Sutherby and Verot in...

Zubrus shelved with a broken foot. Battaglia-Halpern-Grier is the 2nd line. wow.

No matter what anyone may think of the way he plays you have to wish him well in his first NHL game.

I am just wondering if anyone of us thought that darcy verot and chris hajt had a remote chance to play one game in washington this season?

I had flashbacks to ron lalonde and the white pants days when i saw
whitfield peat and verot on the ice at the same time. I shudder of horror ran thru me. I had a Milt Schmidt flashback. I bet Dick Patrick did too.

But...hey, with the referees doing the best they could to tilt the game to NJ they didnt lose. gotta give em credit.

I am just wondering if anyone of us thought that darcy verot and chris hajt had a remote chance to play one game in washington this season?

I had flashbacks to ron lalonde and the white pants days when i saw
whitfield peat and verot on the ice at the same time. I shudder of horror ran thru me. I had a Milt Schmidt flashback. I bet Dick Patrick did too.

But...hey, with the referees doing the best they could to tilt the game to NJ they didnt lose. gotta give em credit.
Not that I disagree- but Verot, to his credit has played well in the A lately- if that is the criteria-well.....

The depth problems need to be laid at the feet of the GM and Director of Player development- I am surprized both have a job at this point-Ted's cash could only cover for so long........

whoa...Verot is still playing hockey.

I feel sorry for you guys...

Not that I disagree- but Verot, to his credit has played well in the A lately- if that is the criteria-well.....

The depth problems need to be laid at the feet of the GM and Director of Player development- I am surprized both have a job at this point-Ted's cash could only cover for so long........

the depth problems are based on ted changing the spending budget mid stream. in the last two seasons, Reekie, Cote, Zettler, Klee, and Johansson have left the team and budget has not been alotted to replace those players. Thats 5 solid NHL defensemen. replaced by 1 top round draft pick teenager, a waiver draft player and 3 career minor leaguers....Yonkman and Fortin have been injuried all year when they were expected to contribute. The Caps have dressed 12 different defensemen this year.
I can't blame McPhee for not being allowed to replace departing players.

the depth problems are based on ted changing the spending budget mid stream. in the last two seasons, Reekie, Cote, Zettler, Klee, and Johansson have left the team and budget has not been alotted to replace those players. Thats 5 solid NHL defensemen. replaced by 1 top round draft pick teenager, a waiver draft player and 3 career minor leaguers....Yonkman and Fortin have been injuried all year when they were expected to contribute. The Caps have dressed 12 different defensemen this year.
I can't blame McPhee for not being allowed to replace departing players.


I agree that the injuries have had an impact on the already paper thin defence- but I also think that if the Caps had managed their farm better over the past few seasons-and managed the draft better the team would have been more competitive and Ted would have allowed either Klee to be resigned or ponied up the $$$ to sign someone else.

The current Pirates roster only contains 3 draft picks and one player who was traded for- the others are a collection of minor league or college free agents who were picked over or passed over by other teams- some (ex.Mink) have proven themselves to have potential, other (ex. Methot) are taking up space. There is no ECHL affiliation, that has proven to be a boon in the past (I am guessing the result of no cash).

There are a lot of folks who are culpable for the state of the franchise today (ted being one) but I think that McPhee and Simpson ( I think I have that right) have to bear their share.