2008 Washington Capitals thread

[Allsmokenopancake 0]

Sweet jesus the caps are playing some shite tonight too.

If hanlon is still around after turkey day, then the caps are not serious about winning as an organization

[Super Star 0]

Sweet jesus the caps are playing some shite tonight too.

If hanlon is still around after turkey day, then the caps are not serious about winning as an organization

If he's around the fans just might crush the bench and lynch him.

[Fire0nIce228 1]

Two interesting rumors

a source in NY JUST told me that two of the three Western Canadian Teams are currently trying to put together packages to attempt to trade for Alex Semin out of Washington...Another source in Western Canada confirmed this.

The Caps offered Ovechkin a five-year pact similar to the deal the Pittsburgh Penguins gave Sidney Crosby ($8.7 million a season), but the sniper is demanding between $9 and $10 million a year.

http://www.metronews.ca/column.aspx?id=89932

For AO to demand more than Sid says alot about him.. Crosby could have demanded (and got) the max from the Pens, but he didn't. How does AO expect to have a decent team built around him / be able to afford to keep his teammates if he doesnt cut the Caps somewhat of a break?

[VECHKIN08 0]

Man, I had high hopes for the Caps this season. They made some good moves and looked like they were going to have a great nucleus of players to build their team around. But they haven't been playing great at all. Allsmoke...you think they'll give Hanlon the boot? I thought Hanlon had a nice comfortable spot on the bench. I don't know if Hanlon is their problem though... I think they just need to go back to basics. As usual though the blame falls on the coach, but I'd be suprised to see him leave. I think they will try and move some players around before they do that.

[MLSman 22]

I had high hopes for them as well...it just goes to show you that you can have a good team on paper, but a lack of chemistry and poof...that good team doesn't looks so good. I was a huge fan of Poti when he was a Ranger...what the hell is going on with their defense? Tonight Atlanta tore them apart. It is very sad. I wonder if Jagr has been on the phone with Nylander begging him to come back.

[Super Star 0]

They have better players this year or at least I think they do but they still play old system of dumping the puck and chasing and rarely they actually carry it in. And you see almost no passing game, once someone gets the puck they pass it to one of the stars and they try to carry it in getting 3 or 4 guys boxing them in so they dump it. This leads a brake out for the other team. This reminds my of old 60s Canadian hockey but in modern hockey it doesn't work.

[JR Boucicaut 3759]

On Thanksgiving no less. Uncle Ted is a mean sum'bitch. LOL

[Allsmokenopancake 0]

Didn't have much choice. I like hugs, he was good with young non nhl ready players, but couldn't implement a good system with an actual nhl team.

I wish him well, but the change was too late. McPhee should have been let go to, he is the architect of the mess the caps have been for almost 10 years

[VECHKIN08 0]

Well shit what do I know...

[djinferno 2]

I fail to see how this is going to help the lack of skill

[DarkStar50 679]

On Thanksgiving no less. Uncle Ted is a mean sum'bitch. LOL

Yeah, but it was Thanksgiving in Canada last month.

[Chadd 916]

Didn't have much choice. I like hugs, he was good with young non nhl ready players, but couldn't implement a good system with an actual nhl team.

I wish him well, but the change was too late. McPhee should have been let go to, he is the architect of the mess the caps have been for almost 10 years

Boudreau won a Calder cup two years ago and had them in the finals again last year. That's pretty impressive given the developmental nature of the AHL now. It also means that he knows the young guys and obviously knows how to coach them as well. The question is going to be how well he can coach high priced veterans.

[Super Star 0]

Well they won in overtime and I actually saw some good puck movement and pressure by the caps. I wonder is it just one time thing for a new coach or is it a change that will last?

[Allsmokenopancake 0]

Well they won in overtime and I actually saw some good puck movement and pressure by the caps. I wonder is it just one time thing for a new coach or is it a change that will last?

They also blew a god damned 3 goal lead. While a win is great as a caps fans, it's too early to get excited.

Although from what I've read about him, he could be the tonic, at least short term

[Super Star 0]

Any news on Semin and his foot? He didn't play today, did he come back too early again? Hope he isn't out for another month.

[Allsmokenopancake 0]

Any news on Semin and his foot? He didn't play today, did he come back too early again? Hope he isn't out for another month.

It's a high ankle sprain. He played too soon, per Tarik at the post, he thinks this will be a bad thing for him this season.

Hanlon had said he was going to ease him back in. However, with his job on the line, he played him almost 19 minutes on Wednesday, and the ankle couldn't take it.

Hanlon loses his job, caps lose semin again. He is listed as day to day at the minute, but he was listed as day to day for about 3 weeks before he was retroactively put on IR last time too, so will be a cross the fingers and see situation

Holy shit, ovey with a sweet goal to go 4-2 up on carolina tonight, thats his 2nd tonight

[Allsmokenopancake 0]

This morning update....

Semin is back in the lineup against the sabres tonight.

When nylander was asked about the changes to the caps PP (which potted 3 PP goals against the canes saturday), he said he couldn't talk about it, then laughed and said "seriously, we can't talk about it"

When new coach boudreau was asked about it, he avoided the question, so whatever he done, he ain't telling, but it's working. A lot more movement by the players on all positions, like Green scoring backdoor after moving down from the point on saturday.

And here is a quote from the caps 2-0 coach...

"I always [say] there's a [thin] line between a rut and a groove. They're both the same things, but they both mean the opposite things. You can be in a rut and nothing's going right, then all of a sudden it turns into a groove."

Going for 3 in a row against the sabres on versus tonight, will be a tough task though

[UMWhockey 0]

Boudreau is a lot more interesting in the post game interviews than Hanlon every was. Heres to hoping that this is not just a jump from a new coach coming in, but a system that is better suited to the players. Only 7 points out of 8th i beleive going into today

[Allsmokenopancake 0]

Boudreau is a lot more interesting in the post game interviews than Hanlon every was. Heres to hoping that this is not just a jump from a new coach coming in, but a system that is better suited to the players. Only 7 points out of 8th i beleive going into today

Caps are currently 6 games under .500 at 8-14-1.

They have 13 games to play between now and christmas.

If they go 9-3-1 in that stretch, they will be at .500 for christmas, with 45 games left to play.

Thats a hell of a lot of work, and to get to the playoffs beyond that, are going to need other teams to slip and fall, while they maintain a .600 or better win percentage.

It can be done, but will it?

[chippa13 1844]

After seeing Boudreau for a few years with local AHL squads, I can say I'm not entirely impressed with his coaching ability.

[Allsmokenopancake 0]

After seeing Boudreau for a few years with local AHL squads, I can say I'm not entirely impressed with his coaching ability.

Why do you say that.

He has a 340-216-56-43 overall and 103-45-11-16 with the bears, won the calder and went back to the finals.

His stock seems decent, but I haven't seen him until he coached the caps first game.

I'd be interested in the opinion of some who have more knowledge than him.

All I have are the numbers

[chippa13 1844]

I saw Bruce plenty when he was coaching in Lowell and Manchester. I was never impressed with how his teams played.

[Allsmokenopancake 0]

Well, semin back to day to day after tweaking his ankle again. Chris Clark missed the third last night with an undisclosed injury, but is expected to practice today.

Caps lose after an 11 round shootout

[Allsmokenopancake 0]

By the way, Boyd Gordon, caps best defensive forward this season so far, now listed as week to week with an undisclosed injury.

Semin back in the lineup, Chris Clark out, and the caps have called up Quinton Laing for the game tonight against the Canes

[Allsmokenopancake 0]

Boyd Gordon out for at least 3 weeks with a broken hand. Chris Clark didn't practice today, strained groin muscle, and is doubtful for fridays game.

Also, Clark says the Verizon Center ice is the worst in the league, and thats likely how he got hurt.

"There's a lot of ruts in the ice. It's soft. It's wet half the time. I could see a lot of injuries coming from the ice there. It could cost [players] their jobs."

"I"ve been trying to get it fixed. I've been going over the ice reports. I've been trying to tell them that it's [a problem]. But it's been three years since I've been here, and it's the worst in the league. It's tough to play on. Even guys on other teams say the same thing. When we're facing off, they say, 'How do you guys play on this?'"

"You think it would be to our advantage. But it's not."