPY NOR UNHAPPY
4 means HAPPY
5 means VERY HAPPY TO HAVE THEM ON THE TEAM

The numbers above show the average score for the player in each survey period.

Peter’s Take

I liked Justin Schultz when he was added to the Caps roster two years ago, but the bloom came off the rose in 2021-22. Despite having positive on-ice shot-attempt and expected-goal percentages, the Caps were outscored 51 to 43 during Schultz’s shifts. I can’t tell you how many of those 51 opponent goals were followed by a text message from ex-RMNBer Pat Holden saying something like “Schultz woof.” I mean, I could tell you, but that’s a lot of work and I don’t think it would be enriching to your understanding of Justin Schultz.

Okay nevermind. I looked it up, and it’s seven. Nearly fourteen percent of opponent goalies during Schultz’s shifts were followed by a text message from Pat blaming Schultz for the goal. And I don’t think Pat saw all 51 opponent goals.

If it seems like I’m goofing here, that’s because I am. But Schultz’s trouble with defending the crease is no laughing matter, unless you’re making a joke about how bad it is, which is kinda funny. Here from HockeyViz is a heatmap of Schultz’s impact on opponent shot locations; please see the big red blob in front of the net.

Schultz, 31, is an expiring free agent. He won’t be back, which gives the Caps some interesting options both as his replacement and as for what they do with Trevor van Riemsdyk, the subject of Friday’s review.

According to Orson Welles

Justin Schultz on RMNB

• Schultz suffered an upper-body injury around Thanksgiving. He came back at the beginning of December.
• COVID panic swirled as Schultz was pulled from practice before Christmas.
• Schultz got another upper-body injury in February.

Your Turn

Any free agent defenders you’re interested in?

Read more: Japers Rink

Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman was a guest on Donnie and Dhali – The Team on Tuesday. Friedman had an interesting nugget on what the Washington Capitals may do to fill the newly Nicklas Backstrom sized hole at the center of their lineup.

The hockey insider mentioned by name both the Vancouver Canucks’ JT Miller and the Colorado Avalanche’s Nazem Kadri as players he has heard have been connected to the Caps this summer.

Friedman said on the show:

JT Miller, I still think it’s a big contract that he’s asking for. I think the Canucks, like some other teams, are worried about term for him.

The team I’ve kind of wondered about, I think a lot of people are wondering about now, [is] Washington [because they] lost Backstrom. Nobody seems to know what the timeline here is. What are they going to do? I’ve heard Kadri’s name connected to the Capitals. I’ve heard Miller’s name connected to the Capitals. I think Washington’s just starting to figure out what are we going to do here? I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s the kind of guy that’s on their radar.

Miller is coming off a 2021-22 season that saw him barely miss the century mark in points with 99 (32g, 67a) in 80 games. Miller had 31 more points than the next closest Canucks player (Quinn Hughes, 68 points) and topped his previous single-season, career-high by 27 (2019-20 season, 72 points). The 29-year-old center had the ninth most points in the NHL and has just one year left on his contract at $5.25 million. With Vancouver in flux as a franchise, they’ll be looking to cash in on him with assets before he possibly leaves for nothing as a free agent.

The American forward did a good chunk of his damage on the power play this season. His 38 power-play points (38) trailed only the Edmonton Oilers’ powerhouse duo of Connor McDavid (44) and Leon Draisaitl (41) league-wide. Miller also led the team in scoring at even strength, posting positive differentials in all relevant five-on-five relative possession analytics (CF, xGF, SCF, HDCF). Miller’s ability to play both the wing and center adds to his value further. There are simply not many forwards in the league better than JT Miller and the Canucks will demand a return that matches that value.

Dreger on Insider Trading says it seems like it's "open season" for the Canucks, not to be misunderstood as a fire sale, there is strong market interest in both Miller and Boeser and VAN is interested to listen, they're not looking for picks, they need good young NHL players.

— NHL Watcher (@NHL_Watcher) June 21, 2022

This is not the first time that Friedman has paired the Caps and Canucks in terms of a potential swap. Ahead of the 2022 trade deadline, Friedman reported that the two teams could be partners for a deal that would send scoring help to DC.

On the flip side, there is Nazem Kadri, who unlike Miller, will be an unrestricted free agent and will not require assets other than money to obtain his services. After a couple of disappointing seasons with the Colorado Avalanche (68 points in 107 games), Kadri exploded in 2021-22 with a career year, helping lead the Avs’ to a Stanley Cup Final appearance. Kadri’s 87 points in 71 games marked the first time in his career that he has scored at above a point-per-game pace and his 59 assists topped his previous career-high set with the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2013-14 (30) by 29. Kadri maintained his point-per-game pace in the postseason (14 in 13 games) before getting hurt, so it’s safe to say he is due for a raise on his $4.5 million salary.

Kadri is a tenacious playmaking center that other teams hate to play against. With Kadri on the ice five-on-five this season, the Avs saw 57.9-percent of the shot attempts, 54.5-percent of the expected goals, 55.8-percent of the scoring chances, and 53.5-percent of the high danger chances. His 48 five-on-five points saw him tied with players like Alex Ovechkin, Roman Josi, and Artemi Panarin on the league leaders board.

What exactly happens with Backstrom’s $9.2 million salary will be up to Capitals general manager Brian MacLellan and we know he intends on exploring all options this summer to make his team better.

“We’ve lost in the first round the last four years,” he said on Breakdown Day in May. “We’re going to explore changes. I don’t think anything is off the table. We’re going to talk to different teams and monitor the trade market. We’re going to identify free agents. We gotta figure out our goalie situation.”

The Washington Capitals went home empty-handed at the 2022 NHL Awards show, but three Caps players did get votes for end-of-season trophies.

Let’s review.

Alex Ovechkin, in his age-36 season, finished tenth in Hart Trophy voting after scoring 50 goals for the ninth time in his career and registering 90 points in 77 games — the sixth most in his career. Ovechkin earned two fourth-place votes and four fifth-place votes.

Despite Ovechkin’s huge year, he finished behind three other left wings according to the PHWA: Johnny Gaudreau (40g, 75a), Jonathan Huberdeau (30g, 85a), and Kirill Kaprizov (47g, 61a).

The winner of this year’s MVP trophy was Auston Matthews.

Photo: NHL PR

Per NHL PR, Matthews is the 21st different player in NHL history – and first in a decade – to register 60 goals in a season. He’s also the first Toronto Maple Leafs player to win the Hart since Ted Kennedy in 1954-55 and the third Toronto player overall. Matthews also went home with the Ted Lindsay Award (Players’ MVP) and the Rocket Richard Trophy (most goals).

Connor McDavid (44g, 79a) finished second in voting while Vezina Trophy winner Igor Shesterkin finished third (2.07 GAA, .935 SV%).

Capitals defenseman John Carlson finished tenth in the 2022 Norris Trophy race after receiving four fourth-place votes and 16 fifth-place votes. Carlson had the fifth most points amongst all NHL defensemen, tallying 71 points in 78 games. His 17 goals was fourth-most amongst all rearguards.

Cale Makar was this year’s winner of the trophy – what will likely be the first of many.

Photo: NHL PR

Per the NHL:

Makar helped the Avalanche post a franchise-record 119 points by leading NHL defensemen with 28 goals, becoming just the fifth defenseman in the past 30 years to reach that total (Brent Burns, 29 in 2016-17; Mike Green, 31 in 2008-09; Al MacInnis, 28 in 1993-94; and Kevin Hatcher, 34 in 1992-93). He ranked second among blueliners in points (28-58–86) – the goal and point totals setting franchise marks for defensemen – and ranked fifth among all NHLers in plus-minus (+48).

Nashville Predators’ defenseman Roman Josi finished a close second (25 points) while the Tampa Bay Lightning’s Victor Hedman finished third.

Capitals rookie defenseman Martin Fehervary received one fifth place vote as NHL Rookie of the Year, finishing tied for 14th. The 22-year-old Slovakian had 17 points (8g, 9a) in 79 games while skating on the first pairing with John Carlson the entire season. Fehervary’s eight goals was the most by an NHL rookie defensemen this season while his 17 points was tied for sixth.

Detroit Red Wings’ defenseman Moritz Seider took home this year’s Calder Trophy.

Photo: NHL PR

Seider had 50 points (7g, 43a). Only two rookie blueliners over the last 30 years have had more: Quinn Hughes: 8-45—53 in 2019-20 with the Vancouver Canucks and Vladimir Malakhov: 14-38—52 in 1992-93 with the New York Islanders.

First and Second Team All-Stars

Photo: NHL PR

Photo: NHL PR

Two Washington Capitals received votes for the NHL’s end-of-season First and Second Team All-Stars. Alex Ovechkin, like he did in Hart Trophy voting, finished as the fourth-best left wing, receiving one first-place vote, one second-place vote, and 19 third-place votes.

John Carlson finished ninth amongst defensemen after receiving four second-place votes and 53 third-place votes.

All-Rookie Team

Photo: NHL PR

Fehervary also received votes for the NHL’s end-of-season All-Rookie Team. The Marty Party finished sixth amongst all NHL rookie defensemen receiving four points total.

Connor McMichael did not receive any votes at forward.

Every summer, Nicklas Backstrom hands out scholarships, the “Bäckis-stipendiet”, to two young sports stars at his hometown rink in Valbo, Sweden, named NickBack Arena.

On June 10, the Capitals’ star did so again and took questions from Gefle Dagblad’s Daniel Sandström where he spoke extensively in Swedish about his injured hip. Eight days after the interview was published, the Capitals announced that Backstrom went under the knife in Belgium to have a form of hip replacement surgery. The Capitals did not provide a timeline on Backstrom’s return only to say it would be lengthy.

“I want to quit on my own terms and not be forced to quit because of injuries,” Backstrom said then to Gefle Dagblad and translated by RMNB’s Magnus Cadelin. “We’re looking for a solution at the moment and I’m just looking ahead.”

Last year during the scholarship presentation, Backstrom said that he underwent an arthroscopic procedure on his hip in June 2015 and that he had “been in pain since sometime in November (2014).” Backstrom admitted that training since then was more difficult, adding that he could no longer do what he did in his 20’s: two workouts a day and play tennis inbetween.

“I had surgery many years ago, but I won’t do that kind of surgery again,” Backstrom said two weeks ago. “There’s a few things we will try. Or just take a chance and play on. We’ll see what happens.

“I really hope it will get sorted. I’m looking brightly on my future. These problems aren’t something that just popped up now, I’ve had them for a long time.”

Sandström asked Backstrom if he ever thought about quitting.

“No, but there’s been a lot of tough days when I’ve been feeling down,” Backstrom said. “But at the same time, I’m bull-headed. It’s mostly family who have seen me down and blue.”

Backstrom missed the first two months of the 2021-22 season due to his ailing hip. The All-Star center returned in December and while Backstrom registered 31 points (6g, 25a) in 47 games, he never quite looked the same as in previous years.

“It felt good when I got back this winter, but when the schedule intensifies it’s a struggle,” Backstrom said when asked if he’s in pain every game. “I’ve had a bad hip for eight years but I’ve been able to play through it so I guess that’s a positive.”

Backstrom optimistically said last year that he would like to end his career at the very place it started: SHL Brynäs. Now, his hip has him less optimistic it’s possible.

“If I’m feeling fine there’s a chance,” Backstrom said. “But I also want to be realistic about it. I don’t want to come home, have pain and not be able to play on the level I want to. We’ll see where we end up.”