Pick 'Em: One Non-Capital

Red Dawn, baby!

Marc Savard…best set up man in the game

Patrick Roy – if we’re allowed to pick non-active players, and despite the fact that he’s a friggin’ jerkoff.
Zdeno Chara – if only for the remainder of this season.
Zach Parise – if for the foreseeable future.

I’m gonna go out on a limb here and say I’d take Malkin up top with Backstrom and Ovechkin if Kozlov can’t get his act together in the playoffs. Adding another Russian will be one more reason Semin will stay for less money when he is a UFA after next year.

Another one for Richards, though I’d be happy with Joe Thornton. If contracts were to be considered, Hartnell (25 goals and 125 PIMS) would be a nice complement of scoring and grit without breaking the bank.

/burning Caps loyalty card.

Milan Lucic — we need a better rough and tumbler than Bradley (though I do love Bradley), and he’s got second line offensive skill to boot.

or Dion Phaneuf — we have Green already, so we need someone big, physical, smart, and can hit the net, though is more defensively minded. I think Phaneuf is what they hoped Schultz would emulate, due to his size and defensive-tendency.

Ryan Smyth. Just the kind of grit & toughness + offensive skill that’s missing. And he’s not a former Flyer, thereby making him more palatable.

Ryan Miller – only 28, in his 4 seasons his avgs are; 33-18-6, .913, 2.61

I’d take Lundqvist, but JP already grabbed him. Or Nick Backstrom, but I’m weary of him coming to our team simply based off the fact that the system Minny plays would tend to help a goalies stats.

A gritty, skilled center like Richards would add alot to the Caps.

for this year, give me Marty Brodeur. For the next ten, I’d want Zetterberg or Datsyuk

this year: Chara
10 years: Malkin

For the playoff push? I’d be very tempted to take Nabokov just because of how highly Ovi thinks of him and then we could stop hearing, “Well those Caps are pretty good but I just dunno about their goaltending.” I think he’s a great goaltender and more russians = more wins apparently.

For all time? I’d seriously consider Malkin. This team would be so incredibly dangerous with him.

I like the idea of upgrading the defense corps but I don’t think the Caps need some incredible defenseman with the system they play.

…but I’ll take either of the best players on their teams… Malkin or Jeff Carter.

But are you all telling me that you wouldn’t take Phaneuf in a second? If you gave him a chance on this team, doing what it’s doing, that he wouldn’t get back on course?

otherwise, no comment on my Lucic, pick?

First of all, if you ask this question of the the fans of the other 29 teams in the league, they’re all going to pick Alex Ovechkin, so this question really only needs to be asked of Caps fans…

Any player? What the Caps need is tough defensive stopper who can also play on the power play. In terms of history and such, the perfect player they would be looking for is Scott Stevens.

That said, you’d have a very hard time stopping me from adding Jarome Iginla. He’s one of the few players in the NHL who can carry a team on his shoulders deep into the playoffs (see the 2004 playoffs, were the Flames really in the final?? They were!)

I was looking forward to booing this POS again

I’d love to have Richards too.

If it’s just this year, I’d pick Chara. But for the next 10 years, I’d say Shea Weber.

With all this high quality content gushing from JP and DMG, plus some great FanPosts/Shots, this blog is now my personal bag of crack.

Ilya Kovalchuk

we are dreaming after all right?

I still like Cody McLeod. I think his value to Colorado exceeds his compensation value in a trade though

The old saying…a Goaltender makes 5 players better, a Defencemen makes 4 players better and a center makes 2 players better.

Long term I think the caps have a goaltender, which one not sure. So I went with the youngest proven defender off the top of my head.

and rather timely. It’s no secret this is the place to be for serious insight.

Well done, Jasper.

I love this topic… I’ll try to introduce some new blood at this late hour. I have too say, I like DMGs pick of Richards, I would pick him, but he’s a Flyer, so I’ll bring back the Flyer killer Dale Hunter instead.

I’m surprised that nobody has chosen Luongo. and the same applies for Bouwmeester. He is someone I would love to see on the Caps backline. He’s 25, established as a top blueliner, and has a considerable offensive upside. He doesn’t bring any real leadership/playoff experience but I’d love to have him.

Mike Grier. In a heartbeat.

We need someone that keeps the crease clear and can be used at the points. He’s scary good in both situations. He even puts himself in the opponents team crease from time to time.

1) In the spirit of today’s game: Milan Lucic (he’s probably not playing today) He combines scoring ability with toughness. Imaginine him on one of the caps top lines!

Jarome Iginla / leadership, character, gumption, character
Nicklas Lidstrom / yeah
Zdeno Chara / if he were a Cap he wouldn’t be flicking Ovie aside like he’s a gnat

MIsc Others —>
Chris Pronger (he scares people; this is handy)
Ryan Smyth (I have always liked him, dunno why)
Henrik Zetterberg (another C? oh well)
Teemu Selanne (Team Teemu and Gramps Fedorov on the same team? Can you picture it? Oh mama!)
Vinnie Lecavalier (to relieve him of his travails and to set him free)
Jay Bouwmeester (Okay, I’ll fall for it)

The Goalie Question - It’s interesting that you went for Lundqvist. Your reasons are all strong. And he is indeed cute. Important aspect! On the other hand, if I could pick one to plug in right this second, on the assumption that one of the two little guys would be my long-term solutions, I’d go for Roberto Luongo. He is almost magical in his job. Albeit thirty years old. I would hang my playoff hat on him right now, with confidence. Unless he’s hurt. Has he been hurt?