The Caps' podcast this week addressed the sudden glut of goaltenders in the Washington system, and the effect it may have on Varlamov, who has indeed expressed a willingness/eagerness to come over to North America next season.
The Caps still have Calder Cup MVP Cassivi signed through next season to backstop Hershey, and are carrying Caps prospect Maxime Daigneault, who has looked good in a backup/injury fill-in at starter role for a very good Hershey team. Caps G prospect Daren Machesney has received a callup from the ECHL during Cassivi's injury and fared well himself. Two other Bears goalies got wins in their first AHL starts last week in consecutive games, so the team's in many ways full up at the position.
With their prospect cupboard, the Caps are already stashing significantly more players at Hershey than Bruce Boudreau strictly speaking needs or can juggle when the roster is healthy, finding ice time for everyone. The Caps have more prospects playing for their ECHL South Carolina affiliate than anyone can remember in a long time. That includes goal, where they are carrying Machesney as thier starter, when the Bears aren't frocking him for AHL duty, as well as skaters like Steve Werner, Viktor Dovgan, Matt Stefanishion, and at times Jonas Johansson, who has rode the shuttle.
Because of the glut, the Caps are already expected to stash Neuvirth at OHL Plymouth a while longer before signing him. So going back to Varlamov, it's something of a dilemma, though a good problem to have, of course. Getting him quality minutes/starts over here would be the challenge,
in an environment that would be measurably better than serving as a regular starter in the RSL.
Might come down to whether the Caps re-sign Brent Johnson, or promote Daigneault to back up Kolzig for 2007-08.
Link: 57:10 minutes into the podcast.
My guess? If he's not in the AHL in 2007-08, they'll sign him and have him over here for the 2008-09 season. He's hungry to play in the NHL, though.