Yesterday, Matthew Schaefer of the New York Islander won the Calder Trophy for rookie of the year. It really wasn't a close race. Schaefer is all that and a bag of chips after playing in all 82 games finishing with 23 goals and 36 assists for 59 points. The Capitals’ own Ryan Leonard and Justin Sourdif also received votes, finishing 8th and 12th, respectively. The fact that two Caps rookies received votes is a postive sign for Washington's hockey future.
Leonard scored 20 goals dished out 25 assists for 45 points in 75 games, with a Corsi of 53.0. Those are damn good numbers for any NHLer, much less a rookie. The way he caught fire in the last third of the season showed he was starting to put it together at the NHL level. Leonard is feisty and aggressive, a good skater, had good hands, and has that wicked wrister. Leonard played well on the power play and could coudl expand his duties as he develops and looks to be the exciting young player the Caps thought they were getting when they drafted him three years ago. Leonard is currently playing for the United States in the IIHF World Championships in Switzerland starting Friday May 15th.
Justin Sourdif was a revelation at the 3C. Sourdif had 15 goals 20 assists for 35 points in 78 games, with a Corsi of 52.2. When the Caps traded a second and sixth round pick to Florida last summer, fans didn’t know what to expect. General manager Chris Patrick sure did, though. Sourdif grabbed the 3C position and didn’t let go. He was also trusted with playing second-line minutes between Aliaksei Protas and Tom Wilson after Pierre-Luc Dubois was injured, and that line barely missed a beat. Sourdif and Leonard also showed chemistry when playing on the same line, which helped the Capitals in their late season surge that almost got them into the playoffs. If those two stay paired up, it would be interesting to see who will play on the left wing with them. (Andrew Cristall maybe?)
CAPS TRIVIA
Who was the first Capitals netminder to win the Vezina Trophy?
1. Don Beaupre
2. Jim Carey
3. Olaf Kolzig
4. Braden Holtby
*Answer in tomorrows edition.
Today in Capitals History May 14th, 1996
Dale Hunter scored two goals in a Game 5 loss to the Penguins to become the Capitals playoff points leader with 62 points. Hunter is now in fourth place on the Capitals all-time with 72 points, behind John Carlson (78), Nicklas Backstrom ( 114), and Alexander Ovechkin (147 and counting.) Hunter will forever be remembered for this legendary moment back in the 1988 playoffs.
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