Caps Rink Report with Tarik El-Bashir

Despite missing Ovi, Kuzy and Tom Wilson just to name a few, the Caps are back in 1st place thanks to some unsung heroes and gutsy performances. Nick Ashooh and JJ Regan discuss the upcoming goalie competition between Ilya Samsonov and the surprising Vitek Vanacek, plus who needs else needs to step up once they return. And in case you missed it our Players Only segment, two great Bruce Boudreau stories, and we'll take a look at the East Division through the early stages of the season.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this special "Headstrong" edition of Capitals Talk, Ted Leonsis joins Chris Miller for an in-depth interview about the issues of mental health and suicide awareness in light of the current environment we're all living in, particularly with today's athletes and those who play for his teams. For more of NBC Sports Washington's series on men's and mental health, "Headstrong", go to nbcsportswashington.com/headstrong.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Caps got 6 of a possible 8 points on their season-opening road trip, but how should they be judged after 4 games? Karl Alzner joins Nick Ashooh and JJ Regan after his first game on the other side, as an analyst on Caps Pregame and Postgame Live, to discuss Tuesday night's OT loss to the Penguins plus: Tom Wilson's emergence into a legit star, Bruce Boudreau's unique approach to "analytics", and the problems we're all facing with technology these days.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A jam-packed episode of the Capitals Talk podcast coming your way this week ahead of Thursday's opener in Buffalo. Nick Ashooh and JJ Regan are joined by senior NHL.com writer Dan Rosen, host of the Flyers Talk podcast Jordan Hall from NBC Sports Philadelphia, DJ Bean from Boston Sports Tonight on NBC Sports Boston and Seth Rorabaugh who covers the Penguins for the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.

The group hits on all the biggest stories around the East Division leading into the season including:

• division realignment and what it means for the teams in the East (3:00)
• best offseason addition (11:00)
• biggest storyline heading into the season (20:00)
• best and worst case scenarios for each team (29:30)

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Caps closed out 2020 with the stunning signing of former Norris Trophy defenseman Zdeno Chara. JJ Regan is joined by Joe Haggerty of BostonHockeyNow.com, one of the foremost experts on the Bruins and Chara, to break down just what the Caps are getting from the soon-to-be 44-year-old defenseman - as well as what this means for the Bruins, a team that the Caps have dominated over the years and will face 8! times this season!

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On this edition of the Capitals Talk podcast, we dig into the Capitals 2020-2021 schedule which opens January 14 in Buffalo. Alexa Shaw leads Alan May, Nick Ashooh and JJ Regan in breaking down how the schedule will play out for Washington and the importance of gelling quickly under new head coach Peter Laviolette. After that, the gang talks about what Conor Sheary can bring to the middle-six forwards and if there will be any more moves before the season starts to bolster the situation between the pipes.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It's official now, the NHL has announced its plans for the 2020-2021 (really only 2021 but oh well) season which is set to start on January 13th! Alexa Shaw, Nick Ashooh and JJ Regan walk you through all the details and discuss what the East division will look like with the Bruins, Sabres, Devils, Islanders, Rangers, Flyers, Penguins and Capitals. Hockey is coming back and we've got you covered all the time at NBCSportsWashington.com and right here on the Capitals Talk podcast!

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Well, this is not the news we were hoping for from the Capitals today but it's the news we've got: Henrik Lundqvist will not play in the 2021 season due to a heart condition. We're all hoping that The King gets well soon.

But what next for the Capitals? Nick Ashooh and JJ Regan take a look back at Hank's career before Brent Johnson joins JJ to discuss options for Ilya Samsonov's backup and if the Caps can still be considered in the running for the Stanley Cup with Samsonov as the #1.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On this episode of the Capitals Talk podcast, Nick Ashooh and JJ Regan are joined by former Capitals defenseman Karl Alzner to discuss what's next for him after opting out of the 2020 postseason with Montreal. Alzner looks back fondly on his time in Washington and gives some behind-the-scenes details that helped a pair of his former teammates blossom into the superstars they are today.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Nick Ashooh and JJ Regan are joined by the legendary Doc Emrick to discuss everything from his favorite moments through Alex Ovechkin's illustrious career to why he thinks the 2021 Capitals will be in the mix for the Stanley Cup in the season ahead. Conversation also includes Doc's new memoir, Off Mike, a perfect gift for any hockey lover on your holiday list!

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.