The playoffs are looking less and less realistic. Back to back shutouts at HOME. If they fall behind early I expect the fans to really turn on the team (they'd have every right to do so)
But at the same time..despite being so close to a lottery pick, THAT looks like a bit of a reach too.
This year we are stuck in the Bullet's territory of the late 80s and early 90s...play just well enough to sneak into playoffs/barely miss them and thus ensuring not getting a top pick when you need it.
The playoffs are looking less and less realistic. Back to back shutouts at HOME. If they fall behind early I expect the fans to really turn on the team (they'd have every right to do so)
But at the same time..despite being so close to a lottery pick, THAT looks like a bit of a reach too.
This year we are stuck in the Bullet's territory of the late 80s and early 90s...play just well enough to sneak into playoffs/barely miss them and thus ensuring not getting a top pick when you need it.
Yeah, missing the playoffs is bad, so too is not getting a high draft pick. Middle of the road finishes suck, but perhaps it could be worse. At least we don't need a full on rebuild...right?
There is enough of a core here to effectively turn things around and see real improvement as early as next year...correct?
It's hard to think that way with some of the doom and gloom hate mongers around here. This year sucks, no question, but there is potential for a turn around in the near future. The team isn't a bottom dwelling no-hope franchise with no prospects or young NHL level talent.
My hope is that someone, other than a know-it-all armchair GM posting on a forum site, can figure out what the real problem(s) is/are and start to right the ship sooner rather than later.
The OP called the Caps the Craps in the thread title. Last person I heard do that was Mike Milbury. I said so. His retort was to call me GMGM. I don't get why...so I replied with the line you quoted so he could understand the difference between me and McPhee. All I did was impy (not even come right out and say) I don't like my team being called the Crapitals. George wouldn't have been so diplomatic about it
Yeah, missing the playoffs is bad, so too is not getting a high draft pick. Middle of the road finishes suck, but perhaps it could be worse. At least we don't need a full on rebuild...right?
There is enough of a core here to effectively turn things around and see real improvement as early as next year...correct?
It's hard to think that way with some of the doom and gloom hate mongers around here. This year sucks, no question, but there is potential for a turn around in the near future. The team isn't a bottom dwelling no-hope franchise with no prospects or young NHL level talent.
My hope is that someone, other than a know-it-all armchair GM posting on a forum site, can figure out what the real problem(s) is/are and start to right the ship sooner rather than later.
Who knows? but I think we will be looking at a "rebuild" as opposed to a "retool" personally.
Our prospect pool is shrinking as players have graduated.
We didn't get any return on our UFAs this year at the deadline.
IF we miss the playoffs then expect a new coach, new GM and lots of turnover.
Our cap situation, while not terrible, isn't ideal either. We have a few bad contracts and some guys who are overpaid.
Backstrom's career could be in jeapordy if you gauge it against Crosby's. (still think they are being FAR too catious with this whole concussion thing)
Will Ovechkin return to form? With Kuznetsov come over and make an impact? Will Backstrom return? Will we address the C situation and obtain the right vet leadership?
Too many questions and not enough clear answers. Another rebuild and another 5 year plan.
We need to win this game tonight..at home against a supposedly inferior opponent. It has the serious potential to get ugly if we don't.
And the guys scapegoated for that loss by Hunter - I don't know. You can see clearly all of the fifty mistakes made by 44 leading to all of those goals.
29 was maybe screened on that first goal. On the second goal he's gotta a make choice between 3 players. Schultz gets a piece of that pass and it falls right on the stick of the goal scorer. Hard to blame 29 there.
Since that game, which had a multitude of errors by many, and the aftermath of controversy the team has been in a free fall. Well done Hunter for singling out two vets when there was plenty of blame to go around.
The Devils game had all the same ingredients of that one but Hunter thought they played well and was content with a 5 goal loss. Guess he realized the scapegoating didn't quite work.
There is enough of a core here to effectively turn things around and see real improvement as early as next year...correct?
I don't know, from watching a lot of other teams play aside from our supposed superstars I don't think the other players on our team really match up to the depth players on other teams around the league.
Quote:
Originally Posted by XDC-RES
My hope is that someone, other than a know-it-all armchair GM posting on a forum site, can figure out what the real problem(s) is/are and start to right the ship sooner rather than later.
I don't know, from watching a lot of other teams play aside from our supposed superstars I don't think the other players on our team really match up to the depth players on other teams around the league.
I think it's already later.
Touche (I don't know how to put the accent over the E).
Lets see if injuries strike before claiming dumping our best DD man in 2012 for futures was a no brainer. While I want to see him in the lineup, George's hoard the young D plan is the highest of priorities to him and I can understand his view that Sarge and Orlov has more to benefit tonight than Hammer does.
I would sit Wideman to get Hammer in.
I like the idea to promote Beagle, he has earned a bump up.
