Ovechkin on IR; Green, Schultz game-time decisions

That makes sense since the IR money from Ovi's contract is a load, even for a few weeks or so.

I'm guessing that with Fehr coming back that Sloan moves to D and Erskine plays with Eric taking the open forward line. Done deal.

Fire it up tonight, guys.

Absolutely makes sense. Regular IR means Ovi must be out 7 days from the injury -- not a large amount of time, and indeed I'd guess it will be a bit more. Ovi's IR frees a lot of salary space.

Does IR also waive the waiver rules? That is, can a player take Ovi's place without having to clear waivers up or down? I assume so but don't know.

Absolutely makes sense. Regular IR means Ovi must be out 7 days from the injury -- not a large amount of time, and indeed I'd guess it will be a bit more. Ovi's IR frees a lot of salary space.

Does IR also waive the waiver rules? That is, can a player take Ovi's place without having to clear waivers up or down? I assume so but don't know.

coma47: Yes, actually had a conversation with a Capitals Insider just the other day on here and Loob's name came up. Loob apparently doesn't throw around compliments but has great things to say about our #1 draft pick playing in the SEL, Marcus Johansson. Why would you bring up some player who left the league 20 years ago or so?

I saw players like Tony Esposito, Keith Magnuson, Stan Makita, and Bobby Hull (both as a Hawk and a visiting Jet when playing the WHA Chicago Cougars) LIVE. I saw Gordie Howe, Mark Howe, and Marty Howe all playing on the New England Whalers.

Yeah, I'm old. Loob left the NHL and headed back to Sweden way back when I was in my 20's. You are right, it is a cool hockey name.

There are folks here that are way better at the salary cap than I am but I believe a player has to be on the Long Term Injured Reserve (LTIR) for their salary not to count against the Cap. Putting Ovi on IR allows the Caps to add Fehr to the roster. BB sure sounded annoyed that Fehr wasn't ready to step in as early as Wednesday.

Ovechkin has not been put on Long Term Injured Relief, thus the Capitals will not gain any Cap relief.

The Capitals are unable to do an emergency recall since we have a healthy body at forward that we just refuse to play.

Why is Boyd Gordon not on LTIR?? The guy's been out forever. Aucoin and Perrault have both outplayed him, too.

@fanohock1

I also thought that only LTIR allowed a salary not to count against the cap.

I don't know what "regular" injured reserve does for us, except allow us to call up people. No surprise that Ovi's on regular IR.

Glad Fehr's back. Guess he goes to either the third or 4th line, unless they want him on the line with Flash and Backstrom. I assume he'll go to the 4th line -- for now, even though he's more of a 2nd or 3rd liner.

I think LTIR means a guy has to be out for 9 games, if I recall correctly. Ovi's already missing at least 3. (Missing tonight already means he's missed a week since we don't play until Wed.)

Actually, I think that players on IR and LTIR both count against the cap, though if on LTIR they can exceed the cap without penalty.

LTIR is 10 games and 24 days.

You're right about the cap. IR mostly gets you the roster spot.

Only when a player is on LTIR does a team potentially get cap relief. It is kinda complicated the details, but the long story short is the Caps would get cap relief.

Second, Tarik had to change planes in Atlanta, his point of origin? Yikes!