Gabby Calls Out His Captain
"You have to have the leadership in the room to motivate them internally. I know we do have it. It's just whether anybody is shy about it because [of] their game. A lot of guys won't do it unless they think their game is going good enough where they can do it. It's like, 'How can I stand up and say something if I'm playing like crap?'" - Bruce Boudreau, 11/2/08Buy or sell Gabby calling out Chris Clark (or is he possibly talking about someone else)?
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by tim :) on Nov 2, 2008 4:26 PM EST reply actions
Maybe for next season Ovechkin's going to be in a position to lead the team. I doubt Fedorov will be back and I don't think Poti's the type of guy to take over that kind of role. If Clark is out as captain and Ovechkin's not ready they could just go with several players wearing 'A''s instead of a captain. The darkhorse candidate would be Brooks Laich who is of course all things to all Capitals fans (and rightfully so).
by DMG on Nov 2, 2008 4:36 PM EST reply actions
Laich seems like a strong candidate for at least an 'A' next season.
Come to think of it, this team is lacking substantial leadership. The only real leader, from what I've seen is Fedorov, simply because he's a vet with plenty of experience and has a strong connection with his fellow Russians.
Laich '09 !
by tim :) on Nov 2, 2008 4:42 PM EST reply actions
by Anonymous on Nov 2, 2008 4:48 PM EST reply actions
* let Clark continue to wear the 'C' until Ovechkin's ready
* Go to a co-captain system like the team had with Witt and Konowalchuck a number of years ago with Clark and Ovechkin - let's Ovechkin get eased into the captaincy and it's not as drastic as simply taking it from Clark.
* Go without an official captain, just three players wearing 'A''s. Depending on availability it'd probably be from the pool of Clark, Ovie, Nylander, Poti, and Laich.
* Rotate the 'C' from month-to-month like the Wild do. Excluding April the hockey season's only six months long. Use the five mentioned above plus Fedorov (if he's back), Bradley, maybe even Green, or another player who has proved themself over the course of the season - after all, at this time last year, who thought we'd be talking about Laich?
by DMG on Nov 2, 2008 5:01 PM EST reply actions
by MacVechkin, fka JR on Nov 2, 2008 6:32 PM EST reply actions
by sonia on Nov 2, 2008 6:56 PM EST reply actions
by pepper on Nov 2, 2008 8:00 PM EST reply actions
by breed16 on Nov 2, 2008 8:25 PM EST reply actions
I don't know if that's necessarily true. Clark may not be producing but the problem with the Capitals has been effort and focus, neither of which are areas I've noticed Clark slacking in.
by DMG on Nov 2, 2008 8:32 PM EST reply actions
by HotDog88GT on Nov 2, 2008 9:24 PM EST reply actions
I think Green would be a good choice if he's up to it. I'm not sure that I would do anything just yet though, Clark isn't dead yet.
by jason on Nov 2, 2008 9:41 PM EST reply actions
@jason - i think Green is actually one of the last players i would choose for captaincy.
also, i don't think Ovi is ready for the "C".
by NS on Nov 2, 2008 10:24 PM EST reply actions
No doubts.
by Ogre on Nov 3, 2008 12:23 AM EST reply actions
I don't see the awesume forechecking that we had going last seaso yet. Other teams had no time to set-up and make a outlet pass. We created so many scoring chances from our forechecking pressure.
The one other thing I think we are missing is a game-changer body checker. Remember the days of LOU, he would go out and set the tone of a game on the first shift, or if things were not going well, the banger line would hit everything in site.
by Anonymous on Nov 3, 2008 9:51 AM EST reply actions
But I also don't think that Clark should be stripped of it, unless Boudreau really feels that he's either outlived his captainly-usefulness, or that he's simply lost the ability to lead.
I think that Ovechkin should be captain with a very steady tandem of Fedorov and Clark supporting him.
by DrinkingPartner on Nov 3, 2008 11:57 AM EST reply actions
by b.orr4 on Nov 3, 2008 12:10 PM EST reply actions
Think about it - when Clark first got the "C," Olie was the undisputed leader of the team, and since then, Ovechkin has emerged as such (not to mention Fedorov's impact).
Pepper nailed it with his Hanlon comparison, something I've thought for a while. I'm not saying take the "C" from him, but if he gave it up, I wouldn't beg him to keep it.
Sidenote: Gabby is bordering on treating Clark unprofessionally, imo. He's not there yet, but he's about a 9-iron from it.
by JP on Nov 3, 2008 12:17 PM EST reply actions
by Mike Teegarden on Nov 3, 2008 12:25 PM EST reply actions
by b.orr4 on Nov 3, 2008 12:35 PM EST reply actions
As for the handling of things, if you demote a guy, quietly, you're doing what you have to do. If you rip a guy but keep him in the same role, maybe you're trying to motivate him while showing you still have faith in him. Combine the two at the exact same time when you're talking about a veteran and your captain, and it's marginal, but still OK, I suppose. If Gabby scratches him tomorrow night, however, I think it's gone too far towards scapegoating one guy.
by JP on Nov 3, 2008 12:43 PM EST reply actions
http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/
pdisplay.php?pid%5B%5D=17873
by MacVechkin, fka JR on Nov 3, 2008 1:04 PM EST reply actions
Things are heating up around #17's stall.
by pepper on Nov 3, 2008 3:14 PM EST reply actions
by Anonymous on Nov 3, 2008 9:06 PM EST reply actions
bleh.
by NS on Nov 4, 2008 7:24 AM EST reply actions



































