The Caps made their final roster cuts on Tuesday. Forwards Jay Beagle and Mathieu Perreault have made the team while Cody Eakin, Mattias Sjogren and defenseman Dmitry Orlov were sent to AHL Hershey.
Wrote about the options for Orlov the other day. It was pretty obvious from the comments by Hershey coach Mark French early in camp and Bruce Boudreau late that Orlov, a 20-year-old Russian, could really benefit from another development year. Doesn’t mean we won’t see him in Washington in 2011-12. But for someone still trying to pick up the language and figure out the decision-making process on the ice this is probably the best course.
Same goes for Eakin, 20, and Sjogren, 23. Very possible that we could see both of them at some point this season, too. But Sjogren must adjust to the North American rink and style of play and improve his skating. Eakin looks physically better than he did this summer at development camp, but again the jump from junior hockey to the NHL is massive and even more so when trying to do it on a contending team. All three players sent to Hershey had their moments.
“It wasn’t anything they did wrong,” Boudreau said. “I think it was evident that Mathieu played better. And that’s why he’s here and they’re not.”
And Boudreau was adamant that for training camp and rookie camp and development camp to mean something players have to believe it’s an open competition. Not for everyone, of course. Alex Ovechkin cam survive an up-and-down training camp. Rookies who need more time can’t. But their time will come. With the speed injuries can hit in the NHL that could be sooner than later.
“Ice time is so valuable,” Boudreau said. “We think they’re all NHL players. Might be in two games, might be in 10 games. Might be 30 games. Down the road they’re NHL players. Where are they going to get the best training? Is it sitting on the bench or in the stands or is it playing in the second-best league in the world?”
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