DC Metro Sports - Capitals Announce 2007-08 Season-Opening Roster

Written by Media Relations
Tuesday, 02 October 2007
ARLINGTON, Va. – Washington Capitals vice president and general manager George McPhee has announced the 23 players who will make up the team’s roster for the season opener at the Atlanta Thrashers on Friday, Oct. 5 (plus one player on injured reserve and one non-roster injured player). The home opener is set for Saturday, Oct. 6, against the Carolina Hurricanes. Fourteen forwards, eight defensemen and two goaltenders make up the Capitals’ season-opening roster, led by goaltender Olie Kolzig, who is entering his 19th season with the organization, second-year captain Chris Clark and two-time first-team NHL All-Star Alex Ovechkin. The team returns its top five goal scorers and top six point producers from last season, as well as its top seven defensemen in games played (including Steve Eminger, who begins the season on injured reserve). Eight players on the roster were not on last year’s opening-night roster, including off-season free-agent additions Viktor Kozlov, Michael Nylander and Tom Poti. Two NHL rookies – Nicklas Backstrom and David Steckel – made the team as well. With Nylander (26 goals last year) and Kozlov (25) joining Ovechkin (46), Alexander Semin (38) and Chris Clark (30), the Capitals are one of three teams that boast five 25-goal scorers from 2006-07 (Carolina and Colorado are the others). Both games this week will be broadcast by Comcast SportsNet and Talk Radio 3WT (107.7 FM, 1500 AM, 820 AM). On Saturday, gates open at Verizon Center at 5:30 p.m. Fans are encouraged to be in their seats by 6:45 p.m. for a special pregame ceremony.

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