Tarik,

With the holiday on Thursday and 2 more losses on Friday and Saturday, is it safe to assume that "new coach" arrives on Sunday? Any chance he could come in on Thanksgiving day so that the team has a chance over the weekend? Or is the team content with giving away those points also?

I like Kovalchuk. Before Ovechkin, he was the first Russian with attitude. Can you imagine them playing together? Oh, well - tonight is a must win. Happy Thanksgiving, everybody.

Just an observation...

How much "coaching" do these guys really need?

Where's the inspiration? Who's the driving force? Is everyone asking themselves what they can do differently (other than Glen and his endless line combinations)?

Chris, get your guys fired up. If management isn't doing what they need to do (and they obviously aren't) then make your own change!

NO MORE EXCUSES! All teams play road games (we hardly win at home, anyway), ice stinks in other arenas, players get hurt. TEAMS OVERCOME AND DON'T WHINE ABOUT IT!

GROW SOME, ALREADY!

Fire McPhee and Hanlon now Ted!!!

This team is more frustrating then the Washington Redskins, and that is saying something. I'm glad this organization seems to be content with losing. We are what? 7 games under 500? Are you kidding me? How many more games do we have to lose before changes are made? Maybe we'll have another firesale so we can rebuild again!

Hey olemiss - you're partly correct.

This team has definitely been missing some leadership. I'll cut Clarke a bit of slack partly b/c he's been injured, and partly b/c Hanlon keeps changing up the line combinations so it's hard for each player to understand their "role" and for the captain to remind players of their roles and responsibilities.

That's what it's all about - understanding your role -are you checking forward, scoring, grinder - how do you contribute for the team??

To date - Hanlon's played everyone from Gordon/Motzko/Bourque/Nylander/Kozlov/Clarke and more on the first line. Then, they've shuffled from 2 thru 4 the rest of the time. Sure he's looking for chemistry, but after a lengthy training camp and 20 games into the season - if you're still having new line combinations - something is seriously wrong.

IMO - the defense needs an upgrade and another tough player who can play is needed up front. Other than Brashear who can't skate, who intimidates you up front from the Caps?? Clarke - not really, who??

Finally - FIRE McPHEE!!!

Here are my observations:

1) The Caps are in the bottom few teams in the league for the last 5 years, with no playoff hopes in the near future.
2) The signs of good coaching are nowhere to be seen...very few players have improved since they got to DC, the special teams are a mess, etc...
3) Team management (ie: GMGM) has not drafted well, the trades have provided no immediate help to the franchise, we have a star player who has not been tied up with a long-term contract (and will eventually demand a trade or sign elsewhere because he will want to play in the playoffs...), and have seen other franchises speed ahead of the Caps...

Am i missing something here or is the state of the Capitals as dismal as it seems?

Sigh...

I will say it again. I want the Caps to lose. I am afraid if they win tonight, Hanlon will be safe for another two weeks. How many times are you gonna change lines? How desperate can you get, fire the coach, and if that doesn't work than start looking for new players.

Nice article Tarik.

Sometimes I wonder what you raelly "unofficially" think about the whole situation. You certainly are more informed than most of us. Or maybe you're venting through another nick and are telling us already? lol

Tarik,

Ted is generally a hands-off owner, but any thoughts of his visting the locker room? Speech could be either: a) hey, you guys need to remember you're living a dream, just relax and have fun out there; or b) I pay your checks and make your lives extremely comfortable, is it too much too ask for you to play like you care? Because we can get another coach in here who'll beat you down until you do.

@OleMiss84

To an extent, you're right. The players just have to do it.

It's the bench boss that makes up the lines and sends them over the side. He's the one that changes them, and sends out specific players in certain circumstances. He's the one that can set a fire under them. He's the one that designs the "system" for defense and offense, how the power play will be run, now the penalty kill will be run. They create the set plays and run the drills to work it into the player's heads.

The Captain is supposed to provide additional "incentives" to the other players. Mark Messier was perhaps the best Captain ever. Just a look from him was enough.

So, this team isn't getting it done. Perhaps Clark isn't strong enough to do the job, and he's certainly no Messier at any level. I'm not in the locker room, so I can't say he's not effective. The assistants are not that involved, either, but that's normal.

That puts the burden back to the coaching. The lines are arguably a mess. There's no apparent plan on the PP. There's no apparent plan for the 5 on 5. How we cannot score on ANY 5-3 is beyond me! Heck, I could defend against the Caps 5-3 and I'm old, overweight and ugly.

With the personnel this team has on paper, it should be battling Carolina for top spot maybe. Certainly TB for #2 slot. Problem being, it's on paper. Kozlov has been underwelming as has Nylander. Poti hasn't done anything except cost us goals. Bringing up Bourque and Motzko and putting them on 1st line was assinine. Bringing them up when you have quality guys riding the pine is as bad. That's GM and coaching.

GM has fallen in love with his players and tries to hang onto them for way too long. Schultz is an obvious case in point. The only reason he's a +5 is he's paired with Pothier most of the time. He's the one saving Schultz's butt. Green's a minus because he's trying to generate offense, and Poti's passing to the opposition in the defensive zone. Coach should pull him aside and tell him to cover for the multi-million dollar salaried lead weight that GM brought in to "anchor" the defense. Well, he's doing that!

Fire McFailure, Hanlon, and Ted (sell the CAPS back to Abe).

I live in Hershey, and I am not saying this is gonna happen, but a lot of talk around here and in the papers, if Hanlon gets fired, Boudreau will replace him, it sounds logical.

I think the players are way too close to Hanlon. They are saying its not a coaching problem but how could it not be? There are no stable lines, no one knows who they are going to be playing with from period to period, there's no motivation and no heart there anymore. Then they trade one of the few guys who do have heart. I feel bad for OV. You can see the desperation in him when he plays. He is so much better then this...we are horrible.

I'd still go with McLellan or Quinn for bench boss.

Chris Clark can say what he wants to about it not being the coaches fault but the fact is that they are not playing for the coaches... They are not responding to the coaches and they are not being motivated by the coaches.

If this coaching staff can't motivate the players I will guarantee that there is one that can. The problem is that the players are not responding to their present coaching.

Who's fault is that? Well, does it matter? Can you fire the team?

I understand that restricting ice time is the one tool a coach has to express his displeasure with performance but when only about half the team is seeing regular ice time and the rest are banished or receiving greatly reduced playing time, got to wonder if its individual player problems or coaching effectiveness.

Its a bad situation getting worse. Stop the bleeding.

This is what the Caps need tonight:

intestinal fortitude

Definition: strength of will

Synonyms: backbone, balls, brass balls, chutzpah, courage, endurance, energy, fitness, fortitude, guts, gutsiness, heart, moxie, spunk, stamina, staying power, stick-to-it-iveness, strength, toughness, vigor, wind

Tarik,

Any word on when Hanlon will get fired?

Tarik,
I have a question or would like your opinion on something, are the Capitals coached or evaluated by management based on payroll or performance. After comments made by Hanlon regarding the Sutherby transaction and the Jucina benching, I looked at the team stats and payroll. Hanlon stated how much he liked Sutherby and it was one of the reasons he made him an alternate captain, yet he only played him in 5 games. During those 5 games he had just as many goals as Pettinger. Matt Bradley has just as many points as Pettinger in 4 less games. Now I realize Pettinger is listed at left wing and Bradley is at right, but wingers often change sides. Moving to the D, Jurcina is being benched for turning over the puck in Tampa, which yes cost the team a goal. He was immediately benched followed by healthy scratches. Poti vs Florida, turnover, goal against, continues to play and no scratch. There seems to be a double standard in disciplining players on this team, one where the guys being paid more are allowed to make the most mistakes and get away with it. Could this be contributing to the appearance of the Capitals looking like two different teams? And not to throw all of this on Hanlon's lap, does gmgm have say in who is in the lineup from game to game?

Let's give thanks to the Capitals Front Office for putting us in this position. They traded or got rid of those who had HEART.

And BTW, Happy Thanksgiving Tarik and everyone else! Have a safe Holiday.

@ Pete Peeters,

I'm with you, man. A win tonight is almost terrifying. It's like that Seinfeld episode with the Romanian gymnast. Once he sleeps with her, he has to keep seeing her for at least two more weeks.

We win tonight, and that buys Hanlon and McPhee how much time?

Is it possible that the shuffling of lines nearly every game and often during the game has something to do with the fact that players are having trouble knowing when to go on or off the ice and what position they're playing?

Long shifts may be part of the problem, but the constant shuffling has got to make it more difficult for players to instinctively do their jobs.

@ Red Dragon,

Yes, that's what we need. More platitudes!

Give it 110% out there! You have to want it more! There's no I in TEAM!

Add those to "We haven't been getting the breaks," "The ice was bad," and "Our shifts have been too long."

Pfft.

I will not be happy if Boudreau takes over. First of all, HE HAS ZERO NHL EXPERIECNCE.

The last thing we need is another coach with no nhl winning pedigree.

Second, he runs the same systems and style that Hanlon does. Which in part may be mandated by gmgm. I don't think we need to fire gmgm just yet, but they absolutely need to get a new coach who can be completely free from any handcuffs that gmgm may place on their style.

@ EVERYONE!

Someone Else who knows said:

"Happy Thanksgiving Tarik and everyone else! Have a safe Holiday."

I would like to amend that and say "Safe travels!"

@ John in Mpls

I liked the "brass balls". The key might be switching to brass jock straps. With Ovy firing them from the point on the PP, having brass balls is a must

Long shifts, bad line changes - wrong combinations-matchups...motivation, pride, and will to win all come down to coaching. Fire people now - Our patience with "rebuilding" is over. After spending 10s of thousands of dollars over 20 years on this team, I'm crushed and beyond disappointed. Almost as bad as watching the Redskins!

Since Hanlon is a nice guy, let's promote him to GM, a.k.a GMGH. If he could start trading like he juggles the lines lately, we might get Suts back for a 3rd round pick.

GMGM will take coaching position... well, it worked in Atlanta!

Rob,

Where do you think NHL coaches come from? The minors develop players, officials AND coaches. I know that having a proven NHL and Stanley Cup winner would be ideal, but at this point....

@alexovetjkin

Bite your tongue, man! GMGM behind the bench?? Like going from the frying pan to the fire.

It wouldn't surprise me one bit to find out that GMGM is actually driving the lines. They're as clueless as his picks.

@ Muddapucker

If this coaching staff can't motivate the players I will guarantee that there is one that can.

I don't understand that sentence (assuming you typoed "none"). It means that this coaching staff is the best there is.

*stares at Muddapucker*

I think he means that they're replaceable with a coaching staff that CAN motivate these guys.

@ Red Dragon

Some sort of brass ear protector might be appropriate, too. At least in Clark's case.

Q: Who am I? My coaching record is:

Season GP W L T OTL PCT
01-02 68 24 27 10 7 0.478
02-03 68 31 27 7 3 0.529
03-04 68 53 11 2 2 0.809
04-05 68 59 7 2 0 0.882
05-06 68 49 15 1 3 0.750

Funny how Tarik is later then usual with his morning skate update. Is it because they are actually going to make the only news that we want?

Tarik any chance we can get the same login required as does the Skin's blog?

We had Cassidy and Hanlon. I can't take another joke of a coach. Please, forget about Boudreau and push for them to hire anyone with some sort of history.

At least Titanic had a band

A: http://www.londonknights.com/staff_dhunter.asp

I ate my positivity pellet this morning...

GO CAPS!

(I'm sick of the bellyaching around here.)

I think Ted is a tool. I can't stand the guy. I actually met him and he was a jerk. Have you read his blog? All he wants is someone to stroke his ego. I'm done with this team...

@ Mauree

Let me explain, I didn't think it was necessary but apparently so. ... that If this coaching staff can't... I guarantee there is one (another coaching staff) that can.

In other words, Mauree, the present staff needs to be replaced.

6 - 14 - 1

"Guys want to win so bad, they want to try so hard and help the team so much that sometimes you overextend your shift. But it's better to get fresh legs out there." -- Clark.

MMMM! Kind of reinforce my theory. OV is trying so hard he is ... well ... part of the problem.

Add to that an old goalie and top it off with a coach that, for some reason or another, can not seem to reign those two and you get the record the Caps have.

That is my hypothesis. I sure would like to test it and find the root of the problem, which I believe is management. Marquee players bring fans and money, thus they must be treated different by the coaches. I think Hanlon's problem is not coaching but management. The question is how high up? I think the fat man might be it, but it is his team and I - a freeloader - will enjoy it as long as I don't dish out my hard earned $$dinero$$.

@Muddapucker

Thanks... and sorry... I'm very touchy about someone even remotely suggesting this coaching stuff is good :D

Even though I should root for the Thrasher tonight for a better tomorrow... I know I suck and I won't... GO CAPS!

You people kill me. Petty doesnt have a POINT in nine straight games; Petty,Gordo,and Laich have 12 points total in 57 games between them; Backstrom has 1 goal in 20 games (I really hate to pick on him because he is awesome but 1 goal?...yeesh); Mike Green has 3 goals and the remaining D have 4; Tomi Poti is on his way to a 17 point SEASON; and that's HANLON's fault?
Get real.

Ovechkin's interview and his support of Hanlon...

http://alexovetjkin.blogspot.com/2007/11/ovechkin-supports-hanlon.html

I will add interview with Semin, Kozlov, Ovechkin from sovsport later...

Nice Alexovetjkin.
If only the team were as good as the bloggers.

I hear you Shaggy, but Hanlon's use of Beppo the Chimp to come up with different lines every game isn't helping.

Barry Melrose

@Keef

Got any more of those positivity pellets? How about some screen the goalie pellets?

Melrose.

Hmmm. He LOVES Ovie.

Great Hair!

Opita:

Ovie at 10% is better than the rest of the scrubs with fresh legs.

Of all things, Ovie is not the problem. Without him the season record, instead of 6-13-1 would be 1-19.

Tarik:

Any word on how many years of failures should we expect before we get a new GM. Just checking cause I want to set my alarm clock so I know when I should expect any tangible success from this organization.

I think Brian Engblom styles Melrose's hair

Engblom has a terrible Mullet. It's like he's balding around the ears (REALLY bad on HD!).

Pat Quinn also has a great Lid.

1) More line combos? Rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic?

@ Mauree

No offense taken, I can understand your feelings... All of us, are getting a bit jumpy as a result of this insanity.

I wonder how the sale of the new ergonomically, fashion designed sweaters is going? You know, the ones that are supposed to be faster...?

At the beginning of the season there were Caps press releases touting it as one of the top five jerseys on sale at NHL.com.

Its funny how that jersey represented the promise of the future and now is more closely associated with the failure, ineptitude and the disaster that represents this season.

Burn the sweaters!!! Purge this whole episode from our minds. Why don't they just go back to the Red, White and Blue with the stars. It worked well for many years.

Get rid of the new sweaters and give us a team. Get rid of GMGM and Hanlon. Get a new GM ASAP. Hire a interim coach if you have to, but stop the bleeding. Take your time finding the right coach. Just have the right guy by next years entry draft.

If that's really you Ted, wow what a positive surprise. You have my respect for joining us here, and for your words as well.

It's so important for everybody, especially us fans who felt abandoned lately, to receive this kind of feedback from the owner.

If that's not Ted, never mind and I will send brain hate waves to who impersonated him lol

I don't know if that's really Ted, but I'm checking on it. Stay tuned.

Can't be Ted, there are more words in it than just "Thanks. Ted"

so what's the story on this last post? are people posting as Ted? if so, what's the point? his blog doesn't say anything about this.

I've removed the message for now. If it really came from TL, I will restore it immediately. If it didn't, shame on the person who signed someone else's name to their message.

If Ted was going to say anything, it would have been first posted on his blog, not here.

That said, what was posted is exactly what he SHOULD be saying, so it was brilliantly done.

Thanks! I've finished, there are four interviews: Ovechkin(2), Semin and Kozlov.

Ovechkin is getting riled about the contract situation:

SovSport: The team owner Ted Leonsis said in the press that he had started talks with you about your new contract.

Ovechkin(snapped back): Maybe he started it with someone else, but not with me.

http://alexovetjkin.blogspot.com/2007/11/ovechkin-supports-hanlon.html

I guess the "Ted" post has been pulled and well it should be if its a fraud.

Tarik's Blog has credibility and it needs to keep its credibility. The credibility is largely Tarik's reputation.

I for one, want to say that I hope they go after the imposter and make an example of him. It cheapens the blog and it discredits the rest of us.

Idiot!

would anyone comment about whether the lower shots on goal this year is from keeping those shots down or opposing teams easing off in the third period? i don't see stats of shots broken down by period.

Okay, I've heard from Ted's peeps. It wasn't him.

Please, please, please, if you want to keep this forum open and active, folks absolutely CANNOT post under other people's names. NO exceptions.

It's not funny or clever. It's a waste of time and space. (I just spent the past 20 minutes trying to get a comment verified. I can't afford to do that.)

Okay, back to the coversation about the Caps.

And Happy Thanksgiving!

Thanks Tarik.

You can all now throw tomatoes at me for being the only fool to answer the f%#$%er... while I send hate waves at him/her.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Yeah, don't post under other people's names... Someone used to use my name a lot

Ted's Take...

Ted has posted on "Ted's Take" on the Washingtoncaps.com site. Basically he says he is as frustrated as anyone. It's about four "ted takes" posts ago.

*wears his nerd's hat to make GregS happy*

Tarik if you want to identify him/her you can from the IP address of the post. You can then look for the posts with the same/close enough address.

Maybe the fact that tomorrow is a holiday and I have a 4 day weekend end coming, which I will spend playing hockey at the the Giant Center in good'ol chocolate town has me in a good mood, but I hope the Caps win tonight and turn things atound for the rest of the season. Happy T-Day to everyone!

So a Tarik, is that all you're working on this afternoon, whether Ted commented on this blog? Nothing more interesting, like who the new GM will be?

Darn!

Hey Tarik,
I checked out the morning skate today. After most of the guys left the ice Jurcina, Bradley and Flash stayed out and ran drills with some coaches(I assume that means they're scratched tonight).
At one point Hanlon came out on the ice, talked with Bradley for a minute, then left. After that Bradley seemed to be kind of pissed off. Earlier he had looked pretty upbeat, even dumping Petty from behind and giving everyone a laugh.
I don't know, maybe it's nothing. I was wondering if you might have some insight.
Thanks

Yes, in his blog, he says he's as frustrated as anyone, but unlike just "anyone", he's the owner - he can do something about it.

Hey! If Greg S. ain't happy, ain't no one happy! An' don' you fer git it!

I want to wish you all a happy Thanksgiving. Let's pray for all those misguided fools who think that baseball, basketball and football are actual sports. But mostly for all person's in harms way, the less fortunate, and all persons in Iraq and Afganistan.

Safe Travels! And damnitall Caps! Freakin' WIN!

@Tom
I agree that OV is one of the best, if not the best player we have. I agree that without him the record will be a lot worse.
However, I think the record would improve if he played a little less solo. I think it is disconcerting for his linemates, and that is why, as I explained in an earlier post, I think, Koslov and Clark are probably the best line mates for him. Although my ideal line would be OV,Backstrom,Semin, but I don't think, at this point, they are compatible.

@Tarik.
LOL. Of course I mean Tarik the impostor. Why would the real Tarik pay attention to the rumors on this blog?

opita,

Ovechkin should NOT change the way he is playing. Hanlon changed him enough! He should be free to roam and do whatever he wants!!! That's Ovechkin at his best -- free.

I agree with Finn. I think he'd be scoring a lot more this year but he's doing what Hanlon asked and is playing more defensively....I don't necessarily think that is a good thing. Did anyone else think Mons game was extremely boring? I just hope tonight isn't as boring!!! I'll be there though b/c I just can't stay away...it's like a drug...besides I would hate to waste my season ticket money!!

@Finn
I agree that OV is at his best when he is roaming free. However, that style, in my opinion, is not a winning style; it is a team sport and you should learn to play with your team mates. As much as I like OV, I dislike his individual play. It is a waste of talent to put other good players with him, which explains why Hanlon put those guys from Hershey in the first line. As for Hanlon changing OV, I disagree with you. I don't think OV has changed at all, but I am saying that from a fan who only watches the sport so I might not be seeing things the way I should.

opita,

You have a natural goalscorer. He has instinct for goals. Now, you'd like him to play against his instincts.

Bure scored a bunch of goals roaming. Just because the other guys suck, one shouldn't make Ovechkin suck too by playing "defensively". He is a goalscorer. Besides, who would you want to give the puck to? Nylander? He's a passer. Kozlov? He publicly said he'd give Ovechkin the puck and get out of the way.

Besides, in case you haven't noticed, the Caps have a problem with SCORING. So why would you want to limit your NATURAL goalscorer?

Does anyone recall if Ovechkin has had a breakaway so far this year? I can't remember one. In fact I can't name one Cap that has had a breakaway this season.

repost from b4: what's the story w/ the "rough" practice being an hour long? how long are normal practices? that doesn't seem like really working the guys to get conditioning up & routines institutionalized.

*******************************************
Do we all agree a win tonight doesn't change the fact that Hanlon needs to go and McPhee with him?
******************************************

I agree that it's for the better in general when Ovechkin is paying more attention to defense, but look what happen in Atlanta, Waddell let Kovy roam and the team is winning.

I don't know, maybe there should be times when Hanlon should say, Ovie, go roam and hunt them down and times when he should say, play tight defense tonight. There are always exceptions, one goal can change momentum of the game in a heartbeat...

Talking about breakaways, this should be the weapon when the team plays on the road and yes, it was not used at all this season. When Ovie debuted with Caps he was blamed for waiting near blue line for a breakaway, I wish he could do it this season. And Zednik was good at it and he is gone.

Last time Caps played Flyers, they had two (?) breakaways and the game was practically over after the first.

So, yes, I believe Ovie should be let roaming in some situations because one breakaway can decide the outcome of the game.

People are always claiming McPhee should be fired but the reality is that he has drafted pretty well - excluding those who are injured all the first and second picks of the last several years are either in NHL or looking like they have a good chance to become solid NHLers. I know someone will say the team should be getting quality players in later rounds but the reality is that that happens very rarely.

He was told to rebuild this team basically from scratch and we're only in the third year. The reality is that unless you get really lucky or have a lot of money to spend it's going to take longer than that to build a team that, unlike the Caps, can weather significant injuries, should be expected to make the playoffs and does not still show growing pains like inconsistent play or bad decisions.

I'm not very knowledgeable, can someone please tell me:

Who hired Hanlon
Who hired his predecessor?
Given the current org structure, who would be in charge of hiring Hanlon's replacement today?

Thanks.

PUCKS 101
FINAL EXAM

True or False

If Bob Hartley had been coaching the Caps instead of the Thrashers he would still be behind the bench.

Finn,
Of course not. I do not want OV to play against his natural scoring instinct.
What I am saying is that OV would have more, and better, opportunities to score if he played less individualistic. Why? Because by playing as a solo, not only does he confuses his team mates, but also cuts the offensive power by 2/3. What that means, is that the opposition only have to concentrate in only one guy. As a goalie, my job is a lot easier, I don't have to worry about the other two, plus my defensemen can disrupt his play and make the shot more difficult. The other guys, Nylander, Backstrom, Koslov, Clark, and Semin do not suck, they just don't know what to expect when playing with OV, they have to guess. Look at the winning teams, mediocres players shine because of their team work; they know what to expect from each other, passes are crispier, even their blind passes are a thing of beauty and the reason for that is that they know where a line mate will be.

Yes, I know the scoring is down. But what do you expect when one of your best scores is working in a line at 1/3 its power - Kind of like a car running in one cylinder, doesn't matter how much power that cylinder can give, it will never give the same as when the others work in tandem.
I think if you understood what I am saying then you realize why OV's scoring is down.

Of course, he is not the only problem. but it is a glaring one. And, Obviously, we have a disagreement.

that's a screwed up presentation pucker
are we supposed to assume the same record?
and which record would that be, the Thrashers or the Caps?
At the point he was fired or their current records?

We all pass the test, as the 1 question had to be thrown out.

PUCKS 101
FINAL EXAM

Answer: TRUE, if McPhee was GM FALSE if anyone else were GM. It was a trick question.

Tarik can you look into this.

UPDATE 3:38 PM....2 Western Canadian Teams have interest in Alex Semin. (e2)

I talked to 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. I will continue to track this throughout the next few days...(amidst eating)

@ that guy

No man, you took the question too serious. It was meant to demonstrate GMGM's inaction and to imply that he was a large part of the problem. Records don't really matter to GMGM. Look at the Cap's record. Hanlon is still with us.

Oh, I agree with your overall point pucker.

I agree this is another example of McPhee playing Tammy Wynette and standing by his man too long.

I think the Wynette Syndrome has spread to Ted's office.

Maybe we can get that song pumped over the PA during home games whenever the other team scores.

I've posted enough for one day, I'll leave everybody alone and get ready to cheer that the Caps win and that Hanlon leaves.

Unfortunately as it is right now, history has proven we are handicapped in the replacement picker dept as well.

re: OV

I don't think any limitations should be forced on OV. I also think that he's playing like that because he kind of wants to "take matters in his own hands".

However I have two problems with it:

1) This year he's not as "explosive" as last year. He's still scoring, but not the same way as last year. This is because defensemen now storm on him, but also cause he's tired from starting behind our own net
2) He should trust more the team. It's good for him and especially for the teammates.

my two $0.02

@ Brad

you mean they are not interested in Eminger, Bradley, Clymer, Laich or Flash? What a surprise! Everybody that criticized the Sutherby trade and said it should have been Bradley needs to understand that their are not that many prizes after the top five or six players.

If you want to make a deal of any significance you better be prepared to trade from that group.

McPhee hired Hanlon, who has been a good coach most of his tenure.

Leonsis hired his predecessor.

McPhee would presumably be in charge of picking the next one.

If the Capitals trade Semin for anything less than a too-good-to-be-true package, McPhee should be fired because (1) he'd be letting such a great player get away and (2) RFAs and FAs would have no trust in a guy who traded a player what, a month or so, after signing him to an extension. If FAs have no trust in the GM he's not going to get any and he's not going to resign RFAs near as easliy, so he would be come useless.

Brad.
More than two teams are interested in Semin. But that is all there is to it. I heard rumors that Hanlon will resign effective immediately if Semin is traded. The Caps could not afford that.
Tarik.

Who is in net for the caps tonight??

I'm told Kozlig will start.

wait, dmg seems to really want to get McPhee off the table.

Now we're supposed to follow the bait and go into uproar over a Semin trade?

I guess that's what McPHee does all day, just draft people and make trades.

Meanwhile the Caps fall further and further behind.

The coach can coach to the best of his abilities, he's still here so McPhee must think that's what he's doing.

So that leaves McPhee to make personnel changes.

So I'm confused, is it that McPhee didn't bring in the right player ir is it that McPhee has the wrong coach?

Okay I'm really gone now.
I am not headhunting, I am arguing a sad but true point.

Go Caps.

Thanks Tarik. I need to dress him in my pool.

Please dmg,

get a clue. If you need guidance, you can read ALL of the last week's Capitals Insiders. gmgm's and Hanlon's foibles are well spelled out here by many knowlegable people.

And once you do get a clue, could you please let Ted know?

Clarendon,

I read the Caps Insider every day (although I do not read all the comments).

I still think that McPhee was given a difficult task when he was told to recover from Lenosis mistakes (hiring Cassidy and signing Jagr to that 7 year, $77M contract) and rebuild from the ground up. The team has a good number of solid prospects, most of McPhee's picks have been good, excluding unforeseen injuries and he brought in players to fill the Capitals most glaring holes this past offseason given the low desirability of Washington to free agents and the money he had to work with.

I think that given that he had to start from the ground up and that the players he's acquired have not been disasters by any means it's too early to say he's failed.

I wrote about it more extensively at capsblueline.blogspot.com. If you disagree that is fine, this is certainly something reasonable people can disagree about.

that guy,

I see your point. My opinion is that Hanlon should be out as coach at this point but I can understand why it may be thought best to wait until there is a break in the schedule (12/2 would be a good day...)

I agree that if McPhee does not let Hanlon go soon his job (McPhee's) ought to be in jeopardy. I think McPhee has done a solid job, but I don't think he has been a star by any means and if he can't tell that this team looks lost with the way they're being coached right now then he is failing at a major part of his job.

Opita. I am not sure I agree completely, but your point is well taken.

I don't know who said it earlier, but I agree that a win now prolongs the hanlon agony. As much as I hate to say it, the Caps need to lose some more games, so the axe finaly falls.

If Semin gets traded (update us brad with your mystery sources) GMGM should get fired at the Turkey table!

And who was that phony Lee posting earlier????!!!!

Brad's source:

http://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog.php?post_id=11229

Of course, as with all of Eklund's pronouncements, take the info with several grains of salt...

Tomorrow's Headline:
Leonsis Demands GM Trade Semin
or be fired.
The proposed 3-way deal included a happy Pierre
Turgeon, who thought his days of glory were over.
McPhee demands a golden parachute./

Stand your ground George, don't do it!

Looks like Brad just cut and pasted that into his insider blog entry.

No weight to it...

Rob

You want a guy with head coaching pedigree? Uh, Bob Hartley, Barry Melrose and countless other coaches come from the AHL. If Bruce B. doesn't work out, get a coach in the off season, this season is about shot, what have you got to lose.

As up and down as Semin is, I think a good coach might be able to straighten him out. I'll be very upset if they trade him now.

This is a guy who will shine in the playoffs. Then we will doubly feel the pain.

I've been thinking about Melrose to be a good fit. Is he considering getting back in?

They aren't going to trade Semin. He just signed a new contract a few weeks ago.

With all of the talk around giving Ovie more help, what have we done?....Nothing.

Poti is a very solid two-way Dman, and Green is coming into his own. But why trade Sutherby, who is a solid Spec. Teamer, and a solid 3rd or 4th line center, and trade for nothing in return? That is ludicris, oh yeah another draft pick 2 years away, and then we will all have to wait until that person never lives up to expectation. Nylander was a very solid pick up in the off season, and so was Kozlov, but other than that we did nothing.

At some point, Ted who is a good owner by the way, unlike some in the city, should get a better GM, I mean come on enough is enough with draft picks, why not solidify a solid d-man with that trade of sutherby or here is a hint pick up Bryzgalov who was recently claimed off of waivers. What ever happened to bringing in solid veterans who can play together for at least a couple of years and get us going in the right direction and slowly integrate the youngsters?

Anyone who knows anything about hockey or has played hockey, knows that chemistry occurs throughout the course of a season, not a game here, and a game there. Finally what about the recently fired Hartley, what did he do? Only win the cup with Colorado, and made them a continuous playoff team, what has "Carrot" done, make us the laughing stock of the NHL. Hockey players feed off of emotion and dedication and thus far Hanlon, while he is a fundamentally sound coach lacks the motivating factor that we players feed off of.

That is the end of my rant, any one else agree with the state of the Caps, or am I the only one?

I will bet my britches Kolzig had a fit and the team was quiet because Hanlon told the team he had been told he was told he is out sometime soon (specifically).

(I am keeping a spare set of britches though just in case)

@digits

Read the last 2 months of this blog.
Everybody, on different levels sure, agree on "fire hanlon, fire gmgm".

On GMGM: sometimes years pass before the (il)logic of a particular draft pick, trade, or coaching decision can be ascertained. As such, Ws and Ls are the ultimate arbiter of success (or the lack thereof) in any sport. All the squabbling about picks/trades/coaches can be boiled down to this simple point: under McPhee's tenure the Caps have not won a single playoff series (the Cup run of '98 should be thrown out as that team was put together by David Poile's crew). NOT ONE SERIES!!! This includes several seasons prior to the firesale, and a couple of seasons when the Capitals finished first in their division. Here's a link for historical reference:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Washington_Capitals_seasons

Yeah, of course the Caps choked when they had good teams back in the 80s-90s, but at least you felt like you had a fighting chance. If for no other reason than to show the fans that somebody in the club's hierarchy gives a damn, it's time to tidy the house up a bit, dontcha think?

My 2 cents: Caps would be STUPID to trade Semin.

1. He is our second leader scorer (last year) and is going to be a superstar in this league. (and score more goals than OV).

2. Want to further destroy team chemistry? Than don't fix what is broke, but blame it on the players. A trade isn't what is needed now. Maybe later. Not now.

3. And, I'll be really really really mad! Like really mad! if they trade Semin!

I'm still on the fence about the fire GMGM thing. I'm so in the fire hanlon camp. I agree with metalcapsfan that it takes time to see results from a draft. the team is VERY young. Hanlon just doesn't seem to be the one to light the fire the boys need.

ICEBAT - who is out sometime soon?!?

if gmgm fires Hanlon this week (and gets Quinn), he'll get some new respect from me.

But I don't like Sutherby not playing then leaving, OV not having signed or even talked with yet, and the fact that he's completely ignoring (by his inactions) that we're last in the league.

20 minutes to the game :D and looks like I'll be able to see it too.... where is my antacid? Oh here it is *ingurgitates 4 pills*

Oh, Hanlon, not Kolzig

he (Hanlon) was gone, just the matter of the specific date. Makes sense if they've started talking to people.

dmg,

I appears that we disagree. I don't think that gmgm's drafting has been very strong, especially with all the first and second round picks that he has had through the years. Others on this blog have stated tdemonstrated this in much more depth and clarity. His FA acquisitions have been made at Target, not at Neimen-Marcus. And if that is because of Ted's restraints, then he should leave and let Ted learn the lesson. Also, he failed to fill one critical need: a stay-at-home heavy hitting defencemen like Langway or Stevens. While Pothier has been pretty good this year (and lost last year), Poti so far is a bust, and neither fills the glaring need.

Hanlon lost the team last year. Their play is sloppy. There is simply not the discipline to be considered a serious threat to anything. And If gmgm or Dick Patrick can't recognize that, then they both need to go.

As I have asserted here before, Ted needs a "Stan Kasten"-like president that really knows the game, not someone who is some distant relative of a hockey icon and didn't directly work his way up the ladder. I am sure that Dick is a nice man and well meaning, but he has been here for 25 years, and under his presidency, the caps have been to the show once, 1 TIME, and most, I think, recognize that as a relative fluke.

dmg, I am sorry to be so harsh, but this has already gone on to long. The Caps are my favorite team and I have invested untold treasure and time-- and yes it might even be a pitance compared to you and many others-- but to continue to do so with no improvement is the very definition of insanity.

All this scratch Brashear talk is a joke. I don't even feel the need to list out all the reasons why because it is so laughable. The team goes into a slump and of course it is the enforcer's fault!

Where are "our guys" wearing paper bags with "Fire Hanlon" written on it?

Well that was uneventful ... not sure if that is good or bad!

Mauree,

Are there people actually in the stands? (i'm listening on XM)

Oh they are there ... and they have been cheering!

Clarendon,

Well we do agree 100% about one thing - that the Caps should have done everything in their power to pick up a hard hitting defenseman in the offseason (I was pulling quite hard for them to sign Hannan). Also at this point I think Hanlon should be...relieved his duties, shall we say.

As I said I think his free agent signing this past offseason were pretty good although I think the liming factor was the appeal of D.C. to free agents. I am sure McPhee has enough sense to have wanted Briere, Drury or Gomez over Nylander. But so did lots of other teams and D.C. isn't that appeal an option to FAs of that calibre with the records the Caps have accumulated the last few seasons and the low attendance, so I don't know if there's anything McPhee could have done to get those players.

As for the draft - I don't know to what extent that reflects on the GM and to what extent the scouts, and I'm sure it varies based on organization. I think McPhee has made some very good picks like Semin, Green and Gordon and many other solid ones like Eminger, Alzner, Backstrom and Pettinger (I think Backstrom and Alzer were very good but with picks that high it's hard not to get a good prospect). I also don't think he's had any duds recently except for (possibly) Fehr and Pokuluk, and that's because of injuries. I just think that really once you get past the first 10 ten picks in most drafts what you can ask for reasonably is for the organization to pick players who will make a solid impact and not waste your picks, because if you look at most drafts the number of great players available past the first 10 picks or so are so few (and frankly often the result of luck). Part of the reason I feel that way is that so many of the picks have been in recent years and it's hard to say how Varlamov, Neuvirth, Bouchard, Finley, Schultz and Bourque will turn out but they seem to be promising at this point. It takes even very good players 2-4 years to get to the NHL a lot of the time and a couple years after that to become real impact players (I'm speaking of good, solid, but not great players). Heck, look at Semin - he's a potential 40 goal scorer but he didn't put up huge numbers until four years after he was drafted!

I agree that maybe the farm system doesn't sparkle with depth per se (though Alzer, Semin, Green and Backstrom all have huge upside), but I do think it's solid (and it's been ranked top 5 for several years on hockeysfuture.com).

I don't think ownership will find Quinn financially reasonable...unless they want a coach-GM.

If they hire him as coach that probably wouldn't be McPhee's call. McPhee probably wouldn't even want to interview him "based on assumed salary requirements"

Hey look, a goal!

OV to the rescue!!!

I've seen the Caps play well 4-4 before against Ottawa, could be good

I have a question ... and this is a REAL question - not commentary disguised as a question! :-)

Has there ever been a former goalie who was "successful" as an NHL coach?

yeah, I also like Melrose

What a save by OV *speechless*

Boudreau "may" end up like Carlyle, a champion. That's the least of the problems.

No matter who coaches, the GM needs to go.

Yes, that was a great OV save. He has really rounded out his game nicely this season. It just would have been nice if we could have kept the lead for a LITTLE while longer ...

aww :( this killing unit looked bad though too static

Lack of focus on the backside on goal #3

Well I don't know about anybody else but I'm hungry. Not just for a win.

Dave and Busters Austin has promised me they'll put the Caps game on some b/w tv in a closet somewhere so I'm headed over and piss off some basketball fans.

Bob Hartley

NHL coaching record:

W-329 L-226 T-61 OTL-34

NHL Playoff record:

W-49 L-35

Championships:

Memorial Cup - 1993 Laval Titan
Calder Cup - 1997 Hershey Bears
Stanley Cup - 2001 Colorado Avalanche

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Hartley

WHAT IS THE FRONT OFFICE WAITING FOR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Here we go again...another last minute goal!

Hey Caps fans,..I'm a northerner transplanted to Atlanta. I am a fan of good hockey first and (because of limited TV) a Thrashers fan as well.

Change a few names in these blogs and this could be the Atlanta bloggers just 5 weeks ago.

Keep heart,... better days are coming. The Caps have talent and are exciting. Your time is coming.

It does appear that the team is no longer responding to Hanlon. Breakdowns in teamwork follows and mistakes lead to opposition goals.

Take a look at the coach of Buffalo's primary farm team..Cuttyworth (sp) Maybe Pat Burns. Stay away from Pat Quinn.

Keep heart hockey fans.

That's weird. They're still losing even after they practiced taking shorter shifts.

Maybe that wasn't it.

Oneal

Caps were better last year because they played physical games, now all I see is a bunch of dancing.

No threat to the opposition of getting hit and they just gather confidence as the game moves on, and Caps left wondering "why".

What a sad excuse for an NHL team

Thanks Ted, Georgi, & Hugs

I would have liked Bob Hartley on Atlanta bench tonight. It would have been much easier for the Caps.

No I don't want him on the Caps bench. He did good with Colorado, but anybody could have done well with that team, those players, are you kidding me? ATL 0-6, fired him, 10-4 after that (looking like 11-4 now)... no thanks.

was erskine looking for penalty?

semin is probably my favorite player.

What's the name of that coach who kicked Shanny off the team, demoted Brett Hull, and ruled with an iron fist when not collecting Stanley Cups along the way?
Nobody's best friend but his #1 rule is do your job, my way, or sit on the bench.

He could be a good fit with such a young team, no veteran ego's to clash with.

The ATL second goal is a perfect example of good PP players/puck movement.

Any bonafied NHL coach would immediately get George fired during his interview with ownership.

Scotty Bowman himself couldn't get any results with this group

once again, OV is the only one that can score. Why hasn't Petty been benched?

I'm LOVING this.

George McPhee is getting paid back for treating players, coaches & equipment guys poorly

# of Stanley Cups won by ALL former Capitals' coaches (while coaching Washington or any other team) = ZERO

# of Stanley Cups won by Bob Hartley = 1

The 0-6 beginning of the season notwithstanding, Hartley managed to get a largely underacheiving Thrashers team into the playoffs last year for the first time since the teams inception several years ago.

Seeing as how the last time the Caps made the playoffs (the triple-overtime loss to Tampa in '03, a game I attended) was a loooooong time ago, what's the harm in bringing in a proven winner who will bring with him a different set of offensive/defensive systems? And, as has been stated elsewhere, the guy knows the Southeast division.

In the meantime, he's coaching kids in Montreal and hunting while the Caps are losing (yet another) game. Lame...

That's weird.

I thought they said once Semin came back everything would be better.

I guess not.

Oneal

Skating them hard day before game was real smart. Real smart

someone cut the D.C. power grid

The booing is LOUD.

Ted, if you continue to believe it's too early to make some sort of statement, take some sort of action, too early to do SOMETHING, just to show fans that you find the current performance unacceptable, then the Capitals will remain helpless as long as you own them.

The implosion continues. The way it's going this team might not win another game this season.

I think the boos would be louder but there's no one at the game.

Oneal

Next time Kolzig plays the puck, he should throw it into his own net, that would be classic.

Honest to goodness, the coach must go along with McPhail. This team is playing so below what they are capable of. McPhail is terrible with picking talent and Hanlon is worse with the players. The PP and PK are absolutely horrible!!! Please, can the Caps get a coach who will kick some players to play. A players coach typically is a bad choice -- placating players. Hanlon is a loser.

Ugh.

It's time for the paper bags to make their appearance.

I hate deriding the team in public because players like Ovie (well, ok...maybe just Ovie) do give their all and don't deserve to be harassed.

But this is crap.

The chanting is back ... I'm glad I decided not to go. Soooo depressing. I am not a chanter (frankly, regardless of how you feel, I think that is rude - sorry!), but I just could not take another (uh, big) loss in person tonight. It is such a pain and so expensive to get down there, it is just not worth it when they are playing like this. I am supposed to be going on Saturday ... I guess I will reevaluate that after Friday's game. I'm still a fan, just a fan with "Caps in the loo blues" ...

Unfortunately I'm paid up for the home games and am choosing to just sit at home. It's just not worth the time it takes to get downtown to watch this team.

If our opponents score 6 goals on the Caps, can we use our ticket stubs to get a pound of free wings...?

I thought the lock out year was bad...

This is painful, its worse. So much optimism this summer, so little hope now.

I have never experienced this kind of frustration with any team I have ever rooted for before.

!?*$*(#$($)$)J$!!!!!

HANLON NEEDS TO JUST START DECLINING PENALTIES.

This Power Play is god awful.

We need a bench clearer at this point.

KEEF - I hear ya - someone is using my tickets tonight. It is usually tough to pry my tickets out of my hands - not so much tonight (I am home on the couch, thankful that I am not there). I, too, don't like saying anything bad about the team - not just for Ovie, but Semin, Clark and others as well (plus I am not a fair-weather fan). But this is getting to be a little too painful ... 1:53 until I am out of my misery.

keef wrote:Unfortunately I'm paid up for the home games and am choosing to just sit at home. It's just not worth the time it takes to get downtown to watch this team.

Me too. It's either catch up on the school work or go to a CAPS game. The former is more fun! :-)

@Boo!

It's hard for them to go to waste but a louder message is sent with an empty seat.

I heard the Fire Hanlon chant in the last stoppage.

lol Tarrant...

but dear Lord what a disaster.

btw, the Hartley led Avalanche won their Cup against the defending champion Devils, a team that won 3 Cups between '94-'95 and '02-'03. So, to say that anyone could have coached the 'lanche and won the Cup flies in the face of reality. That being said, Hartley did lead the Avalanche to the Western Conference Finals 4 consecutive years (including the Cup year of '00-'01). Obviously, those teams had a great amount of talent, but the point is, the Caps need to instill a winning attitude, and that starts with putting a proven winner at the head of the table. HIRE BOB HARTLEY!!!

Oh yeah, # of times in Capitals history the team has reached at least the Conference Finals = 2... in 32 SEASONS!!!!!!

Are you kiding me?!?!?! We, as Caps fans, need to continue to DEMAND more from the team leadership!!!! Or maybe, we should just change the name of the team to the "Cubs"...

I have heard it a couple of times.

AHHHHHHHHHHH - the band-aid was finally ripped off!

Jesus Christ, what's the f**king point? They don't even care.

Tuesday Ted said, "I am in pain. I am angry."

What is he now?

Pain and anger are one thing, but eventually there has to come some AWARENESS that a new direction is needed.

Ftorek is an offensive-minded coach. Let's try a new philosophy. It can't be any worse than what we've seen so far.

Oneal

MY GROUND HOG DAY MOVIE SAGA CONTINUES!!!!

Another loss, Ughh. I posted a long one on Ted's Take - doubt it will make it through the filters due to length. Here's my points:
1) Ted and Caps are class act - Thanks.
2) Nice, professional are required but so are results.
3) Like Hanlon or not I think thetalent is there - chemistry isn't and I think the easiest palce to try and change that is Hanlon - in business world even if your boss likes you if you lose to often they sack you.
4) Nylander is fun to watch but doesn't fit into anybody's system so as soon as he finishes helping backstrom adjust to us he is replacable if he doesn't get into a system.
5) Look at what was ood and right in the first three games and do that over and over. You can learn from both your successes and your mistakes.
6) The endless line changes, the poorly executed shift changes, etc. all seem like coaching is at least part of the issue.

I turned onto the Anaheim last minute of the first. Saw Sutherby there playing comfy, showing leadership-like just now... why wasn't he playing again? This is ridiculous. He's playing in the friggin Stanley cup team and wasn't playing here.

MY GROUND HOG DAY MOVIE SAGA CONTINUES!!!!

That is funny.. Sutherby's not good enough to play for this team but he can play for Anaheim.

Maybe funny is not the right word..

Oneal

Surely this cannot go on more than three or four more days.

Everything Tarik mentioned in the previous blog are coaching problems, even Poti's relentless quest for leading the NHL in turnovers. Yet juggle the lines some more. That has really helped all year, hasn't it. Proving that Hanlon has no clue.

Speaking of Poti, we ought to wear the same color jersey as the opposition. Then we would have a much higher probability of seeing Poti complete a pass to one of his own teammates.

nylander worked for jagr. don't think he's the problem.

Simply DISGRACEFUL!!

Olie sucks. He needs to retire.

Our passing sucks. We pass to the other team more than our team.

Nylander...shoot the damn puck.

Olie can't retire -- who's going to play in goal? Bryzgalov?

Oh no -- that's right we passed on him, and traded Sutherby for a 2009 draft pick instead.

Oneal

Tarik, I am sure you aren't "allowed" to answer this. But, it would be interesting to know if as a reporter doing background for a story, if you are calling people around the league to see if feelers have been put out for new coach or GM? Or if you have called any of the possible choices (Quinn, Boudreau) for comments, etc? Just seems that when the news breaks, your story will likely have all that behind the scenes info.

Also...would you be able to write a "commentary" also? Or are you restricted to the news...just the news?

Thanks!

Kolzig is finished in DC.

McPhee has managed to ruin veterans and youngsters, nice work.

Hanlon is just a pawn, George is cancer

Old Bob,

I am actually jealous. I wish I authored that Poti tirade!

um, they worked on line changes for practice to get below 50 seconds. the majority of the team is close to or above 50 seconds w/ 4 close to a minute or above a minute. so basically was that practice a waste of hot air? somebody posted about the impact of airflow on ice. maybe that's why the ice is so bad.

OTG does not suck ... in fact, he can be phenomenal! He has just not been on his game ... not sure why?!? It pains me to see those pucks go in, but surely not as much as it pains him. Regardless, it would help if the D was totally on it - they don't always make it easy for him.

maybe it was opposite day in practice. lol.

Reports are Semin may be traded to vancouver or edmonton....

...because we need to be even worse...

They played just terrible, but they sure looked good when they changed lines! Good thing they worked on THAT!

Dave and Busters wasn't showing the Comcast broadcast. I got to see the Atlanta feed. They showed the paper bag-heads. Unfortunately I didn't get to hear the game or post-game report from Atlanta's perspective because the Stars game was on.

While surrounded by people watching the Stars - Anaheim game I did make one loud inadvertent exasperated exclamation: "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!!" when we were holding the puck behind our net on our 5-3 with nobody on us. A couple of the Stars fans glanced at me and my little Caps game and then went back to their game.

This isn't Kolzig's fault, but he should have definitely been mercy-pulled. He IS our best goalie and he's old, why risk injury? ANOTHER asleep at the wheel non-decision.

SCREW IT, I'M ROOTING FOR BRIAN SUTHERBY.

GO BRIAN SUTHERBY!

I'm counting the days til the bag-heads make SportsCenter. Today perhaps?

Could be you...

God, they are horrible. You are not going to get Kolzig et. al to bad mouth the coaches and the organization. That is being professional , especially in front of the media. It doesn't do any good to slam the coaching staff and the the front office on moes that they make no matter how they feel. If you start hearing players asking to be traded, that is the when you can tell they want out and have no faith in the organization.

And, for all we know, the Caps could be out shopping for a coach and/or GM. The problem is the same reason that good players wouldn't come here. Not a hockey town and would you want to be associated with a team in the state the Caps are in? Ted is going to have to do a Dan Snyder and throw a ton of money at someone to make it worth their while to coach/GM here now.

They sure are screwing with the future of Ovechkin here if they are not very careful. My own personal feeling is that he will be gone to a team that will build around him and not put the whole weight of the teams success on his shoulders. If I were Ovie, I would probably be looking for a way out.

Per AP article, TED is in Florida, wasn't at the game. I'm not holding my breath for what we all know is coming. At this point, I agree - clean house......new GM, new coach. And don't get stupid and trade Semin.

If everyone is so unhappy, why not just fold the team? have a dispersal draft. That would solve everything, except no one would have anything to whine about.

AP article also encourages caps to change coaches

I hope he has witty relatives in Florida. You know...

"sooooo bro, how's them Caps coming? Oh they lost 5-1?... that's funny, we SCORED 5 today" (Panthers won 5-2)

"don't worry my darling, 13 points is a magic number you should hold on to it"

@ dmg

At the risk of belaboring the point: since February 1, the Caps are essentially 13 and 38.

Hanlon has coached here since before the lockout and his players still have know more sense of what to do.

Bruce Cassidy was gmgm's hire unless you know someting that those of us on the outside-looking-in don't know.

gmgm's draft picks now span some nine years, The rebuild started before the lockout. Young players had the benefit of an undisturbed year at Portland. A full three years after the start of lockout where are those yougnsters? Where is the system? Where is the discipline?

I wish it was different. I would be thrilled for gmgm if after ten years he was comparable with David Poile's achievements. But he is not.

It's time.

P.S. to say the location has something to do with players not wanting to play here, to me sounds like another "bad bounce" excuse. If the Caps were viewed seriously, who wouldn't want to play with Ovie and Semin? The Caps reputation around the league has more to do with the organIzation, (Leonsis, Patrick, gmgm, Hanlon) then it does location.

@jim*, Dezlboy

Got a link to that article?

Nevermind. Found it.

Unless Ted pulls the figurative trigger in the very short term, we can conclude that he is content to continue the acceptance of mediocrity that has been the benchmark of this organization since it's inception. Yes, they had some great (regular season) teams in the 80s and 90s, and made the Finals in '97-'98, but here is illustrated proof of the pain that we, as Capitals fans, have been subjected to by successive ownership regimes here in the nation's capital. To wit:

Teams that have advanced to the Stanley Cup Finals from the Capitals' division:

'75-'76 - Montreal Canadiens*
'76-'77 - Montreal Canadiens*
'77-'78 - Montreal Canadiens*
'78-'79 - Montreal Canadiens*
'79-'80 - New York Islanders*
'79-'80 - Philadelphia Flyers**
'80-'81 - New York Islanders*
'81-'82 - New York Islanders*
'82-'83 - New York Islanders*
'83-'84 - New York Islanders**
'84-'85 - Philadelphia Flyers**
'86-'87 - Philadelphia Flyers**`
'90-'91 - Pittsburgh Penguins*
'91-'92 - Pittsburgh Penguins*
'93-'94 - New York Rangers*
'94-'95 - New Jersey Devils*
'95-'96 - Florida Panthers**
'96-'97 - Philadelphia Flyers**
'97-'98 - Washington Capitals**
'01-'02 - Carolina Hurricanes**
'03-'04 - Tampa Bay Lightning*
'05-'06 - Carolina Hurricanes*

* - won Cup
** - lost in Finals

In 14 seasons, the Capitals were in the same division as the eventual Stanley Cup champion.

In 7 seasons, the Capitals were in the same division as the team that lost in the Finals.

In ONE season (out of 32 seasons of their existence) the Capitals advanced to (and lost) in the Stanley Cup Finals.

In almost 2/3 of the seasons since the Capitals were founded in the '74-'75 campaign, a divisional rival has advanced to and/or won the Stanley Cup.

It's high time for SOME kind of change, dontcha think?

After such a loss, I was expecting many more comments. Maybe the worst has begun to happen: people losing interest.

Not to put salt in the wound, but Phoenix (with Bryz) is winning 3-1. If that happens, we'd need 2 straight wins to hope to get tied for last (assuming the other contending teams lose).

Anyway... Happy Thanksgiving to all. Hopefully it will bring us good things.

Any interest in commenting on tonights disaster you say? And I was hoping we had hit rock bottom Monday night. The Craps have shown that it is a truly one man show. The OV show. Because no one can on this current team can play with enough heart and desire to win to help this squad win. Sutherby had a lot of heart and he's in Anaheim. All the best Suds. I have been very patient with this team. Watching the rebuilding process. Excited to see improvement. Feeling the hope of a competitive, playoff-bound team this season. And now there will only be the sound of crickets and the lack of a hockey team in Washington until Lord Leonsis decides to clean house and acquire the right kind of hockey personnel in the front office to acquire the right kind of players and coaching staff to put out a consistent winning team. Do I feel the Caps players want to win? Yeah, but I think some want it more than others. Right now the team's heart is dead. These professional hockey players are so down and pathetic on the ice, they do not even know how to do the basics of playing this sport. It is truly sad. I will be thankful for a major organization change starting right now. If Ted doesn't have the desire to right this ship, he needs to sell and move on. This team needs strong leadership and it starts from the top. If this ship isn't corrected, I may never be season ticket holder for the Caps again. Like many other fans, I do not go out of my way to watch a losing franchise that has taken one and half steps forward and three steps back.
Happy Thanksgiving!

I just don't know what to say that hasn't already been said 500 times already. I don't know if I can take another week of this.

Happy Thanksgiving.

Here's hoping for better times sooner rather than later. Prost.

I was at the game. It was bad. Our D is horrible! I really don't think Olie is the problem...the defense leaves him hanging A LOT...did you see the save Ovie had to make. He tripped up Olie but at least he got the puck away from the Thrashers. I saw at least 4 people with paper bags on thier heads. It was awful...really really painful. The Thrashers didn't look like they had to play all that hard against the Caps. We should have kept Sutherby put him in, traded some of our horrible D, they are a bunch of wimps! What a disappointment!

"Asked to address his team's woes outside the locker room, General Manager George McPhee declined to comment."

The next questions should have been, "Don't you feel that you have a responsibility to expain this monumental collapse to the fans?" Tarik might have gotten punched in the face if he'd gong there!

Maybe GM knows he'll be on the unemployment line tomorrow.

Sorry.. probably wishful thinking.

Oneal

One final note before I turn in:

The ap recap has been updated with quotes from the post-game interviews, and it also points out that this is now the worst start this team has had in 26 years... For me, this means that in my lifetime, they have never started a season sucking as horrifically as they do right now.

That's a sobering thought.

Clarendon,

My recollection was that Cassidy was a hire made because Ted wanted him, not because McPhee did and my defense of McPhee is based on that in large part. If McPhee was indeed the driving force behind the Cassidy hiring I think that you can make a much better case for his departure.

As for the youngsters who've had three full years to develop - those would have been 2004-05, 2005-06, 2006-07 (note: this is for my reference I'm not trying to be rude)

Well in 2002 McPhee drafted Eminger (an NHL caliber defenseman), Semin (a 38 goal scorer) and Gordon (a solid checking line center). In 2003 he drafted Fehr (derailed due to injury). In 2004 he drafted Schultz, Green and Bourque, all of whom have played in the NHL by 21, with Green and Schultz looking like they're going to NHL regulars.

I think this is an interesting discourse we're having but I'm wary of continuing it here, getting lost in the comments and new updates from Tarik. I think you make some good points though and if you'd like to discuss more my email is: dmgetz@gmail.com

I hope I am wrong, but it does not look like anything is going to change!

I am tired of hearing the same PC about believing in the system and the philosophy and all that BS! How can they? They haven't seen anything to make them believe that anything is working at all!

Kozlov is the biggest bust on the team. He is really good at hitting the goalie. Ovie is a great scorer but doesn't make the team or any of the other players better. Hate to say it but a typical Russian player...me.me.me.me.me & me. Oh, and then after the game take a picture of me.

Kolzig gets upset as he has been for the whole 5 year oops 10 year rebuild. More players get traded/escape. More coaches leave than I can keep track of and another unproven, unknown, unpaid coach comes in and try's his hand at running a broken down organization that has no clue.

GMGM is stealing Ted's money and it's time Ted realized it. I actually feel bad for Hanlon. It's to the point now that anytime the caps fall behind we have no chance. They have so little confidence now it is pathetic. They need a new voice. They need a proven coach to come in and they will believe in that person. Why would they believe Hanlon? He has shown them how to do exactly one thing----LOSE. He hasn't proven himself anywhere.

Nice article, nice summary Tarik.

Ted... you know what to do. Just do it already. More inaction will cost us OV, Semin, everything.

Ted should be embarassed by the result tonight. If there was ever a game when the Caps should have responded with their best effort and taken down a divisional opponent = it was tonight.

Instead - beyond the fortunate OV goal, there was nothing. I think it wasn't until 10 mins into the 3rd period the Caps registered a shot on goal??? ARe you kidding me???

With Ted as owner we've endured:
1. Marketing SIZZLE with no SUBSTANCE
2. Increased ticket prices
3. The AOL mascot running around MCI
4. Ted fighting a fan who disagreed with the direction of the team.
5. The B.O.D. being banned from the Caps boards for telling the truth.
6. The five year plan being a sham.
7. The hiring/firing of Butch Cassidy - the most embarassing coach ever to be in the NHL.
8. McPhail projects - Joe Murphy, Stephane Richer, Gruden, Doig, Ciernik, Cote, Kucera, Sykora(Petr), who else??
9. The blow up of the franchise - Jags, Lang, Bondra, Hunter, Johansson, Oates all traded.
10. Ted announcing "the rebuild is over"

What a joke!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ted - get a grip on reality.
You have no clue on how to manage a professional sports team. You don't understand how to win on the field/ice/court - just in the boardroom.

Do us all a favor and do one of the following:
1. Get rid of McPhee and Hanlon and bring in COMPETENT people to guide the team in the right direction.
2. Sell the Caps to Balsille and focus on the Wizards and Mystics - where your heart really is.

Signed,
EVERYONE!!

Couple of quick points.

The game was lost in the first period. Near the beginning, about 2 minutes in, Atlanta sent out their "energy" line. There were 4 or 5 HEAVY hits on our guys. The Caps never recovered. AO's goal was a nice INDIVIDUAL effort.

There will always be a trade rumor about some elite player or another. Look at Jokinen before the Florida/Washington game. Just chill out, guys. They're just trying to mess with our minds knowing that it's easy to do since we're down so far. That's why they did Florida. Now they're messing with us. Expect to hear a LOT more of this crapola. If gmgm actually does trade a Semin or Backstrom, I'll be handing out the rocks at the stoning.

Why on earth would you want Hartley here? Is it because he's DIFFERENT? Yeah, change can be good. But if you're going to do it, do it right. Hartley is not a great coach. We can do better. He has a good record, yes. With Colorado dream teams. Hard to miss on that. Yes, he did manage to eek out some success in Carolina. Does that make him the best we can do for our team? He wasn't making it this year. What makes you think he can do it for us?

I've mentioned a few good potential coaches that are currently assisting on quality teams. Quinn has been highly touted on this board, somewhat by me as well. Why are we enamored with him? He has name recognition. Our visitor from Atlanta advises to keep away from him. He has had a stormy past. Maybe that's what we need here. I don't know. Would need to look more into that.

I've mentioned McLellan in Detroit. He's an Assistant Coach. He is the architect of the Red Wings offense and their power play. Do you think we could use some of that here? It's what we've been griping about for the past few weeks.

How about Doug Jarvis who is an ex-Cap and currently an Assistant in Montreal? He also assisted in Dallas, and was Head Coach for the Hamilton Bull Dogs for 2 years for a 79-54-10-17 coaching record. In 2003-04, he led his team to first place in the AHL North Division with a 41-25-10-4 record.

Why not look at Hershey? They're our farm club. They have a good coach there that is a good teacher. So is Hanlon. I wouldn't want to put another teacher in this role.

George McPhee needs to go, too. Perhaps Quinn would be a good GM, I don't know. The GM job is pretty broad requiremnts. You have to deal with sponsorships, advertising sales, marketing, hiring staff to run the front office, manage the scouts in the US Canada and abroad, make deals, do drafts. Is Quinn the guy to do that? He knows hockey. Does he know the operations?

Points to ponder...

Tarik,
How many people were there tonight?? I know it's Thanksgiving, but it looked like there were about 5K there at the most!!!

Ted - get grip - understand that winning = attendance vs. "Blizzard Packs" and whatever else you're dreaming up

I don't get Hanlon at all... Why is Jurcina benched, he's the only D we have that will actually check, and Schultz and Morrison just suck, horribly. Yeah he made a bad pass, but have you watched Poti lately?

Kolzig is awful, say what you will about our D, but the majority of the goals lately have either been softies that he should have stopped, or shots where he had a clean line of sight and was too slow. Did anyone else notice how late his reaction was on the first Kovalchuk goal? There was one the same way in the last game, where he didn't move his arm until the puck had already bounced off the back of the net.

The fact is, ownership does not care. If they cared we would have gotten Drury or Briere, not Nylander. If they cared, we wouldn't be stuck with a 37 year old starter who hasn't been good for years, and a backup who isn't any better. We'd have gone out and made some moves other than drafting a little kid (neuvirth) and a virtual unknown (varlamov). Bryzgalov is definitely better than what we have. No doubt.

If they cared, we wouldn't be stuck with a coach who has done nothing in his NHL career, while watching several other sub-par NHL teams turn things around (Chicago, Columbus, Philly, Pens, etc.)

If they cared, they would have signed OV long term and not Semin, so I am officially declaring myself an Ovechkin fan, not a caps fan, when he leaves (which he will), I'm going with him, and this whole team can't be far behind, if this keeps up, how much longer can an NHL franchise exist in Washington?

Beyond Embarassed +1
Greg S +1

Jaymagz: 11K people.

If I wake up tomorrow with no news... *shakes fists at Ted*

TED, JUST CLEAN HOUSE NOW (& I mean right now) - PATRICK, MCPHEE & HANLON "THANKS" FOR "GIVING" YOUR TIME, GOOD BYE!. WE NEED TO START A NEW CHAPTER & THE FANS DO NOT WANT ANOTHER EPISODE OF TRADING ALL THE TALENTED PLAYERS OUT OF TOWN FOR ANOTHER PATCH A 3RD & 4TH LINER DRAFT PICKS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Danny brought up Juice and he's right in that Poti's making horrible pass after horrible pass yet Juice is riding the pine.

Anyone think that a trade might be up with him? It would make sense. Get rid of any physicality on this team aside from Brash.

"...how much longer can an NHL franchise exist in Washington?"

Ted's just goin' with the flow. Washington isn't permitted to have sports teams that succeed too often. One team at a time, but only every 20 years.

The Caps aren't saying it but they're showing it. Don't mistake tonight's play (as well as that in previous games) as indicative of this team's talent level. What we see on the ice is the players' version of protest, of indicating their awareness and disatisfaction for the current system/coaching/management.

Here's a quote (from The Washington Times article) from Thrasher's Captain Bobby Holik after the game - "They played like they wanted to get their coach fired," Holik told members of the visiting media. "But that"s another story."

Make this what you wish but it comes from another NHL player.