Free Agency Episode 2 - The Attack Of The Plugs

[NobodyBeatsTheWiz]

So who does Oates want?

No idea, but the team personnel doesn't exactly scream 'fast, aggressive forecheck', for one.

 

[BobRouse]

Those aren't even remotely close in comparison. Ribs was a major hole finally filled and let walk after one year. The rest were deadline deals that were to put another team over the top. Please stop while you're behind.

The Rangers traded 2 2nds for Ryan Clowe and didn't bring him back. They filled a "toughness"/winger void. Was that to put them over the top?

EVERY team thinks if they get in the playoffs that they have a chance. Deadline deals are made with that in mind.

The Caps made one of their deadline deals in advance. Ribeiro did ok. Some good. Some bad. He's 33 and wanted WAY too much money from the Caps.

So if a team acquires a pending UFA they usually do so to fill a need or void on their team. In YOUR opinion if that team lets said player walk then they are stupid.

History of NHL trades would disagree with you there buddy.

GMGM did what everyone wanted to. He took a chance to win now. It didn't pay off. It happens and Ribs wasn't a perfect fit by any stretch.

 

[strungout]

GMGM did what everyone wanted to. He took a chance to win now. It didn't pay off. It happens and Ribs wasn't a perfect fit by any stretch.

Pretty sure the majority of this board wanted to team to tank and sell at the deadline.

So don't go throwing the wonderful "everyone" line out there.

I would have re-signed Ribiero and I was fine with the Erat trade...just for the record.

 

[tmljeh19*]

The Rangers traded 2 2nds for Ryan Clowe and didn't bring him back. They filled a "toughness"/winger void. Was that to put them over the top?

EVERY team thinks if they get in the playoffs that they have a chance. Deadline deals are made with that in mind.

The Caps made one of their deadline deals in advance. Ribeiro did ok. Some good. Some bad. He's 33 and wanted WAY too much money from the Caps.

So if a team acquires a pending UFA they usually do so to fill a need or void on their team. In YOUR opinion if that team lets said player walk then they are stupid.

History of NHL trades would disagree with you there buddy.

GMGM did what everyone wanted to. He took a chance to win now. It didn't pay off. It happens and Ribs wasn't a perfect fit by any stretch.

2C isn't a position you just say oh **** it lets try so and so there! If that was his mentality then he's a bigger moron then I already think. While you wait for Mojo and Perrault to blossom into this mythical unicorn the Caps call a 2C, ill watch them get thrashed again in the first round and waste another year of our once in a generation talent George.

 

[NoMoreChoking]

It's really un healthy to be this angry at a general manager of a hockey team

I have faith. Caps cup here we come!

 

[BobRouse]

Pretty sure the majority of this board wanted to team to tank and sell at the deadline.

So don't go throwing the wonderful "everyone" line out there.

I would have re-signed Ribiero and I was fine with the Erat trade...just for the record.

In all fairness the tank crowd only started forming after the poor start. Ribs was acquired in the offseason and at the time it did appear to be a win now move and worry about extension after seeing how the season goes.

So you would have resinged Ribs for 4 years at 5.5 with a NMC? I think thats pretty steep for a one way player who sucks at draws and is on the downswing of his career.

 

[strungout]

So you would have resinged Ribs for 4 years at 5.5 with a NMC? I think thats pretty steep for a one way player who sucks at draws and is on the downswing of his career.

You know....I probably would have.

I really would have attempted to re-sign him as soon as he was acquired...and hopefully worked out a 4 year $5million dollar deal or something similar. I sure as **** wouldn't have waited until late in the season to try and sign him in a last ditch effort when his value was already higher than it needed to be.

 

[BrooklynCapsFan]

In all fairness the tank crowd only started forming after the poor start. Ribs was acquired in the offseason and at the time it did appear to be a win now move and worry about extension after seeing how the season goes.

So you would have resinged Ribs for 4 years at 5.5 with a NMC? I think thats pretty steep for a one way player who sucks at draws and is on the downswing of his career.

Just trying to keep track here...Ribeiro at 33 coming off a ppg season is on the downswing of his career. But Erat at 32 coming off a 5 goal season will be a key offensive piece for us?

 

[BobRouse]

You know....I probably would have.

I really would have attempted to re-sign him as soon as he was acquired...and hopefully worked out a 4 year $5million dollar deal or something similar. I sure as **** wouldn't have waited until late in the season to try and sign him in a last ditch effort when his value was already higher than it needed to be.

I suppose a case could be made. I still think Phoenix paid an awfully steep price and will regret the contract next summer or the one thereafter. Just me tho.

Re-signed when acquired? I don't know. I think its easier to say that now that we saw that he was productive. Ted probably is still feeling the sting of the Jagr contract after he was acquired.

Also we don't know if Ribs had a great year b/c he was a soon to be UFA. Maybe he would have gotten fat and happy if he got awarded a sweet deal? Its happened before to other players and will continue to happen yet...

 

[BobRouse]

Just trying to keep track here...Ribeiro at 33 coming off a ppg season is on the downswing of his career. But Erat at 32 coming off a 5 goal season will be a key offensive piece for us?

Erat had an off year. He's not under a contract until he is 38 like Ribeiro is. Term is a huge factor at this stage of their careers.

Ribeiro is not the all around player Erat is and I'm sure he didn't help us with the refs in that atrociously called Ranger series.

Not that is means anything but did you notice that we were up 2 games to 0 and tied with the Rags until Erat went out? We may have even been up. His injury did hurt us especially with no Laich to fill in.

 

[Ajax1995]

Do you think that's the best solution to the 2c problem...shift Backstrom there and allow Ovechkin to play with scrubs?

Maybe that works. Or maybe that turns 60 goal Ovechkin back into 30 goal Ovechkin. I know he got two all star awards for his season, but the recovery is only 30 some games old at this point.

I don't feel that Ovechkin's resurgence last season was in any way dependent on Backstrom. In fact I think it is time for Backstrom to start showing he can carry his own line and this is an excellent opportunity for him to show it.

And I don't consider any of the other guys Ovechkin could be playing with in that scenario scrubs. Erat, Laich, and Johansson have all shown they can produce in top 6 roles in the past and for the limited ice time and usual quality of linemates he has played with in the past Perreault has produced well enough to definitely warrant a shot a bigger role.

 

[BrooklynCapsFan]

I don't feel that Ovechkin's resurgence last season was in any way dependent on Backstrom. In fact I think it is time for Backstrom to start showing he can carry his own line and this is an excellent opportunity for him to show it.

And I don't consider any of the other guys Ovechkin could be playing with in that scenario scrubs. Erat, Laich, and Johansson have all shown they can produce in top 6 roles in the past and for the limited ice time and usual quality of linemates he has played with in the past Perreault has produced well enough to definitely warrant a shot a bigger role.

Erat-Johansson-Ovechkin
Laich-Backstrom-Brouwer

I guess I could get behind that. Backstrom-Laich had great chemistry years back (although Semin might have been the real catalyst there).

Erat is strong enough on the boards to make up for the fact that Johansson is undersized and avoids contact.

Maybe that works.

I agree that Perreault deserves a shot, but I doubt he gets it here. He should be trade bait. Rather, he should have been trade bait a year ago coming off a great season.

 

[Ajax1995]

Pretty sure the majority of this board wanted to team to tank and sell at the deadline.

I'm pretty sure he meant last offseason when he added Ribeiro at the draft to fill the 2C hole.

 

[brs03]

It's not as if Ovi's ES production was "young guns Ovi" level, either (granted it was still quite good). The Hart season was built on PP production, which is going to be a terribly fickle mistress no matter who you bring in or retain.

 

[RockDaRed]

It's really un healthy to be this angry at a general manager of a hockey team

I have faith. Caps cup here we come!

No it's unhealthy to keep all the anger in.

 

[BobRouse]

I agree that Perreault deserves a shot, but I doubt he gets it here. He should be trade bait. Rather, he should have been trade bait a year ago coming off a great season.

There is a strong case that could be made that MP was our best player in the playoffs last year. Are you so sure that he doesn't get a shot here?

I'm of the mind that his strong play had to be at least factored into the equation of letting Ribeiro go. No evidence whatsoever...just a gut feeling

 

[Atlas]

Erat-Johansson-Ovechkin
Laich-Backstrom-Brouwer

That's a crap top 6.

 

[BobRouse]

That's a crap top 6.

You can do alot worse in your top 6 than having 4 20 goal scorers in addition to the reigning rocket richard winner and league MVP.

 

[Liberati0n*]

Erat-Johansson-Ovechkin
Laich-Backstrom-Brouwer

I guess I could get behind that. Backstrom-Laich had great chemistry years back (although Semin might have been the real catalyst there).

Erat is strong enough on the boards to make up for the fact that Johansson is undersized and avoids contact.

Maybe that works.

I agree that Perreault deserves a shot, but I doubt he gets it here. He should be trade bait. Rather, he should have been trade bait a year ago coming off a great season.

90-19-8
10-21-20
16-85-42

Two "tweener" lines. Fehr-Perreault-Ward has shown chemistry. 10-21-20 will have stylistically similar enough players to at least be coherent, and Erat/Laich can compensate for the Brouwer possession/defense black hole somewhat.

 

[ChibiPooky]

Only 30 minutes left until GMGM tells us why he didn't do anything!

 

[tmljeh19*]

Only 30 minutes left until GMGM tells us why he didn't do anything!

What's the over and under on the times we hear:

"We like our team"
"Too rich for our blood"
"Young guys step into their role"
"Nothing really out there for us"

 

[ChibiPooky]

"We like our team" - 2.5
"Too rich for our blood" - 0.5
"Young guys step into their role" - 1.5
"Nothing really out there for us" - 0.5

 

[SlappaDaBass]

Only 30 minutes left until GMGM tells us why he didn't do anything!

Link to listen to this dbag?

 

[SashaSemin28]

What's the over and under on the times we hear:

"We like our team"
"Too rich for our blood"
"Young guys step into their role"
"Nothing really out there for us"

The GMGM drinking game

 

[BrooklynCapsFan]

You can do alot worse in your top 6 than having 4 20 goal scorers in addition to the reigning rocket richard winner and league MVP.

Erat, Brouwer and Laich haven't scored 20 goals since 2009/10. I can understand maybe projecting Brouwer to hit that next year (assuming his last year wasn't a product of Ribeiro), but Erat coming off a 5 goal campaign and adjusting to a new system that is apparently tough to learn and Laich coming off a major lower body injury...I'm not expecting much from them.