I know this is a sports blog — more specifically a Washington Redskins and Washington Capitals blog — but some things are bigger than sports, and today is no exception. I’m sure everyone has their own story about that day, but I can’t help but reminisce about it and how different things are now, as opposed to before that fateful day.
Washington Capitals
Ovechkin To Hold Crazy Eights Skills Session
Alexander Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals is hailed by many as the greatest hockey player in the game today. He can skate, shoot, pass and check with the best of them. This year, for his birthday, he’d like to pass some of that knowledge along to your son or daughter.
Comcast Sportsnet Releases Caps TV Sked
Comcast Sportsnet announced the television schedule for Washington Capitals games for the up-coming season, and WOW. What a difference a play-off run and a game-changing superstar makes. For a long-time Washington hockey fan like myself, I can’t recall a higher percentage of televised games since the old Home Team Sports days. My grandparents held season tickets, but when the price went up and you could catch every game on cable, we stopped going to the Capitals Center and started watching the games from their living room, my grandfather teaching me the nuances of the game amidts loud calls for Al Koken to shut his pie hole and Mike Gartner to slam one through the five-hole.
BONVIE HIRED BY LEAFS
Former Hershey Bear Dennis Bonvie has officially been hired as a pro scout by the Toronto Maple Leafs. Bonvie, while never a part of the Washington Capitals organization, spent part of the 1998-99 with the Portland Pirates, the farm team that the Capitals shared that season with the Chicago Blackhawks. After finishing out his … Read more
Caps To Retire Gartner’s Eleven
The Washington Capitals announced today that former right winger Mike Gartner’s number 11 will finally be strung from the rafters of the Verizon Center.
From the Washington Capitals PR department:
ARRIVEDERCI LOUIS ROBITAILLE
Louis Robitaille is now officially an ex-Hershey Bear. Robitaille has signed a one year deal with SG Cortina of the Italian Hockey League.
With the departure of Robitaille, who led the AHL in PIM’s for the 07-08 season, and the retirement of the AHL’s all-time career PIM leader Dennis Bonvie, the penalty box attendants in Hershey and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton might have to look for other gainful employment during games between the Southern Division rivals.
Capitals Rookie Game Tix Available Online
The Washington Capitals are set to kick off their rookie camp on September 14, 2008 — check in here for updates from our friend John Sparenberg. As part of the rookie camp, the Caps will host a rookie game against the Philadephia Flyers at Kettler Capital Ice Plex, starting at 3 pm on September 18th.
Oy Vey, Ovie
I found this video on YouTube, and I can only guess that Ovie enjoyed at least some it.:
Getting to know…Bryan Helmer
Meet Bryan Helmer, a newcomer to Hershey Bears/Washington Capitals organization. Helmer was signed as a free agent .. spending the last two seasons in the Phoenix Coyotes’ organization with the San Antonio Rampage of the AHL.
Hershey Bears schedule notes
The Hershey Bears, senior member of the American Hockey League, announced their schedule last week for their 71st season in the loop. The Bears will open the campaign on Oct. 8 in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton against the Penguins, losers in last year’s Calder Cup Finals to the Chicago Wolves. Following the opener in Wilkes/Barre-Scranton, the Bears will … Read more