Karl Alzner plans to put his best foot forward at Team Canada's orientation camp to try to earn a roster spot for the Winter Olympics. "From what I've heard at least, they're looking for a left-handed shut down defenseman that can skate. That is usually the way I like to view myself," Alzner said. "When you're going up against the best players in the NHL you're always kind of looking [at other defensemen] and thinking 'Oh that guy can skate better than me, that guy's got a better stick than me.' You're always kind of picking things apart, but realistically I think that I have an opportunity. It's going to come down to how I'm playing at the time and also injuries, which we all know can happen so randomly." Alzner is one of three defensemen invited to camp to never represent Canada in international competition at the senior level, which will make him a long shot to earn a roster spot.

Karl Alzner's invitation to Team Canada's Olympic orientation camp came as a surprise to him. Alzner was so startled to get a phone call from St. Louis Blues GM Doug Armstrong that he assumed the Blues had traded for him. "I was thinking, 'Can we be making trades right now? How can we just re-sign [a four-year contract extension with the Caps] and then get traded?" Alzner explained. "There was a whirlwind of thoughts going through my head, all in a matter of seconds. It was pretty funny." Needless to say, Alzner is thrilled to be on the list of people invited to attend the camp.

Karl Alzner is happy for the security his four-year/$11.2 million contract provides him with. Alzner ended up settling for a very reasonable $2.8 million cap hit. "For me, it's mainly about security, being able to stay in one place," Alzner said. "Knowing you have a deal for the next four year was something we were really interested in. Hopefully, it's all in one place and I'm not traded or anything like that." He's a key blueliner for the Capitals, but his lack of offensive upside hinders his fantasy value in standard leagues.

Karl Alzner hopes the Washington Capitals add another noteworthy free agent. "We haven't done a whole lot, trying to lock up some of the guys right now," Alzner said. "But there's still a ton of good players out there that, if we have the opportunity to get, can help us tremendously." The Capitals don't have a lot of cap space, but at this point there might be some players open to signing relatively cheap one-year contracts with an eye of proving themselves for the 2014 free agency period.

Karl Alzner inked a four-year deal with the Capitals worth $11.2 million. Alzner was a restricted free agent. He is a 24-year-old top-pair, shutdown defenseman who will be very affordable for the Capitals, as he comes with just a $2.8 million cap hit. He had five points in 48 games last season. "We are very pleased to sign Karl Alzner to a contract extension," said general manager George McPhee. "Karl is just entering his prime and has been a model of consistency for our organization since he entered the League. He plays tough and valuable minutes against some of the NHL's top players every game."

Washington Capitals extend qualifying offer to Karl Alzner. This was just a formality for the Capitals, who have said they'll match any and all offer to Alzner and fellow RFA Marcus Johansson. Alzner only had one goal and five points in 48 games last season but is a steady presence on the Caps' blue line at just 24 years old. Alzer doesn't have much fantasy value at this point.

Washington GM George McPhee plans to match any offer sheet sent to defenseman Karl Alzner or forward Marcus Johansson. "We would always match," McPhee said Monday. "We're not going to allow other clubs to determine who's in our lineup or who's not in our lineup. We would match and adjust in another way." Both players are key restricted free agents, who the Capitals are expected to sign.

Karl Alzner hasn't thought about the possibility of getting an offer sheet. Alzner is scheduled to become a restricted free agent this summer. "That would be weird," Alzner said of the possibility of accepting an offer sheet. "Like I said, I don't know anything but [Washington]. It would be strange." Washington will almost certainly re-sign Alzner, but the Capitals are close to the salary cap and that might make the process a little more difficult.

Karl Alzner is a restricted free agent this summer. He made $1.27 million last season and carried a cap hit of $1,285,000. The steady, 24-year-old defenseman will no doubt be getting a raise and given his importance to the team it will probably be a long-term deal.

The growing concern for the Capitals is whether they will ever make the leap in the playoffs with their current homegrown stars. Alex Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom and Mike Green are no longer young players in the league. Yet they also don't have an Eastern Conference final appearance between them and have two first-round-and-outs in the past four years. Will the Caps ever get over the hump? "Funny you ask that," Karl Alzner said. "A little bit. I don't know if that's the right mentality. I'm sure it's not the right mentality. But we all play this game to win and when you see one year after another year disappointments - and I know it's only been three playoffs for me. ... You don't want to see the time tick away. You want to at least get a taste of it before you're done.' So I hopefully have a long time. But, yeah, I've thought about it."