Karl Alzner Rumors & News

Your savory breakfast links: Does Mike Ribeiro's future in Washington depend on how big a homerun restricted free agent Karl Alzner hits this summer? [CSNW, PHT] Speaking of Alzner, he leads today's season review parade... [CSNW (with our take here)] ... followed by Nicklas Backstrom... [Peerless (ours here)] ... Jay Beagle... [Peerless (ours)] ... Tomas Kundratek... [RtR] ... and finally, bringing up the rear, Jemtry Schulpotorlov. (What, you've never heard of him?) [Peerless] Wanted: luck. [Post-Gazette] Handshakes, media, Worlds, Roland-Garros. Lather, rinse, repeat, Alex. [RMNB] ...

Japers' Rink Player Card (click for hi-res version, a glossary of terms used in this post can be found here; data via Behind the Net, Hockey Analysis, CapGeek and NHL.com; h/t Habs EOTP): Alzner and his most frequent defensive partners: 2013 Capitals 5v5 Defenseman Usage, via Hockey Abstract: Alzner's Past Five Seasons (via Hockey Analysis): Previous Rink Wraps: 2011-12 (8.29 rating) 2010-11 (7.81 rating) 2009-10 (5.79 rating) 2008-09 (6.59 rating) Key Stat: Skated 156:08 in the playoffs (including 52:41 against Rick Nash at even strength) and was only on the ice for two ...

Washington Capitals' Karl Alzner carries things to his vehicle at the Kettler Iceplex in Arlington, Va., Wednesday, May 15, 2013. The Capitals were eliminated in the first round of the NHL Stanley Cup playoffs by the New York Rangers. The Capitals have had six consecutive playoff appearances and have failed to get past the second round. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

Washington Capitals' Karl Alzner carries things to his vehicle at the Kettler Iceplex in Arlington, Va., Wednesday, May 15, 2013. The Capitals were eliminated in the first round of the NHL Stanley Cup playoffs by the New York Rangers. The Capitals have had six consecutive playoff appearances and have failed to get past the second round. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

The Washington Capitals are on the verge of eliminating the New York Rangers, and they're doing it largely without the help of Alex Ovechkin. In a tightly fought defensive series, Henrik Lundqvist and Braden Holtby have been the real stars, and Ovechkin's 1 goal and 1 assist is matched by offensive superstars like Karl Alzner and Dan Girardi. No player in the series has more than 2 goals, and only Derick Brassard has more than 4 points, with 6. It's a tough call who to cheer for in this series. Washington has the completely unlikable Mike Ribeiro on their roster, while the Rangers are ...

New York Rangers right wing Ryan Callahan (24) and left wing Rick Nash (61) control the puck in front of Washington Capitals defenseman Karl Alzner (27) in the second period of Game 4 of their first-round NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoff series in New York, Wednesday, May 8, 2013. The Rangers won 4-3. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)

Note: all below data was captured from Hockey Analysis's With You/Without You function on 4/18 (after 43 GP), and then manually calculated and applied. There's been plenty made about the early season severing of the John Carlson and Karl Alzner union. And rightly so. Carlzner, as the two young defenseman were affectionately known, was the Caps' fanbase's Lancelot and Guinevere, Paris and Helena, Starsky and Hutch...whatever. From 2010 to 2012, John Carlson spent more than 70% of his even strength TOI flanked by his trusty, red-bearded Canuck sidekick, Karl Alzner. A fact evinced by the...

Carolina Hurricanes center Jeff Skinner, right, smiles at teammate Eric Staal, third from left, after scoring past Washington Capitals defenseman Karl Alzner, left, and goalie Braden Holtby during the first period of an NHL hockey game on Thursday, April 11, 2013, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)