from Jim Matheson of the Edmonton Journal,

If it’s true as a radio report in Belarus says that the much-maligned ex Maple Leafs’ centre Mikail Grabovski is signing a one-year $3 million deal with the Washington Capitals, two things come to mind: (1) what took the Caps so long to jump on this guy after losing Mike Ribeiro to Dallas as a free-agent with Mathieu Perreault and Jay Beagle as the No. 2 and No. 3 centres behind Nicklas Backstrom and (b) Grabovski is still going to get about what he was making in Toronto ($1.8 mil from the Leafs as part of his buyout, plus the $3 mil from Washington.

Grabovski is not as good as Ribeiro as a point-producer or set-up man for his wingers but he is a better two-way player. He was used in a checking role in Toronto last year by Randy Carlyle. He is a 50-point NHL centre with more bite to his game than Ribeiro; Ribeiro is a surefire 70-point guy; he will be the first-line centre in Phoenix this season.

continue for more on the possible signing and also for Matheson's take on the Douglas Murray signing...