I think there's no chance we are going to be sellers at the trade deadline. As a hockey matter, we're one point out of 8th (with a game in hand), 3 points out of 7th (with 3 games in hand) and 4 points out of 3rd (1st in SE).
(And on that note, I'm growing weary of hearing the xenophobes on NHL Radio prattle on an on about how only 1 team is going to make the playoffs out of the Southeast. Yeah, because Ottawa and Toronto really have a tight grip on 7th and 8th don't they -- and they have such a stellar track record of making thep playoffs in recent years).
Selling doesn't make sense as a hockey matter, and it's totally antithetical to the business plan, which is to make the playoffs consistently. Besides, we've already got two 1st round picks - and adding more makes little sense as a hockey matter. Of course, that doesn't preclude a trade of some of our guys, but we're not selling off and we shouldn't.
Again, Ovechkin, at the lowest point in his career production-wise, is still a top-15 goal scorer and a top-40 point producer. If he's able to have an old-school Ovechkin month production-wise, he could easily vault into the top-10 in points and top-5 in goals.
And he has the highest cap hit of any player in the league, by far, and is signed for a decade. He's also trending downwards. I really hope I'm wrong and I'm obviously a fan of the guy, but the prospect of his contract becoming untradeable is real.
You don't think the Capitals have anyone in their system who will be able to match their star power? Imagine if they traded Ovechkin and got Yakupov. What then?
Anyway, I really think it's irrelevant. Obviously a player like Ovechkin was fills seats, which is why a team like Columbus might pay a huge price to get him. Fans will pay to see a winning team. If the Capitals trade Ovechkin and win a Stanley Cup with Nicklas "quiet as a mouse" Backstrom as the team's best player and captain, do you really think every game in, leading up to, and following that playoff run won't be sold out?
You think Washington is as much of a hockey town as Boston? It's not about matching the "star power" of Chara and Thomas, it's about putting a star here that will fill the seats and allow us to contend.
Even if we were to get Yakupov, the backlash against trading Ovechkin would be tenfold the attraction of Yakupov. Why would any casual fan look positively on trading Ovechkin for the player billed as Ovechkin-lite? The PR damage would be apocalyptic for the franchise, barring a superstar return (and I mean Crosby/Malkin/Stamkos-level superstar, not Rick Nash). Ovie's shortcomings haven't reached McNabb and the Eagles status yet, he's still loved by most in Washington and the reason that the Capitals are the hot ticket in town.
You think this team could win almost immediately if we shifted from Ovechkin to Backstrom? Because if we didn't, the team would decline rapidly due to plummeting revenue from PO'd fans (namely STH). This team wouldn't simply have to win, it would have to win more than it did with Ovechkin for the fans to forgive management. And it would have to do it immediately.
Yeah because if you simply swapped out Ovechkin and Malkin Ovechkin would be dominating the league offensively and Malkin would be struggling mightily.
Crosby has missed pretty much the whole season and Malkin has stepped up his game a ton. Green has missed pretty much the whole season and half of last season and Ovechkin has stepped his game down a ton. Backstrom is missing and Ovechkin continues his very sub par play.
This team isn't significantly worse as far as the talent goes than the ones around Ovechkin when he was the best player in the league. There is a huge difference between that Ovechkin and this Ovechkin though...
You seem to be arguing that Ovechkin isn't the player that he was. And it seems like you think it's a permanent state. Forgive me if I'm reading you wrong.
I think his problems are mental. He is not playing or preparing like he gives a ****. While that is unacceptable, my take away is that he knows that he can play like superman. But even if he does, it can't make up for scrubs like Morrisonn, Fleischmann, and Schultz from ruining it in the postseason. So why try?
This is our disconnect. I think he'll wake up once he has a realistic shot. Until then, he'll coast. Maybe I'm wrong, but we're not going to agree that Ovechkin is done.
Last edited by BrooklynCapsFan: 02-13-2012 at 09:38 AM.
And he has the highest cap hit of any player in the league, by far, and is signed for a decade. He's also trending downwards. I really hope I'm wrong and I'm obviously a fan of the guy, but the prospect of his contract becoming untradeable is real.
actually thats not real at all......if the Caps made him available teams would line up to take that contract
actually thats not real at all......if the Caps made him available teams would line up to take that contract
Yep. I guarantee that the perception of most of the league is that a change of scenery/situation could ignite his game.
I'm in the same boat. He needs a change in surroundings, and that means altering the cast around him pretty significantly. I'd hope to see a 5-6 player turnover going into next year.
Kyle freaking Turris fetched a top prospect and a draft pick. Scott Gomez fetched a top prospect and a roster player, and he's never been half the player Ovechkin was, and was on a worse contract.
You seem to be arguing that Ovechkin isn't the player that he was. And it seems like you think it's a permanent state. Forgive me if I'm reading you wrong.
I think his problems are mental. He is not playing or preparing like he gives a ****. While that is unacceptable, my take away is that he knows that he can play like superman. But even if he does, it can't make up for scrubs like Morrisonn, Fleischmann, and Schultz from ruining it in the postseason. So why try?
This is our disconnect. I think he'll wake up once he has a realistic shot. Until then, he'll coast. Maybe I'm wrong, but we're not going to agree that Ovechkin is done.
seriously? this is the worst sort of indictment. he isnt trying because he doesnt have a realistic shot? i can think of throngs of the nhl's best players that would give blood sweat and tears for any shot. yet the face of the caps franchise will only deem to apply himself if the shot is realistic.
Kyle freaking Turris fetched a top prospect and a draft pick. Scott Gomez fetched a top prospect and a roster player, and he's never been half the player Ovechkin was, and was on a worse contract.
lets assume ovechkin brings back two first round draft picks only. the real factor is how that $10m in cap space is applied.
lets assume ovechkin brings back two first round draft picks only. the real factor is how that $10m in cap space is applied.
Ovechkin doesn't go anywhere without an NHL player coming back, even in a hypothetical scenario.
But playing along, unless that $10M is used for another goal-scorer, the Caps get markedly worse.
They're having issues scoring as it is. If they traded Ovechkin, they'd have one forward (Backstrom) next year that's ever scored 30 goals in a season. Not to mention, as bad as Ovechkin is doing, opponents still shade the defense in his direction. That extra space for other players would then close up.
Disregarding the fact that Parise makes $3mil less, is a much better two-way player, has better work ethic, and is outperforming OV offensively. Yeah in OV's worst year he's better.
Lets see how much Parise will fetch on open market. I'm not sure if Parise has a better work ethic or its just a perception, but i'm sure OV has a better game breaking ability than Parise does.
Lets see how much Parise will fetch on open market. I'm not sure if Parise has a better work ethic or its just a perception, but i'm sure OV has a better game breaking ability than Parise does.
Just a gut feeling, but I wouldn't be surprised that Parise goes home to Minnesota to play for the Wild.
Disregarding the fact that Parise makes $3mil less, is a much better two-way player, has better work ethic, and is outperforming OV offensively. Yeah in OV's worst year he's better.
I'd be willing to bet that Ovechkin makes $3 mil more for the Caps than Parise does for the Devils.
