Free Agency Episode 2 - The Attack Of The Plugs

[BobRouse]

Would the Jets take Laich for Burmistrov? Seems to me they would need a center coming back the other way.

I think MOJO's point production in part can be due to who he has had the opportunity to play with. I don't think Burmistrov has been surrounded by skilled players such as Ovie and Backstrom. Like I noted earlier, you could have Burmistrov paired with Kuznetsov on the second line beginning next season and they just might have some chemistry similar to Ovie and Backstrom on the first line.

Let me hit you all (the people who think "that guy has a NAME that I saw on HIGHLIGHTS and because he plays for a DIFFERENT team he must be better than what WE have")...

Burmistrov is almost 22 just like MJ or they are very close in age. He has had seasons of 20, 28 and 10 (shortened year) points.

If you guys think MJ "floats" or is not "strong" they you will REALLY feel 10x moreso about Burmistrov. The guy would make Flash look like Jay Beagle on the boards.

MJ has had seasons of 27, 46, and 22 (shortened year) points.

He has outproduced Burmistrov every year and is faster and more competitive.

Also MJ doesn't pout his way out of situations like Burmistrov is doing.

In what world would a sane Caps fan trade MJ for this bum? Lets not even talk about Laich b/c thats a whole nother world of stupid.

Also here is a team breakdown of GF for us and the Jets:

12-13 146 us 126 them
11-12 218 us 221 them
10-11 219 us 218 them

Fairly even I'd say so its not like Burmistrov is playing for a team devoid of talent.

 

[BiPolar Caps]

Let me hit you all (the people who think "that guy has a NAME that I saw on HIGHLIGHTS and because he plays for a DIFFERENT team he must be better than what WE have")...

Burmistrov is almost 22 just like MJ or they are very close in age. He has had seasons of 20, 28 and 10 (shortened year) points.

If you guys think MJ "floats" or is not "strong" they you will REALLY feel 10x moreso about Burmistrov. The guy would make Flash look like Jay Beagle on the boards.

MJ has had seasons of 27, 46, and 22 (shortened year) points.

He has outproduced Burmistrov every year and is faster and more competitive.

Also MJ doesn't pout his way out of situations like Burmistrov is doing.

In what world would a sane Caps fan trade MJ for this bum? Lets not even talk about Laich b/c thats a whole nother world of stupid.

Bob and I'm sure you also believe like some here that all MAJO needs is to add a little bulk and that will translate into his game. Playing a more physical game doesn't come with size, I give you Jeff Schultz. Playing physical or willing to handle physicality is all mental and desire/heart. I just don't see any of that in MAJO's game at least not consistently.

 

[BobRouse]

Bob and I'm sure you also believe like some here that all MAJO needs is to add a little bulk and that will translate into his game. Playing a more physical game doesn't come with size, I give you Jeff Schultz. Playing physical or willing to handle physicality is all mental and desire/heart. I just don't see any of that in MAJO's game at least not consistently.

Ref

I totally believe that. And you are right about not coming with size...but I give you another example..

Peter Bondra. In 93-94 he had a sharp decline in play as a youngster from his previous all star year. He was getting pushed around everywhere and the NHL was starting to understand how to handle the influx of skilled euros every team had...getting physical with them.

Schoenfeld, the coach at the time, told Bondra he had to get stronger. Bondra in that offseason gained 10-15 lbs and it showed. That was his breakout year and he led the NHL in goals in the strike shortened season and for the next few years was one of the most feared strikers in the game.

Bondra was never a punishing hitter but the added muscle helped his puck possession.

 

[BrooklynCapsFan]

Everyone cross your fingers that this is the year that someone will tell Johansson to hit the weights!

 

[Xaroc]

Ref

I totally believe that. And you are right about not coming with size...but I give you another example..

Peter Bondra. In 93-94 he had a sharp decline in play as a youngster from his previous all star year. He was getting pushed around everywhere and the NHL was starting to understand how to handle the influx of skilled euros every team had...getting physical with them.

Schoenfeld, the coach at the time, told Bondra he had to get stronger. Bondra in that offseason gained 10-15 lbs and it showed. That was his breakout year and he led the NHL in goals in the strike shortened season and for the next few years was one of the most feared strikers in the game.

Bondra was never a punishing hitter but the added muscle helped his puck possession.

This is so true. Bondra was so easy to push off the puck before he really focused on hitting the weights. The next year when guys leaned on him they couldn't get the puck away and it led to a run of great goal scoring years.

 

[BobRouse]

Everyone cross your fingers that this is the year that someone will tell Johansson to hit the weights!

2010-2011 .391 ppg
2011-2012 .575 ppg
2012-2013 .647 ppg

Better plan...let's give up on every player who is under 22 and has not achieved a 50% increase in production every year!!

Can you name the player above Brooklyn? Hint..he's 22 so than meant he was 20 in 2010-2011.

This is so true. Bondra was so easy to push off the puck before he really focused on hitting the weights. The next year when guys leaned on him they couldn't get the puck away and it led to a run of great goal scoring years.

Right on. I remember Melrose consistently pointing out this fact on the Hockey Tonight (or whatever that show was called on ESPN with him and either Bill Pido or Buccigrass).

"this kid is getting stronger and better and better" in one clip where they showed him just fending off one Islander after another in the offensive zone before circling out and firing a puck past the goalie.

Believe it or not...young players CAN actually get stronger...

 

[strungout]

So...new work week...wonder if Mafki is actually "working".

 

[ChibiPooky]

So...new work week...wonder if Mafki is actually "working".

My bet is he has all eyes on the development camp, phone sitting in his pocket, maybe even turned on.

 

[BobRouse]

So...new work week...wonder if Mafki is actually "working".

In 96-97 we were supposed to be a playoff team who would make a push. Things weren't looking good so we traded a bunch of young assets for Oates, Ranford and Tocchet and also some other moves and even made the Simon trade earlier that year. We missed the playoffs.

the offseason saw Tocchet depart along with some other guys (Big shot Black?). We did nothing.

Well doing nothing is doing something...giving young players a chance for more of an expanded role (Kolzig, Zednik, Bulis, Klee, Witt, Gonchar etc.)

Sometimes you just need to give your own youngsters a true shot and have faith they are going to take a step in their development.

Keep bringing in outsiders and the youngsters keep being pushed aside never truly able to show what they got.

 

[BrooklynCapsFan]

2010-2011 .391 ppg
2011-2012 .575 ppg
2012-2013 .647 ppg

Better plan...let's give up on every player who is under 22 and has not achieved a 50% increase in production every year!!

Can you name the player above Brooklyn? Hint..he's 22 so than meant he was 20 in 2010-2011.

He's playing caddy to two top ten forwards in the NHL. At left wing, which makes him a lot less valuable.

Point is, we should have been competing over the past 3 years and Johansson should have been converted into a player who could bring production and some identity to the team.

It's a moot point now. I don't expect us to compete so we may as well keep "developing" him. I personally don't see him "developing" into anything other than a winger who avoids traffic, but time will tell. Maybe you're right and he'll completely change his game one of these years.

 

[strungout]

In 96-97 we were supposed to be a playoff team who would make a push. Things weren't looking good so we traded a bunch of young assets for Oates, Ranford and Tocchet and also some other moves and even made the Simon trade earlier that year. We missed the playoffs.

the offseason saw Tocchet depart along with some other guys (Big shot Black?). We did nothing.

Well doing nothing is doing something...giving young players a chance for more of an expanded role (Kolzig, Zednik, Bulis, Klee, Witt, Gonchar etc.)

Sometimes you just need to give your own youngsters a true shot and have faith they are going to take a step in their development.

Keep bringing in outsiders and the youngsters keep being pushed aside never truly able to show what they got.

They've been giving the young players chances now for the past 4 or 5 years. They made it to the 2nd round. Yay!!

I dont really want to sign anyone...Id rather see a trade or something to help the team, but at this point....I just want a sign of life.

 

[Chokingdogs]

In 96-97 we were supposed to be a playoff team who would make a push. Things weren't looking good so we traded a bunch of young assets for Oates, Ranford and Tocchet and also some other moves and even made the Simon trade earlier that year. We missed the playoffs.

the offseason saw Tocchet depart along with some other guys (Big shot Black?). We did nothing.

Well doing nothing is doing something...giving young players a chance for more of an expanded role (Kolzig, Zednik, Bulis, Klee, Witt, Gonchar etc.)

Sometimes you just need to give your own youngsters a true shot and have faith they are going to take a step in their development.

Keep bringing in outsiders and the youngsters keep being pushed aside never truly able to show what they got.

oh brother killer m'man.....

if by doing "nothing" you include canning both the GM and coach, then what makfi(mgmt in general) has done so far this offseason would be considered a negative, like the perpetual vacuum of space.

big shot black was one of makfi's first forays into charity case dumpster dives, IIRC, and that didnt happen until around 99/2000.

 

[tmljeh19*]

Reportedly wants closer to 4 mil.

Detroit offered him 2.5 and he is said to be asking 3-3.5.

 

[BobRouse]

oh brother killer m'man.....

if by doing "nothing" you include canning both the GM and coach, then what makfi(mgmt in general) has done so far this offseason would be considered a negative, like the perpetual vacuum of space.

big shot black was one of makfi's first forays into charity case dumpster dives, IIRC, and that didnt happen until around 99/2000.

Whatever. We lost Tocchet and that was a big loss. There were other casualties too.

Schoenfeld was a good coach and its not like GMGM taking place of Poile did miracles overnight.

The big thing that turned that year around was exactly what I mentioned...the emergence of youngsters who were given more prominent roles with Kolzig heading the top of the list.

For too long they juggled Dafoe/Carey/Kolzig never giving Kolzig the true reigns.

He's playing caddy to two top ten forwards in the NHL. At left wing, which makes him a lot less valuable.

Point is, we should have been competing over the past 3 years and Johansson should have been converted into a player who could bring production and some identity to the team.

It's a moot point now. I don't expect us to compete so we may as well keep "developing" him. I personally don't see him "developing" into anything other than a winger who avoids traffic, but time will tell. Maybe you're right and he'll completely change his game one of these years.

Johansson saw a good deal of time on the 3rd line as well and he produced there too with Chimera on his wing. He's 22. Don't forget that. Bondra didn't truly turn into the force he was until he was 25 or so.

They've been giving the young players chances now for the past 4 or 5 years. They made it to the 2nd round. Yay!!

I dont really want to sign anyone...Id rather see a trade or something to help the team, but at this point....I just want a sign of life.

Well MP85 would disagree with you. Bringing in Vokoun to "win now" only proved to hurt Neuvirth who was progressing just fine.

Did Hamrlik really help our D? Mixed results at best. We brought in Ribeiro last year and while he put up good numbers his "advanced stats/metrics" sucked. Results in the end were the same.

Carlson, Alzner, MJ, MP, Holtby, Orlov etc will get better. I have no doubt in my mind they will. I'm glad we didn't bring in a D. That increases an opportunity for Orlov to show what he has.

 

[ChibiPooky]

@CapitalsPR

#Caps GM George McPhee will be available to the media today at 3:45 PM at Kettler.

I think we can safely assume the offseason is over.

 

[Ridley Simon]

In 96-97 we were supposed to be a playoff team who would make a push. Things weren't looking good so we traded a bunch of young assets for Oates, Ranford and Tocchet and also some other moves and even made the Simon trade earlier that year. We missed the playoffs.

the offseason saw Tocchet depart along with some other guys (Big shot Black?). We did nothing.

Well doing nothing is doing something...giving young players a chance for more of an expanded role (Kolzig, Zednik, Bulis, Klee, Witt, Gonchar etc.)

Sometimes you just need to give your own youngsters a true shot and have faith they are going to take a step in their development.

Keep bringing in outsiders and the youngsters keep being pushed aside never truly able to show what they got.

Bringing up the Caps History...its what you do. Doesnt the fact that the Caps have only been beyond the 2nd round TWICE in their past...shouldnt that really be the "period, end" at every comment re: Caps History?

I've seen you comment on how this is "their year", in some form or another, over the past 3 years.

How did those prognostications go for us?

You also keep bring up youth: How can we be continuously rebuilding with youth while our ONLY generational talent simply ages? When will you realize that this management team will never amount to anything, and that they are totally wasting a gernerational talent that is Alex Ovechkin? Why is that a smart move?

Waste-- Laich, Erat, Ward, Chimera, Fehr, Erskine, and Neuvirth = 20m of cap space (31%).

No 2c. Erskine at 2LD. No Forsberg.

Its truly very sad in an of itself..., but paired with the Caps history riding on top of it, it becomes.... comically infuriating.

And the man running the show sits on his hands, and tells us "all is well". He is Frank Drebbin from Naked Gun.

 

[tmljeh19*]

In 96-97 we were supposed to be a playoff team who would make a push. Things weren't looking good so we traded a bunch of young assets for Oates, Ranford and Tocchet and also some other moves and even made the Simon trade earlier that year. We missed the playoffs.

the offseason saw Tocchet depart along with some other guys (Big shot Black?). We did nothing.

Well doing nothing is doing something...giving young players a chance for more of an expanded role (Kolzig, Zednik, Bulis, Klee, Witt, Gonchar etc.)

Sometimes you just need to give your own youngsters a true shot and have faith they are going to take a step in their development.

Keep bringing in outsiders and the youngsters keep being pushed aside never truly able to show what they got.

So wasting 2-4 more years of Ovechkins prime is a good idea? When you have a talent his, heck Nick and Green as well, you don't waste years of his career waiting for young guys to come into their own. It's not like our young guys haven't had any time to develop over the past few years. Sure they're all relatively young but how much longer do you want to wait? How many more years do you want to waste?

 

[ChibiPooky]

Phew, Corvo to the Sens.

 

[RandyHolt]

Up in Canuck country there was a nice article in the Sun on the lockout entitled: Jumping off fiscal cliff to drain wallets. Talking about the UFA spending frenzy that just occurred so soon after being sold that the owners needed a bigger share of the revenue.

Burke the visionary 12 years ago said: GMs were nuts absolutely out of their minds

Nothing has changed, clearly. 7 hours into FA and 350M was spent.

McPhee should not be credited for overspending his means. He has minimal to no cap room. However, when all the GMs overspend on UFAers and he does not, he is a fool because the league will inevitably correct their collective stupidity and desperation, and give a free pass to write off their dumb signings. And there is he is being fiscally wise... but at the wrong times. He gets a chance at a write off and only wrote off a 1 yr contract. He overspends / gets overenthused on his draft picks.

This requires him to target needs in the draft and requires those picks to pan out. Clearly, that is near impossible to do WRT bust rates and time it takes to develop players.

 

[tmljeh19*]

@CapitalsPR



I think we can safely assume the offseason is over.

Can't wait to hear his smug ass tell us how amazing we are going to be with the players that were embarrassed beyond belief last year. I'd pay $100 for one reporter to grow a set of balls and ask him why he's going into the season with the same team that was a disgrace in game 7 at home.

 

[BrooklynCapsFan]

Johansson saw a good deal of time on the 3rd line as well and he produced there too with Chimera on his wing. He's 22. Don't forget that. Bondra didn't truly turn into the force he was until he was 25 or so.

When Johansson is 25, Ovechkin will be 30. Mike Green may well be playing elsewhere.

Moving players to compete in a time-frame that makes sense isn't even that radical. Ottawa and Boston just made moves that will help them compete over the next two years...instead of hanging onto young players that might help them in 5 years after their core ages and moves on.

 

[tmljeh19*]

When Johansson is 25, Ovechkin will be 30. Mike Green may well be playing elsewhere.

Moving players to compete in a time-frame that makes sense isn't even that radical. Ottawa and Boston just made moves that will help them compete over the next two years...instead of hanging onto young players that might help them in 5 years after their core ages and moves on.

When does our 5 year plan finally produce results? 20 years? 25?

 

[BrooklynCapsFan]

Post lockout, Pittsburgh, Washington and Chicago were the league's darlings. Incredible young talent and all the possibility in the world ahead of them.

Pittsburgh and Chicago both made bold trades and signed top tier free agents. Washington built around their core almost exclusively from within.

Not only has Pittsburgh and Chicago accomplished more, they're both in a significantly better place than Washington for the next 3 years. I wouldn't be surprised to see either team add another Cup in that time.

And yet there are still people who think slow and steady wins the race.

 

[BobRouse]

When Johansson is 25, Ovechkin will be 30. Mike Green may well be playing elsewhere.

Moving players to compete in a time-frame that makes sense isn't even that radical. Ottawa and Boston just made moves that will help them compete over the next two years...instead of hanging onto young players that might help them in 5 years after their core ages and moves on.

Pittsburgh made serious moves at the deadline in an effort to win now right? They were the favorites going into the playoffs and even bolstered their chances right? Didn't work out so well and nor does it always. Trying to "win now" rarely does.

I'd prefer to take the path of Chicago. A team largely built from within. We just have to do a better job of drafting the right players and developing them clearly but we are not sucking in that regard.

So wasting 2-4 more years of Ovechkins prime is a good idea? When you have a talent his, heck Nick and Green as well, you don't waste years of his career waiting for young guys to come into their own. It's not like our young guys haven't had any time to develop over the past few years. Sure they're all relatively young but how much longer do you want to wait? How many more years do you want to waste?

This is a different era in the NHL. The Salary Cap has changed everything on how to compete.

In the NFL you will see successful teams (Patriots/Steelers/Giants) that rarely if ever make a huge splash in the offseason. They don't trade away futures in an effort to "win now"

Does it suck the Caps haven't won lately with the core they have? HELL YEAH! But trying to expedite the process by trading young assets will only work against their ultimate goal.

Rids,

I hear what you are saying. I am frustrated too trust me. But the Caps are going about things the right way. They are trying to build from within and are not chucking out huge contracts they will regret in a years time.

They just need to have their young players take another step.

We do have alot of young players still getting better and guys like Kuznetsov and Wilson waiting in the wings.

It's not like we have some bleak future like some are making it out to be.

 

[tmljeh19*]

Pittsburgh made serious moves at the deadline in an effort to win now right? They were the favorites going into the playoffs and even bolstered their chances right? Didn't work out so well and nor does it always. Trying to "win now" rarely does.

I'd prefer to take the path of Chicago. A team largely built from within. We just have to do a better job of drafting the right players and developing them clearly but we are not sucking in that regard.



This is a different era in the NHL. The Salary Cap has changed everything on how to compete.

In the NFL you will see successful teams (Patriots/Steelers/Giants) that rarely if ever make a huge splash in the offseason. They don't trade away futures in an effort to "win now"

Does it suck the Caps haven't won lately with the core they have? HELL YEAH! But trying to expedite the process by trading young assets will only work against their ultimate goal.

So basically keep doing the same thing we have been that's been leading to 1 and done?