And if Hamrlik were our best defensive defenseman, he'd be playing.
The GM turned down futures for the #7 defenseman who's on a bad over 35 contract.
Well in all fairness he can still trade him for futures in the offseason.
Didn't hurt to keep him around.
Now Wideman is a whole other story but I can see why they wanted to keep him if they intended to make a push. I'm sure Wideman could have brought in a 1st rounder so that would be the one for me seen as the biggest gamble.
And if Hamrlik were our best defensive defenseman, he'd be playing.
The GM turned down futures for the #7 defenseman who's on a bad over 35 contract.
There are many things IMHO that point to Hunter using Hamr as a scapegoat. It happens at all level of sports. I've been there (thus I'm biased). Look no further than that video and the carbon copy New Jersey loss in which Hamrlik played no part of.
There were plenty of mistakes made against Carolina - hint: watch Wideman, watch Green. I'm not suggesting those players be benched but that loss should not have been pinned exclusively on Hamrlik and Vokoun. It was a team loss.
A case could be made for benching Wideman. And yes..............the record has vastly improved with Hamr out and Green / Schultz in, vastly improved. Maybe it will starting tonight but so far - nada.
Having said all that - Hamrlik probably wishes he was traded too.
The only joy in watching the games lately for me is how good Green is. Gotta watch him for the few games while he's healthy. I cringe every time he's hit though
Who knows? but I think we will be looking at a "rebuild" as opposed to a "retool" personally.
I disagree. I think you can build a winner around Carlson, Alzner, Orlov, Backstrom, Ovechkin, Majo, Neuvirth, Holtby and Green, assuming Backstrom and Green can get/stay healthy. That's still a very, very young core. Add Kuz, and things look even better.
The lack of prospects isn't such a big deal because their best players are still pretty young.
I disagree. I think you can build a winner around Carlson, Alzner, Orlov, Backstrom, Ovechkin, Majo, Neuvirth, Holtby and Green, assuming Backstrom and Green can get/stay healthy. That's still a very, very young core. Add Kuz, and things look even better.
The lack of prospects isn't such a big deal because their best players are still pretty young.
I agree with this. There's a lot of talent here. Montreal went through a rebuild in
2008 - 2009 and look where they are. They scrapped their roster and ended up with cap heck in Gomez, Cammalleri (who's gone) and Gionta. Not only that they gave up a great prospect in the process. I guess there's ways to rebuild and overpaying UFA's for core purposes isn't one of them.
Retool to me would be getting that center by possibly trading one of Carlson, Orlov or Green going with the theory you have to give up something to get something. I'd vote for Green. LOL
Back to tonight's game. Caps score at the 17:14 mark of the first period followed by another goal shortly thereafter. The floodgates open and they on a ten game winning streak.
Well in all fairness he can still trade him for futures in the offseason.
Didn't hurt to keep him around.
Now Wideman is a whole other story but I can see why they wanted to keep him if they intended to make a push. I'm sure Wideman could have brought in a 1st rounder so that would be the one for me seen as the biggest gamble.
Absolutely, but thanks for stating the obvious.
While its annoying to see Hm riding the pine, our depth is deeper than ever. Remember our deepest playoff run in what 5 10 years, our LD group was crippled. Poti broken foot, Erskine broken foot. SMo, I can't remember - shoulder perhaps. Sarge - fully DISCLOSED injury against the secrecy policy we kept all year, and absolutely rare to see disclosures in the playoffs - rib foot, whatever, out. Personally - I didn't believe it. Horrible liars we are. Dale saying Ovi wasnt benched
While some may consider the season over, the playoffs a waste of time if we are gifted in, but deep down inside, you know there is a chance we can win a few games just randomly. Add in a few hot goalie games, and we are in the second round, as far as we have been in a long time.
There is time to get into a groove, and through luck alone we can finish 3rd. We are at as close to full health as we will get this year. The fat lady is still having dinner.
While Dale is still learning the ropes, we are left to speculate how much of what he is doing is George telling him what to do. The reason Dale may be here to is to be an extension of McPhee for all we know. Its a bit early to proclaim Dale the worst coach in the league. He is trying to fix Ovi and our team at the same time, obviously not an easy task, since he pretty much is our team.
Dude. Dale Hunter is not learning the ropes. He is a terrible coach. We play worse today than we did in December, so there's no indication he's getting better. Give it up.
I cant see us losing this game if we want to make the playoffs. Home game against lower level team. We simply *have* to win, and I think we will.
4-2 Caps. I think they score a couple in the first, build a 3-0 lead going into the 3rd. Canes score 2 in the 3rd to make it a little scary, and they ice it late.
I disagree. I think you can build a winner around Carlson, Alzner, Orlov, Backstrom, Ovechkin, Majo, Neuvirth, Holtby and Green, assuming Backstrom and Green can get/stay healthy. That's still a very, very young core. Add Kuz, and things look even better.
The lack of prospects isn't such a big deal because their best players are still pretty young.
I see your point. There are some assumptions tho..for instance Backstrom's health, Ovie's conditioning and Kuznetsov coming over. Will Green just sign a 1 year deal and become a UFA? Will Holtby and Neuvirth bounce back after subpar years?
Also if we get a new GM and front office that may totally change our game plan and how we will go forward.
The new guy may trade a bunch of those guys or clear out the roster and maintain the "building thru the draft" mentality.
Tonights game will go a long way in determining the future of this team. They absolutely cannot afford to lose this game. If they do their mental state will be seriously challenged and the fans will be running out of patience quick.
I think treating "every game like a playoff game" will eventually ring hollow or be counter productive. We all know you only need to win 4 of every 7. While going down in a series 0-3 is a near death sentence, losing 3 in a row in March certainly isn't the end of the season. Maybe we are treating every game more like a game 7. I think we need to keep it real, and stop with the this is our playoffs. For we will fulfill our own destiny and be golfing for Easter.
If these are going to be our game 7s, I want our number one goalie in the net more often than not. I don't blame Neuvy for our recent losses, but he doesn't seem to steal games for us. The way George built our playoff team last summer, includes Tomas Vokoun leading the way. Yeah I know he is injured. With as inconsistent and fragile as we are, we need an ace goalie. We are so desperate for consistent goalie play, I would have liked to see Holtby get another game.
Bah, whatever. as constructed last summer, Ovi has to win games for us. All stars, no glory.
I think treating "every game like a playoff game" will eventually ring hollow or be counter productive. We all know you only need to win 4 of every 7. While going down in a series 0-3 is a near death sentence, losing 3 in a row in March certainly isn't the end of the season. Maybe we are treating every game more like a game 7. I think we need to keep it real, and stop with the this is our playoffs. For we will fulfill our own destiny and be golfing for Easter.
If there are going to be our game 7s, I want our number one goalie in the net more often than not. I don't blame Neuvy for our recent losses, but he doesn't seem to steal games for us. The way George built our playoff team last summer, includes Tomas Vokoun leading the way. Yeah I know he is injured. But, and as inconsistent and fragile as we are, we need an ace goalie. We are so desperate for consistent goalie play, I would have liked to see Holtby get another game.
Bah, whatever. as constructed last summer, Ovi has to win games for us. All stars, no glory.
Sounds like the coach's mentality. Hunter dwells a lot on getting that first goal too. Obviously that's an objective but he makes it sound like the game is over if it doesn't happen. Thank goodness they managed a come back against the Isle.
This game kinda scares me though. The longer the Caps take to score the tighter the grips will become. YIKES!!!!!! And Carolina probably knows that too especially with their coach.
If ever there was a lucky bounce needed tonight is the night. Who's their goaltender tonight? Peters? I hope he forgets his rabbit's foot.
And if Carolina could loan Staal and Muller to the Caps tonight and possibly the rest of the season I'd be eternally grateful.
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.
Trying to assure the loss?
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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 like seeing caged animals released. Prod them with a stick and open the gate. Sure they often turn on their captors, but George will be safe up in the box.
"All Star" as he now prefers to be called, seems shaky of late. 1G 4A in his past 17 games... I overlook Dzone deficiencies when a guy scores. Maybe Orlov can help settle his game down.
