What's Next for the Capitals?

Phoenix30 wrote:

504Heater wrote:

Phoenix30 wrote:

The Guy With The Mustache wrote:Washington has horrible defense.

We can always send them Atrain for Alzner. Ya not happening.

No thanks!

For discussions sake....Atrain is a UFA after this season and if he rebounds to have a good season he is going to command big bucks. Cab we afford him?

Alzner is projected to be a top 2 in the next few years. With all the others coming along something will have to give on the back end. Phillips and Alzner could form a good top followed by Kuba and take your pick. Alzners size and contract make him a viable option to put into a decent role. Now that I've said that I can't see Wash giving him up unless they were that desperate to push for a SCF which is very possible since they have progressed further in the past 2 post seasons.

I for one would like to see Alzner in a Sens uniform.

If I had any inkling that A-train would take a hometown discount to stay, then that would make the decision harder (and I am pretty sure he would do it, only city he knows), another thing is, does Alzner give the effort that A-Train does night in and night out and even between games? this is a real tough one to call for me, but that is more due to the love of having A-Train in a sens jersey.

davetherave wrote:

The Guy With The Mustache wrote:Washington has horrible defense.

Well said, TGWTM.

In your opinion, is that because their defensemen--even with Mike Green--aren't good enough? Or is it a more fundamental issue of team defense?

Would like to know your thoughts--and everyone else's of course...in more detail...

Let's say that Green is okay, Alzner should be good, Poti is steady - but not great, then you fill out the roster with average players.

Pothier, Morrisonn, Jurcina, Shultz and Erskine all got exposed as being average to below average.

Green is a horrible Dman, Alzner is young, everyone else is a pylon, with the only difference being the paycheck.

Phoenix30 wrote:

504Heater wrote:

Phoenix30 wrote:

The Guy With The Mustache wrote:Washington has horrible defense.

We can always send them Atrain for Alzner. Ya not happening.

No thanks!

For discussions sake....Atrain is a UFA after this season and if he rebounds to have a good season he is going to command big bucks. Cab we afford him?

Alzner is projected to be a top 2 in the next few years. With all the others coming along something will have to give on the back end. Phillips and Alzner could form a good top followed by Kuba and take your pick. Alzners size and contract make him a viable option to put into a decent role. Now that I've said that I can't see Wash giving him up unless they were that desperate to push for a SCF which is very possible since they have progressed further in the past 2 post seasons.

I for one would like to see Alzner in a Sens uniform.

I would love to see him in a Sens uni as well, but I think that's a deal you do when you've exhausted all options with a Volchenkov contract extension. He's the potential key to our top 4 in a couple of years.

A train for Alzner... There would have to be more involved IMO, but that's not too bad to be honest. A Train isnt easily replaced and I love the guy, but that would have to be considered.

If that ever happend, and the Sens drafted another D man this year in the top 10, wow...

Karlsson, Alzner, Wierchoich, Kulikov or OLE... ummm, you kidding me? I'll take losing for 3 straight years from now if that's our blue line, hell, keep Lee as the number 5, 6 guy, haha.

SensFan71 wrote:

Phoenix30 wrote:

504Heater wrote:

Phoenix30 wrote:

The Guy With The Mustache wrote:Washington has horrible defense.

We can always send them Atrain for Alzner. Ya not happening.

No thanks! :)

For discussions sake....Atrain is a UFA after this season and if he rebounds to have a good season he is going to command big bucks. Cab we afford him?

Alzner is projected to be a top 2 in the next few years. With all the others coming along something will have to give on the back end. Phillips and Alzner could form a good top followed by Kuba and take your pick. Alzners size and contract make him a viable option to put into a decent role. Now that I've said that I can't see Wash giving him up unless they were that desperate to push for a SCF which is very possible since they have progressed further in the past 2 post seasons.

I for one would like to see Alzner in a Sens uniform.

If I had any inkling that A-train would take a hometown discount to stay, then that would make the decision harder (and I am pretty sure he would do it, only city he knows), another thing is, does Alzner give the effort that A-Train does night in and night out and even between games? this is a real tough one to call for me, but that is more due to the love of having A-Train in a sens jersey.

It took A-train a couple of years to find his groove and along the way he made his mistakes. I suspect it would be the same for Alzner or any other young D-man. At the end of the day you could really only base Alzners play on his junior days and WJC since he has only played 30 games. What I like about him aside from his 6'2, 209 lbs is who well he handles himself in front of the media. I suspect he would bring it every night as he gained more experience and maturity. A-train is only 27 and still has plenty of years left him and lots more to offer but it comes down to the cap hit. I'm guessing he is going to be looking for some nice coin especially when he already gave the team a home town discount on his last contract. At least with Alzner he is signed for another 2 years at a nice 1.675m then he is an RFA.

Neely4Life wrote:A train for Alzner... There would have to be more involved IMO, but that's not too bad to be honest. A Train isnt easily replaced and I love the guy, but that would have to be considered.

If that ever happend, and the Sens drafted another D man this year in the top 10, wow...

Karlsson, Alzner, Wierchoich, Kulikov or OLE... ummm, you kidding me? I'll take losing for 3 straight years from now if that's our blue line, hell, keep Lee as the number 5, 6 guy, haha.

OK I'll take Washingtons 2nd and Alzner for Atrain....

Something like that, but if I was Murray, I would listen and look at my options. Murray's is going to stack the blueline one way or another, and he is off to a good start. Add Alzner to that, you just draft forwards for the next 5 years, haha. (not actually)

The Guy With The Mustache wrote:Green is a horrible Dman, Alzner is young, everyone else is a pylon, with the only difference being the paycheck.

Poti's good.

Long-term, their defence is in fine shape.

Green will get better, and he's so often controlling the puck that he survives with defensive weaknesses.

Alzner's a pretty perfect guy to help him out and cover up for him.

John Carlson's another guy that can provide offence from the blue-line.

Caps are in good shape long-term. The only issue is balancing salaries, especially with Ovechkin's monster deal.

Forgot about Poti. They're very weak defensively. not just the Dmen, but the entire team.

The Guy With The Mustache wrote:Forgot about Poti. They're very weak defensively. not just the Dmen, but the entire team.

Don't disagree there. But I think Fedorov's presence will help out some of the stars on the team, and guys like Steckel are pretty good.

I didn't think the Caps would make it this far, to be honest. But I think they can still improve.

Federov has been a disappointment lately. he's supposed to be a leader, and he was invisible.

Don't think I'm hating on Federov, he's one of my all-time favourites. But he's not himself anymore.

The Guy With The Mustache wrote:Federov has been a disappointment lately. he's supposed to be a leader, and he was invisible.

Don't think I'm hating on Federov, he's one of my all-time favourites. But he's not himself anymore.

He's not what he used to be, unsurprisingly.

But in terms of making your star players more defensively responsible, he's a pretty good role model for a guy like Ovechkin.

Pronger can sign an extension by July 1st, if he doesn't, then the Ducks may no want to take a chance.

Semin though? They'd want a young, arse kicking center, would they not?

No matter what, this is a very intriguing idea - and a little scary too to be dead honest.

:****:

Volchenkov will get moved if my jersey curse continues. Every hockey jersey I've ever owned had said player being dealt, in a couple of cases rather quickly too. (Vernon and MacInnis from Calgary)

I have a new RBK Volchenkov jersey, so if history repeats itself, I'll be forced to burn the godamn thing. I just hope the return is worth it

From the Boston Globe and SportsIllustrated.com today, May 17:

Capitals coach on hot seat?

Bruce Boudreau, who took over the Washington bench in November 2007, has had a lot of success since succeeding Glen Hanlon.

But if he's going to move his slick bunch beyond first- or second-round KOs, he's going to have to install a defensive template that even his high-end trapeze artists can adhere to and still perform.

There was no safety net in Game 7. Or at least no one paid attention to it. Either way, there's a problem. Could the Caps already have outgrown their let-it-all-hang-out-there coach?

It might sound crazy, given how they've delivered during the regular season under Boudreau. But keep in mind, for different reasons the Penguins were asking themselves similar questions last June after Michel Therrien led them to the Cup finals.

For all their success, they looked as if they needed something, or someone, more. Late in the season, GM Ray Shero finally ditched Therrien and now the Penguins are back in the Eastern Conference finals - having found clear passage around those Washington torpedoes.

hemlock wrote:Volchenkov will get moved if my jersey curse continues. Every hockey jersey I've ever owned had said player being dealt, in a couple of cases rather quickly too. (Vernon and MacInnis from Calgary)

I have a new RBK Volchenkov jersey, so if history repeats itself, I'll be forced to burn the godamn thing. I just hope the return is worth it

I'm sure we could all take up a small collection and purchase you a couple of jerseys. We get to pick the numbers. We'll even provide the matches and lighter fluid for after. If it works for other teams as well you could have quite a side-business. Unfortunately most of your take-home-pay will wind up in the barbecue pit.