Teddy Has Some Decisions to Make

Let's start with hockey. The Caps aren't a winning team. They have shown that all year. Boudreau is gone, Hunter is in, and it's the same result. Inconsistency throughout the team. Mike Green can't stay healthy. Ovechkin can't put up points consistently. Our goaltending is spotty at best. As a team, our shots per game total is plummeting. Something has to change. Coaching wasn't the answer. The core of this team needs to change. The core of Semin, Backstrom and Ovechkin has had their chance. The Caps need energy and they need it fast.
Back to back 5-2 losses out west is flat out embarrassing. Remember 3 years ago when a 3 goal deficit meant nothing? Our team had a confidence that was through the roof and nothing could bring it down. Now, if we're down, you might as well watch the Family Guy marathon on TBS because we're down for good. Ted Leonsis has to make a decision here. He either tells McPhee to make a big change, or he tells McPhee to clean out his office. Things are spiraling quickly and if Leonsis doesn't make a decision soon, it could be too late. His coach lost faith, now his players are losing faith. The fans will be next, it's just a matter of time.

Here you go Mr. Crawford.

Next up is basketball. What in the wide world of sports is going on here? The Wizards are a team with obvious problems. Flip has no control over the team. Blatche is embarrassingly slow and weak. Rashard Lewis flat out told Saunders he doesn't want to play. As for Jordan Crawford? Sorry buddy but remember when you basically said "I am the next Michael Jordan"? You would have been better off bending over and spreading your butt cheeks like Ace Ventura. This is supposed to be the beginning of a new era for DC basketball. Except there is no foundation to build off of, and no one to build it. Ernie Grunfeld, see you later. Flip Saunders, see you later. Ted Leonsis, you need to find someone who knows how to build a basketball team.

In a year where the Redskins underwhelmed everyone, they would very well end up being the least disappointing sports team in DC. Unless a lot of things change.

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Dale Hunter will get Better, Right?

Fans loved Dale Hunter the player

If you're a long time Caps fan, you knew who Dale Hunter was before he was brought in as head coach. You knew he was arguably one of the most dirty, gritty, fierce, competitive, and for that matter, beloved players to ever wear a Caps uniform. When he was introduced as coach, I know I wanted to see that kind of mentality passed on to his players. But what about Dale Hunter the coach? What has he done? Where did he come from? In case you were wondering, here you go:

 In 1996, the Knights mustered a shockingly embarrassing 3 wins in a 68 game season. Hunter took over as head coach for the London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League in 2001-2002. His first season? 24 wins, 65 points and made it to the second round of the playoffs. His second year? 31 wins, 72 points and made it to the second round of the playoffs. His third year was even better with 53 wins, 110 points and the team made it to the third round of the playoffs. By the end of his fourth season, he was hoisting the Memorial Cup in the air after a 59 win season and 120 points. He has mentored current NHL stars such as Corey Perry, Patrick Kane and John Tavares.

What does this say about Dale Hunter as a coach? He gets the most out of his players. He shows consistent improvement. He's intelligent enough to learn on the fly and find ways to win with different players. Although he doesn't have any NHL coaching experience, there is reason to believe he will be successful. It's been a rough start so far, with questions as to whether or not he can translate his success with young players into success with men in the National Hockey League.

Let me explain my stance on Dale Hunter, as some readers were confused over my last post. I am not calling for Dale Hunter's head. In no way do I think he should be fired, nor do I think he will be fired at the end of the year. I do think he needs to get the team to show some life. When you have opposing players and media for other teams saying Hunter's system is totally unsuited for players like Semin and Oveckin, it's not a good sign. I'm not saying scrap it, I'm just saying I want to see Dale Hunter learn and adapt, just like he did with the London Knights.

Short video on Hunter's success in London

Share your thoughts in the comments section

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Dale Hunter on the Hot Seat? Or is it too early. . .

The Caps' 5-1 loss to Philadelphia last night wasn't just a bad loss. It was an embarrassment. Every single Caps fan who went to that game should get their money back. After a 3 day break between games, the Caps came out with zero heart, zero emotion and zero preparation. They looked tired, sluggish  and completely disoriented. Three years ago, a two or three goal deficit meant nothing. The team would keep their heads up and battle. They had that confidence and winning attitude that keeps elite teams in any game. Last night, Vokoun gave up a lazy goal in the first period, and it seemed like they gave up after that. We lost every 50-50 battle, couldn't get anything going on a power play that went 4-6 last game, and couldn't muster any dangerous shots on goal. Philadelphia came into our town and showed the Caps who's the cream of the crop in the Eastern Conference. The Caps on the other hand, need to figure it out before it's too late.

Jeff Schultz was a healthy scratch again, proving that Dale Hunter sees in him what every fan has seen for 4 years now, absolutely nothing. Roman Hamrlik is also a huge bust. It seems like he aged 10 years this offseason and is constantly taking penalties or reacting slowly to the puck. I'm sorry to say it, but Ovechkin just hasn't been the same since he was suspended twice two seasons ago. He looks like a beaten man, exactly like what Boudreau looked like after his last game coaching the Caps. He's a man without answers. Guess who was supposed to be the man with the answers; Dale Hunter.

Now, I know it's early. The team has shown some promise since Hunter has taken over, but nothing consistent. At this point, it is far too early to start questioning Dale Hunter's ability to coach this team to the playoffs, but for me, it's time to see something out of this team. I love Dale Hunter as a player and a man, but I hope he isn't in over his head here. Coaching in the NHL is an entirely different animal than coaching 17 year old kids in the Ontario Hockey League. I don't know what this team needs in order to wake up. Does Ovechkin need to be a healthy scratch? Does Semin need to be traded? What about Vokoun? Something has to give, and maybe it's time to bring Holtby up and give him a shot. I bet he's dying to get a chance to prove his worth to Dale Hunter.

What's he going to do next?

Right now we are 11th in the conference, 2 points out of the playoffs and 7 points behind Florida in the Southeast division. This is the lowest we have been in the standings this late in a season since Boudreau's first year. George McPhee must be sweating in his office, because his job is on the line even more so than Dale Hunter's.
But maybe this is what is needed for McPhee. Maybe he needs to be pushed to the brink in order for him to take the steps necessary to right the ship. Just maybe he'll trade Semin and Schultz away for a veteran, or a rising star with speed like Zach Parise.

Again, I have to reiterate that I know it's only mid December, but at some point everyone is looking for a lightning bolt to hit this team and zap it back to dominance. We're all waiting for something, that's for sure.




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Caps-Cats Preview

The Washington Capitals are in Florida tonight to take on the Southeast division leading Panthers. It's been at least 4 years since the Caps have looked up at the Panthers in the standings. Tonight's game, and every division game for that matter is a statement game now. It seems like eons ago when the Caps dominated this division. Look for the Caps to keep up their hard hitting mentality as they look to show the Panthers just how shaky their division lead is. Vokoun won't get to play against his former team this time as Neuvy will get the net for the second straight game. Michale Neuvirth played well in a 3-2 overtime victory against Ottowa two night's ago, and Dale Hunter is showing that hard work and good play will get rewarded. If Neuvy has another good game tonight, I wouldn't be surprised to see him in net again against the Senators on Wednesday.

Florida is coming off a great win in San Jose to end their road trip, and although they are playing well, they may be tired and sloppy after their trip out west. In what seems to be a recurring theme, special teams play may be the deciding factor in this one. Florida gives up over 30 shots a game, but a lot of them are blue line shots that don't really test the netminder. Their penalty kill is a solid 82.2 percent which is 17th in the league during an unusually stingy penalty killing NHL season.
The Caps are running a 1-2-2 trap scheme which is new under head coach Dale Hunter. It is something very new for the Caps, who are trying to avoid giving up odd man rushes and break aways. They are looking more and more comfortable in it, but still need to learn how to get shots on goal when transitioning to their forecheck. Florida will be a good test to see if they are getting the hang of it. Although we are getting production out of every line, it would be good to see the Caps top line lead the team in points for a change. We need success from every line, but teams are not fearing out top line like they used to, and Ovechkin is not the dangerous player he used to be, partly because he looks to pass much more than he used to.

Look for another low scoring affair in what could be a 2-1 victory for either team. Semin's status is still up in the air, so perhaps we will stay out of the penalty box. Rock the Red at home, and don't forget to send in your "Shots for Beags" pics. Use the "Contact Us" page to send in!

FIGHT ON DMV

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Hunter Does Have a Soft Side

One of the grittiest players in NHL history, and someone who wouldn't back down to anyone...Dale wasn't always known for being the friendliest of sorts. But after receiving the offer to be Head Coach of the Washington Capitals, Hunter quickly realized that he needed to change the media/fans perception of who he is. So he dug into his fighting highlight reel, watched as many as he could, and picked out one of his best pummel jobs that he had in the NHL. He then proceeded to call that former player up, offer him a coaching position next to him...and badabing badaboom...Jim Johnson is now an assistant coach with the Caps. Way to go Dale, you do have a heart! Could Pierre Turgeon be next??

What a great guy!

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I Wish Boudreau the Best...out West

I'm not going to lie, I'm glad Boudreau got a coaching job in the Western Conference. I definitely didn't want to play against him too often. Now with Boudreau named the head coach of the Anaheim Ducks just days after being fired by McPhee, we get the best of both worlds. We get to see a coach we're fond of get a head coaching job almost immediately, and its for a team we will play once a year in the regular season at most. I am not at all suprised that Boudreau was scooped up so fast. Anaheim saw that a former Jack Adams winner that became the fastest coach to record 200 wins in NHL history was available and they said see you later Randy Carlyle, this is too good to pass up. I think this helps Caps fans and players close the book on the Boudreau era. Everyone has said their good byes (some better than others, cough cough Mike Green), but now it's time to focus. Dale Hunter, the stage is yours. There are no distractions, no loose ends, no questions, just a talented team looking for a coach to guide them. The fans are behind you, the players seem to be as well. What would be better for Dale Hunter than getting his first win as head coach of the Washington Capitals against the Pittsburgh Penguins?

Thoughts?





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Hey Caps, Your D is Too Soft...(that's what she said)

Some may think that many of my posts are negative, but hey, that's what living in the DMV for 24 years will do to ya. But I really have a hard time keeping my mouth shut when I read articles like I just read about how the Capitals D-men will handle Cindy Crosby tomorrow night.
When asked if they will ease up on Crosby, since he is just coming off of a 10-month layoff from 2 concussions...the Caps D had this to say:

Karl Alzner: "I wouldn't want all of Canada to hate me," Alzner said with a chuckle

Dennis Wideman: "He's a guy that you want to be physical with but it's not that easy," he said. "If you try to take a run at him he's probably going to go around you and get a goal."

Roman Hamrlik: "I have so much respect for the guy," he said. "He's one of the best players in the league. I'm not going to try to run over him. I'm not the kind of guy to go and hit in the head. I would have to be really ticked off. You don't want to see the best player get hurt again, but it's a tough sport and it could happen to anybody." So would you take a shot at him? "I would think twice," he said. "You want to play tough against everybody, but I would think twice before I hit him."

We might as well give Cynthia a red carpet right down to Vokoun/Neuvirth. The only defender who has any fight in him this year has been John Erskine. Mike Green can be tough, but he needs to worry about just staying on the ice at this point. You don't have to fight to be a tough guy, just let them know who's side of the ice they're on!
I didn't even mention #55 Pillows Schultz. I'm 6'0 195lbs of pure musclely fat and can barely skate...but I bet I can still hit a guy harder than Jeff. Come on man! You're 6'6 250lbs..now use some of it! If you look around the league, the best teams have the toughest defenders. Whether it's Chara (BOS), Phaneuf (TOR), Pronger (PHI), Ohlund (TB), or Murray (SJ) just to name a few...the teams that are the most successful come June, are the teams who won't back down to anyone, injured or not.

Here's a question for you all: If Ovechkin or Green were just coming back from a serious injury..do you think Brooks Orpik or Deryk Engelland would think twice before sending a hit their way tomorrow? ...Hell no.





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Welcome to the Dale Hunter Era

One day of practice and one game is not nearly enough to see a complete change as we enter the Dale Hunter era. The Caps players looked a little out of sync early and I attribute that to what I call the "post Boudreau hangover." These players are human after all and be it their fault or not, they have lost the coach they have played for the past 4 seasons. Dale Hunter is an unknown to most of these players, and it will take a few games for them to build a relationship of trust and respect for one another. I think Dale feels extremely fortunate to be the coach of the Washington Capitals, and he will be working hard to right the ship, but he's been thrown in the deep end of the pool by McPhee with the Penguins coming to town Thursday night.
It was good to see the fans react positively to Dale Hunter. I expected nothing less, but the positive reaction is some proof that the fan base was ready for a change. Whether or not this is the right change is yet to be seen, as I pointed out here.
Back to the game, I think in crunch time the Caps finally started to wake up and their minds were able to focus on just playing the game rather than the new face behind the bench. They started to hit, and win some 50-50 pucks. Against a stingy St. Louis Blues defense, the Caps just couldn't break through in the end and get the goal they needed. One thing to point out is Alex Ovechin's ice time went down even further to just over 16 minutes. I'm not sure if this was a deliberate move, or if coach is just playing with the lines, seeing what he has on the ice. Hunter pointed out after the game that he doesn't have a timeline for when he wants the Caps to be playing the way he wants, he just wants to "see improvement every game." I tend to agree with that statement because you can't make arbitrary benchmarks for a team to make. It will just take time for the Caps and their new coach to gel.
I'm a Dale Hunter fan, but it will definitely take some time for me to get used to seeing a new face behind the bench Rockin the Red. I definitely want to see the Caps play a grittier style of play, and I did notice John Erskine staying at home owning the space in front of the net.

How do you guys feel? Who stepped up last night? Who didn't? Share your opinions in the comment section.

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Shots for Beags!

"Shots for Beags!" is something Ben and I started after Jay Beagle got knocked out in Pittsburgh back in October. We decided that he sacrificed his face for the team, so we wanted to do the same. I like my "girl catcher" aka my face too much though. So we're going to let our livers take the hit.
Everytime a Caps player gets in a fight, we're going to take a shot in honor of Jay. We want the rest of the Red Nation to join us (over 21). We'll post a few pictures to let you know we're not pussing out. Feel free to send your pics in too, and we'll throw um up on the blog. This was our first shot for Beags about a month ago!

Fight on!

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The Good, the Bad, & the Ugly on TV Tonight

There's plenty to look forward to tonight in the DMV, and I've broken the most important events to watch into 3 categories.

First off, the ugly...

For some reason a genius at ESPN thought it would be a good idea to put this years Terps on national television @ 7:30pm/est vs. Illinois. Doesn't sound too promising...but may be a good way to kill the intermission time during the Caps game!

Prediction:     Maryland  55  -  Illinois  74

Now, the bad...

The reason this is considered "the bad" is because right now, well, the Caps suck. Pretty excited to see Dale Hunter behind the bench tonight though vs. St. Louis. Definitely worthy of my Tuesday evening.

Prediction:     Caps  4 - Blues  2

And finally, the good...

You can't go wrong with the 2011 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show at 10pm/est on CBS. Just in time to flip over after watching my man Alan May break down the Caps first win with Coach Hunter in charge on CSN.

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Welcome Home Dale Hunter!

If anybody has to come in to fill the void at coach...I'm happy it's a hometown hero! He was hard-nosed, tough, and borderline dirty, but he knew what it took to win, and that's why his jersey is hanging at the phone booth! Hopefully he can inject that same style of play into these Caps. Here are my Top 5 favorite clips of Hunter back when he was playing with the Caps.

#5

#4

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Bruce, Thanks for the Last 4 "f*ckin" Years!

Here's a send off to the most successful coach in Caps history! He may cringe at this video clip, but I f*ckin love it! Good luck in the future coach, you won't be out of work for long.

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For Better or Worse: Boudreau Out, Hunter In

• Fastest coach to reach 200 wins in NHL history.
• Four consecutive Southeast Division titles.
• One President's Trophy
• One Jack Adams Trophy

Just a few of the things Bruce Boudreau accomplished in his four years as head coach of the Washington Capitals. Today's news is tough to swallow. The name Boudeau is closely associated with the resurgence of the Washington Capitals organization. Time will tell if this decision was the right one or not, but one thing is certain, Boudreau will be missed. Playoff woe's aside, "Gabby" was loved by the the District of Columbia. Like Ted Leonsis, he was honest, sometimes brutally so. If the team didn't play well, he said so during the press conference. For the most part he was able to correct problems with the team's play. After 2009 when the Caps were giving up too many goals, he changed the scheme, and made them more defensive minded, while still maintaining the success they had the past 2 seasons.
The move to fire Boudreau nearly exactly 4 years from his hiring is a desperate move by a club looking to take a team from regular season winners, to Stanley Cup winners. George McPhee thinks Dale Hunter can do better. Hunter played most of his career with the Washington Caps and his number is hanging in the rafters of the Verizon center. He is a former captain and instigator. He spent so many minutes in the penalty box, the Caps organization gave him one of the penalty boxes as a gift when the U.S. Air Arena was closed. The Caps are hoping he can use his energy to help light a fire under these players and get them to the next level. As far as I'm concerned, if Boudreau absolutely has to go, this is the guy I want behind the bench. Ironically enough however, Hunter has had trouble in the playoffs as well. Hunter has coached the London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League since 2001, leading them to the playoffs every year. The irony is that since they won the Memorial Cup in 2005, and losing in the finals a year later, he hasn't been able to get past the third round of the playoffs.

Boudreau with the Jack Adams Trophy

George McPhee and the Capitals organization have made their move. They are hoping Dale Hunter can inspire this team and lead them into the playoffs and more. They had better be right, because if they're not, where do we go from here? Boudreau will most likely watch Tueday's game against the Blues on his couch. If this coaching change doesn't work, McPhee could be in the same position next year. In my opinion, this is a day to remember Bruce Boudreau. I am a Dale Hunter fan, and I wish him the best, but Boudreau will always, always have a place in my heart as the coach who brought back Caps hockey. I wish him the best of luck in his coaching career, because it's not over.

Current Caps coach Dale Hunter

Dale Hunter

- 12 years played for the Caps
- 3565 penalty minutes (2nd in NHL history)
- Served 21 game suspension for a hit (longest in NHL history)
- Only player in NHL with 1,000 points and 3,000 PIM
- Played for the 1998 Caps- lost in Stanley Cup

Impressive player stat line. However, he has never coached in the AHL, let alone the NHL. He has a huge amount of pressure on his shoulders, and as a Caps fan, I wish him the best. You have your work cut out for you.

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Semin vs. Boudreau

Who's going to break first, or shall I say who's going to get the boot first? Obviously, if you've read my previous blogs you can tell that I'm Pro-Boudreau. Even with the past playoff blunders, I'm willing to ride it out with Bruce at the helm. As for Alex Semin, I'm ready to kick his A$$. I thought we should've traded him the moment he had his 40 goal season a couple years ago to get the most out of his trade value, but George McPhee thought differently.
The difference between Boudreau and Semin is their progression. Bruce has continued to learn how to coach and how to bring new styles that work well with his players. Semin on the other hand has digressed year after year, and shown a serious lack of discipline and desire. Matt Bradley said it right in the offseason when he called out Alexander for having so much talent, but said he just doesn't care. The kid has been benched for taking too many penalties, and since his benching, he's had penalties in 2 of his next 3 games. At some point you have to realize who is at the pit of the teams problems. George McPhee needs to realize that a few of his players don't have the heart and mind of a champion, and Bruce said it himself after last night's loss to Buffalo.

“Sometimes we’re not mentally strong,” Boudreau said. “This group has got to learn how to be mentally strong. It hasn’t had a lot of adversity in the last four years unless it was in the playoffs.“The regular seasons have seemed like a walk in the park. But now we’ve gone 15 games with adversity and some guys are having a hard time with it.”

These guys need to find it within if they want to win. Changing coaches isn't going to make these guys grow up. Here is a trade scenario that I wish McPhee would consider:

Capitals Trade:

-Alexander Semin
-2nd & 4th Round pick

NJ Devils Trade:

-Zach Parise



Are we giving Jersey too much? Maybe, but let's be real...Semin is in the last year of his contract (as is Parise), Parise is a leader and easily a top 10 player when healthy. There is talk coming out of NJ that the GM knows Parise doesn't really want to come back, and they can't afford him and & Kovalchuk together. And Alexander Semin will be going to a team with fellow countrymen Ilya Kovalchuk and Anton Volchenkov..which may keep him from bolting to the KHL right away. The Devils would only be taking on a $700k cap hit after the trade (which they can afford), and it would also free up the same amount of space for the Caps. Maybe for a D-Man at the trade deadline.

Caps Nation: What do you think?? This would be a hell of a blockbuster deal!

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Happy Thanksblogging

You can thank ricky for this picture..

Today is Thanksgiving, my absolute favorite holiday. 


For that reason, I will do a quick blog brushing upon the Skins and the Caps before I begin the festivities. I am thankful to all our readers, because without you guys, I wouldn't have the $4.52 earned by this blog. Now that the pleasantries are out of the way, lets get to the Caps first.


Also, my fellow blogger Ricky said I need to take it easy with the girl pictures. What do you think?




CAPS



The Caps won their second straight last night against the Winnipeg Jets 4-3 in overtime. Jason Chimera is having a breakout year for himself and not many people are talking about it. He is silently leading the team in goals with 8 on the year. Chimera is in his third year in DC after being traded from Columbus. He is easily the fastest skater on the team, and probably up there with the best in the league. Chimera has been part of arguably the most productive lines this year alongside Brooks Laich and Marcus Johannson. What did Jason have to say when finally asked about the solid year he's having? 


"Well, I've just always had it," Chimera joked. "Was just going to wait until my later, mid-30s to get it going. I don't want to peak too early. I want to keep playing until I'm 45 so hopefully I'll keep on getting better."


Easily one of the best lines I've heard from a Caps player. Chimera is a workhorse who never seems to get tired, and will continue to play his game regardless of the score. I would love to see him keep this up.
As for the the entire Caps team, I like where they're going. Their shot total is climbing, averaging 36 shots a game in their last 5, and they have put up 4 goals in each of their past 2 wins. The key for them will be to stay motivated and take every game personally. I think Ovechkin is trying his best to be a leader, which is interfering with his style of play. He doesn't want to be suspended, or be a shot hog. You can see that he looks for the pass just as much, if not more, than he looks for the shot. This is good and bad, but I think we would all like to see him get a little more selfish. I also like the amount we are hitting the past two games. The first time we played Winnipeg, we mustered a laughable 5 hits. Last night was a completely different story, as they wrecked the Jets for 35 hits. The hit total shows effort and hard skating. The more we hit, the easier it is to dictate the style and pace of the game. I hope this trend continues, because skating hard and shooting the puck has been our game the past couple years, and it looks good.




SKINS




The Skins are stuck this season because of the lack of stability in the quarterback position. Everyone knows that the quarterback of the future simply is not on this roster, and that's a tough pill to swallow, especially for veteran guys like London Fletcher. This is a time of year for the Skins where they will be playing for their jobs. Young guys like Evan Royster will be given an opportunity to showcase his skills, and players like LaRon Landry who can't stay healthy will be looking to prove their worth. I like the framework we have on the defensive side of the ball and it would do well to keep it intact, and add to it. So hopefully we can work something out with Landry, who is a restricted free agent after this year. And for those of you who think he's the same guy on and off the field, check out Mike Wise's article on Landry's Leadership for Life program. 
The Redskins finish out the year with games against Seattle, the New York Jets, New England, the New York Giants, Minnesota and Philadelphia. Definitely not an easy schedule by any means, which means the heart and soul of this team will be tested each and every week. A lot will be revealed about their character, but it will be a struggle to finish out the season with more than 5 wins.


Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Hit up the comments section with your thoughts on where each of these teams are and where you want them to go. I'll be eating food and watching football all day, and hopefully you all will do the same. 


FIGHT ON DMV

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Embrace the Old Caps

Go back to 2009. The Caps enter the postseason leading the league in scoring with 318 goals, Ovechkin and Backstrom both record over 100 points, yet the Caps lose to Montreal 4 games to 3 in the first round. Since then, Boudreau has preached a tighter form of play, one that prides itself in its back check as much as it does its fore check. This was embraced by the fan base as the right way to play the game in order to win in the playoffs. Since then, different style of play, same results in the playoffs. I say, to hell with that style. The Caps are back in the swing of things, having won 2 straight, with 4 goals in each game. And that my friends, is Caps hockey. Throw the puck at the net as many times as you can. We have players capable of making their own scoring chances. Come playoff time, keep that same attitude and tell opposing teams to bring it.
Now, I'm not saying Semin, Ovechkin and Backstrom don't need to back check. I'm saying, let them loose. Give them free reign like the Redskins did with Sean Taylor. Give them the ice, and challenge them to bring back the Stanley Cup. Thinking about that mentality and writing it is getting me fired up to watch some Caps hockey the way it was almost 3 seasons ago. Three years ago we didn't have the weapons we have now on defense. We didn't have John Carlson, Karl Alzner or the up and coming Dmitry Orlov. We didn't have Roman Hamrlik or Dennis Wideman. We also didn't have Neuvirth or Vokoun in net, we had Jose Theodore, who moved from pipe to pipe slower than Jeff Schultz skates.
This time next week we will be playing the Pittsburgh Penguins avec Sidney Crosby (who scored 2 goals with 2 assists in his first game back in almost a year). The game is at home, and as usual the Phone Booth should be rocking big time. This is going to be a statement game for both teams. The Penguins will be looking to ride the wave of excitement Crosby has brought back to Pittsburgh, and the Caps will be looking to stomp that fire out.
Bylsma is going to be up for the Jack Adams trophy once again for the fact that they haven't missed a beat without Crosby. The reason being that they play Penguins hockey year in and year out. The Caps need to play CAPS HOCKEY. Let's get back to where we were and stop thinking so much. I was all for the change when it happened two years ago, but I'm off it. I want the Caps to play fast paced hockey and make the game fun for the players again, because honestly, they seem more worried than the fans.

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Caps Plummet in the Power Rankings

Carmen Electra always makes me feel better..

ESPN's NHL Power Rankings are tough to take seriously because unlike the NFL power rankings where there is a panel of voters that vote each week, Scott Burnside and Pierre Lebrun alternate deciding the rankings every other week. This is part of the reason the Caps went from 6 to 21 in the power rankings. The other reason is the fact that they are mired in a 4 game losing streak and have gone 3-7-1 since starting 7-0-0. They are in serious need of a wake up call, and if Boudreau can't figure it out, these players are going to cost him his job. If Boudreau is fired this season, it will be a huge mistake for an organization that is painfully close to becoming an NHL Dynasty.

There is no doubt McPhee needs to do something if this trend continues, and I'm sure Boudreau is privy to some of his ideas just as much as I'm sure McPhee is asking Boudreau about his players. Fans and Media alike have been clamoring for Semin to be traded or benched, but I would be fairly surprised if this happened right now. Boudreau has been vocal in his support of Semin recently, saying Semin has a reputation, and that refs are singling him out. We know Boudreau isn't saying this for Semin's sake because Semin hasn't learned English yet. I would tend to think that Bruce really does back Semin's work ethic. If this is the case, why would he bench Semin?

If things don't change soon, George McPhee may very well fire Boudreau. He has to remember though, if he fires his coach, and that doesn't work, there's only one place left for the blame to fall and that's on him.

My message to Boudreau....

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When Boys Become Men...

You often hear young boys asking their parents..."when will I be a man?". There's no timeline on when you become a man, there's no age in which you leave adolescence. I've come to realize that you become a man based on how you hold yourself accountable for your actions, and how you handle certain situations that constantly push you to the brink in life. There isn't just one scenario in which you've passed the test to manhood. But, as I watch the Caps this year I continue to ask myself..."when will these boys become men?".
For years we've watched the Caps, led by the "Young Guns" of the team fail to meet expectations, fail to hold themselves accountable, fail to recognize their faults and correct them when presented with the very next opportunity to do so. The "Young Guns" we refer to are Alexander Semin, Nick Backstrom, Mike Green, & Captain Alex Ovechkin. These four players are not young guns anymore (based on their age, not their play) they are entering the prime years of their career and yet we still see the same mistakes, miscues, penalties, lackadaisical effort that you would expect from a rookie. Am I being too harsh?? Maybe 2 years ago, but at this point somebody needs a wake-up call. These guys are supposed to be the leaders of the team, and it kills me to see a group of boys yet to become men.
Over the last 5 years the Capitals have learned a thing or two about winning. They came in two years ago saying the only thing that mattered now is the playoffs. They then proceeded to bend over while Montreal showed them what Canadian bacon looked like close up. The following year they said the same thing...only the playoffs matter! They got by the NY Rangers in the first round, but then were embarrassed to an even higher degree by a group of "young guns" down in Tampa that were flying by the Caps in the maturity rankings.
Everyone questions Bruce Boudreau after every playoff flameout, and rightfully so. But taking this high-flying Caps team and turning them into a defense-first organization was straight genius. The only problem is only half the team is buying into his philosophy.
Let me set the record straight...Bruce isn't the problem! If there are players on this team who refuse to grow up, then get rid of them. George Mcphee brought in a few new pieces this year, but no real leaders. This team has been in dire need of a leader since Sergei Federov left (Jason Arnott wasn't here long enough to leave a strong impression).
The Capitals top players play with a certain swagger of knowing that they're untouchable. knowing that McPhee would never trade them. They think that Boudreau will get the ax long before they do. Hell, maybe that's what they're hoping for. But what McPhee needs to realize is that once Bruce is gone...the next one in line is him! George needs to send a message to this locker room asap. Let them know that if they don't want to grow up, then they won't be on this team! I would put these guys on the trading block, and let the media know about it.

-Alexander Semin
-Jeff Schultz
-John Carlson

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Caps Drop 5 Spots in Power Rankings

Scott Burnside has the Caps down to 6 in the NHL Power Rankings after winning only 1 of their last 5 games. It's hard to argue this drop as the Caps don't seem to have the winning attitude they used to have when closing out games. The Caps most recent loss came in a shootout after leading 2-0 to New Jersey. In order to be considered an elite team, you have to put away teams. If teams still feel like they can win even when they're down two goals, it's going to be a longer season than we thought. In other news, Mike Green just can't get a break. He will be out for Tuesday's game in Nashville. Hamrlik should be back on the ice, so the Caps should be able to avoid bringing up Dimitry Orlov. . .for now.

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Scatterbrain Caps Thoughts

Welcome back Mike Green! Finally he is probable for tonight's game against the New Jersey Devils. This should be a big boost for the Cap's power play and defense. To be honest, the defense lately has looked straight up lazy. Carlson and Wideman can be seeing puck-watching at important moments giving up easy goals. Opposing players are sitting outside of the crease with ease, blinding our goalies and deflecting pucks into the net or gobbling up rebounds. Where is the fire on defense? 


Apparently Cap's coach Bruce Boudreau is sick of it too because according to him, the Cap's had their toughest 90 minute practice since his first year behind the bench. I say GOOD. This team has spectacular talent and sometimes it seems they play like they can win without breaking a sweat. According to Karl Alzner, “Teams that win the Cup are always working their bags off and they’re tired after every game. I think sometimes we’re mentally tired after games but not physically tired.”


That's not good. After 60 minutes on the ice, you should be exhausted. To say that the players aren't giving it their all every night is upsetting. We haven't even been CLOSE to winning the Stanley Cup yet and the players don't have the drive to give it up each and every night? This upsets me as it should every Caps fan. I doubt any of these players want to look back at their career and think, "I could have done more." 


We'll see tonight if that practice has any effect on their play. I hope it does, because we aren't going anywhere if we can only get fired up when the Penguins come to town. There are 28 other teams that are going to go balls to the wall to show that they can play with the Caps, and sometimes it looks like we just let them.

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