Monday Caps Clips

Your savory breakfast links:

' It's Breakdown Day. The questions, they loom ... [DCEx, RtR, WaPo, OFB]

' ... Dale Hunter, for example. London's calling ... [LFP]

' ... Alexander Semin's future gets potentially more enigmatic as the KHL announces they will suspend their salary cap for one player per team who returns to Russia from the NHL ... [PHT]

' ... and there's some other guys looking for contracts, with handy chart. [WaPo]

' Unmet expectations ... [WashTimes, DCEx, CSNW]

' ... and a promising reinvention that still fell short ... [WaPo, NHL.com, THW, Fanspeak.com, Hockey Hourly]

' ... but ultimately, defeated by the superior team. [WashTimes]

' More appreciation for Braden Holtby. [WaPo, PHT, WashTimes]

' Through two rounds, no team played shorthanded more that the Caps, and lots of other interesting numbers. [RMNB]

' Lies, damn lies, statistics, and Alex Ovechkin [NHLNumbers.com]

' Ovi, Alex Syomin, and Nicklas Bäckström will play for Sbornaya and Tre Kronor at the World Championship. [WashTimes, IIHF, Hockey Ramblings]

' Reflections on a red-rocking rookie season. [Caps B-Ball]

' It was long past time to launder that jersey, gents. [Puck Buddys]

' Media notes: Lots o' Caps radio this morning. You can catch Alan May from 8-10am on ESPN 980, and Braden Holtby will be on WTOP at 8:50am.

' Here's more on David Bondra and his decision to become a Spartan. [Detroit News (video), s/t to sk84fun_DC]

' Programming note: Our annual Rink Wrap feature kicks off today at 11. Karl Alzner is up first, so kennel the dogs and get your gold stars ready.

' Finally, happy 44th birthday to Steve Seftel.