NHL Hockey Sports Fan Blog

For fans and players of the NHL this has been a long and stressful summer up to this point. With the CBA still not signed for the 2012-2013 season it has made everyone tense. And with the decision from Commissioner Gary Bettman last week saying that if there is no deal signed before September 15th there will be a lockout things have gotten worse.

This is a nightmare for both fans and players alike because of what happened in 2004 when the entire league was shut down for an entire season because of the lockout. That year saw a huge loss in money and players, after over 350 of them went to play over in Europe because of this decision. Now with the KHL having many elite teams with elite players (including a lot of former NHL players) it poses an even bigger threat that players will once again leave.

The NHLPA submitted a proposal yesterday afternoon to the NHL in their offices in New York City. After a two hour meeting which included high profile players such as Sidney Crosby, Alex Ovechkin and Steven Stamkos the NHL and Gary Bettman decided they were going to need another day to digest everything that happened yesterday. So the wait continues, until around noon this afternoon when they will meet again to go over the current proposal which includes the players taking a hit in terms on revenue aspect of the deal. Everyone just wants to start the season on time and everyone hopes both sides come to an agreement quickly. But for now we wait…

With the NHL draft soon approaching this means it’s time for everyone to start making their predictions as to who will be the first overall pick in the 2012 NHL Draft. All eyes point to Nail Yakupov being amongst the legends who were picked in the first spot: Sidney Crosby, Alexander Ovechkin, Steven Stamkos and Mario Lemieux just to name a few. The 18 year old right winger who currently plays for Sarnia is on track to be the next player everyone will know. Yakupov has been on the top of everyone’s lists as going first overall and I do not see why that is should not happen. He put up stellar numbers this past season for Sarnia: 42 games played, 31 goals, 38 assists, 69 points and +15. Those are numbers of a superstar in the making. With the Edmonton Oilers having the first pick, again, it should come as no surprise if they choose Yakupov. After getting Taylor Hall and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins in the first round of the previous two drafts, Yakupov should fit right into the Oilers organization.

The average age of the Oilers during the 2011-2012 season was 27.32 years old so adding Yakupov (age 18) will only make this team more dynamic in years to come once he learns the system. Yakupov has a lot of things this organization needs to become a truly great team, one who does not have the first round picks in three consecutive drafts. Even as a winger he has the ability to control every aspect of the ice. He will help make the top-6 forwards for the Oilers very strong for years to come. Even though the Oilers have some depth at the forward position and are in desperate need of a solid defenseman it would be very hard for them to pass Yakupov up. They would be smart to draft Yakupov and then they can rely on free agency, trades and other picks they have in this years draft to pick up a defenseman. The Oilers can’t pass on the most gifted offensive player in the draft, no matter if they necessarily need him or not. Having him on your team would be a true gift, something the organization was given when their names were pulled out of the hat to be selected first overall for the third year in a row. Expect to see Nail Yakupov walk up on stage and put on the Edmonton Oilers jersey after being selected first overall in the 2012 NHL Draft in Pittsburgh on June 22nd.

Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals, and maybe even Montreal’s inability to score more goals in a dominant second period, drove Canadiens goalie Carey Price to a couple of piques of frustration.

Ovechkin scored his second goal of the game with 8:51 left, sending Washington to a 6-3 victory Wednesday night and a 3-1 lead in the Eastern Conference series.

Ovechkin opened the scoring at 8:10 of the first period with the Capitals’ first power-play goal of the series. Mike Knuble tied it at 2 with Washington’s second short-handed goal in two games with 6.3 seconds left in the second.

Boyd Gordon, who returned to the lineup to score a key short-handed goal in Game 3 after being a healthy scratch, set up Knuble on a 2-on-1 to draw the Capitals even despite being outshot 33-18 to that point.

Click here to read the full article – By Associated Press of ESPN.com

Alex Ovechkin says he was joking when he told a reporter over the weekend that he could be out more than a month.

The Washington Capitals star practiced lightly Monday and said he would actually miss about a week.

He hasn’t played since leaving a Nov. 1 game against Columbus after he was hurt in a scrum. The Capitals said last week that Ovechkin, whose 14 goals and 23 points lead the team, was week to week with what they called an upper-body problem.

Ovechkin, who was quoted by Yahoo! Sports on Saturday night as saying he could miss four or five weeks, insisted his left shoulder was not affected by the still unspecified injury, animatedly flexing the joint and telling reporters with a smile, “The shoulder’s fine, see?”

Click here to read the full article – By Associated Press of ESPN.com

Washington Capitals Sports Memorabilia
and other Washington Capitals Gifts and Collectibles
Below are links to memorabilia available for Alexander Ovechkin.