Comments on: Caps’ Season Overview: “A Work in Progress”

By: Dan

Dan — Thu, 12 Apr 2007 14:48:23 +0000

3 thoughts:
Naysayers,
If you question the “rebuilding” approach, think back a few short years ago when the Caps acquired every big name available in hockey. That first year with Jagr was under Ron Wilson who went on to have success at the helm in San Jose and is still considered one of the best american coaches. I’ll take a rebuilding approach to that “mess” where a bunch of overpaid, underperforming veterans any day. These kids are more fun to watch even when they are losing. They play with heart.

2) Blaming the shootout futility this season on Kolzig? Kolzig? Come on. That’s just dumb. How many tries did Ovie have in shootouts? How many did he make this season? Last year he was automatic in shootouts. This year he stunk. I don’t mean to place the blame solely on Ovie’s shoulders, but you can’t put it on Kolzig. You have to score at least 1 goal in a shootout or you WILL lose. Semin was just about as bad in shootouts. At one point Hanlon didn’t even put Ovie on the shootout roster in the first 3 rounds…he actually shot 4th. He still missed.

3) Ovechkin had a -19 for the season. Imagine what that would have been if he had not amassed 50+ goals and 30+ assists. As much as I love watching Ovechkin play, he is a liability on defense. Hanlon needs to get him straightened out quick. And Alexander Semin needs to stop taking penalties. 5th highest minutes in the league…and he doesn’t even fight.

Overall I think management and ownership are doing it right. Do you really want the Caps front office to follow the Redskins business model?

By: exwhaler

exwhaler — Wed, 11 Apr 2007 16:08:19 +0000

Max:

The Pens also have been rebuilding for longer than the Caps, and they have had 5 top 5 picks to the Caps’ 2 (one of which isn’t here yet). If you showed the patience that Pens fans did (or at least their management), then the Caps will get to the same place.

If not, then Caps fans will get the franchise they asked for–a middling one.

By: RealCapsFAn

RealCapsFAn — Tue, 10 Apr 2007 22:18:50 +0000

Those of you who are expecting miracles need to wake up. The miserable seasons as of late were, in retrospect, unavoidable ever since the Caps lost to the Red Wings in the Stanley Cup Finals. The team has always been old, and with the exception of Peter Bondra, were often a chore to watch.
Now, the team is full of youth, there are no long term contracts to over the hill veterans that will drain the franchise, and the team, although just a mockery in overtimes, have otherwise been enjoyable to watch.
As for George McPhee, I give him credit for snatching up Jurcina before anyone else did. Jurcina was a player that didn’t fit in in Boston, but no one expected him to play the way he did since the trade, not even McPhee. Also, McPhee is the guy responsible for all those first round draft picks lately; he was the guy that made the final decision on the drafting players like Gordon, Semin, and Pettinger. Remember, no one expected Semin to score almost 40 goals this season, and Pettinger is turning into a pretty reliable 20 goal scorer and shorthanded specialist.
Finally, we should all be grateful to have an owner like Leonsis. No, I’m not saying he’s made all the right moves (God knows he’s made some boneheaded ones), but his dedication to making this team competitive, despite large financial losses year after year, is unparalleled. I mean, you think any other owner wouldn’t have thought about seriously relocating? Look at Nashville and the stuff their owner pulls (blacking out playoff games). At least Ted cares about the team and not the bottom line.
So, I now turn my attention to this offseason with optimism for continued improvement. After this year, we are now one step closer to winning a Stanley Cup, which is the whole point anyway.

By: CapsHockeyMax

CapsHockeyMax — Tue, 10 Apr 2007 16:22:10 +0000

Ted, Ted, Ted. . . Look at the end of season standings, the Pittsburg Penguins, a smaller market team, made the move back to the playoffs and we didn’t. Plain and simple our management doesn’t get it done. They have never gotten it done. I say this year after year. This team cannot win with McPhee at the helm. He will never GM a team to the cup. I’ll buy my Ovechkin jersey when McPhee is gone, not one second sooner. Has he ever made a trade deadline deal that has helped this team? They sure have helped the others! I have written this note every year for the last five. Come on Ted, make the bold move, fire George, it can’t hurt.

By: Jean

Jean — Tue, 10 Apr 2007 10:15:31 +0000

I think Rick has a point about McPhee. The Caps have changed coaches, owners, trainers, even arenas, but the consistent person has been McPhee. And they’ve been consistently crap.

That said, I don’t see the article as “bile” nor its authors “patsy’s”. It is a well thought out, constructive post.

It just didn’t change my (well known) opinion of Mr. McPhee.

By: TG

TG — Mon, 09 Apr 2007 19:35:30 +0000

I think I’m with CapsChick on this one. EVERY team has problems with bad trades, draft picks, signings, etc. When you hit bottom, might as well use the spaghetti method (get as many picks/prospects as you can, throw ‘em on the wall and see what sticks).

I also think that the anger/agression was intensified by the start to the season. This is, what, year two of a long-term rebuilding plan? (Or year three of being terrible.) If going into the season, you had told most people that the point total would be the same, but that the goals for and goals against would improve dramatically, some of the younger players would show major improvement and the defense, although still a weak spot, would show promise, I think most people would take it.

But unfortunately, they played way better than expected during the first part of the year. I believe that had GMGM and Ted known that they would be sitting in a comfortable playoff position in mid-December, they might have played this last offseason more aggressively and fill more holes. But it was truly unexpected that they would play that well, which led to higher expectations from fans and, ultimately, bigger disappointment. Had they stayed in or near the cellar the entire time, I bet that a lot of the anger of the fans would be more resignation, and hope having seen the other improvements in the team.

And what no one’s talking about is that there are a whole bunch of teams near the cap. They’re not going to be able to keep all of their players. The Caps might be able to get a few decent players in return for prospects or picks. (Think of it as the trade deadline in reverse.) You think New Jersey, Colorado, the Rangers, Buffalo, etc., aren’t looking for a little wiggle room under the cap?

By: usiel

usiel — Mon, 09 Apr 2007 18:58:04 +0000

Tinner is that you? Lol!

I agree with the post that this off season is critical. Even GMGM admitted his job will be on the line this off season/next season’s performance.

By: Vogs

Vogs — Mon, 09 Apr 2007 18:28:48 +0000

Very good summary boys, as usual. But Ovie’s defense is the least of my worries. That “study” cited by Eric and by James Mirtle (and found here: http://www.behindthenet.ca/player_stats.html) places Ovie 335th overall in the league. There are 676 players listed. So he’s in the top half of the league, and well ahead of many of his teammates (including checking line winger Matt Pettinger). And he had 46 goals and 92 points. To me, that’s like Selma Hayek having a blackhead. Not a big problem.

By: idl

idl — Mon, 09 Apr 2007 18:03:20 +0000

Sometimes cutting and running is better than the alternative of staying the course.

More seriously, some people just don’t get nuance. If you’re not steaming mad about the season then you must be an apologist for the front office. The problem is that one’s outrage is pretty closely attuned to one’s expectations for the year.

The meat of the post, one that pretty much everyone that follows the Caps can agree on, is that this offseason is the most important since the Save the Caps campaign-era. The situation is not so dire as those days for a number of reasons (both on the ice and away from the ice) but there is a pretty unanimous sense that significant change is deeply necessary to fill the all-too apparent holes in the roster.

By: Doug

Doug — Mon, 09 Apr 2007 17:49:44 +0000

I enjoyed your essay, but think that you miss the biggest reason why the Caps are so pathetic in shootouts:Olie!!
As Tarik noted accurately, the rest of the NHL figured out how to beat him in the SO- make him move laterally, deke him and beat him 5 or 7-hole.
Instead of a “shootout specialist”, we need a “shootout goalie”.

By: CapsChick

CapsChick — Mon, 09 Apr 2007 17:42:48 +0000

Wow - lots of viciousness today, looks like some people didn’t get their coffee and free jerseys this morning.

I actually agree with you (but what else is new) - and to the previous commenters, I just wonder how well any of us would do as a GM and whether we wouldn’t make some mistakes as well. No one knows how a player will peform on a team…until they play for the team. We don’t hear about the mistakes on other teams, but I guarantee you every team in the NHL has signed numerous players that were later looked on as catastrophes. You only hear about the successes - and there’s only one of those a season.

Let’s give it another year or two, see what happens during the offseason, and go from there. Sheesh. People are so quick to cut and run in this town…

By: capsbiggerthanTed

capsbiggerthanTed — Mon, 09 Apr 2007 17:04:08 +0000

For every one good move McPhee makes, he makes 10 bad ones. For every Semin and Jurcina, there’s Beech, Pothier, Cassell, Muir, Cassidy, Doig, Zednik, Novotny, Kiwi….

Ted promises to spend big bucks this summer after spending nothing the past two seasons. Why the change? Isn’t that steering away from the “build-from-within” approach? Is it because the fans are calling for his head? Is it because the fans know that the 3 worst seasons in the history of the caps are under his watch?

By: Rick Vaive

Rick Vaive — Mon, 09 Apr 2007 16:10:11 +0000

Same story year after year - ie - ok, now is the time for “no more excuses” - next year will be critical..blah, blah, blah.

I guess you write this bile so Teddy throws you some signed jerseys or free tickets??

There’s no call for management to be accountable for their actions in your article - just a bunch of eating of McPhee’s wilnots for trading for Jurcina when his hand was forced b/c so many of his defence were injured.

So much I could write. This franchise has been abysmal since for - ever, and Leonsis marketing approach hasn’t worked since Day 1. Remember Butch Cassidy?????????? How many years did that set the team back??? Eh???

How about the signing of:
Joe Murphy
Ivan Ciernik
Jon Gruden
Jason Doig
bringing back Cote
Frank Kucera being a top 4 defenseman
Petr Sykora - you remember that debacle??
trying to get Richer out of retirement
Pothier as the new #1
General Manger - you seriously think McPhee knows what he’s doing? He’s had 10 years of being in charge and faileld repeatedly - even with a blank checkbook.
Coach - As much as I think Hanlon is a good person, he’s not a coach for a developing team like the Caps. Leonsis can’t quite figure out he needs a world class coach behind the bench to push youngsters, make Alex Ovechkin / Semin play defense and enforce systems. He should have JUMPED when Ken Hitchcock became available or I hate to say it - looked at Ted Nolan - who’s had great success w/ young teams.

Too bad there’s so many patsy’s like you out there feeding Leonsis what he wants to hear.