Yes, there is much to-do in the Capitals org of late. Things like Troy Brouwer and Brooks Laich, but if you picked two articles at random from this blog, I think you could extrapolate what recent news I find most compelling. No, it’s not Jagr’s waffling about which league and then team to join (I secretly hope it’s the Penguins and he absolutely implodes — can’t think of two things that deserve each other more).

I know how you feel, Varly

The Puck Daddy article has the relevant quotes from the Pavel Lysenkov article. There’s also an article on Sports.ru in English that confirms Varlamov’s signing to SKA.

The catfighting between SKA and Lokomotiv is just as or possibly more interesting than the actual signing, and is another example of the inherent weakness of the KHL. In the NHL we keep most of our front office hissy fits under the table, thank you very much! There was also a delightfully snarky comment from Varly’s agent about Russian doctors being better than American doctors, which, as a German, I can objectively say is hogwash.

A part of me feels that Varlamov is being used as a tool in the endless panto that is NHL and KHL relations — not to be confused with the part of me that simply feels Varlamov himself is a tool. But regardless of the silly and/or downright offensive things he’s said, I still adore him, and will spend tonight weeping into my Winter Classic jersey. Of course, nothing can be confirmed until noon tomorrow, so there’s still a glimmer of a chance.

Tomorrow is Canada Day and therefore the start of Free Agent Frenzy. Swing by for what will undoubtedly be mostly complaining about how nothing interesting has happened!