Locker's Quote of the game!

Starting a new feature, I present to you a quote of the game featuring everyone's favorite color commentator, Craig Laughlin.

While profiling Jeff Schultz, Sarge's favorite movie was listed on screen as "Superbad." Locker's response while going over that point of the feature:

I have never heard of that movie. Maybe it is supposed to be "Sinbad," not "Superbad."

Ladies and Gentlemen, that is your Locker quote of the night.

Season Preview: Jeff Schultz

Jeff Schultz is the anti-Mike Green. Taken at the end of the first round in the 2004 entry draft (just like Mike Green) with a draft pick that we got as a result of the 2004 firesale (just like Mike Green), Jeff Schultz spent his rookie season last year between Washington and Hershey (just like Mike Green). I wasn't kidding in that first sentence though. Where Mike Green looks to make the fancy play, take a risk, and is inconsistent, Jeff Schultz showed in his time in Washington a tendency to make the simple play, be consistent, and use his towering frame to keep oppoenents at bay, without drawing as many penalties as lanky rookie defensemen always seem to draw.

Does he always make the best play? No. Is he very physical? No. Is he very offensive minded? No. These are all things that Jeff Schultz needs to continue to work on as he hones his craft in the Capitals' organization.

Like Mike Green, Schultz will be battling for a spot on that last defensive pair along with Josef Boumedienne, John Erskine, and Steve Eminger. Because he is able to pass through waivers, logic dictates that he will be spending the year in Hershey, at least until someone goes down with an injury. I'm sure we'll see plenty of Jeff Schultz in Washington before the season's end.

Looking back at the Bears . . .

Well, we had a bunch of Hershey kids up over the weekend due to injury/illness, so I figured it'd be time to look back and see how they looked in development, as well as their stats:

Lawrence Nycholat: (still with the team)6g. 1-3-4. 2PIMs. +0. 20:33 per game. Nycholat has been inspired since he came up, to the point where one has to wonder why he was never given a preseason game the last two years? And whether or not Bryan Muir will be the one sent down when he comes back. If I may quote what he said in the District Chophouse the other night, "I'm just trying to play well enough to stay up."

Oh, that's right. I had an exclusive interview.

Dave Steckel: 3g. No points. -2. 11:14. Solid defensively, ok on the PP, but just not showing any offensive ability whatsoever. While he may be able to get it done on O at the AHL level, he hasn't really been able to develop it in the NHL, and there really isn't much of a spark there.

Jamie Hunt: 1g. -1. 6:01. He was minus one in 6 minutes of ice time. Imagine what would have happened if he'd been out there for more.

Timo Helbling: 2g. -1 11:59. He was out there four times as much as Jamie Hunt, but the most memorable experience was getting drilled by the Devils' Cam Janssen.

Jeff Schultz: 4g. -2. 16:03. Schultz looked like any guy in his first year as a professional would look. Solid at times, lost at others. He showed some potential, and he showed how important that big reach can be for a defenseman, but it might be another year or two until he's ready full time.

So what did we learn from the experience?
1. The NHL should never EVER have four games in five nights. Ever.
2. Nycholat should have been up here all along, and Muir might be unnecessary.
3. Jeff Schultz could be really really good one day.
4. The fact that Hershey could keep winning games despite the fact that all these players were called up, and starting goaltender Freddie Cassivi is hurt shows that this club has some organizational depth. Just not a lot of top end talent.