Caps Qualify Eight, Let Four Walk
Per the team, the Caps have qualified the following players: Chris Bourque, Eric Fehr, Boyd Gordon, Milan Jurcina, Shaone Morrisonn, Steve Pinizzotto, Jeff Schultz and Kyle Wilson (Fehr, Gordon, Jurcina, Morrisonn, Pinizzotto and Wilson have arbitration rights). The team did not extend offers to the following, so they become Unrestricted Free Agents: Andrew Joudrey, Daren Machesney, Travis Morin, and Sasha Pokulok.
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And thus he joins a growing list of Washington Capitals first round pick disappointments…
Where does he go on the list though?
With minimal thought given to it…
1. Volchkov
2. Joly
3. Beech
4. Church
5. Pokulok
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Hey, what’s Miika Elomo got to do to get recognized around here?
by Bald Pollack on Jun 30, 2009 7:27 AM EDT up reply actions
“Tickle Me” just missed the list. But certainly a dis-hono(u)rable mention.
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
Yeah, the Caps didn’t get screwed in that draft. At all.
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
Getting jobbed out of a higher pick – Bettman
Getting Pokulok – GMGM
Just because we didn’t get a higher pick was no excuse to go waaaay off the board and draft a stiff.
Having Pokulok bust – concussions
There’s no reason Pokulok couldn’t have become a reasonable prospect. Not excusing the choice, we will forever look back on that in shame, but there was also some terrible luck involved in the way he failed.
I half agree and half disagree. (Although I don’t know which half has been drinking so…yeah.)
Half of me feels as though Pokulok is still young and he lost over a year to the concussions and he has also been stuck behind a pretty damn deep defensive corps – at least at the minor-league level. Essentially, he might as well have been drafted in ‘06 or ’07. Add that to the fact that he’s big and big defensemen take longer to develop and. . . I think someone might get a decent deal by signing him to a minor league contract. In a year or so, he might even get a cup of coffee. As the cliche goes, small players need to prove they can play, while big players need to prove that they can’t.
The other half of me feels as though Pokulok must be a totally useless stiff if he can’t even stick with the Bears. He’s a first-round draft pick for God’s sake. Teams usually give those guys all sorts of breaks for the obvious reasons. And fuck him for being the prime result of that ass-tastic draft. Yeah, this is probably the half that has been drinking.
Wow, not a very good draft year. I mean, there’s the usual list of guys I wish the Caps had, but it’s not nearly as deep as I expected.
by Gould Old Days on Jun 30, 2009 9:45 AM EDT up reply actions
Agreed. Would Stastny be our 2C right now? Letang on D?
by Scott in Shaw on Jun 30, 2009 11:14 AM EDT up reply actions
Pretty much as expected, though I’m a little surprised they let Morin and Joudrey go. Ah well.
"It is better to die on your feet than to live on your knees." - Delores Ibarruri
They could still sign those two as UFAs.
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Not questioning, just curious:
If they would be interested in doing that why wouldn’t they just give them an offer now?
Morin and Joudrey made $535,500 and $600k, respectively, last year. To qualify them, they’d be due a minimum 10% increase.
So while the team might not be interested in a $660k Joudrey, a $450k Joudrey might be more appealing.
That said, my feeling is that with the 50 SPC limit and how the Caps found themselves up against it last year, I think these guys would be signed by Hershey, but not by the Caps if at all.
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
FYI, per the CBA, the minimum NHL salary in 09-10 is 500,000, up from 475,000 this past season.
I had Wilson and Joudrey in the not sure what the team was going to do (but I would qualify them) category so today’s news didn’t surprise me. I agree the 50 contract count is a big factor, as well as the center FA signings. I would have QOd Joudrey, esp. if the team is not sure what will happen with Boyd Gordon and his QO. Only QO’ing one of the two and they went with the center with more offensive upside in Wilson. Beagle’s rise on the organizational depth chart is a factor in the decision on Joudrey, too. Joudrey’s skating, PKing, and his ability in the faceoff circle are all positives and will be missed in the organization, IMO. It’s possible they talk to him about a minimum NHL salary two-way deal or about an AHL only deal, but I think he will have some options if the AHL deal is the best they offer.
Pinizzotto earned his QO with his growth and development during the season and his play in the playoffs.
I would have been very surprised if Morin, Pokulok or Machesney had been given a QO.
Huzzah! Another $25k for plumbers! (Thanks, sk8)
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
So let’s pretend (do we have to?) that the team is uninterested in Morrisonn. They’ve provided him with a qualifying offer (though I’m sure not enough for “Mr. $3M”) – is this an attempt to keep his rights and trade away later?
That’s my guess. It’s extend him a QO knowing he won’t take it or let him walk for nothing. They might just get a couple of draft picks out of it; if they don’t extend, they get nothing.
"It is better to die on your feet than to live on your knees." - Delores Ibarruri
The issue isn’t that Mo ain’t worth nuthin. It’s that he may be worth more to another team with less depth at the 3-7 D slots.
by Gould Old Days on Jun 29, 2009 5:50 PM EDT up reply actions
Right, but if they don’t qualify him, he becomes a UFA. As an RFA, if another team makes him an offer, the Caps can match or are entitled to draft picks as compensation.
"It is better to die on your feet than to live on your knees." - Delores Ibarruri
Sorry, that’s exactly what I was getting at. It would be unwise to let Mo walk as a UFA, even if he’s not in the long term plans.
by Gould Old Days on Jun 30, 2009 1:03 AM EDT up reply actions
And on another note ....
Who of this list goes to arbitration, do you think? ShaMo I bet does.
"It is better to die on your feet than to live on your knees." - Delores Ibarruri
As I’m sure many here know, Morrisonn’s camp was talking about going back to arbitration this year immediately after settling there last summer. That doesn’t happen very often.
Blogging on hockey at fromtherink.com
by James Mirtle on Jun 29, 2009 5:42 PM EDT up reply actions
A little surprised about Joudrey. Almost thought they would have kept him over Wilson given his defense, work ethic, and wheels, but I guess they figured Wilson might someday make it whereas Joudrey has topped out. Who knows.
Glad to see the Daren Machesney era end as well.
Hershey could still sign Joudrey, right?
I think it’s a sign that Joudrey has been passed by. Chris Bourque, Andrew Gordon, Wilson and Jay Beagle are among those who would get a call-up before Joudrey.
by Gould Old Days on Jun 29, 2009 5:51 PM EDT up reply actions
Yeah, Hershey could. Joudrey provides something the other centers don’t, though, and that’s reliable PKing.
Wilson might be their insurance for if Aucoin sticks in the NHL, I don’t know. It could be they simply predict Hauswirth and Bruess will fill the bottom 6 role more easily than the top 6 role so keeping Wilson over Joudrey made more sense to them.
Oh, and for those of you who might have missed it, Florida did not qualify Steve Eminger. Looks like he’s headed for Team #5 in just over a year, eh?
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Also not receiving a QO: Jiri Novotny.
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
This should surprise no one….
Let's go Caps!
by MikeL-Pivonka on Jun 29, 2009 8:01 PM EDT up reply actions
He bounces around as a 4-7 defender on the worst teams in the league. I wish him well…
by sincitycapsfan on Jun 29, 2009 6:40 PM EDT up reply actions
I really, really don’t understand not qualifying Eminger. After losing Bouwmeester and probably Skrastins, and with the very real possibility that they can’t re-sign Leopold, why not give a qualifying offer to a guy who played pretty damn well last year when given decent ice time.
Eminger strikes me as the kind of player that a smart front office (Detroit/NJ/SJ/Anaheim/maybe Toronto under Burke) would sign to a small contract and bring along slowly. By the end of next year, a bunch of MSM folks will be talking about how he turned his career around/came out of nowhere.
Florida’s acting GM explained it. Something about Emmy having too good an arbitration case, so he’s letting him go to UFA and may try to sign him still (once Emmy realizes he’s not going to get paid big time anywhere else).
That makes more sense. He’s probably wrong though. I could see Burke signing him in Toronto. But again, I’ve been drinking. So perhaps I could see two Burkes signing two Emmy’s twice in two Torontos.
Emmy’s arbitration case was likely going to include his time in Tampa, where he was a #2. Those numbers would get him a big raise.
Emmy the UFA isn’t going to get paid anything close to that raise, though, because on no team in the league is he close to a #2. He stepped up to fill in an injury role on the worst defense in the league, he’s not going to get paid for it as a UFA (it’d be tantamount to Jurcina getting Poti-money, I think, for the role he played when Alzner was first called up).
Florida may not be able to sign him again, because he probably can find a spot somewhere else if he wants to leave. But IF Florida does get the chance to sign him as a UFA it’ll be for less than he probably would have gotten in arbitration. It’s worth the risk for them, IMO, given how low on the totem pole Emmy is even if they like what they saw in him.
My Guesses (and they're just guesses)
Bourque – Signs for a little more than the QO, maybe the QO is the base pay and some incentive bonuses are added to it.
Fehr – Signs the QO
Gordon – Signs for a little over the QO
Jucina – If he doesn’t sign the QO, the Caps may pull it off the table and offer him less. This one may go to arbitration
Morrisonn – The Caps should already be preparing tghe arbitration case
Pinizzotto – His agent should make sure he signs the QO.
Schultz – May go to arbitration, but I think he signs for something above the QO.
Wilson – Should sign the QO.
Was surprised that Machesney wasn’t qualified. He’s definitely got some value. Hershey ought to think about signing him.
Let's go Caps!
Bonuses aren’t allowed.
Cheese wasn’t good this season, not worth the trouble when there’s a better option available (Holtby). It’s not as if Machesney has any important experience that would make him a valuable mentor or anything despite his poorer play.
Holtby?
You’re relatively sure that Holtby is ready for Hershey? Is there room for him to grow with Neuvy grasping the #1? This letting Cheese go doesn’t signal that they think Varley will spend most of his time in Hershey, does it, splitting duties with Neuvirth? That JT60+Johnny is what they are thinking for 1+2 up here? Can Varley be sent up and down again this coming year with no repercussions? Just making sure I understand the nuances of Caps’ Goalie World. (Thank you in advance! Maybe I need to see a chart . . . )
If the team decides Holtby is better off in the ECHL this year, Hershey can still sign a backup — maybe even the Cheese himself. But there’s no reason for the Caps to get involved or, more importantly, for the Caps to burn yet another of their 50 contracts on a goalie.
by Gould Old Days on Jun 30, 2009 9:48 AM EDT up reply actions
His WHL stats. I’d presume he gets a look in Hershey’s camp, but word to Gouldie’s ECHL prediction.
by Bald Pollack on Jun 30, 2009 10:05 AM EDT up reply actions
I think Holtby’s probably ready. Backing up won’t be the worst thing for him, with the way AHL scheduling goes he’ll still get plenty of starts.
Regardless, Holtby is better than 08-09 Machesney, so I don’t blame the team for letting him go as a prospect and keeping the option open of giving Holtby a full-time spot in Hershey. If he doesn’t play well they just sign someone to back up Neuvirth.
I’m thinking Hershey would prefer to go the veteran route over someone like Machesney IF they go outside the org. for their backup (meanign Holtby proves unready). Machesney really doesn’t bring enough for the org. to need him anymore.
Qualifying Offers....
I’m not surprised with any of the offer sheets. I still believe Morrisson will end up on another NHL club. Jurcina gets another year to ‘show his merits’ and Schultz is cheap. Look for Carlson to get about the same number of games that Alzner had last year — Alzner didn’t play enough last year to count for one full year, which will leverage (decelerate) future RFA status by one year, unless I am badly mistaken. We might make some trades in late September if some of the young guys are looking good in Camp.
Kronwall??
So nothing for Steffan? Actually expected to see him on this list…maybe there will be more tomorrow.
Promote the game, it's the NHL, not SCHL
My money is on Kronwall walking. He’s buried in this organization. I bet he goes to either Toronto, Tampa or Philly.
by Gould Old Days on Jun 30, 2009 1:04 AM EDT up reply actions
Just wondering, why’d we get him off waivers if we’re just going to let him go the next season? We got him while Pothier was still out, right? So could that have been the reason? Maybe they thought he could be the 7th defenseman. I really don’t understand this stuff sometimes.
We got him because he was practically free, and GMGM probably figured he might be able to make a bit of an impact. And because Hershey probably needed him, I don’t know. He’s a depth guy either way, so letting him walk isn’t much of an issue given the big infusion of Dmen the system is going to have this season.
Beyond that, it was an extended tryout for the NHL team. And Kronwall was pretty good, but not good enough to crack the Caps’ roster.
by Gould Old Days on Jun 30, 2009 9:44 AM EDT up reply actions
Kronwall certainly helped out the Bears…. and I’m sure they were glad to have the help when Alzner was up here for a few games in the playoffs.
Let's go Caps!
by MikeL-Pivonka on Jun 30, 2009 10:14 AM EDT up reply actions
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Southeast Standings
| GP | W | L | OTL | PT | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Florida
|
53 | 25 | 17 | 11 | 61 |
|
Washington
|
54 | 28 | 21 | 5 | 61 |
|
Winnipeg
|
56 | 26 | 24 | 6 | 58 |
|
Tampa Bay
|
53 | 23 | 24 | 6 | 52 |
|
Carolina
|
55 | 20 | 25 | 10 | 50 |
(updated 2.10.2012 at 9:27 AM EST)
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