Ask FS! 10/29/07

Welcome back loyal readers! It's time once again for the only online column to win the triple crown . . . in horse racing. It's "Ask FS!" Today's question comes from Suzie in Wheaton. Suzie asks

Why doesn't Nylander get moved to the [Ovechkin] line?

Great question Suzie! Hanlon loves mixing up his lines, based on performance, injury, and the moon's position, but as of yet, we haven't seen a lot of Ovechkin and Nylander together. When Nylander was acquired, everyone assumed it would be to play with Ovechkin, but everyone had the wrong Alex. Now that the Caps have no right wings (Alexander Semin and Chris Clark are both hurt), it is possible that we will see Nylander moved up to the top line, but not necessarily. In the one game that Ovechkin and Nylander saw considerable time together, we saw Ovechkin and Nylander put a -2 together up on the boards, and that seems to be the real reason that Hanlon is keeping them apart. Another reason could be that Hanlon wants to develop two scoring lines, and putting his two most healthy forwards on the same line is no way to do that. Until the team gets healthy, we really have no idea what the plans are for the future with regards to the Caps' top 6 forwards.

Thanks for the question Suzie! If you have a question you'd like to see show up in a future edition of "Ask FS!" just drop it in the comments section below, or send an email to the link provided in the profile. Until next time, "Let's Go Caps!"

Season Preview: Michael Nylander

Michael Nylander is back in the fold, or as Locker will undoubtedly call him "Michael Michael Motorcycle" (the over/under is in the first intermission). After a period that saw Nylander go to first Boston and then New York, Nylander was the Caps' big splash this summer in the Free Agent market, luring him from Edmonton at the last mintue (or after the last minute if you are Kevin Lowe, what ever happened to the leagal action he threatened against the Caps, Nylander, and his agent?)

Nylander was brought in to be the Caps top center, and everyone assumed it was for Ovechkin. Except that Nylander was immediately paired with Semin on the Caps' "second line." So it's up to Nylander this year to get the puck to the other Alexander, and mentor that young Backstrom kid that everyone's been yakking so much about, And heck, maybe get the team back to the playoffs. One thing is for certain, he can rest a little easier knowing that Yonkman isn't on the club anymore.