08 February, 2012

Category Archives: George McPhee

Size, of Body and Heart, Matters — Especially in 2012

31 December, 2011

Instructive moment: Rangers’ captain Ryan Callahan, made captain at so tender an age partly out of his affinity for playing December hockey games like they’re game 7s in May, blocked a John Carlson slapshot at the point the other night, and the selfless sacrifice led to a Rangers goal in transition seconds later. The block [...]

Also filed in Dale Hunter, HBO's 24/7, Jeff Schultz, Morning cup-a-joe, New Jersey Devils, New media, New York Rangers, Old Time Hockey, Philadelphia Flyers, Pittsburgh Penguins, The Great Old Patrick Division | Comments (6)

Failure’s Blame Stretches Far and Wide

1 December, 2011

Some random observations and notes-sharing from a remarkable last 72 hours: There’s standup, and then there’s what Gabby offered the Washington Post’s Tarik El Bashir Wednesday morning — actually agreeing with Capitals management that it was time for a change behind the bench. He actually told General Manager George McPhee, “You’re doing what you have [...]

Also filed in Alexander Ovechkin, Bruce Boudreau, Dale Hunter, Joe Finley, Media, Morning cup-a-joe, Print, Tarik El-Bashir, Washington Capitals, Washington Post | Comments (4)

A Grand Experiment Begins

29 November, 2011

Early Monday afternoon out at Kettler I approached a Capitals official while awaiting Dale Hunter’s first press conference as Capitals head coach, and thanked him for “the early Christmas present.” The team rep, smiling, replied, “We couldn’t stop [the gift giving] with just [John] Walton for you!” It was for me a special moment of [...]

Also filed in Bruce Boudreau, Capitals' greats of the past, Dale Hunter, John Walton, Morning cup-a-joe, Old Time Hockey, St. Louis Blues, Washington Capitals, Washington the hockey town | Comments (8)

On “A Player’s Coach”

28 November, 2011

“The players will probably say [Hunter] is a players coach because they’d be too afraid not to say that.” – Capitals’ General Manager George McPhee

Also filed in Dale Hunter, Washington Capitals | Comments (16)

By and Large, by Design, a Training Camp of Tranquility

3 October, 2011

The best part of the Capitals’ preseason has arrived — its conclusion. They survived a slate of seven exhibition games largely unscathed; no front-line performers ought to be missing from Saturday’s opening night here against Carolina. For a team not far removed from serious springtime turmoil and torment, camp this fall has been an oasis [...]

Also filed in Alexander Ovechkin, Colorado Avalanche, Dmitri Orlov, Front Office, Gary Bettman, John Walton, Kettler Capitals Iceplex, Mathieu Perreault, Michal Neuvirth, Morning cup-a-joe, Much-needed realignment, Much-needed relocation, National Hockey League, Radio, The Great Old Patrick Division, Tomas Vokoun, Washington Capitals | Comments (0)

Renewed Questions of Leadership

18 May, 2011

Deep into Tuesday night, a prominent member of Washington’s hockey media, referencing the Boston Bruins’ effort in game 2 of the Eastern conference finals, emailed me this reflection: “This is what a desperate team is supposed to look like down 0-1 in a series not wanting to go down 0-2 before hitting the road.” Indeed. [...]

Also filed in Boston Bruins, Eastern Conference, Ed Frankovic, Front Office, HBO's 24/7, hockey blogging, Morning cup-a-joe, New media, NHL playoffs, Pittsburgh Penguins, Tampa Bay Lightning, Washington Capitals | Comments (19)

Wishing for a Special Forces Mindset

13 May, 2011

Big news — the Red Wings are out of the playoffs, prematurely. Prematurely for them of course is anything short of securing the Cup. The seasons change, some faces change, the objective though for the Wings ever remains the same. I was struck at the ferocity and domination with which Detroit skated in periods two [...]

Also filed in detroit red wings, Front Office, Morning cup-a-joe, NHL playoffs, San Jose Sharks, Tampa Bay Lightning, Ted Leonsis, Washington Capitals, Washington Post | Comments (15)

A Vexing Query of Leadership

8 May, 2011

The Capitals may or may not have a deficit of leadership on the ice and in the room with this roster, but dogging them most in the initial hours and days of yet another postseason far too early arrived at is an intense debate about their ultimate leader — Bruce Boudreau. There is anything but [...]

Also filed in Bruce Boudreau, Greg Wyshynski, Media, New media, NHL playoffs, Print, Radio, Tampa Bay Lightning, Ted Leonsis, Tim Leone, Washington Capitals | Comments (19)

Three Keys to Avoid Capital Punishment

4 May, 2011

The 2011 Stanley Cup Playoffs, as is every NHL postseason, a treacherous hike. The Capitals would be in the Rockies if this was a race to cross the country, suffocating from lack of oxygen and preparedness. If this team is to regain their traction in this icy climb they need to follow my three keys [...]

Also filed in Alexander Ovechkin, Alexander Semin, Bruce Boudreau, Eric Fehr, John Carlson, Marco Sturm, Tampa Bay Lightning, Washington Capitals | Comments (3)

I’m Naming My Next Dog Lou Lamoriello

14 April, 2011

Seldom are overtime triumphs in the NHL postseason secured with slick, tick-tack-toe playmaking and virtuoso conversion. Most often, it’s a turnover in a lethal part of the ice, a bizarre deflection off a skate, maybe a bad line change leading to an odd man break that ushers in fast-forming mob scenes of euphoria in one [...]

Also filed in Alexander Semin, Bruce Boudreau, Jason Arnott, Michal Neuvirth, Morning cup-a-joe, National Hockey League, NHL playoffs, Sudden death hockey, Washington Capitals | Comments (9)

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