Washington Capitals

[n3ss 0]

Sooo...

Will they Promote one of the assistants? maybe mark french form hershey? or maybe someone outside of the organization?

[ibeck 38]

Sooo...

Will they Promote one of the assistants? maybe mark french form hershey? or maybe someone outside of the organization?

Boudreau hasn't been fired yet....

[Chadd 916]

Just like they thought they could get by with their defense last year, they probably think they can get by with Boudreau this year.

[n3ss 0]

Keyword: yet

Although he appears to be safe for now... I think I made this thread around loss 8?

Although Chicago lost 9 in a row last year and Pittsburgh had a somewhat rough season before they won it; who knows? If washingtons Offensive players get it together and they play like they have for most of the last 4 or 5 games I think they'll be alight.

[ibeck 38]

Neuvy and varly have to stop letting in week goals. The defense has tons of offensive upside with green,alzner,carlsson etc...They just have to learn to tighten up on their zone and understand you can't always beat the opponent by 5 goals a game.

[bandits_5 18]

Neuvy and varly have to stop letting in week goals. The defense has tons of offensive upside with green,alzner,carlsson etc...They just have to learn to tighten up on their zone and understand you can't always beat the opponent by 5 goals a game.

neuvirth played AWESOME last night. Way better than ovechkin , semin , and backstom. You cant blame that one on him. Jesus couldnt have saved the Crosby deflection. And the Kunits goal had alot of traffic in front . over the last 10 games the caps have averaged under 2 goals per game. their funk is NOT a goalie problem

Semin on the other hand , was one of the worst players on the ice , and he needs to be alot better for the caps to make any noise!

[n3ss 0]

Everyone always seems to blame goalies first but for a pair of 22 year olds they're doing great. I'd say neuvy is on his way to becoming #1. The playoffs should be especially exciting as varly always seems to come up big and neuvy won 2 cups back to back in Hershey.

Despite a strong start I think semin might be on his last year here. I wouldn't mind him going at the trade deadline for someone a little more consistent.

[MLSman 22]

Agree with the consensus here. Goaltending is NOT the issue. The D is still way too slanted on the offensive side. Green, Alzner, and Carlson carry the offense from the backend...and that's fine...but they need to be balanced with 3 stay at home D men. Hannon was a good pickup and will serve well in that spot. Poti was originally an offensive minded D man that has lost a step. Schultz is just awful.

I think Semin needs to go too. Way too streaky and inconsistent...as well as injury prone. Call me crazy, but it seems like Ovechkin has been battling something since mid November. On the first episode of 24/7...seeing him with the ice bag on his right knee was a clue that something may not be quite right with him. The biggest killer in December has been Backstrom's disappearance.

At the start of the year, I told all my Caps friends at work that this team would be exposed this year if scoring was tough because the Defense was not designed to win the 3-2, 2-1 games. If dumping Semin leads to beefing up their defensive core/2 way offensive balance...I say do it.

[Chadd 916]

I think they should move one of their three young goalies for a real second line center to pair with Semin. Or they can move Semin and get another good second line winger. Right now the Caps really have one first line and three third lines. Without a legit second line threat, they're dead come playoff time.

Personally, I'd like to see one of the goalies dealt to NJ for Arnott. See how that works and make a move with Semin later if they need to do it.

[Chadd 916]

Talked to a Caps scout the other day and it was very interesting, it will be interesting to see what they do by the deadline.

[pass the bisk 0]

I know people around the organization and I heard from one that they are interested in Langenbrunner...

[GoBucky 0]

I dont see Boudreau at the Caps' coach next season. IMO, a lot of their problem is coaching. Theyve got all the talent in the world, but for some reason they arent able to get all the talent to play as a unit on a consistent basis and its almost like Boudreau himself has given up and has no real answer.

I actually like Boudreau but I think that everone's patience has just about run out and if they dont win the cup this year, they will have a new coach next year.

[jds 20]

Perhaps Ovi is preoccupied. Watch this. FUNNY!

[skyscrape 5]

Perhaps Ovi is preoccupied. Watch this. FUNNY!

That was awesome!

[GoBucky 0]

Great commercial! Id like to see him focus more on scoring goals and less on the outside distractions though.

[RiSeOnFiRe 0]

I think they should move one of their three young goalies for a real second line center to pair with Semin. Or they can move Semin and get another good second line winger. Right now the Caps really have one first line and three third lines. Without a legit second line threat, they're dead come playoff time.

Personally, I'd like to see one of the goalies dealt to NJ for Arnott. See how that works and make a move with Semin later if they need to do it.

The goalie market is crap.

And as for the 2C, the only options at the moment are Arnott and Conolly.

[n3ss 0]

In response to "should semin get traded "

Yes... He's great when he's in but he scores in clumps(he had like 3 hat Tricks and 18 goals in like the first 20 games; almost nothing since) I wouldn't mind seeing him go for a solid 2nd line center.

Also, im getting tired of the caps post game interviews. Everytime tr top players dissapear it's the same story.

[HattrickSwayze 3]

If I were in charge of the Caps, yeah I would shop Semin around. I honestly don't know what's wrong with the Caps right now, but Semin certainly isn't helping. Atleast when he was scoring goals he was being productive, but he's been a ghost the past two months. He's not hitting, he's not making good plays, he's not being aggressive... I think a good fit would be another power forward type player to have on Ovechkin's opposite wing. Someone like Nathan Horton would be awesome. Whether or not the Caps can swing that type of trade with Semin as the bait, I don't know.

[Fire0nIce228 1]

Semins been out the last few games with injury..perhaps hes had something nagging that he finally had to rest as Malkin did? All I know if he's killing me in fantasy right now.

[RiSeOnFiRe 0]

The Caps team as a whole are adjusting to a different system where its not just go go go go go. Last year, the team had opposing defenses on their heels because of the lightning quick transitions and high end skill. Now they're trying to get into a dump/chase/cycle game and I THINK are doing a 1-2-2 now (correct me if im wrong). The numbers will probably increase a little over the next half, but nothing crazy. They're trying to learn to win games in the playoffs, not stats on the scorecard in the reg season.

[GoBucky 0]

The thing is though, the new system isnt working. If they cant win games against their rivals in the regular season, what would possibly make you expect they will get it done in the playoffs?

IMO, they need to go back to what they were doing this year because whatever Boudreau has them doing this year isnt working.

[RiSeOnFiRe 0]

The thing is though, the new system isnt working. If they cant win games against their rivals in the regular season, what would possibly make you expect they will get it done in the playoffs?

IMO, they need to go back to what they were doing this year because whatever Boudreau has them doing this year isnt working.

Its been half a season..

[GoBucky 0]

Its been half a season..

I dont buy that excuse. A team that dominated the regular season last year should suddenly be struggling this much this season. I agree that it does take some time to learn a new system, but it shouldnt take this long.

[Fire0nIce228 1]

San Jose Sharks anyone?

[RiSeOnFiRe 0]

I dont buy that excuse. A team that dominated the regular season last year should suddenly be struggling this much this season. I agree that it does take some time to learn a new system, but it shouldnt take this long.

They are 5th in the east, and tied for that #2 spot with Tampa Bay. If they played in the west, they would be in 4th. If thats struggling, then I hope my Isles start to struggle.

last year they ripped teams apart in the reg season and faced no adversity whatsoever. This year, they're learning what to do when things don't go their way 100% of the time. i think they'll go farther in the playoffs this year than they have in the past.