Burke tied his career to Kessel back in '09, he's going nowhere.
As for Ryan, I doubt he's worth what he'll eventually go for. You have to wonder how much of his numbers come from playing with Perry and Getzlaf, and whether he can really drive offensive play without them. I wouldn't offer much more than Johansson and Brouwer, but someone will almost definitely beat that.
i wonder if fans in vancouver, toronto and philadelphia feel like their team's arent trying to win a championship?
There's the Philly version of "Trying" and the Caps version. I guess it depends on your definition of trying....
If this offseason is the Caps trying to "win", then I guess the plan of attack was addition through subtraction.
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George McPhee....The Teflon GM. 15 years of failure and counting....
6 - Number of playoff series the Capitals have won since George McPhee took over as General Manager in 1997 (which makes him the third-longest-tenured GM in the League), three of which came in McPhee's first season on the job.
I think there is a premium on icing an entertaining team for Ted and fans that want a fun night out. A GM needs to find the balance between that (a viable business) and winning a cup. While its not easy, he should seek out coaches that bring a style he won't complain about when they are gone.
RandyH,
This is one those seeming dichotomies that is really not one. If the Caps are legit competitors...ever...or if they actually win the bloody thing then the Caps will be a viable business immediately and for the long-term.
On a related issue, the last CBA was awful. I can't believe the owners gave such a sweetheart deal when they had the players' association on the ropes. So it's likely impossible to know a good business plan from a bad one with an irrational CBA as a core document of the league.
This is one those seeming dichotomies that is really not one. If the Caps are legit competitors...ever...or if they actually win the bloody thing then the Caps will be a viable business immediately and for the long-term.
On a related issue, the last CBA was awful. I can't believe the owners gave such a sweetheart deal when they had the players' association on the ropes. So it's likely impossible to know a good business plan from a bad one with an irrational CBA as a core document of the league.
good points and you may well be right. Ted has his sell outs, he doesn't need a cup. He just needs the fans to see we have a chance at a cup to sell out.
The teams entertainment value took a hit last year under Dale, so it reinforces what you saiy.
good points and you may well be right. Ted has his sell outs, he doesn't need a cup. He just needs the fans to see we have a chance at a cup to sell out.
The teams entertainment value took a hit last year under Dale, so it reinforces what you saiy.
Yeah, and entertainment value has its ups and downs in popularity. The Atlanta Thrashers are an example. It was fun to go to Thrashers' games for awhile (beautiful women in Atlanta), but after years of nada in the playoffs, the jig was up.
The Caps were a bouncy ball away from Cam Barker and no Ovie. I think it proves that you ought not rely on luck but rather build a team. Heck, the Hawks won the thing. That after missing on Ovie and Malkin.
