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Six-time 20-goal scorer joins Southeast Division champions



ARLINGTON, VA. – The Washington Capitals have signed unrestricted free agent Mike Knuble to a two-year contract, vice president and general manager George McPhee announced today. In keeping with club policy, financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.



A 6’3”, 230-pound right wing who will turn 37 on Saturday, Knuble (kuh-NOO-buhl) has scored at least 21 goals in each of the last six seasons and won the Stanley Cup with Detroit in 1998. He had 27 goals and 20 assists (47 points) while playing 82 games for the Philadelphia Flyers this past season, ranking fifth on the team in goals, sixth in points, second in game-winning goals (6) and third in power-play goals (11).



Knuble has averaged 27 goals and 27 assists (54 points) over the course of the last six seasons and has played in 467 of 492 games (95%) in that time. He has scored at least 10 power-play goals in each of the last five seasons.



Knuble has played 820 NHL games with four teams – Detroit , the New York Rangers, Boston and Philadelphia – in a career spanning 13 seasons. He has 215 goals and 214 assists (429 points), including career highs in goals (34), assists (31) and points (65) in 2005-06, his first season with the Flyers. He has 494 penalty minutes, 67 power-play goals, 29 game-winners and a career plus/minus rating of +62.



Born in Toronto , Knuble played high school hockey in Michigan and played four years for the University of Michigan in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA). He reached three Frozen Fours with the Wolverines, was a second-team All-America as a senior and was a two-time second-team All-CCHA selection.



Note: Knuble’s career statistics on following page.
Mike Knuble

Position: Right Wing

Born: July 7, 1972 ( Toronto , Ontario )

Height: 6’3” Weight: 230 Shoots: Right

Drafted: Detroit ’s fourth-round choice, 76th overall, in the 1991 Entry Draft

I like this pick up. We needed a tough guy that can knock people away from the front of the net.

Really, a great signing. Proven production, he's been healthy, and hopefully he can teach some of our young forwards the value of playing near the crease, and the value of contributing to team defense.

Plus, can you now imagine the power play?

Semin - Backstrom - Knuble
Ovie - Green

So far the Caps have lost Federov and Kozlov, they are looking to dump Nylander (finally IMO) and look like they are going to let Brashear go (if they haven't already, I've been struggling to keep up).

It looks like they are going to put Knuble on the line with Ovie and Backstrom, but I think they are going to miss Federov's two way ability, Kozlov's shoot-out prowess, and Brashear's energy.

I heard they've been trying to trade Nylander but can't find any takers on any deals including late round draft picks.

Brash signed with the Rangers on the first day of signings, probably contributing to our signing Knuble (or Knuble's signing contributed to his decision). I have a feeling he didn't like being benched at the end of the playoffs. I'm guessing Blair Betts won't be re-signing.

JansenFan wrote:Brash signed with the Rangers on the first day of signings, probably contributing to our signing Knuble (or Knuble's signing contributed to his decision). I have a feeling he didn't like being benched at the end of the playoffs. I'm guessing Blair Betts won't be re-signing.

I had heard that the Caps didn't (or weren't at the time I heard) offer(ing) him a contract.

I didn't like him being benched for the end of the playoffs. Sure he made a stupid play to get suspended, but the suspension was far more than necessary IMO.

I think Brash should have played, but I'm not the coach. BB said he didn't want to mess up the chemistry. I thought Brash was a key member of the energy line, and was as good a dump and chase corner-man as you could ask for.

On my list of people who should have been purged, he was not one of them.

Now Nylander on the OTOH, he was a waste of space and the sooner they can be rid of him, the better.

I liked Nylander when he was here previously, but we just didn't really have anywhere to use him consistently on this team.

JansenFan wrote:I liked Nylander when he was here previously, but we just didn't really have anywhere to use him consistently on this team.

He was just frustrating. It was like he was afraid to shoot the puck. He'd make an unwise pass instead of taking an open shot.

He consistantly turned the puck over and it didn't seem to matter much, which line he was on. If he got the puck, he would usually turn it over trying to make an ill-advised pass.

If Morrison hadn'y stepped his game up like he did in the playoffs, he was another on my list of people who should be job hunting.

He is our best defender, IMO. I wish he was a little more physical, but I think that about most of the Caps roster. I will say that of all the defensemen, I was most impressed (physicality-wise) with Jurcina in the playoffs. He made a few mistakes defensively, but he does that as a normal part of his game. He was, however, bashing people consistently, and from a guy his size, its more the game I always wanted him to play.