“Offense sells tickets, but defense wins games” is how the old adage goes, and in our on-going offseason look at the organization, we examine a blueline corps with a new face, an old face returning, and a bunch of fresh faces looking to make some noise.
Competition for the 7 projected defensive spots should be fierce, and even a few bad practices or scrimmages may be the difference between suiting up for an NHL club or returning to Juniors or Europe.
Karl Alzner — Washington’s first-round pick in June’s 2007 NHL Entry Draft, Alzner plays a surprisingly mature game, with high panic threshold and excellent on-ice awareness. Not a big banger, nor prone to unleash a slap shot from the point too often, Alzner plays a reliable, steady game that will eventually eat up big minutes in the NHL. For now, it seems, he’s slated to return to the WHL’s Calgary Hitmen, though there is speculation that he may get a taste of NHL duty at the start of the season before being returned to his junior club.
Dean Arsene — The veteran AHL defenseman provides leadership and solid defensive play for Hershey, and should get a chance to showcase his talents in camp. It’s expected he’ll again be a constant on the Bears’ blueline.
Josef Boumedienne — Returning to the Caps after spending the past few seasons playing in Europe, Boomer may be re-joining a league that’s a better fit for his puck-moving and offensive skills than the one he left. Possessing good size and mobility, Boumedienne plays with a bit of an edge, and has been known to take the occasional bad penalty or two. It’s believed that there is a clause in his contract where he will return to Europe should he not make the Caps, but it’s thought that he will contend for a spot on the big club.
Sean Collins — Entering his first full season of professional hockey, the all-around youngster will probably play the season in Hershey to acclimate to the professional game.
Viktor Dovgan — The Russian Wrecking Ball, as he’s known in some circles, spent the past season throwing hits for the ECHL’s South Carolina Stingrays. It’s hard to not be impressed with the 19 year-old’s commitment to playing hockey in North America, leaving his young wife and child in Russia. At this point it seems prudent to pencil Dovgan in on the Bears’ defensive squad due to his age, though a second season in South Carolina isn’t out of the question.
Steve Eminger — Coming off what was thought to be a make-or-break season for him, Eminger again was plagued by inconsistency, often looking lost on the ice, but occasionally showing glimpses of his considerable talents. In a recent interview with Mike Vogel, Eminger stated that he is approaching training camp with a clean-slate mindset, which can only be a positive. While rumors and speculation persist about possible trade scenarios he may be involved in, he should be on Verizon Center ice opening night if with the club.
John Erskine — Unsigned as of this writing, the big-bodied Erskine brings solid defensive instincts and a not just a willingness to drop the gloves, but is also one of the better heavyweights in the game. He wisely plays a simple game, concentrating on chips out of the zone and simple passes. Erskine’s skating can be a limitation at times, but acting as a Brendan Witt-lite for a few weeks last season elevated Eminger’s play significantly. While that’s a solid recommendation, it won’t be a surprise if Erskine is one of the transitional players between Hershey and Washington.
Mike Green — The promising Calgarian spent the bulk of the season in Washington, experiencing the typical ups-and-downs a young defenseman goes through, sometimes struggling in his own zone, but also displaying why he was a first round pick. Green is a swing-guy: his time in Hershey was spent performing at a high offensive level and he may not have a lot more to learn in the AHL, but his waiver-exempt status and need to polish his play in the defensive zone may have find him in Bears sweater.
Jamie Hunt — The 06-07 season was quite a ride for Hunt — starting as a college free agent signing to suiting up for the Hershey Bears, and even getting a game in at the NHL level. His AHL season seemed to be going well, but was cut short by injury. Hunt looked healthy at Rookie Camp, so the guess is he’ll be in Hershey, working the rust off.
Milan Jurcina — Obtained for a 4th round pick in 2008, the big Slovak was a welcome addition to the Caps’ blueline, playing with a physical edge and a calm demeanor. He didn’t use his booming shot as much as he should, but at age 24, he has room to work on parts of his game. As long as he continues to play solid defense, Caps fans won’t mind, and Jurcina should be in a Washington sweater for the foreseeable future.
Sami Lepisto — The native of Espoo, Finland, signed with the Washington Capitals in the spring, and brought his slick offensive skills to Rookie Camp, making several end-to-end rushes during the four scrimmages. Size is a concern with the smallish defenseman, and it’s probable that he will spend the year adjusting to pro hockey on a smaller rink for the Bears.
Patrick McNeill — Another young, offensively-gifted defenseman, McNeill is also entering his full first season at the professional level. He could use some time to fill out and adjust his game to the higher speed of the AHL, and seems likely designated a spot there.
Shaone Morrisonn — The Caps’ answer to a shutdown defenseman, the still-young Morrisonn fought mono last season, resulting in battling not just opposing forwards, but fatigue and rust. Some of Morrisonn’s play before his illness wasn’t his best work, but late in the season he and Jurcina partnered to form a solid defensive pair and were arguably the Caps’ top defensive duo. Morrisonn has said he’d like to develop the offensive side of his game, and he has plenty of room to further grow into his role on the Caps’ blueline, where he’s will be trusted with top-pairing minutes.
Sasha Pokulok — Regarded as many as an off-the-board pick, then sidelined with two consecutive concussions in his first professional season, there are plenty of questions as to whether this lost season was an aberration, of if Pokulok’s career will follow that of Nolan Yonkman. Even if the big defenseman has a strong camp, it seems South Carolina is in his future for the 07-08 season, where he was briefly deployed at forward last year. Pokulok isn’t at the make-or-break stage yet, but a season free of injury would be an important step in his professional development.
Jame Pollock — After spending some time in the European leagues, Pollock makes a return to North America. Putting up credible offensive numbers in the AHL earlier in his career, he seems to be another Jamie Heward-style signing: offensively skilled and significant pro experience across the pond. While Pollock may surprise in camp, it’s probable that he’ll start the season wearing the chocolate and white.
Brian Pothier — the Caps’ lone significant defensive free-agent signee prior to the 06-07 season, Pothier had his minutes increase significantly, and showed proficiency, fatigue, and an injury-concern last year. The puck-moving defenseman showed some solid two-way play early, but eventually the much-increased ice-time took a toll on him, and a concussion shelved him for some games. Assuming his minutes can be reduced, he should provide 20+ solid minutes for the Caps.
Tom Poti — The Caps’ Massachusetts native free agent signing of 07 (Pothier was the Mass. Signing of 06) Poti will be counted on to provide big minutes both even-strength and on the power play. While he was a much-maligned player for both Edmonton and the New York Rangers, Poti played 25+ minutes a night for the demanding Ted Nolan with the New York Islanders. The Worcester product has good size, though isn’t a particularly physical player, and has become a solid shot-blocker. Reviewing his 06-07 goals, though, you’ll find that he didn’t score his PP tallies with a nasty point shot, rather, he ’s excellent at pinching from the left point position, creating the opportunities for back-door goals. As much as Nylander is an important addition, Poti’s level of play on the blueline could very well make the difference between making or missing the playoffs.
Jeff Schultz — At 6′6′ (or 6′7″, depending on where you look) ‘The Sarge’ has NHL experience that most 20-year-olds don’t have playing NHL video games, and while he isn’t, and will probably never be, a flashy offensive force, he simply makes the smart, simple play over and over, and that’s a pretty good way to get yourself a spot on an NHL roster. Schultz’ skating may never be a strength, but his smarts and wingspan cover a lot of ground. As a waiver-exempt player, he also may find himself in Hershey, though his play in the latter part of last season may give him an edge on earning a spot as the defensive conscience of the third pairing for the club.
General Manager George McPhee has stated that he doesn’t expect to make any moves until Training Camp, at the earliest, so it seems that the Caps’ starting 6 defenseman and one well-dressed fella in the press box will be drawn from the above list. Big Joe Finley will be suiting up for North Dakota and doesn’t figure to be in the mix this year (though he may attend September’s rookie camp), and the newly-drafted, such as Josh Godfrey and Ted Ruth, may be a season or more away from putting on a Washington sweater.
Though the forward group received some big-name help this offseason, it looks like the defense has a more build-from-within philosophy, and as usual, the offense will get a lot of the press, but the Caps will only go as far as their blueliners can take them.
[This was a continuation of Summer State of the Team - The Forwards]
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