Game 4 Caps @ Rangers 4-22-2009 Wrap Up

The Local Yokels:

(Com)Post: not enough, do or die, same old, same old. Times: up against the wall, power outage, defensive improvement, needing to step up, familiar situation. Caps.com.

The Neutral Observers:

NHL.com: recap, not folding, perfect plan. AP Wire. ESPN.com.

The Other Side:

MSG. Newsday: saved, great offer, back in time, amused, just nominate him for gutsiest player of all time and eternity, the real star. New York Daily News: challenge met, no lack of effort. New York Times. New York Post: on the cusp, trying hard, saved again, siding up to the coach. Rangers.com.

Final Thoughts:

There's nothing to do now but to win three games in a row or go home.

We Have A Grievance!

Oilers not happy about Michael Nylander.

Considering that the NHL tends not to get too involved in these kinds of things, I can't imagine that this is going to go anywhere unless Edmonton has an actual player contract in hand which they don't seem to have. The worst that I can see happening is some sort of fine being levied on Nylander and/or his agent, Mike Gillis, but I wouldn't bet on it.

You might remember a few years ago when the Caps thought they had their Petr Sykora signed to a contract only to find out later that he didn't actually sign the contract and ended up missing the deadline for transfer from Europe to the NHL. As a result his contract was null and void and the Caps had to wait another two years (because of the lockout) before bringing him over to disappoint everybody.

As Yogi Berra famously once said, "it isn't over until it's over" and Edmonton only smears more egg on their face by whining like this.

2006-2007 Season Wrap Up: Part III Coaching and Front Office

Think I've been too nice? Well you haven't seen anything yet...

To paraphrase the late, great former Caps Beat Writer for the (Com)Post, Robert Fachet, Glen Hanlon did an admirable job once again attempting to make chicken salad out of chicken feathers. You can't hold him personally accountable for the talent level on the ice but you can hold him somewhat accountable for the application of the talent we do have and to a very minimal extent, the level of effort displayed by the team.

By all accounts, Hanlon continues to insist upon an upbeat, positive, and light attitude among the team. In November he wasn't afraid to show that he was not willing to let his team be run over by the like of the Atlanta Thrashers. However it was somewhat disturbing that when he started to turn more control over to the players, the injuries set in and the team fell out of playoff contention.

Despite the addition of more talent, the Power Play was only marginally better this year. As a matter of fact, it was very telling that Mr. Donald Brashear was often placed on the top Power Play unit in an attempt to jump start things. Sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn't but struggles on the Power Play lead to a mid-season shift in Power Play tactics with no noticeable improvement.

Odd too was Hanlon's insistence that the Caps shouldn't spend much time practicing the gimmick. While I understand Hanlon's belief that he couldn't properly recreate the environment of the gimmick in practice, that's no reason to not practice the event. How else are the players and goaltenders supposed to build confidence in the event? The Caps were just 1-11 in the gimmick and while reversing that still wouldn't have put us in the playoffs, it would have, again, at least made the team more competitive.

While a Major League coach cannot be expected to "motivate" his players on a night in and night out basis, there were far too many flat performances. Too many times when the effort during the game was seriously lacking. Hanlon has been the head coach for two and half seasons now and while he has a great track record of developing young players, his time could very well be coming to an end. This team isn't going to stay young for very much longer and a more demanding type of personalty may be needed.

For now though, he is getting the job done and the players do seem to like him. It would be one thing if the team wasn't reaching its potential but that is not the case right now.

The person feeling the most pressure is General Manager George McPhee. It is no secret that McPhee is heading into this coming offseason seriously under the gun to improve the hockey team. That is not a good situation for him or for this hockey team because the last time McPhee was under the gun like this, the Jaromir Jagr trade was pulled off. I dare say that there is very little that McPhee could do in this coming offseason to satisfy the fanbase that is demanding more than just new uniforms and logos.

So should McPhee clean out his office and pack his bags? Not so fast, if the Caps want to make the playoffs next year, then yes, because short of pulling off a trade of entire teams with the Buffaslugs, there's nothing the Caps can reasonably be expected to do in order to make the playoffs next season. Boston added a #1 center and #1 defenseman and they still finished well out of the playoff chase. Why would the Caps be any different if they got Chris Drury and Sheldon Souray as UFAs in July? (Which ain't gonna happen cha-cha)

If the Caps are looking to build a serious contender for years to come, McPhee should be allowed to hold true and see the process through. Some of his more recent draft picks are finally coming along. A guy like Eric Fehr has a chance to be a really good player if he is given the chance much like Matt "Princess" Pettinger and Brian Sutherby both whom finally broke through last year. We have some good young defensmen who could very well be great trade bait to get the defenseman or center that we need to shepard the other young players.

What McPhee needs to do is to find a way to sensibly address the problems on this team. He needs to keep the salary cap situation along with the team salary structure under control. He is facing a tough off season NEXT year as A.O., Alexander Semin, and Olie Kolzig all have contracts coming up for renewal and getting them all back on board won't be cheap. Fans who are insisting on a increase in payroll should wait for one more summer.

However where I believe that the coaching staff and the ENTIRE Front Office fell down this season was in the management of expectations department. The Caps came into this season carrying over the roll that they were on at the end of last year. The Caps also had a chip on their shoulders as many experts were once again picking them 14th or 15th in the Eastern Conference. It turns out the experts knew that they were talking about for once, go figure.

However, the Caps from the Front Office on down were talking about making the playoffs. All the talk of making the playoffs combined with the great start lead to increased expectations that left everybody crushed when they were not met. While I certainly do not expect the Caps to "embrace" losing, setting the bar too high lead to what we saw as the season wound down.

It should be noted that the New York Rangers missed the playoffs for seven straight seasons before finally making it last year. The Penguin Scum were out for four seasons and the Philadelphia Flyers missed the playoffs for five seasons in the early 90's. The Ning missed the post season for six seasons after making their first appearance. Out West, Calgary missed the playoffs for seven seasons. The Caps? We've missed three seasons now. I don't think it is time to hit the panic button yet so everybody needs to chill out.

Yet much like the team mismanaged expectations for the season, they are building everybody up again for another letdown this summer. As I mentioned earlier, the last time we were in this situation we ended up making the Jagr trade. If we miss out on our UFA targets, I believe we would be better off going into next season with the team that we have right now instead of making a bad trade in a desperate attempt to get help. That would be another recipe for disaster.

2006-2007 Season Wrap Up: Part II Forwards

Some were saying that the Caps have their forward lines set but they're still working on the defense...

Kris Beech F-, I'd give him a lower grade if I could but I can't. Here's a guy who was given every chance to succeed and just simply didn't do it. Beech had a chance to ring up 20-25 goals and finish with somewhere around 50-60 points but instead he posted career highs of 18 assists and 26 points. By being surrounded by the talent that he was, his Dimitri Kristich syndrome was clearly exposed. Had he played as well as he is capable of, the Caps probably would have still missed the playoffs, but they certainly would have finished better than they did. Am I blaming the entire season on Beech? No, but when you consider just how much pressure there is on the front office to replace this guy before next season, you realize he was a bigger problem than he has been given credit for. Instead of dumping on Steve Eminger, Mike "BEAM ME UP" Green, and other young players giving an honest effort, we should be bashing this guy into oblivion.

Matt "Omar" Bradley D+, If anybody is interested in knowing why the Caps aren't interested in giving players a long term contract should look directly at Omar. Kicking off a new two year contract, Omar's production fell after a rather good season last year. Omar is a spare part mucker and grinder type of which the Caps have plenty of. He's under contract and will be back but I doubt we'll give him another two year deal. He could be an attractive deadline deal for a contending team next year looking for depth.

Mr. Donald Brashear B+, Simply put he's here to provide "protection" and give the Neanderthal set a thrill. The fact that he can actually play the game is a bonus but his lack of speed prevents him from being anything more than he is. Give him credit, he knows his role and he goes out every night and does it with a consistent effort which is more than you can say for some players on this team.

Captain Chris Clark A, Mr. Sunshine wanted somebody else to lead this team but Clark proved that last year's 20 goals and 19 assists wasn't a fluke or a career year. Clark topped all of those numbers playing in fewer games this year and lead this team by example very well. Here's another player who could end up being very attractive at the deadline next year. Caps captains very rarely finish their careers in D.C.

Ben "What a"Clymer C-, Moved up, down, and all around; Clymer also fought the injury bug all season which hurt his game. While some look to Clymer's numbers and declare him a bust, he brings the experience of winning a Stanley Cup to the locker room. While the Caps are a long way from making the playoffs, Clark and Clymer will play big roles in getting this team to the playoffs and keeping them there.

Eric Fehr B-, Another rookie callup during the injury crisis and played well enough to keep his spot on the team until he himself got injured. Hopefully he'll be able to play in the AHL playoffs for Hershey but those clamoring for a right wing acquisition this summer should not count this guy out. We may already have the solution for that problem if we are patient enough.

Tomas Fleischmann C+, Quintessential odd man out. The Caps have their left wingers set so he'll have to move to another position in order to contribute full time. He seemed to find his game and chemistry with some of the other skill guys late in the season. However, he could end up being part of a package deal to get a player we need.

Boyd Gordon A-, Another favorite whipping boy who actually showed he could play in his first full NHL season. While his offensive numbers aren't impressive, his +10 rating stands out not because it lead the team by far but because he skated on the third line for most season which means he faced the opposition's top scoring line every night. Those who advocate his disposal are fools.

Brooks Laich B+, If I had to throw somebody else in a package to fill a need, I would choose Laich over Gordon any day but that doesn't mean that Laich is that much worse than Gordon is. Here's another guy who very well could end up being victimised by a numbers crunch. In his favor he did show that he could hold his own centering one of the top lines a La Jeff Halpern. But like Halpern he is not suited to that role and should only be used as a stopgap measure.

Jakub "and sons" Klepis D+, Another player who was given multiple chances and finally seemed to figure it out at the end. I don't like his long-term potential with this franchise but at least he finally got away from taking lazy penalties after his most recent callup. That should hopefully increase his trade value.

Jiri Novotny INCOMPLETE, I don't feel right assigning a grade to him after only 18 games but his almost invisible performance for the Caps makes the Zubrus trade look even worse. To his credit, Novotny did should some chemistry with fellow Czechs Fleischmann and Klepis and I would like to see more of what they can do together. However, we many not have enough room for that experiment.

A.O. A-, So this is what a sophomore slump looks like? Here's an example of a guy trying to make the players around him better but the players around him can't be helped for the most part. The league adjusted to him and he had trouble adjusting back but should he be surrounded with more talent, there will be hardly anything that can contain him. A.O. still blows the defensive zone too quickly but some of that can be forgiven because of the offensive numbers he produces. However, he will have to learn the proper way to play defense if he wants this team to win a Cup.

Matt "Princess" Pettinger C+/B-, After last year's breakout performance it would be very easy to think Princess was a failure this season. However, he posted numbers not too far off what he did last year. Injuries limited him greatly this season and he too, like a number of guys, could end up in a numbers crunch depending upon what the team does in the offseason. His contract however doesn't make it likely.

Alexander Semin B, Ah yes, the prodigal son returned and was just about the same as he was before he left. Here's a bonafide NHL Superstar if he can only get his head screwed on right because this kid is that scary kind of good. While Klepis got demoted for his continually taking stupid penalties, Semin was just as guilty but produced more in the offensive end. Mr. Brashear was the only forward with more penalty minutes than Semin. Semin had 12 more than Sutherby, his closest competitor in that field. Semin's grade is thusly reduced because of the stupid penalties that he continually took. His offensive does counter that some but as time goes on, he MUST cut down on the penalties and show more willingness to cover in his own zone. However considering what an enigma the guy is, we just don't know if that is going to happen.

Brian Sutherby C+, Another player who came off of a career year and struggled. Injuries took their toll on him as well but his play was underwhelming when he was healthy. Of the guys who could be floated as trade bait next season, he would be the youngest of the forwards.

Overall I would give the forward ranks a C/C+ for this season. While the defensemen had huge issues getting the puck out of their zone and to the forwards, the forwards all too often left them stranded on an island. This group also did not pass between each other very well and rarely if ever looked to their pointmen for help in the offensive zone. Most of these guys are muckers and grinders with a very few of them being supremely talented. The defense needs some veteran leadership and a boatload of polish. The forward ranks needs a talent infusion. While Nicklas Backstrom is projected to do exactly that next season, he won't be enough by himself.

2006-2007 Season Wrap Up: Part I Defensemen and Goaltenders

Yep, yours truly is obnoxious enough to hand out grades to players in the guise of looking back on this season. So without further adieu...

Steve Eminger C-, Emphatic defenses aside, Emmy only gets a passing grade because of his youth and the injuries he sustained through the year which, once again, served to limit his continuing development. While he is still young, he is quickly coming to a cross-roads in his career. He needs to improve next year or he will become a great candidate for a change of scenery. The Caps are certainly going to retain his rights this offseason but I would not be at all surprised or disappointed to see him traded in a package that lands a impact player at a position where the Caps need help.

John Erskine-Bowles C-, Yes I bash Erskine-Bowles relentlessly but let's consider a few things here. First of all, he only played 29 games this season so his damage was limited. Secondly, he's proven he can be an effective seventh defenseman playing games in spot duty when needed. It is the long stretches of play where his game struggles. Finally I have a problem with giving a failing grade to a player who provides exactly what he is capable off. While the clowns of Darwin's Waiting Room thinks this guy is the key to a Cup Finalist, I never did and he performed about as well as you can expect him to which is all you can ask for out of a player.

Mike "BEAM ME UP" Green D+, Another young guy who really struggled in his rookie season. I am dreading what his sophomore slump will look like. While I certainly do not advocate cutting this guy loose already, I do think we should be able to expect a defenseman to actually play defense. The fact that he had the by far the lowest amount of Penalty Killing time on the team among regular defensemen shows you just how little confidence the coaching staff has in his defensive play. He showed a few flashes of being the Power Play QB we desperately need but is a long way from filling that role. He could be another player who ends up benefiting greatly from a change of scenery.

Brent Johnson C-, As Johnny goes so does the Caps. When the Caps were playing well at the start of the season, so was Johnny. When the Caps went into their slide, so did Johnny. His early play this year along with last year's strong finish convinced the Caps to give him a contract extension so he'll be around for a few more years. While, I'd like to see him become a little more consistent in net, I am greatly disappointed that when he was given a chance to become the starter that he fell flat on his face and his grade suffers as a result.

Milan "Jerky" Jurcina B+, Absolute steal for the Caps. His good games far outnumbered his bad games and he quickly took a spot on the top defensive pairing getting to play against the opponents top players and did a fantastic job. So why a B+? Well, he's still young and still prone to the ugly turnover which means he can get better. Here's a prime example of a player needing a change of scenery to reach his full potential. The fact that the Caps got him for so cheap only adds to his value.

Olie Kolzig B-, While the pre-lockout days of 5-holzig are gone, Olie is showing signs of wearing down. While the grades of both goaltenders take into account the youth and inexperience directly in front of them, Kolzig still gave up questionable goals and in some instances, was not the team's best penalty killer. I was worried at the start of the season that Kolzig would go down to injury and he did exactly that. What is even more scary is how this team seems to be unable to win unless Kolzig is in net. That needs to change because he won't be there forever.

Shaone Morrrissonnn B-, Some think he too could be our next Power Play QB but didn't show any flashes of that this year. Maybe it was because he was on the top defensive pairing all season and held his own against the best our opponents threw at us by focusing more on defense. His chemistry with Jurcina was instantly noticeable and his game improved from there. Another young guy who simply needs more polish.

Bryan Muir D-, Another depth defenseman that the Caps will not be inviting back to the team next year. He thankfully spent most of the season injured and ended up playing fewer games this season than Erskine-Bowles did for this team. That's the only reason why he didn't get an F.

Brian Pothier B-, I feel kind of bad for Pothier. Most players who switch teams as UFAs tend to have "off" seasons right after they cash in on their contract year. However, Potheir's numbers are respectable compared to last year considering that he spent a good portion of the season playing on the top pairing where he doesn't belong and that he was playing on a team that didn't have the offensive firepower of his previous team. Pothier had some ugly turnovers and is probably about as good as he is ever going to be. That being said, he has earned a spot on this team going forward but should not be played above the second pairing if it can be helped at all.

Jeff "Sergeant" Schultz B, Rookie callup when all the injuries hit and earned the icetime he got after everybody got healthy. Here is an example of different players maturing and developing at different rates. The experience he'll get in the AHL Playoffs with Hershey should help and should also be the last regular minor league games he plays. He's still young but this guy looks to be a keeper.

As I group I would give these guys a collective D+/C-. I don't expect these players to be world beaters and shutdown every player who skates against them. We knew going in that more experience would be needed for these guys and they showed exactly that. What is disappointing and considerably drags the grade down is that this collection of defensemen (especially those advertised as "puck moving") had huge issues getting the puck cleanly out of their zone. All too often their breakout passes missed and they looked completely incapable of completing a pass to a forward. Furthermore while they were defensively responsible for the most part, they fumbled too many passes back to them on the point and couldn't keep pucks in the offensive zone. How much of that is inexperience I don't know but it must be improved upon if the Caps are going to improve next year.