For my first post with Caps Outsider, I was going to do something witty or shiny or at least reflective of deeply insightful hockey knowledge. Then George McPhee went and signed Tomas Vokoun, and I just couldn’t bring myself to resist the obvious comment.
When I heard the Caps acquired Vokoun, the first thought that entered my head was “I wonder where Keith Ballard ended up this season?” (He’s still in Vancouver, in case anyone else was curious.)
For those whose interest in the Florida Panthers started this summer with the team’s quest for the cap floor (goodbye, Matt Bradley. We miss you already!), Ballard nailed the Capitals’ newest goalie in the noggin back in November 2009. The two were on the same team at the time. That got me thinking about one of those unfortunate rec league truths – it’s not a penalty if your own teammate does it to you.
A bit of judicious consultation with the Internet’s knowledge banks (YouTube, Google, and fellow hockey fans) provided a quick and dirty list of If only it hadn’t been a teammate moments.
Keith Ballard – slash to the head of Tomas Vokoun
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=16uqb0awrEw
Dan Carcillo – takes out Jeff Carter via body-check
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Rmqy7aXSjw
Dan Boyle – wins it for the Avs in OT. Shame he’s a Shark.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1PAQQyNw1lg
Honorable Mention – Shea Weber’s Slapshot (multiple offenses)
Now, where would an overview of in-house damages be without the brotherly love? For a classic example, we have Keith Primeau, who managed to fight not only his brother but also two different teammates (Chris McAllister and Bob Probert) over the course of his career.
The Staal brothers are a more recent family franchise to make the NHL damage control listings, with Marc firmly reinforcing his role as the middle child. While his hit on Jordan had minimal lasting impact in 2008, he didn’t fare nearly as well when on the receiving end of a hit from Eric this February.
While the Caps have had their fair share of unfortunate self-inflicted wounds as an organization (including some minor damage to the Great 8’s iconic visage earlier this spring), the only member of the Capitals system to make this dubious list in recent years resides in the minors (and was not tendered a qualifying offer this summer). During D-camp last summer, Joe Finley managed to put fellow defenseman Zach Miskovic onto the injured reserve. Miskovic would recover to snag a regular berth later in the season in Hershey; Finley has yet to successfully break out of South Carolina.
All the same, it might be for the best if the Caps invest in a few rolls of bubble-wrap for their new netminder. We just traded out one glass groin – there’s no reason to go looking for trouble.
