Caps fans saw a new face at the right winger position Tuesday night when No. 24 skated onto the ice. Brian Willsie was called up from the Hershey Bears, the Capitals' AHL minor-league team, to fill the void at right wing left by an injured Alexander Semin.
Willsie played in his first NHL game of the 2010-11 season and contributed immediately with an assist to Marcus Johansson. Last year, he played four games for the Colorado Avalanche.
Willsie has had a long career in professional hockey that started with the Guelph Storm of the Ontario Hockey League. In the NHL, he has played for the Los Angeles Kings as well as the Caps and the Avalanche. In 380 career games played in the AHL, OHL, NHL, and SLV, Willsie has 52 goals and 56 assists. In 1998, he played for Canada in the World Junior Championships.
In 2005-06, Willsie played 82 games for the Capitals and was Alexander Ovechkin's first road roommate. Ovi wanted a North American roommate, rather than a European one, so that he could learn English quicker. The veteran Canadian stepped up and took the new face of the franchise under his wing.
Willsie should see action as long as Semin is out of commission. Semin injured himself in Saturday's game against the Panthers. He is listed as day-to-day.
Only question is, since Bruce and the Caps like to add the "ie" to create nicknames (Fehrsie, Varly, Neuvie, etc.) what will Brian's nickname be? We shall see.
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