Comments on: "Summer of Change" Includes an Overhauled Perception

By: On Frozen Blog | Leading by New Example

On Frozen Blog | Leading by New Example — Thu, 19 Jul 2007 00:12:18 +0000

By: Gustafsson

Gustafsson — Wed, 04 Jul 2007 07:44:31 +0000

GMGM was on Washington Post Live on ComcastSportNet and mentioned that they made 9 offers the last few days. Got at least one answer stating that the location was not right although the offer was fair.

By: Yossarian

Yossarian — Tue, 03 Jul 2007 23:59:24 +0000

I am PSYCHED about the Caps moves. I’m simply pointing out that the consensus you alluded to was far from that; there were plenty of people (on Japers, on the official boards) who didn’t take a radio report out of Edmonton as gospel. That’s a good thing.

By: pucksandbooks

pucksandbooks — Tue, 03 Jul 2007 23:51:28 +0000

Gus,
You’re right, but so too is our vistor: I’m¬†not versant in every post to every thread on every board. In this regard, and with this exchange — a fresh reminder that in a week of terrific news there still will be those around to piss vinegar on the party — I’d do well to heed Vogs’ advice, and stay away from the boards for good.

By: Gustafsson

Gustafsson — Tue, 03 Jul 2007 23:39:00 +0000

Yossarian,
I don’t believe pucksandbooks was lumping Japers’ Rink in with the ‘net-wide consensus as he was squarely aimed at the Caps message boards and the other outlets that had Nylander pegged for Alberta.
Ken did great work calling the Oilers and getting the skinny that there was no signing. But alluding to us claiming victory over Japers’ is not accurate. P&B was merely mentioning a conversation he had with Eric. Had JP and/or Ken been involved in the conversation, or gathered for puck sodas as we all have been before, they would have been included in the mention. Any slight of Japers’ you saw in that post was a bad assumption.

By: Yossarian

Yossarian — Tue, 03 Jul 2007 23:38:19 +0000

The point of your post isn’t lost on me. I simply disagree with how you’ve framed it. You made reference to being unable to find a ’single voice’ of dissent on any boards or websites, and I am simply pointing out the fallacy of that statement. For further reference, here’s a thread from the Caps’ official board:
http://boards.washingtoncaps.com/index.php?showtopic=55469&hl

By: pucksandbooks

pucksandbooks — Tue, 03 Jul 2007 23:15:38 +0000

Dear Doom and Gloomer:
You appear to have missed the entire point of my post. The signings news of the past couple of days were not events with which to play fantasy hockey — at least not here. We didn’t offer the Caps any such free agent advice, about anyone, at any time, because we aren’t qualified to. The Caps have pro scouts for that work. Or, are you really of the opinion that I overstated the rampant pessimism native to so many Caps’ message boards? I’m genuinely at a loss to understand your beef with me.

By: Yossarian

Yossarian — Tue, 03 Jul 2007 23:04:26 +0000

I know it feels good to crow about being correct in hindsight, but in this case it’s just wrong. Japers’ Rink posted continually throughout the day yesterday that there were no official confirmations on the Nylander-to-Edmonton signing. I checked it all day, and so do did the various commenters on the site. I understand that for dramatic arc you need to make it sound like you and McErlain were the only bastions of sanity on the Net, but looking back at both of your posts from yesterday, I see an erroneous confirmation on Off Wing Opinion and from On Frozen Blog only silence.

By: The Peerless

The Peerless — Tue, 03 Jul 2007 22:28:33 +0000

Long ago, I called this the “no excuses” summer…I was as pessimistic as any that the Caps would make sweeping changes. Well, so far, they’ve walked the walk, not just talked the talk. Whether the changes will achieve the intended results is still a matter to be resolved, but it will not be for lack of effort and activity on the part of the Caps’ front office.
With a throw-in draft pick in the Zubrus deal, they parlayed one pick this year into multiple picks in what should be a deeper draft next year. They did address needs — perhaps not in the order some (including myself) felt needed addressing, but of the four principal needs (center, a stay-at-home defenseman, help on the power play from the blue line, and a right wing), the Caps have addressed all but the stay-at-home defenseman…and there is almost a whole summer to consider options there.
So far, I think George McPhee deserves a lot of credit, both for the strategy he employed at the draft and in the first days of free agency, and for the players and future assets he procured.

By: MDDave

MDDave — Tue, 03 Jul 2007 22:11:56 +0000

Watching that total salary number staying so low, I had my fingers crossed that something was in the plan this off-season, but was bracing for the possibility of one more wait-and-see year. That said, these three new additions to the Caps make a good fit for three needs we all knew needed addressing: center, power-play help, and a way to stall the whiners!