Caps Briefing: Missed Opportunity

Talented European prospects Jacub Klepis and Jame Pollock left the Washington Capitals' farm team this week to play in Europe. The Capitals will no longer have to pay their salaries, but they will also no longer have them around to call up when their star players get injured.

Klepis played half the season for Washington last year, gradually developing into a decent center, and showing signs that he could become more of an offensive force in the future. He would be a terrific player to have around now that the Caps' best offensive center, Michael Nylander, is on injured reserve with an undisclosed injury.

Nylander has centered Alexander Ovechkin since just before Bruce Boudreau took over as the team's head coach. In the last couple of games, since Chris Clark suffered an undisclosed injury, the two have been joined by Viktor Kozlov. Since then, Kozlov, Ovechkin and Nylander have provided nearly all of the Capitals' offense. With Chris Bourque reeling from his umpteenth concussion (minor leaguers have specific injuries), and Klepis heading across the pond, the most likely candidate to replace Nylander is defensive-defenseman-turned-forward Ben Clymer. Of course, we'd prefer Mark Recchi.