I feel a bit better. Enjoy the break -- you deserve it.

Gotta love Olie the Goalie, we in D.C. haven't forgotten what he's done for the team and how he hung in there even through the lean times. Thanks for all the updates Tarik, I'm glad your coverage is getting all the attention it's getting, you've been doing a great job even before all the hype. Keep up the good work!

what about his no-show at the team meeting??

As I read this I just wanted to cry. I have always liked and admired Olie and felt that he was the epitome of class and a wonderful face of our franchise for so many years. Taking the nameplate as a memento is so poignant and also so sad. I hope he remains with the Caps in some capacity and I look forward to being at the Verizon Center when we honor him and retire his number 37!

Call me skeptical, but I don't buy it. This is just spin trying to clean up the mess he's left the last couple of days. None of what he said explains why he was the only one not to show up for the mandatory meeting yesterday. I love Olie, but he need's to a get a clue. If he gets a #1 goalie job for next season, I would be completely shocked.

I've heard that about nameplates. Jerseys are readily available but official locker room nameplates are one of a kind.

Backstrom's Below:

http://us.news2.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20070521/capt.480fe6ecd1594ba6b49940ceab963e55.capitals_backstrom_vamc103.jpg

As always, Olie is class to the end. I personally have no problem with him missing the team meeting. He's a proud guy who just watched his team eliminated from the playoffs - a team he sacrificed a considerable amount to stick by. Olie wasn't even able to get in a game to help with the build up to and eventual playoff run (not saying he should have, but you know he WANTED to). That has to really hurt. So rather than face the inevitable questions from the boys, he collected his things and met with the coaches solo. BB praised the quality of that meeting and the man as well. And if Olie were really going to be a jerk, do you think he'd be returning Tarik's phone calls right now? I hold out a faint glimmer of hope that the door is still ajar and there's some way we can get him back here as a backup so he can finish out his run in a Caps jersey. Go-Go-Godzilla!

Tarik,

I loved the Post "Locker Room" thing for the Wiz-bangs on the back page today. (Man, those guys are nuts.)

Any chance we can get something like that for the Caps for next year, or are they not nearly as interesting?

Tarik:

Thanks for the update, and thanks for an outstanding job all season long.

@Leigh

Boudreau said yesterday that he had a good long talk with Olie earlier in the day before the meeting and said that everything was fine and Olie's a class guy all the way.

cmon, go to the dang last official team meeting, i mean you hang around while bb sits you and be real classy until the very last day? i love ollie, but cmon. shoulda gone to the meeting. i know its gotta hurt but its one more thing.

I hope while he is taking time off that Olie chooses to read the hundreds of great comments that fans have posted about him. The man has a right to miss the team meeting. He also has a right to make his decisions in private. No matter what he decides I wish him all the luck in the world and if he does not retire a CAP or come back next year in some capacity then I will miss him dearly.

Tarik or anyone,

Can you explain the implications of Jagr continuing through the playoffs on the Cap's part of his contract? Are we done with him, or are we still going to have to carry that baggage?

@Captain,

What is coach supposed to say? Olie is an ass and he hopes he's not around next season? Welcome to reality land....

I'm pretty sure Jagr has to win the Conn Smythe to kick in the bonus year.

Olie is probably on the beach in St. John with his family...as he has earned. He also has time to think about what he wants to do from a career point. Money obviously doesnt matter anymore. He should be set for life.

Should of gone to the final meeting though. He is still a Capital.

Sign Huet..or BIG TROUBLE

big deal, he didn't go to the meeting, so what, he is not a washington capitals the second they lost that game. he is not obligated to do anything.

@LuvsOlie,

Why does Olie get a pass from the team meeting? Isn't it kind of spitting in the face of his teammates that they just made an incredible run during a magical season, and he can't find the time to come to one last meeting to congratulate them? Fedorov is an unretricted free agent also, and veteran, and he didn't blow off his teammates.....

Thank you VERY much for the update, Tarik. I was hoping that it wasn't some sort of bitter exclamation point.

I can't even begin to put myself in Olie's shoes right now, and having that kind of personal reason for snagging the nameplate works for me.

@old time hockey

Yeah I enjoyed that back page Wizards locker room feature on the Post today also. It just reveals some funny little facts about the Wizards and the locker room environment. The Post should definitely do something similar to that with the Caps sometime. I think it'd be even more amusing than the one they had on the Wizards. It'd be funny to know about some unwritten rules the team has in there or any other quirks they might have.

We had made ollie one of the highest paid goalies in the league (deservibly so). he should go to a mandatory meeting. great guy, great things for the community, but lets not make him out to be the greatest man ever. go to the meeting.

seems that Olie came it, met with the big wigs briefly, and they all *seem* to have mutally decided that Olie could miss the meeting. I dunno, that's how I'm reading it.

Bruce didn't have to say, on the record, that Olie is a "classy guy." He could have just as easily said the very neutral, "We spoke earlier today and it was productive [or whatever you want to put here]." Maybe he stayed positive about it because he knows that Olie is still considered a demi-god among many in DC (my mother in law, who doesn't know a baseball bat from a hockey stick, somehow knows who Olie is and thinks he's great, although that may jut be because I wear his jersey). No reason to make the native restless the first day of the off-season, ya know?

Bottom line: BB should have let Kolzig play at least 1 game against the flyers. Knowing it could be his last year, and that he spent his entire career in DC, BB should have had enough respect to put him in. Huet is good but he's not GREAT. He made great saves, and great misses.

The caps organization should be ashamed of themselves! With a man of that talent and loyalty, you don't punish him and put him on the back burner, you let him play.

@Leigh
What is BB supposed to say? If the meeting didn't go well, he doesn't say ANYTHING. But by all indications, it did so he did. And for some reason, Olie's circumstances and longevity with the team (he is now the longest tenured player with a Washington sports team) give him special dispensation. Fedorov didn't have a single bit of added angst to deal with, so why wouldn't he attend?

Jagr's off the books -- he had to have 84 points.

jagr = yuck

Olie - he has earned the right to skip the final meeting. I'm sure he is upset at not being able to play or being a bigger part of the team's success. It's an emotional time, especially when you are the older outsider looking in at a team going in a younger direction. I hope the team treats him with the same respect that he has given them. Remember, this is a man that resigned with the Caps when we absolutely sucked, and saw them through the tough times. He could have signed with a contender probably for more money. Remember, this is one of the most honored Washington athletes ever for his work with Autism and community service in the city. Remember, this is the only goalie that has taken the taem on his back to the Stanley Cup Finals. It has been a privledge to watch him play, and to grow up with him; watch him mature; and become the incredibly nice and generous man that he is today. I look forward to seeing his name hang from the rafters.

@kb,

So your saying, Coach Boudreau shouldn't have worried about actually winning games in the playoffs, he should have been more concerned with not hurting Olie's feelings? Come on, you can't possibly be serious....

@Orange,

I think Olie had been considered a leader in that dressing room over the years. What kind of message is he sending that he thinks the fact that he wasnt playing relinquishs his leadership responsibility? How about leading by example, meaning, showing up for meetings and patting your teammates on the ass and telling them that they had one hell of a season.

I know Jagr didn't score 84 points, but wasn't there a 2nd way to get the contract to kick in next year? I thought if he earned the Hart (obviously not), Art Ross (um, no), OR the Conn Smythe it'd kick in.

The chances of him earning the award in question is slim, but am I wrong in saying we aren't off the hook JUST yet?

Tarik, Enjoy the time off, but please don't take your nametag down, OK.
There'll be plenty to write about this summer.
:-)

@leigh

Olie gets a pass because he has been the face of this franchise for 10 years and has been with the organization for 18. How many professional athletes can you say that about? Olie will go down as one of teh most beloved sports figures in Washington Sports History-Next to Dale Hunter, I thinks he's the most beloved Capital ever.

But I think he regrets the way he removed his nameplate and ran out. And I think he spoke to his agent and thought about some things on how to put this fire out. His nickname is Godzilla remember and his temper is famous.

@dave,

I completely agree with you. If I havent mentioned it, I love Olie. He's been awesome and he's been a great thing for this franchise. I just don't agree with how he's handling this whole situation. Eventually he'll realize that he's not the goaltender that he once was (probably during the free agency period), and he may look back at what he's done in the last few days (removing the nameplate and missing the mandatory meeting) and regret it.

Olie removed his nameplate cause he knew the Midget and AZAMAT were not going to refund his deposit on it. Those guys just disrespected him just like they did to Hunter and Langway and Sluggo and all the other guys I heard they didn't send birthday cards do. Olie skipped the meeting cause those tightwads in management wouldn't validate their parking for the extra hour. Such jerks. I hear the Flyers validate parking and provide free coffee in the locker room. Class acts. The Caps could learn from them. Until they figure that out, they'll be nothing but a bunch of division winners with plenty of cap room and MVPs and Calder and Adams finalists.

Remember McPhee went out to get a starting goalie at the deadline. That says to Olie, "we aren't comfortable entrusting our playoff run to you."

The guy gave his heart and soul to the organization, and carried the team on his back in the '98 Cup run. I don't think any of us here on a message board have any right to say what Olie should or shouldn't do as it relates to a team meeting.

Holy crap am I glad you guys are still here today!
I needed a day off yesterday. I kept going to the blog but I just couldn't muster enough to be active. Not that I had much time. But you guys know how it is. I was afraid there would be no more. I can't imagine nothing on the blog all summer.

I have no opinion on the Olie situation, whether he was wrong or not to take his nameplate/miss a meeting. I can only assume and thats worth little. I'm sure he was beat up about the backup gig, but I think a lot of that stems from the fact that he's being too prideful. At the height of his game this year, and he got pretty high, Olie still moved slower across the crease and he was often flailing. Defense? Sure. but I've seen other goalies keep up as well. Olie was as good as they come, no doubt, and he could have made a number of teams better over the past 3 years. We're lucky it was for the Caps. Frankly, i think Olie should have left 3 years ago. He could be in Colorado right now. Too bad this team wasn't here 5 years ago because he would have backstopped them to the finals. The fact of the matter is, he thought he was still a 1 and not a 1A. Did that one 5-0 game matter so much? It did when Huet went hot enough to set a Caps record. I put a huge part of that on the skaters, though. They were giving up less than 5 shots in the 3rd period. That helped.

I'll tell you what, Cooke-Steckel-Bradley was fun to watch. That was a great line. Brash-Gordon-Fehr was fun too. If Fed and Huet stay, and Nylander and Clark come back, who sits? Its almost unfair.

I love Olie. He'll always be my fav Capital of all time but don't forget how much these boys make. It is a business first and foremost. I know it's shocking to think anyone would accept more money to leave this team behind but I think we will all be surprised in the next few months.
(I was more worried seeing Federov the only player who was still wearing his Caps hat during the final interviews. Green who is always tough to read sounded like he was truely considering all his options as well.)

Glad he cleared that up.

@justbrewit,

McPhee rightly went out and got Huet at the deadline because with Olie, they werent going to the playoffs this year. Huet was the missing piece to getting to the playoffs, and you surely can't argue with his stats coming down the stretch. I have no doubt Olie would have given all he had, but Huet made some spectacular saves where I said to myself, "no way Olie could have made that save".

You know, back in the day when Adam Oates skipped the final team meeting everyone had a fit because of it. In that situation I think it was appropriate given the fact he was the team Captain if I'm not mistaken and on top of that he had only been with the team a few season.

Let's look at Olie's situation. First let me start off by saying that I was on the "Hate Olie" bandwagon a good portion of the season. However, Olie has every right to do what he's doing. We all know he is a tempermental guy so I think for Olie to step away and take time to ponder things before he speaks is the right thing to do. He realizes that if he comes right out and speaks about the goaltending situation, his position in Washington and not playing that he will say things he regrets and possibly burn a lot of bridges in the process. What Olie is doing is very respectful in my eyes and goes back to the classy individual he is. Yes, he's getting up there in age and yes he struggled a lot over the past few years as the team rebuilt. However, you have to give credit where credit is due. When the likes of Gonchar, Lang, Jagr, and Halpern to name a few left to pursue established, winning organizations, Olie stayed with the Capitals in hopes of seeing the team back to the top where it stood in the 90's. That right there is heart, dedication and passion rolled up into one. I have no problem with him missing the final meeting to collect his thoughts and truthfully I bet no one in the Capitals organization has a problem with it. Before OV, Kolzig was the face of the Capitals and to a man I'm sure every guy in the locker room will tell you that what transpired down the stretch was unfortunate and mishandled to an extent. The point is that Olie deserves to do what he wants right now. He's been hurt and I have to believe that he feels a bit of betrayal from the Capitals management. So, let's jump off Olie's back and allow him the time and space he needs. When the time is right he will talk and everything will be well thought out and delivered with respect.

Again, he may be tempermental, but if your not a tempermental athlete then your not an athlete. As Caps fans, we all hurt at this point in time, but we have SO MUCH to look forward too. Relax and let time run it's course and during that course we will hear from Kolzig.

In closing, screw the rest of the playoffs and let's get the 08-09 season started already!! :)

What about poor Brent Johnson. Lets not forget his growth this year. He is a solid backup who was put on the shelf. Olie stays or goes we have a solid guy we can depend on.

Well said, Mitch

Thanks, Tarik, for your excellent Caps reporting and for this blog. It has made this season even more exciting for us caps fans. Enjoy any time off you have coming, and keep up the good work!

Tarik,

I always looked forward to your blog during the season. The summer should be very exciting, which equals busy for you. You certainly deserve the break. Take care I hope to see you next year when I return to Washington.

Best regards,

Bill

I still don't think, regardless of what coaches you talked to, etc etc... that anyone has a right to skip the last mandatory meeting. It's obviously mandatory for a reason...

Not that I don't think Olie has a right to be frustrated w/ the way things went down, but if nothing else... he's still part of the team, a leader and what kind of example does that show the kids?? Seems to me that although he's upset, he still has a $5,000,000 responsibility to show those kids class, leadership and respect until the day he is released/retires/signs elsewhere. just my opinion i guess, but seems like common sense.

As far as the nameplate, i love that idea... wish I could've stolen the nameplate before he got it :-) haha. that'd be a sweet momento for my basement! LOL.

@ Cappies... i love seeing Feds in that Caps skullcap! looks perfect to me! Work it out Teddy!

I'm reading Olie skipping the meeting as a way to avoid the press. Come in, get his stuff and boogie. "Oh, did you want to talk to me? That's ok, I'll leave a voicemail at 4 AM instead."

Give the guy space. He's still capable of playing in the league, but in what role? If all he can get is a back-up gig, then I think he'll retire. I don't think he even thinks he can be a full time #1 anymore, which leaves him in a time sharing situation, which are incredibly unstable and usually a recipe for failure.

One thing I think is pretty clear, is that he won't be here if we resign Huet. Huet's play since we got him has earned him a number #1 job (I think he's going to Ottawa.) and #1 money. We're not giving him 5-6 million and not playing him 80% of the time.

I suspect Olie will announce his retirement, if he does, right after the free agent period starts. If it lingers into August and you don't hear anything, then look out he'll probaby be somewhere else if there's takers.

Leave him alone until after Detroit is dancing around with the Cup (again).

@ Mitch

Nobody asked Olie to speak, and he very easily could've said "no comment" at any point...

Attending a mandatory meeting and speaking about your future are two completely different things. He could've attended the meeting with the entire rest of the team and then left.

so I have to respectfully disagree completely with your opinion on the situation.

I agree. Feds seems like he really loves this team. You figure for one more season he would be a worth while investment even if he takes some what of a back seat... I think Cooke was a great addition as well. It really is tough especially when Huet had the Capitals paint job on his helmet for the first time. I said, "Yup, he fits right in."

>>>"I still don't think, regardless of what coaches you talked to, etc etc... that anyone has a right to skip the last mandatory meeting. It's obviously mandatory for a reason..."

The coaches are the ones who make it mandatory. If Gabby gave Kolzig permission to miss the team meeting (which it looks like he did, given the coach's comments and revelation that he already met with him privately), then nobody has a right to criticize Kolzig missing it.

McPhhee made an AWESOME move to get Huet in a make a contribution on a contending team, that has real potential for years to come. Now, Huet may not see it that way but from McPhee's side, he couldnt or shouldnt have passed that oppotunity up. I think Huet has become more emotionally bought in and Ted is a great owner - so the Caps organization has the advantage at this point. The wild card is his family.

As to Olie, it was ugly seeing the losses he was involved in down the stretch (6-3 in CAR, 5-0 in CHI) because that's how the season will be remembered about him. He did carry the team until Huet was RIGHTLY acquired - Olie himself admitted that Huet was "world class".
Olie should have said farewell to the gang at the meeting. Maybe he didnt want to get all emotional, who knows. But I have to agree that although he is royalty around DC, he shouldnt have run out on the boys. It looked pouty and low class.

remember, too, that each and every night through the end, as the team went back into the locker room during intermissions or after the game, Olie was the one standing at the end of the bench giving everyone else a pat on the back, taking half a second to connect with every single guy on the ice that night. That too is leadership.

I wish I could find it, but there is a gloroius picture of Ovie and Olie after they won the southeast. It captured their joy of the moment perfectly. I believe it ran in the Sunday, April 6 edition of the dead tree Post, on one of the inside pages.

Man, you'd think Olie would have earned a little more leeway with folks over the years. He explained the nameplate thing is a way that no one can complain about. Now people are slagging him for missing ONE meeting, when there has been no indication that he was anything other than supportive and a good team player during the playoff run. Worse, it's all based on speculation. We have no idea what he did or didn't say to the guys in the locker room after the game on Tuesday. Maybe he explained to them that he wasn't going to be at the meeting and why - told them good job, smacked them all on the @$$, collected his stuff and left. Given his past behavior, that's just as likely a scenario as him being a petulant schmuck. Give the guy some space to process what he's been though.

Oh, and as far as Greenie goes. When Koken was interviewing him and told him that BB had been signed ot a long-term deal, Green looked very pleased and said "that brings a big smile to my face." Doesn't sound to me like someone who is looking to go somewhere else.

Anybody else read this about how bad the ice at Verizon Center was for game 7?

http://www.onfrozenblog.com/

Signing key free agents is important, but in moving forward to next year I'd like to see some serious effort put into improving the ice at the Phone Booth.

All the Caps' investment in skill guys is no good with giving them the ice they need.

AND - are vets like Feds interested in coming back to play on what Chris Clarke is quoted as saying is "the worst ice in the league?"

Please. It's Ice Hockey.

Give the Caps ice.

I'm criticizing Kolzig for missing it because he's more worried about himself than the team. He has all summer to worry about his future, this one meeting wouldn't have killed him.

Like I said before... if nothing else, take an extra hour out of your day and spend the (possible) last day of your Caps career with the team. It's just a selfish act IMO. Pass from BB or not.

Cut the man a break already. I know I've been critical in my blog and such about Kolzig's on ice performance, but off ice he has continued to show greatness. He is going through emotions at this point that no one else could possibly understand. I personnally thought that the way this was reported from the start was inappropriate. Kolzig met with the coach already. Why force the man to break down in front of the team in a meaningless meeting.

@Scofield

you are on the record as an Olie basher, so I will respectfully ignore anything you have to say on the matter :-)

I think he'll regret missing the team meeting, but I think he really just didn't want to get sucked into a conversation with reporters. Its not as if he stood in the locker room and bad mouthed the team, the organization and the fans. If you think a simple "no comment" will get reporters off your back...you're naive.

Folks I totally believe the nameplate issue. @ last yrs equipment sale I ran for the nameplates to get Olie's, so I could use it to frame with a game worn jersey. Cut the guy some slack getting older is hard for anyone especially an athlete, maybe him not attending the mtg gave someone else the opportunity to stand-up that wouldn't have happened had he been in the mtg his way of quietly passing the torch.

I personally hope he retires - him playing for someone else would break my heart, but I would still root for him in any game - even against the Caps(I did that for Bonzai when he was in Atlanta).

One of the nicest guys to have ever been on the team!

@ Sombrero Guy

We talked about this yesterday and you agreed that it wasn't a great move on his part.

And as to your Olie bashing comment, yes... I'm not a Kolzig fan... but have never denied his previous contributions to the team and/or the community... I think he's a world class guy (regardless of this event) and was previously a world class goalie. (not so much anymore)

As to this situation... If you think the reporters are gonna swamp him and try to stop him from walking away or going to his car... I'd argue that point. If everyone here things he deserves so much respect, I'd have to say the reports (esp Corey-WT and Tarik-WP) would respect that as well. Tarik called and left one message and let Olie get back to him at his convenience.

I would agree about the ice...you could tell it really affected play in game 7. A lot of skipping-bouncing pucks. Get rid of the Wizards - they are pointless, big mouthed losers anyways - and who needs the creepy circus?

...to add to that last note...

Olie saying "I took the nameplate as a momento...etc" could've easily sufficed as much in person as it did on the phone... and he wouldn't have had to answer questions about missing the meeting, cause he'd have been there. right?

Allot of teams have great ice and support both hockey and Basketball. The games in D.C. I remember sitting comfortably in a t-shirt. Games I've seen elsewear the buildings are freezing. I think they have a real climate control problem.

Speaking of the team equipment sale, does anyone know when that will be? I'm assuming it will be at Kettler?

retire olies jersey...retire bondras jersey...enough said!!!

oh...and retire maruks jersey!!!

MAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUK!!

@ Hew

I'm not a basketball fan really, but I don't think it's the fault of the Wiz. It's Old-Abe that's the problem.

Have him show the Caps some respect. He could've said "don't book the circus during the playoff run" and also could make a few changes to the building to help create a better ice surface, but he doesn't care about that. It seems the Caps are his wicked step-children.

Orange Crushed essentially said what I wanted to say. The nameplate thing was spun out of proportion by the media (sorry Tarik) and the fans' reaction (mass hysteria, anyone?).

We will have to wait and see what the future brings, but for now Olie is still a Capital. And I for one (maybe the only one?) am glad.

I don't really care about b-ball either. Abe needs to sell the Arena to Ted and I bet we would see some changes. It's hard to manage a company when you need your diapers changed and drool wiped from your mouth every 10 minutes.

@ Jill... I'll agree with that.

I do know, during the playoff run AND the playoffs... you could've probably polled all the other teams and I'd venture to say that 29 of them would've LOVED to have Kolzig sitting on their bench as a backup.

I don't really care about b-ball either. Abe needs to sell the Arena to Ted and I bet we would see some changes. It's hard to manage a company when you need your diapers changed and drool wiped from your mouth every 10 minutes.

I don't really care about b-ball either. Abe needs to sell the Arena to Ted and I bet we would see some changes. It's hard to manage a company when you need your diapers changed and drool wiped from your mouth every 10 minutes.

I don't really care about b-ball either. Abe needs to sell the Arena to Ted and I bet we would see some changes. It's hard to manage a company when you need your diapers changed and drool wiped from your mouth every 10 minutes.

I'm glad too. Kolzig is still the MAN... Can we assume everyone is leaving since they got Ovechkins autograph?

I'm glad too. Kolzig is still the MAN... Can we assume everyone is leaving since they got Ovechkins autograph?

sorry guess that was too harsh - i'm still bitter and angry from tuesday

deadskin, I think ted hinted on his blog that Bondra's number will be retired next season :) he said something like, people keep asking, but we can't do it until he officially retired, and then you have to go through the NHL so they can make a bazillion retro jerseys to cash in. So, I took that to mean as soon as Bondra officially retired, the Caps started the process to retire his number. (oooh, maybe the first home game of the season will be raising the SE Conf Champ banner AND retiring Bondra's number!)

@Jill,

Your right Jill, he is still a Capital, and he did make 4.5million this season. So he should have been at the end of the year mandatory meeting.

I love these boards, there are always such great arguments going on, people detailing their positions from both sides of the fence. I do respect your opinion and others like it, I just respectfully disagree.

I'm not bashing Olie... but go to the meeting...

You played your whole career here, no one treated you poorly, you were treated as a goalie with deteriorating skills, plain and simple. You got your 300th. You'll be in the rafters... These kids in the locker room are young and having you there probably would mean nothing, but you not being there could mean something to them.

Fedorov showed up. This guys career, no offense to you Olie, drawfs yours. He's only been here 6 weeks and he felt compelled to post to a "mandatory meeting".

All we can do is speculate, but I'm putting my money on Olie being a bit of a baby. I hope than I'm wrong.

@Hew

Fix your enter button... and try not to spill diet coke on the keyboard.

@Jschon,

Welcome aboard the Olie is acting selfish train!

Would Kolzig have got us into the playoffs during that 10 game run leading to the end of the season? Would Kolzig have brought us back from a 3-1 deficit for a game 7 against the Flyers?
Just a few questions. What do you all think???

My comments were not about the meeting. I don't know why he didn't attend the meeting (I'd venture to guess no one does except Olie and his family). It's up to the team to address that with him.

You can speculate all you want that he blew it off due to sour grapes, but in the end it is still just fan speculation.

maybe not, but if Thoresen had done to Olie what he did to Huet in that second goal, he would have had more than just a ruptured nut to contend with...

@Capies,

You never know what effect momentum might have on certain players, but I'd say no. Olie was slow moving side to side, and Huet made some spectacular save that made me think "no way Olie would have made that save." For example, when Huet dropped his stick to dive across the creade quicker to make that save against the Flyers, against Olie, that would have been in the back of the net before Olie knew what happened. Just my opinion.

he was not a no show at the team meeting. he had a private meeting with boudreau before hand. he did not want to see the media and that was fine with the Capitals.

"maybe not, but if Thoresen had done to Olie what he did to Huet in that second goal, he would have had more than just a ruptured nut to contend with..."

HAHAHAHAHA... True, Very Very True!! :-)

@Jill
My point exactly. It's ALL speculation. I suspect NONE of us have any idea what goes on in a "mandatory end of season meeting." For all we know, it's akin to the last day of school - and we all know how productive THAT is. For all he's done, Olie shows one moment of weakness, and people are just crucifying him over it. Well, until I skate a mile in the man's skates, I'm reserving judgment. He's earned that much from me at least.

sorry, 12:31 was me...

If Olie had been in goal, the play where Huet launched his stick would have resulted in the Ref being pinned to the boards like a bug!

I don't think Kolzig is any different from Bondra's last days or even Federovs for that matter... Bondra was not scoring or even moving close to what we remembered him to be in his last few years outside of Wash. If you remember the interview with him earlier in the year he pretty much said, "You gotta hang them up at some point." It's a touch, For Love of The Game Decision and if that is what Olie decides to do he should know that every Capitals fan would salute and honor him more then any Caps player in history.

Id be all for just a hockey use facility for the caps, but without all those other events the arena doesnt exist.

No matter how many games the caps sell out, its not going to cover cost to open the building all season long.

All the other events generate HUGE revenue which allows the arena to continue operations. If the arena and team are owned by 2 separate entities, then the teams that play on the arena effectively 'rent' the facility and then the arena obviously gets a cut of all other revenue that is generated.

Although the circus is just that...a circus, Ringling bros probably pays a good piece of change to put on a show there. As does the NCAA and whatever other trade shows come in the door.

The real problem most likely lies with the lack of a qualified operations person to oversee just the ice.

JMU Caps girl -- My memory is not completely shot. In 2007 Capitals Summer Development Camp took place July 11-14 at Kettler.

http://capitals.nhl.com/team/app/?service=page&page=NewsPage&articleid=332467

The Caps are at the mercy of the building owners, aka Abe, who continue to dump on the Caps. They will do anything to cram an event in there without regard to what important sports event is coming.

Nothing will happen till Abe sells Wash. Sports & Ent. to Ted.

sorry, uncatim, i saw that. I looked for Rookie Camp, not Development Camp. I hope its in July again this year. That'll help tie me over until September. If I have to wait that long, I may do something crazy...
Speaking of...it's outdated, but I love this article about the off-season.
http://dccheapseats.blogspot.com/2007/06/offseason-activity.html

Olie wants to play until he's forty. i think that was his goal. Cutting that short is an extremely disheartening thought.

Has anybody ever thought that maybe he had a REASON for missing the meeting? I hate that people could be so quick to bash him or pick on him when they haven't heard all the facts. We all know that the media can make things sound way worse than they really are.

I also think that with everything he's given the Caps, he deserved to play at least 1 playoff game. I love Huet and think he's great, but he was looking tired. You figure he played every playoff game, as well as the last stretch of the regular season. That first goal the Flyers got in game 7 that sorta trickled in? No way he would have let that happen if he wasn't tired. He didn't play as well as we've seen him do in these playoff games...so putting Kolzig in at least one of those games couldn't have hurt...hell, with all the rest he had, maybe he would have helped the team win one of those games they lost. I'm not bashing Huet in anyway, by the way...I really do think he was the better goalie right now, but I think he needed a break...and plus I've been an Olie fan for as long as I can remember, and it killed me to see him sitting on the bench every game.

@ JMU_Caps_Gir

then... HAHHAHAAHH great comment! give credit where credit is due :-)

@ James D

Agreed with that whole comment... although push the circus back a few weeks... that could've been done... the NHL/NBA schedules were out way before they scheduled that circus.

@JamesD
I don't think anyone has a problem with the dual-use nature of the VC, although I do believe it is one of the most heavily utilized arenas in the country, and thus has quite a few more changeovers from ice surface to "other" than the norm. The real issue is with Abe and him treating the Caps like the red-mohawked stepchild. Reports are the NHL ice specialists told him that installing humidifiers would greatly improve the ice and he told them to pound sand. And while the circus and the NCAAs are fine, he has a disturbing tendency to throw the Caps under the Zamboni when it comes to scheduling dates at the VC. Why else do they get the lengthy spring road trip every season at the worst possible time? So he can squeeze every last possible dollar out of the latest "American Idol MMA on Ice" tour? We deserve better, but we won't get it until Ted has control of the facility.

nadir,

can you blame him though? He has a building to run and typically you must secure a building almost a year in advance in order to run a show on it.

So what if he says, well I have a Wizards game at 1, a Caps game at 7 and the next day the circus in town and the day after that its monster trucks and then a career fair.

I would be more worried if there were NO events at the Booth because then the place would close and the Caps would be out of a home, without a buyer of course.

nadir,

can you blame him though? He has a building to run and typically you must secure a building almost a year in advance in order to run a show on it.

So what if he says, well I have a Wizards game at 1, a Caps game at 7 and the next day the circus in town and the day after that its monster trucks and then a career fair.

I would be more worried if there were NO events at the Booth because then the place would close and the Caps would be out of a home, without a buyer of course.

If you guys don't want me to come back on here i won't... But to sit there and make fun of me for feeling like this series was dream like means you weren't paying attention to the whole picture
A) both these teams really shouldn't have made it if it weren't for carolina losing so the fact that they made it in is amazing
B) the series was unreal hockey... the best i've seen in a long time
I am sad and if you want to make fun of me for that go ahead, but i enjoyed watching the capitals and flyers play eachother... the fact that i'm on here during game day for the flyers and habs proves how much i truly loved watching these two teams go at it... From watching the way the caps play hockey they made me a fan of their team... Obviously i'm a flyers fan but i have a new respect for this team that was not there before this series started... I didn't start out making fun or bashing the caps at all... I was honest about both teams from the beginning... I'm definatly a strong believer in existentialism and the power of now and that series and the way i felt afterwards merits a sad feeling... I was upset to see it all end... I was excited for the first 15 mins, but afterwards this feeling of "wow it's over i guess" took over
Flyers play the Habs tonight and i don't see this being nearly as exciting as the last series the flyers played in... I don't know how this series will be played out and we'll find out at 7pm... On paper and this season i'd say the flyers lose this series hands down... but in the playoffs who knows right?
Again if majority of you want me to not come back i won't... I've said that all along... I don't want to be in a place where i'm unwanted

I, for one, would be a happy camper with a #1 / #2 of Huet and Olie (sorry Johnny) for next year. I'm thinking it's a pipe dream though. Once the Sens let Ray go, that opened up a potential spot North of the border for Huet. I hope I'm wrong, but I don't see him staying in DC.

Who is out there amongst UFA goalies that is good? Theo out in Colo, anyone else? What is Ellis's status in Nash?

If you guys don't want me to come back on here i won't... But to sit there and make fun of me for feeling like this series was dream like means you weren't paying attention to the whole picture
A) both these teams really shouldn't have made it if it weren't for Carolina losing so the fact that they made it in is amazing
B) the series was unreal hockey... the best I've seen in a long time
I am sad and if you want to make fun of me for that go ahead, but i enjoyed watching the capitals and flyers play each other... the fact that I'm on here during game day for the flyers and habs proves how much i truly loved watching these two teams go at it... From watching the way the caps play hockey they made me a fan of their team... Obviously i'm a flyers fan but i have a new respect for this team that was not there before this series started... I didn't start out making fun or bashing the caps at all... I was honest about both teams from the beginning... I'm definitely a strong believer in existentialism and the power of now and that series and the way i felt afterwards merits a sad feeling... I was upset to see it all end... I was excited for the first 15 mins, but afterwards this feeling of "wow it's over i guess" took over
Flyers play the Habs tonight and i don't see this being nearly as exciting as the last series the flyers played in... I don't know how this series will be played out and we'll find out at 7pm... On paper and this season I'd say the flyers lose this series hands down... but in the playoffs who knows right?
Again if majority of you want me to not come back i won't... I've said that all along... I don't want to be in a place where I'm unwanted

@CapsFaninSC

I'm glad you don't run the Capitals.

jeff,
philly needed 4 points in their final 3 games to get in, regardless of what happened.

They did that

Right there tells me you have no idea what you are talking about.

Now go take your existentialism back to day care kiddo

jeff,
philly needed 4 points in their final 3 games to get in, regardless of what happened.

They did that

Right there tells me you have no idea what you are talking about.

Now go take your existentialism back to day care kiddo

@Jeff
I live on the west coast and watch all the games on Center Ice. We were all pretty surprised the Flyers won actually out here. So who knows they might take Montreal to a game 7 as well. Be weary of your commentators though Jeff. They are the most bias in the business so I know your opinions may be swayed a bit by Jim Jackson and that Cotes guy.

@Jeff
I live on the west coast and watch all the games on Center Ice. We were all pretty surprised the Flyers won actually out here. So who knows they might take Montreal to a game 7 as well. Be weary of your commentators though Jeff. They are the most bias in the business so I know your opinions may be swayed a bit by Jim Jackson and that Cotes guy.

jeff,
philly needed 4 points in their final 3 games to get in, regardless of what happened.

They did that

Right there tells me you have no idea what you are talking about.

Now go take your existentialism back to day care kiddo

@Jeff
I live on the west coast and watch all the games on Center Ice. We were all pretty surprised the Flyers won actually out here. So who knows they might take Montreal to a game 7 as well. Be weary of your commentators though Jeff. They are the most bias in the business so I know your opinions may be swayed a bit by Jim Jackson and that Cotes guy.

Jeff

Philly needed 4 points out of their last 3 games to get into the playoffs, regardless of what happened elsewhere, they got it

so right there tells me you have no idea what you are talking about.

jeff,
philly needed 4 points in their final 3 games to get in, regardless of what happened.

They did that

Right there tells me you have no idea what you are talking about.

Now go take your existentialism back to day care kiddo

@ Jeff

Flyers needed 4 pts in their final 3 games to make the post season, regardless of what happened between CAR and WSH.

Flyers did that.

That, there tells me you have no idea what you are talking about.

Take the existentialism back to daycare
kiddo

Anyone who thinks Boudreau should have played Olie in the playoffs out of pity is more an Olie fan than a Caps fan.

whats up with the blog?

i cant post

The Caps are at the mercy of the building owners, aka Abe, who continue to dump on the Caps. They will do anything to cram an event in there without regard to what important sports event is coming.

Nothing will happen till Abe sells Wash. Sports & Ent. to Ted.

I've played at the Verizon Center a few times and yes the ice is bad. But it is MUCH worse down in Tampa!

@Leigh
Agreed. I'm an Olie fan and even I realize Huet was the right choice down the stretch and in the playoffs. I had my doubts after game 3, but Cris played lights out and made some inhuman stops in the game that Olie never gets to, and from that point forward, it was a no-brainer. Was Huet tired in Game 7? Possibly (the first goal was a bit soft). But starting Olie after him sitting for that long would have been an insane move.

Oh, and if I had to choose between Philly Jeff and Chief, I know who I'd pick to stay...

This is the list of goalies who have played more games than Huet this year...

Evgeni Nabokov
Martin Brodeur
Miikka Kiprusoff
Ryan Miller
Roberto Luongo
Henrik Lundqvist
Cam Ward
Tomas Vokoun
Vesa Toskala
Manny Legace
Ilja Bryzgalov
Rick Dipietro
Marty Turco
Martin Biron
Jean-Sebastien Giguere
Niklas Backstrom
Martin Gerber
Tim Thomas
Olaf Kolzig
Pascal Leclaire
Jose Theodore

To say Huet was tired is as much speculation as saying Olie missed the mandatory meeting because of a pilates class at the Y.

Nothing like making a mountain out of a molehill over nothing, and before talking to the key people involved. Also, from what my "sources" tell me, Kolzig was not the only player to miss yesterday's "mandatory" meeting. Funny how those players' names weren't mentioned in this morning's Post, though.

Alright...'nuff about Olie.
Not too many athletes retire gracefully when they are replaced in the lineup. So he got mad, got his stuff and went home. Big deal...let it go already.
Let's talk next year's Caps, eh?
Keep everybody? Try to get a goal-scorer? Get a new D-man, or two? If so, what's the cost? Trades...?

In re Olie, nameplate and missed meeting:

You know, if you're a man who possesses both some pride and some onions -- and it has always seemed that Olie qualifies -- then it's just sort of okay to tell the folks who've treated you a bit poorly (and perhaps embarrassed you) to screw off. I don't care how much money these guys make, they're still ultimately guys (and maybe boys), and there's just nothing wrong with being a bit uncooperative in this situation. If I were in Olie's shoes, I suspect I would have done the same thing. He was a total pro when it mattered, and now he can be snotty without consequence to the team's performance, so good for him. He was treated a bit shabbily, given everything he's put into this organization for the past two decades.

Yesterday someone listed Jim Vandermeer as someone they caps could go after...

Big mistake
he sucks, but he might be right in the caps salary range.

"I was upset to see it all end"
YOU were upset, get the HELL out of here, youre totally unwanted

STOP

Thief!

Someone help! I am property of the Washington Capitals and Ive been stolen!

HELP!

@JamesD
I guess I'm younger then you so the day care thing makes sense I guess...
The flyers opponents were the devils pens rags and islanders in their last 8 i believe... yeah islanders are no shows with out DiPietro and the pens gave up on that last game but exactly how is that an easy schedule to get in... don't tell me I don't know what i'm talking about when you hardly know me and are willing to type out immature insults
@REdArmy
I hate both coates and jackson... and for that matter clement too... clement was ok when he was paired with thorne at least they were funny... Thorne you traitor! BASEBALL!!?!?!

hey James, take the submit key back to daycare kiddo! ; l
Jeff, you sound like a hockey fan. Course you're going to catch some heat in here--we're mostly Caps Fans after all--but if you're not trolling I'll bet we won't try to blow up your bridge.
Habs have been my second team since Henri Richard was captain, so of course I expect their speed, skill, Saku, and sizzling goalie to eliminate the Flyers in five. Vengeance on Layaway! See you on Versus.

Jeff

Thorne has ALWAYS done baseball!

and I never said it was an easy schedule. I said they needed 4 points to get in and they got 4 points.

They didnt need the caps to lose. Carolina lost the night they played Jersey and that put the Flyers in earlier than needed. If Carolina had won that night, it would have come down to the last game of the season for Philly to get in. But they won against the Pens so it didnt matter.

Our caps got in by the grace of Carolina losing.

I heard Thorne voice overing for sumo once

that was classic

Wow..I thought I was the only one using this blog-name. I have spaces, no caps.
I'll change mine since I don't want to be confused with that other dude in SC. I don't agree with you about Olie playing.
By the way...where in SC are you?

Steve:
That's exactly what I would like to see - Huet #1 and Olie #2 - but I am guessing that not very plausible. It assumes:

1) Huet WANTS to stay
2) The Caps will give him the years and $$ that he wants
3) Olie is willing to be #2

At this point, I am guessing that all three are a long shot.

Kolzig was always known for one thing.
Capable of stealing a game despite his team.
That capability dwindled, but it did not end.
Game 7 with Kolzig and the Caps win.

I think if Huet is unwilling to sign here, we could set our sights on the trade market. The team certainly has the assets to make a deal, whether it be players, draft picks, or a combination of the 2.

Hey everybody. This blog is like a dream and I am so sad I won't be able to come out and play anymore.

I just don't want this to end. Jeff and I love sitting side by side at the computer, arms around each other, stroking the skin on each other's arms while we talk about how life is so great because these two great teams played a great series.

When Jeff starts talking about dreams it really makes me happy because I know that one day he and I are going to be able to move to Vermont and have that Civil Union we dream about everyday. Once he graduates from Princeton, the sky is the limit for 2 young bucks like us.

If there is a God, the Flyers and the Capitals will be playing each other on that day.

I do have a tape of game 7 that I like to play for him while we have our private time. Boy am I glad this series took place.

What a dream.

i guess jeff neglected to mention his partner was trolling around too.

Oh, one more thing everyone.

I did make Jeff a gift for our anniversary.

I sewed a Washington jersey and a Flyers jersey together for him to make a real diverse red and orange jersey.

I took the numbers of two of his favorite players and made them into 1 and made the names into one as well

It is going to be a number 88 Briechkin
jersey!

OOOOOOOOOH I am in for a great night to night.

Dream on everyone

toodles.

Yup
Things just got a little creepy

Whew, I am glad Caps are done with cancer that is Kolzig. Give him a medal, send him to HOF, but just don't let him ever play on ice for Caps. He has a big mouth and nothing to support it. He should've been put on waivers long time ago. He is the reason why GMGM didn't get Bryzgalov. Only after his game completely deteriorated, GMGM signed Huet.

One more time, he was the worst NHL goalie this season, but Kolzig cultists don't care.

He is the reason why Caps were at the bottom of NHL.

King Huet:
Cancer? Ew ...

Jeff bashers:
Play nice ...

Yes please play nice. He is sensitive and requires a lot of lovin when he gets his feelings hurt. Then I have to take him home and rock the red.

Jeff is being level headed and what he says doesn't seem to be trolling to me. At least not at this point. I'd lay off him a bit.

Even I dont want Jeff

My Girlfriend compared the Olie thing to Cheating on him with hotter guy (Huet), who is only going to laeave after a few months. And the current boyfriend (olie) is leaving too. So you had a great time for the few month with the new guy, but the you relize, your not going to have either one of them.

If the Midget hadn't banished Hunts, Bonzai, Langway, Kristich and Sluggo the Caps would have won the Stanley Cup.

Time to go Jeff, this is for Caps fans.

Can we please leave Olie and the meeting and the taken nameplate thing alone already? Let the man have some trinkets to remember his playing days in Washington.

olie stuck around this team during the rebuild and "wasted" the final couple years of his career. he expected that when the rebuilt ended (this year/next year) that he would reap the rewards of sticking through the mess. came a year (or three) too late. and now he's slower, a lot slower, and we just grabbed a sweet goalie who played great down the stretch. kolzig is getting SCREWED, no doubt, but at the same time what is best for the team is not always best for the players (though the bondra deal is still up for debate). because i don't see him getting picked up by another team for more than a backup role, i hope we will just overpay him to be on staff so he can stay with the organization.

love you olie.

@Boo

Sorry, but this is what I think, no exageration. Last season Kolzig was ranked #17, Huet #21. This season Kolzig was #44, and Huet #22. That's how Olie's game deteriorated, from #17 to #44. But his big mouth didn't. He was messing up guys in a locker room. blah-blah-bkah... goes on ice and let's all pucks in. And God forbid to say anything against him. That's why it was neccesary to remove the cancer.

A "mandatory meeting" is not "mandatory" if management excuses you from it - as would appear to be the case here - I am a senior member of my organization and have been excused from mandatory meetings for various reasons many times - no one knows what went on between Olie and Sr. Management - I don't think what he did was disrespectful at all - I do think it's disrespectful to call out a player who has represented the organization and the city with, heart and class for almost 20 years without knowing all the facts.

You're a great Cap Olie - one of the best, I wish you well in whatever your future endeavors are and hope that you remain a Cap in one form or another - DC is your home - I hope you'll always know that.

I'm jealous that Jeff has a man crush on Briere and not me. I'm more important and demand a trade immediately.

Jeff,
Please join our cult of the Crosbys. We will take you with open arms.

Mario give a great back massage

Wow! What venom today on the blog.

People who blog anon or with made up names are just cowards (Jeff's girlfriend).

I have no problem having Jeff on here. Better than Chief because he at least supports his theories with some facts.

Lay off of Olie. Yes, I am a fan. I also think bringing in Huet was a good move and was played out correctly. Nobody knows what was said in the meeting with BB and if he said he could miss the meeting, then it is not mandatory.

King Huet, if Olie was a cancer on the team, he would have spoken out in the last month of the season. He is not a cancer. I am sorry Huet did not win us the Cup to keep your worshipping of him going. I guess you will need to root for another team when he is gone.

Instead of being so negative, let's look at everything we have going for this team. For goodness sake, from a selfish standpoint of a 34 year fan of the team, I deserve to feel positive about the team.

@Boo, OTH, Sombrero, et. Al.,
This is getting out of hand - the cyber bottle throwers have taken over. Might be time to step back from the blog for a bit to let things calm down. Why folks want to run Jeff out of town on a rail is beyond me. He bought a freaking Backstrom jersey, for Pete's sake. Do you do that if you aren't a fan of the team? Like no one else here supports more than one team. Madness...

hey CT

arent these all made up names?

Ollie has always worn his emotions on his sleeve. I believe his explanation, and hope he remains with the team in some capacity.

Chief has been quiet today. As I predeicted, he showed up as soon as the Caps lost.

hey CT, hows them whalers doin?

@ anon

They are all made up names. Grow a sack and put yours on a post.

As for Jeff I am one of those who are sick of his 'im sad this is over' and its like living in a dreamland speeches when he clearly doesnt pay enough attention to detail.

His first few posts on this blog were decidedly negative toward everything until people jumped all over him then he changed his tune. I dont buy his act one bit and I doubt he bought a Backstrom jersey or any other jersey for that matter.

Olie goes back to the Langway days, that was a long time ago. He's been on top of his game a long long time. Bravo Olaf!!!!

Yes, but most of the true bloggers use the same name all the time which becomes a recognizable entity. Going anon or using hurtful names is just wrong.

Made up names? What do you mean made up names? My Mom told me I was named after the flavor of NeHi she was drinking when I was conceived...

Speaking of whalers

I went to a 'canes game back the first year they were down there and I tried to start a 'Lets go Whalers' chant

Yeah, i was looked at like I had a couple heads.

Plus, these things that you say would never be said to someone's face. You are not only hiding in a blog, but you aren't even using a name bloggers can relate to.

Bad form.

So what's considered hurtful names? One's of the Flyers players and or fans?

hey: noideasforascreenname, how shocking

I am from DC and have been a fan for longer than you have been born so cool it. I could give a care less about any team outside of the DC area.

Again, the attacking.

That's b/c people in Carolina didn't know what hockey was until the team became relevant, whatever year that was.

I think I've drawn more insults and heat then trolls... haha i don't mind i guess. I some of you in here would talk hockey rather then garbage... and for those of you that do its been awesome... I'm glad i found this blog
Allright time to get in a little shinny before the game.
See ya later guys

I posted at 1:35
No sense continuing, it's officialy a Gay Rant.

So how long have you been living in CT?

Since 1995

Who votes for the Jack Adams? Writers or Broadcasters? Thanks!

I just have a feeling next years Caps goalies are:
1.) Emery
2.) Johnson

my 2 cents, not necessarily what I want to see tho

@JamesD
I never attacked anyone or any team... I've kept things real since i found this blog... If i was negative then it's because i thought things should be directed that way... hockey's a sport that constantly changes within every second of everygame... I was down on BB cause he didn't prove anything to me until he changed his game plan to a cycle and powerplay to umbrealla although i think Greenie should have been at that point and until he switched his lines... I'll be the first to give credit where it's due
You're really acting in poor form right now and are coming off quite childish to me man... you need to relax all i want to do is talk hockey... I loved that series, i would have loved it if the flyers lost as well it was a great series...
As for not believe i bought a backstrom jersey well i'm not going to prove anything cause thats insane, don't beleive me, don't really care... but if the way you act is the way caps fans treat new and enticed hockey fans then F you and i'm losing intrest real quick... sorry for the slander

Isn't Emery supposed to be a whack-job and a locker room cancer? Definitely not what we want in our harmonious dressing room.

This stuff is getting out of control. I almost liked it back in october and november when all the bandwagoners weren't posting irrational comments on here and people could actually discuss things meaningful to the Caps, not whether or not this Jeff guy has a special place in his bed for Briere.

James D:

You talked about Vandermeer and i echo your thoughts. He is ok, but the Caps acquiring him would only be a lateral move. He tries to be tough sometimes, like his brother Dan. I mean granted he would be an upgrade over Jurcina...

Caps don't want Emery... he's like a disruptive football or Basketball player... See Allen Iverson or Chad Johnson for Ray Emery... I hope Emery gets chased out of the league like Robert Esche was... this is a game of respect, we don't need bums like him in the NHL

I understand about Emery but if you don't sign Huet, who else has NHL talent and would not cost an arm and a leg? I don't like Emery either, just a hunch...

it may sound stupid, but i'd rather go into the season w/ Johnny and Cassivi or Machesney than Emery being involved anywhere in the equation.

I'm sure most of us regulars to Capitals Insider welcome new "members" as long as they aren't trolls, make insightful comments ("your team sucks" and "Ovechkin dives" are NOT insightful comments) and make MOST of their comments about hockey, especially the Washington Capitals.

--

Emery better not be in a Capitals uniform next year. I would rather have Brent Johnson be our starter.

I'm going to watch the MTL-PHI game tonight and pay close attention to how they handle physicality at the top of the crease and goaltender interference. Go Montreal!

@G-Rub
Vandermeer would not be much of an upgrade over Jurcina... I'm not being condescending but i think you guys should try and look up clips of him with the flyers this season... he coughs up the puck like Jurcina, misses checking assignments, and completly takes himself out of the play for some really questionable hits that usually costs teams goals... Keep in mind the flyers both aquired and traded him for a 6th Rounder... I'm interested to see if the Caps Chase after some of the more big name D men out there... the Kaberle's, Reddens, (I refuse to mention Campbell cause I think he's highly overrated at an NHL level)... does anyone know the cap situation?

As for a back-up to Brent Johnson, I'd be fine with bringing up Neuvirth or Varlamov for a little trial by fire.

But please, no Emery.

And please, resign Huet!

What if they were to sign some of their RFA/UFA forwards (possibly including Feds and Cooke) and then package in a few of them to trade for a goalie we are not even thinking about? No ideas who right now, I would have to think about it, but just a thought. We seem to potentially have a lot of forwards that we won't know what to do with.

Thoughts?

@Caps fan in CT
I think there won't be much of an attack on the goalie this series... Huet's weakness was traffic in front and keeping his head in the game and not the players on the ice... Price is as cool as dry ice in the noggin, he won't get rattled. I think high blocker is the way to go on him.
I don't think Ovie dived as much as flyers made it out to seem... I think that umberger foot on foot was questionable at best, but momentum does funny things on ice... Let's save the dive insults for Sidney and Savard

Trying to change the topic...

If I had the keys to the organization.
Goalie Situation

Plan A
Huet - $4.5M X 5, paying him more in years 1, 2, 3 and significantly less years 3, 5... say $7M, $6M, $5, $2.5M and $2.0M, making his salary tradeable when either Varlamov or Neuvirth are ready.

Plan B
Try to sign Theodore to similiar contract.

Plan C
Trade some assets for Tim Thomas or Manny Fernandez, BOS also have Auld and Rask waiting to take over.

There is a short list of others worth trading for.

If we don't sign Huet, Theodore might be our only other option. We're in that tough situation of finding a good goalie in a year where the depth of goalies in the free agency isn't very deep. We really need someone to be solid enough to last until Neuvirth or Varlamov are ready.

yo I just heard this crazy stat... Saku, is undefeated in game 7's... that's insansly scary

Jeff, I think that was Caps Fan in TN, but no worries.

I love how everyone is all of the sudden GM/contract experts.

Whatever he wishes to do, I wish him all the very best. I was fortunate enough to meet him recently, and it was wonderful to meet such a legend. He has given so much to this team, and this community.

I hope to see you back next year Olie. If not, endless thanks to you for everything.

Theodore has played better this year ... but I'm not sure I'd want him for a long-term deal in Washington.

@Matt

Its pretty easy Matt, all you really need is an opinion and the understanding of the english language.

@Jeff

"Huet's weakness was traffic in front and keeping his head in the game and not the players on the ice."

What does that mean? I thought Huet played pretty well ...

Sure, MTL's defense is better. But is Hartnell and Co. suddenly going to stop trying to plow the goalie over? I doubt it.

We are fine with money. We have one of the cheapest teams right now. Unless Green is asking for something astronomical then we should be ok with whatever Huet, Feds and Cooke ask for. Clark and Pothier are still questionable according to one of the articles I read. Damn shame about those two guys.

New tribute video up on Washingtoncaps.com Dang near teared me up. LOL

How much is Conklin going to command? He's UFA as well.

That's the Olie I've always respected and admired adn cheered for! Thanks for the update Tarik.

Why wasn't it in the paper that Bruce had a long talk with Olie before the meeting and everything was fine? Maybe he was excused from the meeting after that discussion.

If I had the keys...
Forwards

RFA - Laich, Fehr, Gordon
UFA - Cooke, Fedorov, Bradley, Laing

Tender Offers
Laich $1.75M to $2.0M x 3
Fehr $1.0 to $1.25 x 3
Gordon - goodbye

UFA
Cooke - currently making $1.5M, offer small raise $2M x 3, do not over pay.
or
Fedorov - currently making $6.0, over $3M x 2.
not both
Bradley - goodbye
Laing - goodbye

Lines (assuming Fedorov)
OV/Nylander/Kozlov/Fehr
Semin/Backstrom/Laich/Fehr
Flash/Fedorov/Clark/Fehr
Brashear/Steckel/Bourque

Lines (assuming Cooke)
OV/Nylander/Kozlov/Fehr
Semin/Backstrom/Clark/Fehr
Cooke/Laich/Flash/Fehr
Brashear/Steckel/Bourque

Conklin is a back up... that's all he is... giving him 50 games or starter money is a mistake.

I wouldn't trust Conklin... I really think he just had an "above and beyond" year... he'll be back to 3rd stringer shortly.

Vandermeer is brutal.

And as far as Jeff saying Price is 'cooler than dry ice,'

I guess you didnt see him cough up the puck a couple times when he got pressured from the forecheck? At least 1 I can remember went into the back of the net.

Game 6 the Bruins attacked the crease and got Price off his game, so no, he is not cooler than dry ice. He is young and has a tendency to get rattled when a lot of pressure comes his way.

In Game 7, the B's did nothing they did in game 6.

Conklin can split time, thats about all he can do. I know he had a great year but I think it had a lot to do with the team in front of him.

@GM JSchon

I think Laich is in for a decent raise. 2.5 for 4 years with 20 goal incentives. He stepped up as a leader I thought.

If I had the keys

Defense

RFA's - Eminger, Green and Morrisonn

Tender Offers
Green $5.0 x 6
Eminger $1.5M x 4
Morrisonn $2.0M x 4

Trade Poti for draft pick(s) or cheap serviceable young player. Save $3.5M.

Assume Pothier retired (save $2.5)
Pairings
Green/Morrisonn R/L
Eminger/Schultz R/L
Alzner/Erskine/Lepisto/Jurcina L/L/L/R

Assume Pothier plays
Green/Morrisonn R/L
Eminger/Schultz R/L
Alzner/Pothier/Erskine/Lepisto/Jurcina L/R/L/L/R

I would also offer Federov a $0 contract...Pay her "per point." He's done everything in the NHL...might as well go into like a sales job working for commission.

lol

JSchon,

Looking at your plan C above, Manny has started 50+ only one season and low 40's in games a couple of times. I don't think he's the answer & who knows how expensive they'e make Thomas.

@SA-Town... You're right, I was tryong to low-ball Brooksy... Sorry Brooksy... $2.5M is fair.

If I were GM

I would convince Green to take a 2 yr contract worth around 2-3 mil a yr. With a promise to renegotiate after the 1st yr if he hits certain numbers. If he likes it so much here, he would take it. That is unless he is tendered another offer.

This way you can see what you have in him. He had a great year but man it would suck to tie him up in a 6-8 yr deal with 5-6 a yr and have him drop off drastically.

Fernandez and Huet are very similiar, the only difference is that MON is a better team than MIN. Huet hadnt played more than 40+ either, not because he cant, but because he had Theodore/Aebischer and Price as competition.

Fernandez had Rolosson. Fernandez was brought into BOS to be the #1. Thomas stepped in and played great. They now have 2 guys that want to be the #1.

We also forget that B.Johnson can play 20 to 30 games without a problem.

Just to remind would-be-GMs, bonuses aren't allowed for non-rookies. Unless they're 35 or over on a one year deal (hello, Fedorov).

Contracts can't be renegotiated either, only extended.

@James D

I think your low-balling the skill that Green shows on the ice.

He has gotten quite a bit of national press..first because of his stats...but second because he does some end to end rushes better then anyone in the league.

He is going to ask for Gonchar money, and he should get it. He really is going to be a big time threat. Lock him up...

We dont want to have to match anyone's offer. We need it done before the rest of the NHL has a shot.

Huet is our goalie and I don't think we should think any other way right now.

@JamesD

I want him signed up before July 1. I do not want anyone even sniffing the opportunity to offering him a contract. Low-balling him isnt going to work. He is a top 5-10 scoring defensemen, they all make $5M+... none of them skate like he does and none of them are 22 years old.

@JamesD,

Hear you, but with the way Green attacks & if he's kept out there on most PP's, I'd be very surprised to see his numbers fall off. If anything, I'm guessing his assist totals are going to go up. Just a guess though.

Tim Thomas can steal a game night after night. I would take him in a heartbeat but what would you trade?

LA is going to be in the goalie hunt big time this year, so expect them to throw a good offer at Huet. Being as it doesnt seem like he wants to stay in Washington, Id expect him to go there. Unless Ottawa makes a push for him.

If Olie does retire, that leave BJ, and like Schon said, he is a 30 gamer. As much as I dont like it, I could see GMGM going after Emrey, just because the actualy available pool isnt that deep.

Green skates with the ease and grace of a figure skater. He is worth the top 5 money.

I completely agree with everybody on Green. He deserves the big money. But watching the game as long as I have been I have seen my share of players drop off and never return to form.

Id want to be sure about that kid first. Sure he is the best skater and a top D man but. 1 great year doesnt give you a chance to compare stats. Id look for back to back solid seasons before the big money comes.

Greem will hear what other teams have to offer. I think a Canadian team would be the only offer he would consider.

BTW, im purely looking at this from an investment/GM pov. Not from as a fan.

I just want to get the most out of what I am buying is all.

James, a couple years ago that might have worked...unfortunately, Green knows that if he doesn't get what he wants from the Caps he can wait until July 1st, sign a huge offer sheet from someone else and whether the Caps match or not he gets his money.

If Penner, a 2nd line sorta player got 4 mil a year from Edmonton last year (after playing essentially 1/2 a season and the playoffs), it's somewhat scary to consider what the defensive goal scoring leader could get.

Ultimately, if GMGM can get a deal done with Green in the 5 mil range, I think you have to do it.

Also, I don't think trading Poti during the off-season is the way to go. Because the D is still so young I think it makes sense to keep him around and see how the D looks before moving him. If Alzner (for example) shows he is ready to contribue by the trade deadline, you could get a lot for Poti then. I'm not sure how much you'd get for him in the off-season when there are other guys on the FA market.

Just my 2 cents..

Poti, Lepisto and some goal pegs for Dan Ellis?

Ray as a Cap......... Who would woop his butt in practice?

LA has a ton of cap space too I think. But you'd be hard pressed to find a less European city in the US to live in than LA.

Work break and I catch up with all the posts :D

@King Huet
You got to stop the insults to Olie. We got it, you hate him. Out of respect for him, and all of us actually that believe in something, you got to shut up. A few times you borderlined trolling and this is one of those time. Do you realize you sound like Chief sometimes?
And BY THE WAY: I like Huet but honestly you made me like him less - you seem like his manager or his b%%tch or something and I'm just tired of the commercials.

@Jeff
For whatever reason you didn't show up after we won game 6, then showed up for game 7. That looked bad.

@Boo
I'd like that too (Huet + Olie) but I don't think it's going to happen. If the wife ain't happy, nobody's happy - that might play a big role for Huet. However if he can convince her to stay one or two more years, temporarily, that might even worked out better for us :D

Olie... I think he might stay for another shot at #1. But honestly, not sure he has a full season + playoffs in him.

Emery I really don't think is that bad. He had a temper because he was fed up with Ottawa. New beginnings are just what he needs. He sure wouldnt take that abuse in the playoffs... But I agree, Huet is our goalie and I think he'll be here next year.

The Penner deal was a joke but scary to think that will most certainly happen to someone this off season.

I know the Caps are well under the salary cap range, but Id hate to see them lock up a ton of money on a kid that had 1 good year.

I dont see his numbers dropping off but in lieu of everything else the team needs, if he really liked playing here, he could hold off on HUGE money for a yr so the team can lock up some other assets

We are at the worst possible crossroads with Green, contract ending, 1st great year...

Now is not the time to bluff. What makes Green, Green, is his skating ability. You dont lose that at 22 over a year period.

If you guys are interested in looking at who are the free agent goalies for this upcoming season here's a list. It includes both Unrestricted and Restricted Free Agent Goalies:

http://www.nhlnumbers.com/freeagents.php?team=none&pos=G&status=none&type=none"

JSchon,

"What makes Green, Green, is his skating ability"

The kid is a pretty good stick handler too.

I wouldnt take Emery unless the D got revamped completely and was solid.

I could see Emery getting frustrated over lack of coverage. If some of the turnovers that took place against Philly took place in front of Emery, he would let everyone know how he felt.

His skating ability makes him but his Defensive ability really lacks.

What if he ends up not scoring next year and is a -15

Then we have a bad defenceman who happens to be a minus player who wont score goals for 6 yrs and millions of dollars.

I know you dont want to play games with him and he is at the end of a contract, but I think a few million of those dollars can be spent elsewhere if he takes a lower contract for the next season.

I've seen quite a few Isles games this year. Wade Dubielewicz is actually a pretty good goalie. He stepped in for Dipietro a few times and looked quite sharp.

Agree Steve R...

you dont lose those skills overnight either...

get it done GMGM, before July 1

Green, Laich, Semin, Backstrom, Ovechkin. They are the future of this team. They should never break them up.

Im just talking about his overall play dropping off, he wont lose his ability

But his play can drop off drastically. Id just want him to throw together 2 good yrs before he gets locked up long term.

Good read from the hockeynews. Enjoy.

http://www.thehockeynews.com/articles/15523-Screen-Shots-Breaking-up-is-hard-to-do.html