2009-10 Rink Wrap: George McPhee
by David Getz on Jun 15, 2010 11:00 AM EDT
in Rink Wraps
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PrintFrom Alzner to Varlamov, we took a look at and graded the 2009-10 season for every player who laced 'em up for the Caps for a significant number of games during the campaign, with an eye towards 2010-11. Now that we've covered the players and the coach, it's time to take a look at the architect of the team: General Manager George McPhee.
George McPhee
General Manager / Washington Capitals
5-9
170ish
July 2, 1958
12
In keeping with club policy, financial terms of the deal have not been disclosed.
n/a
[Since a coach's season is hard to quantify beyond a team's regular season numbers and projections about prospects and draft choices, we figured we'd have a roundtable discussion on what McPhee did well and what he may not have done so well. Feel free to weigh in on any of these points in the comments.]
J.P.: Alright, let's wrap our raps with the master architect of this year's team, General Manager of the Year finalist George McPhee. Simple question with probably a not-so-simple answer: from a personnel perspective, were the pieces there for the Capitals to achieve their ultimate goal this past season?
David M. Getz: I certainly think so. Don't get me wrong, I don't think the Capitals were the archetypal Stanley Cup team, that they didn't have holes, or that they should be happy enough with their personnel that they don't make changes this offseason, but I do think they had the talent to be a legitimate Stanley Cup contender.
J.P.: Agreed. And the depth of the organization is simply astounding - count the number of guys who were called up from Hershey during the season without the team missing a beat. Granted, they were largely lower-line guys, but the fact that there are plenty of players with recent Caps experience still playing hockey on June 11 is quite impressive.
That said, you'd have liked another quality blueliner to have been added to the mix, and a better second-line center option, but it wasn't for a lack of trying that those holes persisted - McPhee gambled and ultimately lost on Joe Corvo, Brendan Morrison and Eric Belanger. Given the market realities surrounding each of those acquisitions, one wonders how much more GMGM could have done.
BeccaH: Agreed. The team has a good blend of skill and grit, experience and youth; there are holes for sure and there are areas that should be addressed over the summer, but that’s true of even teams that go on to win the Cup.
And really, all you have to do is look at the team that ended up winning it all – the Hawks are not built all that differently than the Caps. Maybe they have a bit more depth at center, maybe we have the better forwards overall. Their defense might be a bit tighter, our goalies were probably a bit better (especially when taking both into consideration). But I really see a lot of similarities between the two teams, which tells me that the team McPhee’s built is capable of achieving the same thing.
J.P.: Actually, I'd quibble with one point there - experience, especially as it pertains to the blueline. We thought it was a problem a year ago, and that seemed to play out this season. When Tom Poti (who's not exactly Chris Pronger when it comes to experienced, veteran leadership) went down, the Caps were left to turn to... Shaone Morrisonn? It would be nice to get a been-there-done-that guy for the Top-6 going forward, especially with a quartet of young blueliners in need of some mentoring.
BeccaH: Well, I’d say the mix of youth and experience was a more general thing. Obviously I’d like to have added a Fedorov-type figure to the blue line but I’m not sure someone like that was available at the time; it’s definitely an area to look at this summer, when more options might be open to the Caps. In other areas, though, McPhee really did seem to be trying to get guys with experience, veteran guys with leadership ability like Knuble and Morrison. That’s the mix that I liked.
J.P.: No doubt.
Obviously it's hard to talk about the team GMGM put together and focus the discussion on what he's done in the past twelve months, but let's try anyway. First, give me McPhee's best move of the past year (and everyone has to pick something different).
Tuvanhillbilly: Hmm. I'd say that getting Nylander to Grand Rapids was cause for much joy and celebration.
I know everyone is going to say Knuble so I went with something else.
BeccaH: Mike Knuble was by far the best move of the past year – it directly addressed what was a huge issue for the Caps over the last two years, the lack of guys willing to pay the price to score the goal. We have plenty of guys who can shoot and pass and make plays out of nothing and really put on a show; but when those plays don’t end up in the back of the net, you need someone picking up the trash and Knuble was that guy. He was exactly who I hoped we’d get over the summer, and McPhee made it happen (at a pretty decent price, too).
Besides that net presence, he’s also just a great leader and a great voice in the locker room - and I really see him as being someone guys looked up to, especially players made in the same mold like Fehr and Laich. He almost felt like the team’s conscience this year, as strange as that may sound. He was this very calm guy who at 38 routinely put his body in the line of fire for the good of the team. And he wasn’t shy about calling out his young teammates when they screwed up, either, even his captain.
DMG: I love the Knuble signing, but if I have to pick one move that trumps the others (especially if the Knuble signing is off the table), I'll go with Backstrom's extension. Mean Lars is one of the ten best forwards in the league, and should continue to be for a long time. But I really like it not just from a talent perspective, but from an asset management standpoint as well.
It's hard for me to imagine a team winning the Cup with a few marquee players and, obviously, marquee players are hard to come by, by virtue of the fact that they're...well, marquee players. If an asset's both rare and essential to your success, you want to make sure you have it, and by locking Backstrom up (and obviously with Ovechkin under contract until 2021), the Caps have established their long-term core, and are in a position to make changes to the supporting cast and the team's needs change.
You have to be happy with the Chris Clark/Jason Chimera trade, too. In the end, McPhee got a better, younger player for less money. What's not to like about that?
J.P.: I'll go a little out-of-the-box here and go with having the cajones to call-up John Carlson and run with him, despite the fact that by doing so, he started the clock on Carly's free agency a little sooner than he might otherwise have. Having Carlson in the lineup gave the Caps the best chance to win in the present at the expense of the future, and it was a symbolic move if nothing else (and it turned out to be a lot more than that) that the can won't be kicked down the road any longer - that the time to go for it is now.
On the flip side of that coin, GMGM's worst move of the past year (same rules - everyone's gotta pick something different).
DMG: Worst move? I'd have to say the acquisition of Joe Corvo, as much for the price as for the asset. It's not that Corvo was bad, per se, but he was mediocre and played with a lot more temerity than I would have expected out of a guy a team looking for a deep playoff run picked up at the deadline. I do think he was better than Pothier, but I'm not sure he was enough of an improvement to warrant moving Osala and a second round pick, assets that probably could have been parlayed into something useful this summer.
BeccaH: Aside from the Corvo trade, I’m not sure there were any moves I would term "worst". The other trade deadline acquisitions didn’t necessarily pan out the way we hoped, but neither did the season – and while we have the benefit of hindsight, at the time they didn’t seem so bad.
So in that case I’d say that McPhee’s worst move was one he didn’t make: not bringing Karl Alzner up more often, particularly before the playoffs. Tyler Sloan played 40 games this season and John Erskine played 50; Alzner played 21. Both of them bring certain skills and advantages but nine times out of ten I’d still say Alzner is an upgrade on either of them. And while I get the benefits when it comes to the salary cap and I understand the desire to not rush him into the League (particularly when he struggled at times while with the team), I’m not wholly convinced that it wasn’t in Alzner’s best interest – and the team’s - to get him more playing time with the Caps.
J.P.: I'll go with the Sloan extension. Not terribly costly and certainly manageable, but I don't really understand the timing or the commitment to a guy who's simply not a good NHL hockey player.
Lastly, what does GMGM need to do this offseason to better-prepare his team for 2010-11?
DMG: Well, I think the biggest needs are obviously positional: there's a huge hole at second line center that needs to be addressed one way or another. The ideal solution would probably be Patrick Sharp: he can play center, but he can also play the wing if it turns out Marcus Johansson is actually ready to play in the NHL, his cap hit's a manageable $3.9 million, his contract's up at the end of the 2011-12 season, and there's reason to think Chicago will shed salary this offseason.
I think the defense corps could still stand to be shored up, although I'm more in favor of searching for a top four guy the market overlooks (think Derek Morris or Dennis Seidenberg last year), or a reasonably priced veteran with an expiring contract. I'd be hesitant to agree to any decently sized contract longer than a year and almost certainly avoid anyone who wants more than two, given the high expectations for Carlson and Alzner.
Beyond that, I think there needs to be a slight change in approach. Specifically, the Capitals need more guys they can count on to provide value game in and game out. That means fewer guys like Tomas Fleischmann and Brendan Morrison, whose offensive skills are decent, but are inconsistent and who don't bring much when they're not scoring, and more guys like Matt Bradley and Jason Chimera, who hit the opposition and make them work hard every shift. It means getting guys like Tyler Sloan and John Erskine where they ought to be on the depth chart: in a reserve role.
I don't know if the guys to do that are in Hershey, or if they'll have to come from outside the organization, but I am confident the Capitals need guys who are going to make life difficult for their opponents on every shift.
J.P.: Well damn. Couldn't have said it better myself, so I won't. Let's turn it over to the readers, shall we?
The Vote: Rate McPhee below on a scale of 1-10 (10 being the best) based on his performance for the season - if he was perfect, give him a 10; if he was average, give him a 5 or a 6; if he was terrible, give him a 1. Note: This is a different rating system than our normal "relative to expectations" system.
The Discussion: What do you want to see McPhee do this offseason to get the Capitals better prepared to challenge for the Stanley Cup next year? If the Caps see another early-spring exit in 2011, will (or should) McPhee's job be in jeopardy? What would it take for him to earn a 10 next season?
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6
First and foremost he unscrewed up some of his mistakes. The +/- on bad contracts is now looking much better with Corvo, Walker and BMo headed for other teams.
Got Knuble and Chimera.
Solid showing, but not spectacular. Even with a competent 2C and maybe some help out on defense, the team wasn’t going to win with Boudreau and Evason coaching. There’s no reasonable expectations that Boudreau’s lackluster trade deadline deals or the lack of a quality 2C would have improved the situation against Montreal.
All the king's horses and all the king's men
Couldn't put Humpty together again
8
You guys covered things quite well — GMGM has put the pieces in place, I think. The summer and trade-deadline moves were largely inspired, even if the personnel didn’t all work out as hoped. The only things I ding him for are the yo-yoing of Karl Alzner (a lot) and the Sloan extension (a bit).
by CapitalCentre on Jun 15, 2010 11:17 AM EDT reply actions 1 recs
7
GMGM has given the team the pieces it needs to win. Would have liked to add a legitimate 2C and maybe a veteran D, but I think he did the best he could at the deadline. Coupled with the organization’s extraordinary depth, you have to like where the team is at, this year’s chokejob aside.
"Now wait a minute. This is just purely a social call. You know, just two adults getting a stew on, man."
by The Ghost of Bebop on Jun 15, 2010 11:20 AM EDT reply actions
7
Great job on the Chimera trade. Good that he got the Nylander situation resolved. Deadlines deals were okay and more importantly, didn’t have long term issues. Still disappointed that GMGM’s need to get “value” seems to get in the way of roster shaping, i.e. the perceived “unwilling to risk losing Sloan on waivers” deal.
"Yes, but Rimmer Directive 271 states just as clearly, 'No chance you metal ba****d.'"
With any good team, there is a veteran group of battle-tested, ready-for-prime-time players, a cadre of foot soldiers to do the dirty work, and a few prospects sprinkled in to learn the ways of their elders.
So why do I scratch my head at this team? It’s because the veteran/battle-tested/ready-for-prime-time players are disproportionately among the forwards. Alex Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom might be young, but they’re far along their respective development curves. Mike Knuble is a pro’s pro.
Can’t say the same for the defense, which still is a bit too “green” (no pun intended) to be ready-for-prime-time. Mike Green is the best offensive defenseman of this generation, but he isn’t the best two-way defenseman. Jeff Schultz has little in the way of playoff experience. John Carlson and Karl Alzner, for all their gifts and potential, have next to no playoff experience at this level.
Ditto goaltending. Varlavirth has lots of potential, not much in the way of playoff (well, successful playoff) experience at this level.
There just seems to be such a disconnect between the squads — forwards, defensemen, goaltenders — on where they stand developmentally (the forwards being significantly ahead of the other two) that it puts a real premium on being able to find the glue — those FAs and pick ups at the trading deadline — to bind this group into a contender. Has McPhee done a good job of this? It seems to me hit (Fedorov, Knuble, Chimera) and miss (Corvo, Morrison).
I worry that by the time the defense and goaltending is really ready to do their part, we’ll be on the back half of the forwards’ development curve.
If you've read this far...seek help.
by ThePeerless on Jun 15, 2010 11:27 AM EDT reply actions 2 recs
Yeah, the blueline on back is going to make you hold your breath and grit your teeth until they reach their individual comfort levels. Additionally, secondary/tertiary forward help is going to make decisions on who to keep tough.
Gave him a 5; cheers for identifying the deficiencies and acquiring guys to fill them, jeers for the Sloan deal, having Nylander still collecting paychecks and as a whole, the organization still being a TBD in terms of truly bearing fruit.
They're coming.
by Bald Pollack on Jun 15, 2010 11:39 AM EDT up reply actions
In a perverse way, there might be much to be glad about down the road, precisely because the Caps have stockpiled such depth at defense and goaltender, even more so than among prospect forwards. It is perhaps in this respect that locking up Ovechkin and Backstrom is most important. They’re going to be here when that defense and goaltending group hits their stride, although that might not be for another 2-3 years at best. And, to the extent the Caps have to make a hard decision at goaltender (assuming Varlamov, Neuvirth, and Holtby max out on their potential — they would not be able to keep all three), they would have a trading asset there.
If you've read this far...seek help.
I think you’re a little generous on that defense assessment.
I like the top four of Green/Schultz/Alzner/Carlson, but beyond that I’m not wowed. Guys like Erskine and Sloan are marginal NHL talent. Poti is gone soon, Sha-Mo is over priced. Those top 4 guys better all hit because I don’t see anything in the pipeline.
Depth at defense and lots of depth defensemen are quite different.
Choking since 1985.
Move out a couple of years and down the prospect list. Dmitri Orlov could very well get a roster spot, and it would not be terribly shocking to see Zach Miskovic perhaps getting some time. That would be years off for both, but the whole object of the exercise, given the way the Caps have chosen to build their team, is to run a conveyor belt of prospects through their system. It would be hard to find a 25-and-under collection of defensemen throughout the system that is much better than Washington’s. What they lack is what they can’t rush – experience. And the problem there is that it takes that much longer for defensemen (in terms of games/seasons played) to reach a skill level commensurate with forwards, who reach their maturity level sooner. If the Caps had drafted a Green or a Schultz or even Carlson and Alzner a couple of years before Ovechkin and Backstrom, they would be right in sync with one another.
If you've read this far...seek help.
I did overlook Orlov, although I think people are a bit spoiled by Alzner and Carlson so they might be a little irrationally exuberant on the Orlov front. We shall see on Miskovic, I will admit my knowledge of him is pretty limited other than an extremely pessimistic review at HF.
It’s going to be interesting to see who is the most valuable defenseman when Green’s contract is up.
Choking since 1985.
also:
It’s going to be interesting to see who is the most valuable defensemanwhen Green’s contract is upin a week or two when we vote on it!
by Natty Bumppo on Jun 15, 2010 3:01 PM EDT up reply actions
Eight
You can’t blame Boudreau for not executing with the players he had without giving McPhee the credit for assembling the team.
by RPI93 on Jun 15, 2010 11:37 AM EDT via mobile reply actions
9
he built the best team in Capitals history. luck and execution happens on the ice and GMGM can’t really affect that, i don’t think. He put them in a position to be dominant this season and in the forseeable future. where could he have improved? better luck at the deadline, maybe a little…but he was still the architect of a dominant team.
a ten next season…go from architect of a cup contender to a cup winner.
5
First off, we’ve known for a while that GMGM is a shrewd manager. That being said, +1 for Knuble, +1 for a awesome Lars extension, -1 for Corvo/BMo, -1 for T-Slow. I think the real crux of the situation will be draft day and off season moves before next season
#NeedsMoreBradley
mcphee strenghts were evident this year. making prudent FA acquisitions while maintaining salary cap discipline. making a shrewed in season trade which was not sexy or easy (hate to see CC17 go) but wise in the short and long run. making nylander dissapear was the best move by far.
however, for the second year in a row his trade deadline deals were underwhelming to say the least. as noted, he ended up overpaying for corvo and belanger didnt make the impact we had hoped. he’s a douche, but would the acquisition of andy sutton for a second rounder have been a better move than corvo? lots of hindsight and certainly a team on a roll like that caps didnt seem to need to sacrifice the future to pick up a spare part at seasons end.
he gets a 7 from me for the knuble pick up, chimmer trade and for making nyls dissappear all while keeping the caps in a manageable cap position. also for not going long on semin’s deal. oh, and backs signing was nice too.
he gets a 4 for the other in season moves or lack thereof.
overall a 6. slightly above expectations.
for next year, (no surprise) he needs to fill the second line center hole and some help on defense. he needs to be more willing to part with some young assets for help now. the team is entering a solid window of opportunity to win the cup with the team they have. he needs to take advantage of that and if it means moving a top prospect who may be a few years out, so be it. i think if this team flops in the playoffs next season, he’s done.
Just trying to capture the spirit of the thing...
he’s a douche, but would the acquisition of andy sutton for a second rounder have been a better move than corvo?
I note ‘no’. Sutton’s really not a very good skater and doesn’t move the puck well. I don’t think he fits in all the well with the Capitals.
i was thinking just in terms of a late season rental just like corvo. i tend to agree with you but when you see guys like hal gill have success in the playoffs you wonder if a guy like that wouldnt have been a good addition in the playoffs. i wouldnt want sutton on my team long term.
Just trying to capture the spirit of the thing...
by dcsportsfan1 on Jun 15, 2010 12:16 PM EDT up reply actions
plus he could have been had for just a second round pick and not a pick and a prospect much less a pick, a live body and a prospect.
Just trying to capture the spirit of the thing...
by dcsportsfan1 on Jun 15, 2010 12:18 PM EDT up reply actions
The Vote: Rate McPhee below on a scale of 1-10 (10 being the best) based on his performance for the season – if he was perfect, give him a 10; if he was average, give him a 5 or a 6; if he was terrible, give him a 1. Note: This is a different rating system than our normal “relative to expectations” system
I never travel far....without a little Big Star...
Ron and Fez 11 to 3
by YvonLabresMoustache on Jun 15, 2010 11:52 AM EDT reply actions 2 recs
I gave him a 6, but in retrospect I should have made that a 7, as I think I let the collective thud of the trade deadline acquisitions weigh too heavily on my evaluation. Knuble was a fantastic pickup, and bringing in Chimera was a very shrewd move as well. I also think he did a good job navigating the season while keeping an eye on cap flexibility both in the present and the future. Chicago won the cup this year, but their cap situation going forward looks bleak, especially when you consider that their cap will be 3 million or so less because of cap overages from player performance bonuses this season.
All that said, I think he has a lot riding on the outcome of the coming season (including this offseason), as I would not be the least bit suprised to see a complete cleanout of the front office on down if the team fails to meet expectations again.
I said when he was signed that Morrison wouldn’t particularly help the Caps in the playoffs. So I guess that starts as a 5/6 for meeting my expectations, then people seem to like the Knuble deal and dislike the Corvo deal.
It would be nice if the Caps could keep Corvo around if there were a surefire way to get rid of him by the holiday trade freeze. I think he could possibly add something useful with a little time. But there is no easy mid-season eject button, and we’ve got D-men coming up, so letting him go isn’t a big problem for me.
I also like the cap space clearing going on right now which I expect will result in one (overpayed, but what the market will bear) 2C.
It’s a tough vote, but I went with an 8.
1) He made a great free agent acquisition in Mike Knuble.
2) He managed to unload the albatross that was Michael Nylander’s contract first to the AHL, and then on to Finland. Making that move allowed us to bank some much-needed cap space.
3) He made the tough decision to trade away the team’s Captain in the middle of the season, and as a result ended up banking some additional salary cap space, along with acquiring another key piece in Jason Chimera.
4) He acquired the best possible second-line center on the free agent market that he could with the cap space available (i.e., find me a center who was a free agent last year, signed a contract worth less than 1.75 million, and put up 41 points).
On the other hand…
1) Steckel’s now making a million a year for a guy who really just brings faceoff skill to the table.
2) Tyler Sloan’s making 700,000 a year to play 30 games over the next two years.
3) I’m not entirely convinced Joe Corvo was an upgrade over Brian Pothier.
4) Losing Chris Bourque on waivers because of the failure to put Tomas Fleischmann on LTIR in order to clear the necessary cap space.
That all being said, putting together the best regular season Capitals team two years in a row has to net you some points… hence the 8.
"Ovechkin, what is good in life?"
"To crush your enemies. To see them driven before you. And to hear the lamentations of their captain."
by Wheeler on Jun 15, 2010 12:45 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
that’s a pretty good list. the corvo move aside, i put more of the blame for the caps’ 1st-round exit on boudreau. GMGM’s acquisitions last summer fit perfectly with the long-term plan articulated by the team; GMGM’s acquisitions at the deadline fit perfectly with the aim to win a cup this year on the back of a president’s trophy roster. the sloan/steckel/bourque moves were all head scratchers he might pay for later on, but the nylander trade was pure magic and chimera/knuble are personal favorites. and thank the lord for the backstrom deal! i concur: 8.
by Natty Bumppo on Jun 15, 2010 3:10 PM EDT up reply actions
I said 7, but that’s being pretty “glass is half-full”.
I know the defense and a “real” second-line center are the easiest positions to point to, I feel like there’s a deeper issue with this team. JP put it best referring to the “been-there-done-that” players. I’d seriously prefer we dump skill for experience as much as we can without losing multiple lines of offensive capability. I know it’s a broken record at this point, but dealing Semin and or Flash makes a ton of sense to me if we can get some character back in return. I think the improvements we need are less about position in a depth chart, and more about “been-there-done-that” personnel.
About a 6
He was good, slightly above average I think.
Knuble was a good signing.
The points for getting rid of Nylander are kind of negated by the fact that he signed Nylander. Granted, it was another year.
Great Chimera trade. Not only younger and cheaper and healthier, but allowed Ovie to ascend to captain.
Basically whiffed on the Brendan Morrison deal, but of course there wasn’t much risk there either.
Really didn’t care for the Corvo trade.
I think the worst thing he did was collect too many depth defensemen and then force the team to play games with Alzner. Alzner should have been here from the get go, and that prevented it. As for why Alzner wasn’t here after Nylander got loaned out – that I’ll never understand, but we would have been a better team for it, in the long run.
Choking since 1985.
8
Knuble and Chimera were big time pluses for me
Maybe a minus on the Corvo. Was he really that much of an upgrade from Pothier? We can argue about it all day but personally I’d rather have had Pots stopping shots with his face than an extra 5 points a season :)
And Belgner.. I mean c’mon… we paid for a person with 32 teeth and he only managed to keep 24 of them? I mean seriously. We overpaid in the dollars to teeth ratio on that one.
To get a 10 from me, he’s going to have to recruit some ppl from the Itallian soccer team. We need more ppl taking dives so we can have more powerply opportunities :)
Maybe he’d have a 9 from me if he could have gotten on his knees and tried to keep Feds :)
Eh.. maybe it was better to let him go.. we’ll never know.. but I’ve always been a big Ferorov fan since I was a kid :P
No way the Caps could have afforded Fedorov. He ended up signing a two-year, eight million dollar deal in Russia, or something like that.
"Ovechkin, what is good in life?"
"To crush your enemies. To see them driven before you. And to hear the lamentations of their captain."
I have to guess that it didn’t involve more than one year.
"Ovechkin, what is good in life?"
"To crush your enemies. To see them driven before you. And to hear the lamentations of their captain."
plus fedorov had some…let’s say, serious debts…to manage. i don’t think he was going to accept significantly less to stay on with the caps.
by Natty Bumppo on Jun 15, 2010 3:12 PM EDT up reply actions
Honestly, I think the B-Mo deal was one of the better things McPhee did this year. He addressed a need on the team, and he found the best possible player at the time for what the Caps could afford under the cap. He only signed him for one year, so the damage was minimal if it didn’t work out, and hell, we got 41 points out of the guy. For two months, McPhee looked like a genius.
But then again, if you look at the free agent pool from last year, there aren’t a whole lot of centers there who would have fit under the salary cap and given similar production (and Vinny Prospal doesn’t count – he wasn’t bought out of his Tampa Bay contract until a couple of weeks after BMo was signed).
"Ovechkin, what is good in life?"
"To crush your enemies. To see them driven before you. And to hear the lamentations of their captain."
by Wheeler on Jun 15, 2010 1:24 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
For reference: http://www.usatoday.com/sports/hockey/nhl/2009-free-agents.htm
"Ovechkin, what is good in life?"
"To crush your enemies. To see them driven before you. And to hear the lamentations of their captain."
Thanks for the reference.
I actually consider the acquisition of B. Morrison a good move. It worked great for the first part of the season. He was actually a life saver for us, with all the injuries going on. Unfortunately, B-Mo wasn’t as good during the second half of the year.
The gamble was worth taking, given the price.
Going forward, we need an upgrade at the position.
Rocking the Red since 1975
6
The good:
- The Chimera trade was a home run. Dumping 2009-2010 Chris Clark for a guy who plays kinda like 2006-2007 Chris Clark, who also happens to make less money? Yes, please.
- Knuble was exactly the guy that the Caps needed, and GMGM brought him into the fold in spite of his age, completely counter to my expectations.
- Convincing Nylander to waive his NMC was a godsend.
The meh:
- The Morrison signing was an entirely reasonable move, but ultimately yielded unspectacular results. The same can be said about the Belanger and Walker trades.
The ugly:
- Corvo. I’m not convinced that he wasn’t actually a downgrade from Pothier.
- Not using the cap space that magically appeared when Nylander left town was unfortunate; probably the result of market realities, but still very disappointing if you consider the assets that the Caps have in the system.
Bottom line:
GMGM continues to excel at making smart, small moves that don’t eviscerate the team’s long-term depth, but he also continues to fail at bringing in substantial pieces that can put the team over the top. It’s a smart way to manage your team, but at some point, dude needs to realize that he’s holding all the cards and go all in.
7 but what about the team chemistry?
I liked all of his deals at the trading deadline at the time, but in retrospect, trying to integrate those three players might have proved to be part of the CAPS undoing. Lots of news guys trying to learn to play together for a team that was moving along pretty good. Corvo never got settled, Belanger seemed tentative offensively, and Walker hardly played.
Giving The Ultimate Line Tinkering Coach 3 new players at the same time was not the best thing for this team.
decided to go 8
Close to a 7, but really I think he did a good job. I have a VERY hard time forgiving the corvo acquisition, but I really liked just about everything else he has done in the past year.
Pros:
+Knuble signing
+Chimera trade
+BMo pickup (a “good gamble” that didn’t ultimately pay off. Given our cap constraints, we didn’t really have the option to pick up a legit 2C, all we could do was hope for a bounceback season. McPhee recognized this limitation and made a good run at it.)
+Belanger pickup. Needed help down the middle, and got it. Still not the 2C we needed, but better than nothing.
Cons:
+Corvo. x10.
+Disproportionately large contracts for marginal players (erskine, Sloan, Steckel)
++failure to acquire a quality defenseman at the deadline (different than “success in acquiring a sucky defenseman at the deadline”, as noted in bullet point 1)
What do you want to see McPhee do this offseason to get the Capitals better prepared to challenge for the Stanley Cup next year?
Get a quality 2C, a veteran top 6 D (doesn’t necessarily have to be a top 4, though would be nice), be rid of Flash (save BB from himself), and negotiate reasonable contracts for the other RFAs.
If the Caps see another early-spring exit in 2011, will (or should) McPhee’s job be in jeopardy?
I don’t think so, but I guess it depends on how well he addresses the points above. If we bail out early because we STILL don’t have the center depth and veteran D that we have needed for 2+ years, then my disappointment will be largely directed at GMGM. But I still think he’s done a good job (re)building this team post sell-off, so I can’t see calling for his job.
What would it take for him to earn a 10 next season?
Do all the things I noted above: 2C, vet D, good cap management/new contracts, and fill whatever holes arise during the season come trade-deadline time.
by GusDaMan on Jun 15, 2010 2:00 PM EDT reply actions 2 recs
++failure to acquire a quality defenseman at the deadline (different than "success in acquiring a sucky defenseman at the deadline", as noted in bullet point 1)
I find it somewhat difficult to fault McPhee on this front given that I don’t think anyone who would have been a better option moved for a reasonable price.
I don’t think most people had a problem with Corvo. He wasn’t bad. It was just that he traded Pothier for Corvo. It almost seemed like he felt we needed more offense.
Unless there’s some defensive rating that puts Corvo above Pothier
Heh. Coincidence: Pothier and Corvo.. exact same height and weight and age (well.. corvo’s 3 months younger).
Based on Alan Ryder’s 2009 report Corvo is light years ahead of Potsy’s defensive play. Even based on the lackluster Corvo we got he wasn’t any worse than Potsy.
I waited all year for this?
Corvo also drove shots directed at net much better than Potsy did in Carolina, while eating a lot more minutes.
In addition, Pothier got unbelievably soft minutes – he was absolutely not out there against the opponent’s top-six if Bruce could help it at all.
Only YOU can prevent idiots from commenting!
by Knee high to a duck on Jun 15, 2010 5:48 PM EDT up reply actions
Dennis Seidenberg not only was a better fit for what the Caps lacked but a more attractive candidate to potentially re-sign. One player isn’t a very long list, though, assuredly.
He was traded from Florida to Boston on deadline day.
He and Bartkowski for Weller, Bitz, and a 2nd.
I'm gonna pain you dearly Woodhouse, when I peel all your skin off with a flensing knife, sew it into Woodhouse pajamas, and then set those pajamas on fire.
by Steckel Me Elmo on Jun 15, 2010 10:51 PM EDT up reply actions
6
Got rid of Nyls, brought in Knuble and then Chimera, added depth and tried to fill holes at the deadline. But that’s off-set by the Sloan extension, and even more by keeping Carlznerson in HER for too long. If only those guys had a little more NHL experience before the playoffs and played a combined 14 playoff games. I don’t fault him too much for Corvo and BMo not panning out, that happens. He saw a need and tried to address it in a practical way. That’s what you want to see from a GM and you can’t expect a 100% success rate. That said, there are still some clear holes he needs to address so I just can’t give him too high of a score.
I waited all year for this?
Yeah but his NMC is done so there aren’t any cartwheels to get him off the books. GMGM can immediately send him to HER and Nyls can’t do anything about it. I suspect that fact will lead Nyls to arrange a loan to a European club if he can’t find an NHL team to trade for his contract (he won’t).
I waited all year for this?
The only way I see another team trade for Nyls’ contract is if they need to use up cap space but don’t want to add too much in salary. Or a team that’s desperate for bodies.
I'm gonna pain you dearly Woodhouse, when I peel all your skin off with a flensing knife, sew it into Woodhouse pajamas, and then set those pajamas on fire.
by Steckel Me Elmo on Jun 15, 2010 2:22 PM EDT up reply actions
Nylander to the Islanders!
There’d be a certain beauty to the phrase “Nylander is an NY Islander.”
"Ovechkin, what is good in life?"
"To crush your enemies. To see them driven before you. And to hear the lamentations of their captain."
How much was he getting paid again per year?
I might get butt-raped for saying this but I almost wonder how things would turn out if he was just temporarily put back at 2C for one last chance. He wasn’t the absolute WORST center in the world. I think people were more pissed about him not living up to his contract than they were about his actual play.
His cap number is 4.875, but his salary is 3 for this coming season (both numbers in millions).
I'm gonna pain you dearly Woodhouse, when I peel all your skin off with a flensing knife, sew it into Woodhouse pajamas, and then set those pajamas on fire.
by Steckel Me Elmo on Jun 15, 2010 2:34 PM EDT up reply actions
The problem was is that his style was the wrong fit as center for BB’s system and the current cast of characters on the team.
Rocking the Red since 1975
I always heard that and I don’t doubt it.. but what was it about BB’s system specifically that he couldn’t adapt to?
Aggressive puck movement toward the offensive zone, I think. Nylander seemed to prefer slowing the pace in the neutral zone.
by CapitalCentre on Jun 15, 2010 7:23 PM EDT up reply actions
I never really saw him play much. All I remember is that he could stop on a dime during the rush pretty well
Points of the compass. Nylander is an east-west player (gain the zone, curl back, hit the trailer, find the open player cross-ice), Boudreau prefers north-south hockey (drive the zone, attack in numbers)
If you've read this far...seek help.
by ThePeerless on Jun 16, 2010 11:31 AM EDT up reply actions
I see Nikki gaining the zone a lot and pulling a Nylander.
Of course he and Ovie seem to have this psychic link so it’s alright if Nikki does it because it works :) Nikki has 360 vision :)
Whenever I saw Nyls do it.. always looked like he would sit there even when someone was rushing the net and just hang onto it, waiting for the perfect pass.
That was my only problem with Nyls. Nikki would hit the brakes and toss it at the net and usually a descent chance would come out of it even if someone wasn’t open. Nyls didn’t seem to link going for junk goals.
Same score for the same reasons.
I'm gonna pain you dearly Woodhouse, when I peel all your skin off with a flensing knife, sew it into Woodhouse pajamas, and then set those pajamas on fire.
by Steckel Me Elmo on Jun 15, 2010 2:23 PM EDT up reply actions
7
He certainly gave the Caps a great chance at a deep playoff run. The Knuble and Chimera deals were by far his best and paid off. I do credit him for gusto on BMo and Corvo, they could of been great but just didn’t click quite right. Scotty Walker certainly was interesting, having a 2nd Matt Bradley on the team.
This next year I want to see a bit more reliance on the prospects. I don’t think we’ll find a 2nd line center out of the bears, at least this season. I hope MJ can ride the Lars-train to the NHL but not everyone is simply amazing. I think defense man we need a serviceable veteran. All year we criticised Tom Poti for his play, his clearing, his minutes, his PK. Much of it rightly so (oh wait I take that back as part of the Poti lobby), but come playoffs Poti become Pronger-esk. He played smart, he blocked shots, he showed grit and helped anchor another great and budding defenseman with little expereince into being the best tandem on ice for the MTL v Caps series imo. Caps need another guy like Poti. And to definitely call up Alzner and Carlson full time.
Bruce Boudreau when asked about Brooks Laich's return to the lineup, he said: "He just adds another dimension to our team. If it was puzzle, he just fits that thing. He completes us."
Brooks Laich completing everything from teams to tires and everything in between.
8
Good deals:
Bringing in Knuble and Chimera were big plusses. Belanger was not a complete failure, he was still learning how to play in this system when the season ended. The Walker acquisition for what it did wasn’t too bad either.
George also managed to keep Alzner and Carlson’s minutes down enough so they didn’t have to take the Olympic break off….
The worst thing was the Corvo deal. Gads, what a backfire that was. Brendan Morrison was not a great deal, but he was being paid less than most of the players on the team at $1.5M, and for that salary, he did ok (and gave the Caps one of the highlight goals of the year!)
To get a 10 next year: figure out who should be the 6th defenseman (After Green, Schultz, Alzner, Carlson and Poti) and find a second line center that can pop 15 goals and 40 assists (considering this center has two guys on his wing who combined for 65 goals in 2009-10…) And make sure they can win in the playoffs!
Washington Capitals 2009-10 = Quebec Nordiques 1994-95
--- D'ohboy
6th defenseman will be problematic with Erksine and Sloan still on contract.
Bruce Boudreau when asked about Brooks Laich's return to the lineup, he said: "He just adds another dimension to our team. If it was puzzle, he just fits that thing. He completes us."
Brooks Laich completing everything from teams to tires and everything in between.
Admittedly, but neither of them is the 6th D-man. Erskine is likely to remain with the club as the 7th D-man, Sloan may be sent to Hershey or released. Neither of them has that big a Cap hit that a buyout would be painful either.
Washington Capitals 2009-10 = Quebec Nordiques 1994-95
--- D'ohboy
by MikeL-Pivonka on Jun 16, 2010 10:03 AM EDT up reply actions
9. Because patience is an underrated virtue in General Managers.
Best move? Ending the season with Ovechkin, Backstrom, Green, Schultz, Alzner, Carlson, Varlamov and Neuvirth in the stable, and with no new multi-year unmovable budget-busting contract like the Chris Pronger or Brian Campbell contracts.
Sixteen teams enter the playoffs every year. That means that, on average, each of them has a 6.25% chance of winning the Cup. And that’s just the playoff teams! Sure, the better playoff teams have a better chance than worse teams. But after watching Philly and Montreal this year, does anyone believe that any team enters the playoffs with zero chance? Does anyone believe that Phoenix or the Kings or the Canucks or the Sharks couldn’t have hoisted the Cup this year, if luck broke their way?
The point I’m getting at here is that just by making the playoffs, a GM does an adequate job for that one year — he gives that team a chance to win it all. And if a GM doubles or triples his team’s chances within the playoffs — if he gets them up above 15% — then he’s done a fantastic job.
We’re talking about a goal that one team will accomplish and 29 teams will fail at. It’s freaking hard. And unlikely no matter how good the team is.
So what really matters, when you look at things from this perspective, is to give your team as great a chance as possible for as many years as possible. And this is where McPhee (and Leonsis) excel.
Look again at Chicago and Philly. They’re in serious salary trouble now. And of course, in retrospect, it was certainly worth it for Chicago. But from a pure game theory perspective, they took an awfully large risk. A young team with Toews, Kane, Keith, etc. should compete every year for a long time. But they’re at risk of losing the chance to win it all for a year or two of their best players’ prime years (or at least being severely hamstrung). Again, does anyone think that Phoenix or the Kings or the Canucks or the Sharks couldn’t have possibly put the Hawks out? Because if they had, the Hawks would have been screwed going forward.
It’s why I’m happier right now being a Caps fan than a Philly fan. My favorite players are going to be great players for the Caps for years to come. Can a Philly fan say with any real security that Richards and Carter will both be there for the long term. Can they say with any security that Pronger and Timmonen will both be as effective as they are now in two or three years, when the Caps’ core blue liners are hitting their prime? Can they say that Philly has any kind of plan at all for the future of the team’s goaltending?
I’d rather have 10 chances to win the Cup over a decade, at 8% probability per year, than 3 shots at it at 12% per year and then a complete rebuild.
The Caps are following the Red Wings’ model of making sure to have the chance to win it all every year. I think it’s a great strategy, and I think they’re doing a great job with it. DMG was right — the Backstrom move was one of the best that McPhee made this year. But perhaps the best were the decisions not to sell out the future for a slightly better chance this year.
Atta dinnin stick a who!
by Gould Old Days on Jun 15, 2010 7:22 PM EDT reply actions 9 recs
Actually, I’d argue that the Caps are doing the Red Wings model one better, in that they’re holding on to their first round picks in order to build a stock of inexpensive players who can step in to key roles at a young age if necessary.
"Ovechkin, what is good in life?"
"To crush your enemies. To see them driven before you. And to hear the lamentations of their captain."
Agreed. A better model for what the Caps are doing is what Quebec/Colorado from the Lindros trade for 15 years. Remember how their farm system kept cranking out Calder Trophy finalists and two winners: Peter Forsberg and Chris Drury. It doesn’t happen by accident.
You have to have good scouts, a smart staff, and a really intelligent man to run the show. The Caps have all that in McPhee and co. It’s a good thing.
Washington Capitals 2009-10 = Quebec Nordiques 1994-95
--- D'ohboy
by MikeL-Pivonka on Jun 16, 2010 10:08 AM EDT up reply actions
So what really matters, when you look at things from this perspective, is to give your team as great a chance as possible for as many years as possible. And this is where McPhee (and Leonsis) excel.
The problem with that is if you always play for the future the future never arrives. Will the team be good for many years, yes. Championship caliber…my doubts grow by the day. Especially after hearing GMGM’s interview on CSN today.
by freakinandpeakin on Jun 15, 2010 10:24 PM EDT up reply actions
Well, I would argue that a good GM has to do both, build a team that is a continual contender with good prospects in the pipeline as well as be willing to make the big acquisition(s) to give the team the best player(s) it needs at that time.
I’ve been mulling over what to score McPhee. I gave him a 7 but considered a 6.
On the one hand he gets good marks from me for all the reasons people have enumerated thus far—Knuble, Chimera, gaining cap room, getting the depth for a deep playoff run, signing of Backs. On the other, he has yet to fill adequately some very real holes.
I worry about the mentoring of the defensive guys, especially with Carlzner coming up. McPhee brought in veterans to shepherd Ovi (with good success I believe) but he needs a championship experienced defensive veteran to mentor the blue-line, someone who can help Green get through his playoff hurdles and help Carlzner grow as NHL players. I don’t mean a mortgage-the-future Pronger type, but someone with years of experience.
And the 2nd line center hole has got to be filled with a known quality center, not a reclamation project (tho’ I really enjoyed having BMo on the team) nor a hope that between Belanger and Macken the 2nd line center position will work itself out. I worry about the balance of this team, in that the forwards are farther along on the development curve than the blue-line.
For me this team needs to gel or mature together this upcoming season in preparation for the playoffs. And McPhee needs to give them whatever tools they need. It is time for McPhee to take a risk, even at the cost of a valuable asset, just not one the team will need this season.
I see it a bit like baking a cake. He has nearly all the ingredients and has a partially mixed batter. It’s time to find that missing ingredient (a great 2nd line center) or upgrade an ingredient (an experienced defensive veteran) and finish it. It’s time to bake that cake.
What did McPhee say that worried you about how he was building this team?
"I’m very happy to hear the news," Ovechkin said when he heard about Backstrom's longterm contract--"because he’s one of the top centers in the world, one of my best friends and we want to play together for a long time. He’s a guy who wants to stay in one place and be comfortable and win, just like me. We talk all the time about playing together, and we talked after the playoffs about how we can win in Washington."
by capsyoungguns on Jun 16, 2010 6:35 AM EDT up reply actions
I think they’re in the “the future is now” mode, given the acquisitions at the deadline and during the last offseason. Obviously you don’t want to kill your future for a small chance at winning for a season or two – which is why that Pronger trade would have been awful. You can aim for the Cup every year without making huge trades.
Besides, so many different things have to go right for you to win the Cup, I think the smart money’s on giving yourself a good chance every year, rather than a great chance in the short term. I’d rather have a team with a 20-30 percent chance of winning the Cup for ten years than a team with a 40 percent chance of winning for two before it becomes non-contenders.
And I’d argue that no team ever gets as high as 40% at season opening, and that 20% is only possible in the rarest of circumstances (Chicago was certainly not a 20% at season opening). Which just emphasizes the importance of avoiding going “all in.”
Atta dinnin stick a who!
by Gould Old Days on Jun 16, 2010 8:24 AM EDT up reply actions
5 – Knuble and Chimera were good pickups and trading Clark was good to get rid of the contract. But, BoMo was yet another reclaimation project that did not work out. How many centers have not worked out since Ovie joined the team? Not good – the entire Nylander fiasco and how it was handled was really bad and Nyls contract is still on the books for next year. And still don’t get why Sloan just had to get an extension prior to the end of the season. I could see trading Pothier due to his contract but Corvo in return? So at the end of the season, they are still left with the same needs as the end of last season for a second line center and a good veteran defenseman.
Gave him a 7. Had some good moves in bringing in Chimera and Knuble. Also dumped Nyls, which was very awesome. Okay moves in Belanger and B-Mo. Bad moves in Corvo and Walker (only reason I put Walker in “bad moves” was because he didn’t play much). He’s a great GM – I expect him to be even more committed to helping this team win next year. By that, I mean maybe some more “balls to the wall” trades.
Side note: weight = 170ish made me chuckle.
If my answers frighten you then you should cease asking scary questions.
"It's not fair. He's just a pitcher." - Dave Jageler
You know you wanna.
re: the Walker trade, that was entirely orchestrated by Rutherford in Carolina in an attempt to give Walker a chance at a cup. We basically could not have given up anything less (4th to last pick in the entire draft) to get him.
Plus, I’m sure the decision to bench him was not GMGM’s.
Of all our iniquities ignorance may be the worst
by Killer_Carlson on Jun 16, 2010 11:26 AM EDT up reply actions
7
He put a President’s Trophy winning team on the ice and has left the organization with a healthy future talent and cap wise. Best moves are obvious – Knuble, Backstrom, dumping Nyls from the cap.
Going forward, I really hope he focuses first on the 2C. That’s the pivot that will make or break this team. I would love to see him dump Flash for picks, resign Fehr and go after Plekanic in FA or Sharpe in trade.
Proposed forwards to open the season:
Ovie / Backstrom / Knuble
Laich / Plekanic or Sharpe / Semin
Chimera / Belanger or MP / Fehr
A or B Gordon / Stecks / Brads
A new D-man would be ok, but I honestly don’t think that’s the biggest priority.
I’d like to see us open the year with our d looking something like this:
Green / Alzner
Carlson / Shultz
Poti / ??
What we need is a solid bottom two d-man. Plus, if it turns out we really need someone top 4, Semin would be great trade bait come March.
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Southeast Standings
| GP | W | L | OTL | PT | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Florida
|
55 | 27 | 17 | 11 | 65 |
|
Washington
|
55 | 28 | 22 | 5 | 61 |
|
Winnipeg
|
57 | 26 | 25 | 6 | 58 |
|
Tampa Bay
|
55 | 24 | 25 | 6 | 54 |
|
Carolina
|
56 | 20 | 25 | 11 | 51 |
(updated 2.13.2012 at 1:00 PM EST)
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