Chris Clark Is a Hockey God

While we eagerly await the Wizards’ impending eight-month reign over the Eastern Conference, a tip of the ‘tism cap to the Captain of the Wiz’s Verizon Center co-occupier is in order.

As information continues to filter in regarding Chris Clark’s recent injury injuries, the inevitable (and apt) comparisons to Dale Hunter gain momentum. The terms “grit” and “scoring touch” seem to be getting paired a lot. After his impressive-enough shift-finishing-following-tooth-loss almost a year ago, we might have wondered what it takes to actually prematurely end one of Clark’s shifts. Now we know: chipped tooth and a slapshot-butchered ear. As nasty as the ear business looked and sounded, the added knowledge of a second injury incurred just seconds before adds to the growing stature of #17.

We already know he doesn’t shy away from whatever tough questions come his way, and we’ll soon find out it takes much more than just a chunk of tooth and ear missing to make Cap’n Clark shy away from his grittiness-with-a-30-goal-scoring-touch style of play.

We hope he makes it back tomorrow to play the Rangers, who are dressed in their usual Halloween fare of a high-priced, underachieving alleged Cup contender.

Until then, bring on the Wiz.

Clark: 1 2 of 30

Chris Clark, wisely moved back to the top line by Glen Hanlon, has made the move pay off not seven minutes into tonight's game. Clark, goal; Ovechkin, assist. Methinks we'll see that complimentary scoring a couple dozen more times this season.

2nd period: He can also score off his knee.

MAO of the Week (7-20)

It's a day late, but we nevertheless present this Manny Acta Optimist of the Week award to Capitals' captain Chris Clark. Besides showing his dedication to the "other plan" in town by re-upping for three years, Clark vocalized his foresight and bubbling optimism by saying "I like where I am right now. I like the organization. I love the area."

Clark's attitude flies in the face (again) of the optimism-hating perception that "nobody wants to play for the Capitals." Just as the Michael Nylander DC-is-way-better-than-Edmonton situation showed, players coming off career years do want to play here. Clark could have walked after next year and had his soul purchased by the blackened hearts in Philly or New York, but he chose to stay. There may yet be hope that traditional team-building will win the day over the elite-player-grabbing-and-overpaying that is more and more becoming a strategy in the NHL (salary "caps" notwithstanding).

We are also exuberant about Clark's re-signing for more selfish reasons. The extension presents us with three extra years of opportunities to pose pressing questions to the benevolent captain, who seemed to genuinely enjoy his brief chat with our own Bobtimist Prime at last month's uniform unveiling. There's plenty more where that came from, Chris. We're glad you're sticking around for it.

Bob asks the tough questions

During Friday's uniform unveiling at Kettler Iceplex, I had the pleasure to ask a few tough questions to the available Capital players. Tarik El-Bashir's piece in Friday's paper noted that the brand new, super sleek, updated-throwback look includes newly designed underwear. It was up to me to find out what the players thoughts were on these new undergarmets, as well as their feelings about hurting opposing NHL players. I first want to give a strong shout out to Jeff Shultz who tolerated me through a couple of questions, but I managed to lose the audio. But I did manage to chat with superbly spent-on defenseman Brian Pothier, grinding gritty winger-defenseman Ben Clymer and the Captain and all around good guy Chris Clark. And you get to hear my amber-toned voice as well!

Brian Pothier: ("...are you serious?")



Chris Clark: ("...a whole team's worth of blood")


Ben Clymer: ("...we'll get our shots in.")

Capitals' Captain Not Ejected for Spearing

Yes, the Capitals lost their season finale 2-0 to the Buffalo Sabres. However, they also lost where it's more important, being outscored in cowardly spearing penalties 1-0. Once again, Sabres captain Daniel Briere got into a little tussle and retaliated in the best way he knows how: spearing Caps defenseman Milan Jurcina in the mid-section after Jurcina shoved aside Briere's pathetic attempt to fight with the big kids. Unlike December 26, when Briere also showed his bravery by spearing Alex Ovechkin in the groin, he was caught and ejected. While DCO applauds the 5-minute major and game misconduct penalty, we still await word of Briere's arrest, prosecution, and subsequent imprisonment (where a hockey stick will do him no good in prison yard brawls), as well as an explanation as to why he was permitted to play in Buffalo's season finale in Philadelphia today.

Meanwhile, Capitals captain Chris Clark did not spear anyone, and finished off a career-best season with 30 goals and 24 assists. While GM George McPhee has received plenty of criticism for his moves over the years, acquiring Clark last year was an undeniably fantastic move. DCO would like to see Clark back on the top line with Ovechkin next year, centered by a quality pivot who does not have a penchant for groin spearing.