Pick 'Em: Window Shopping for a Defenseman in Vancouver
by David Getz on Jul 12, 2010 11:30 AM EDT
in Pick 'Ems
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PrintWe're now almost two weeks out from the beginning of the NHL's free agency season and, as you may have heard, the Capitals haven't really done much of anything. Of course, that's not necessarily a bad thing, but it doesn't change the fact the team has pretty sizable holes at center and on defense. Consequently we figured we'd take a look at what blueliners might be available, with a focus on the Vancouver Canucks, whose offseason acquisitions of Dan Hamhuis and Keith Ballard have given them eight NHL caliber defenseman - and put them right up against the salary cap.
What that means is that veteran Willie Mitchell isn't going to be brought back and a roster player is almost certain to be traded, with the most likely candidates being Kevin Bieksa and Shane O'Brien. For that reason, we've chosen to look at those three, with a bit more information on each after the jump.
Willie Mitchell
#8 / Defenseman
6-3
210
Left
Apr 23, 1977
33
Unrestricted free agent; earned $3,500,000 in 2009-10
Pros: Mitchell's a rarity in today's NHL - a legitimate shutdown blueliner. Only three of the League's defensemen - Chris Pronger, Zdeno Chara, and Marc Staal - had higher quality of competition ratings and were on the ice for fewer five-on-five goals than Mitchell, and his 5.94 GAON/60 rating in 4-on-5 situations would have been the best among Capitals rearguards. Just as important is the fact that Mitchell has shown he can skate top pairing minutes, averaging between 22 and 23 minutes per game each of the last three seasons, and has the skating quality to be paired with a player like Mike Green.
Oh, and he can hit and fight a little too, even if he doesn't do either all that much.
Cons: Mitchell only played in 48 games in 2009-10, his season coming to an abrupt end when an Evgeni Malkin hit left Mitchell with a serious concussion. Although Mitchell says he's healthy and has been able to complete fairly strenuous workouts with any trouble, there are going to be questions until he's symptom-free on the ice in an NHL game (or at least an NHL training camp). Of course, the Caps have had some success seeing a guy beat the odds and return from concussion issues before.
Beyond the concussion issues, there are the concerns you have with just about any 33-year-old. How will his skating hold up over the next couple of years? Is he capable of playing the same minutes he has in the past? Is he more injury-prone as a result of his age? In Mitchell's case none of these factors should be a deal breaker, or even a red flag, but they're still ones that need to be taken in to consideration.
Kevin Bieksa
#3 / Defenseman / Vancouver Canucks
6-1
198
Jun 16, 1981
Right
29
Cap hit of $3,750,000 in 2010-11; UFA after
Pros: Bieksa's not the defensive player Mitchell is, but he's a more well-rounded one. He brings a decent amount of offense from the point (28 goals and 119 points in 242 games since becoming a full-time NHLer in 2006), possesses a heavy slap shot, and is a solid skater. Bieksa's also a markedly physical player who led the Canucks in hits in 2009-10 and has had five fights in each of the last two seasons. And tell me the Caps couldn't use a guy who's willing to stick up for his teammates like this:
Cons: There's a reason Bieksa's fallen out of favor in Vancouver. Though he's generally a solid defensive player, he does have a tendency to make high-profile defensive errors, and he has a tendency to go too far in the physical game at inopportune moments and put his team at a disadvantage. There are some also some injury questions around Bieksa, who has only played in more than 72 games once in the last five years and has averaged 54 over the last three, although the vast majority of the time he's missed have come as the result of two separate calf lacerations, one in 2007 that caused him to miss 47 games, and one last season the resulted in him missing 27.
Shane O`Brien
#55 / Defenseman / Vancouver Canucks
6-3
230
Left
Aug 09, 1983
26
$1,600,000; UFA after
Pros: An impressive physical specimen who plays with an edge, O'Brien would seems the ideal defensive defenseman - on paper. He has size and isn't afraid to use it, isn't a bad puck-mover, has shown some offensive ability at the NHL level, and is more than willing to drop the gloves (though perhaps not as much as the Canucks would like). Despite all this, O'Brien's never been able to put it all together at the NHL level for an extended period of time. Of course, that might actually end up being a good thing for the Capitals. O'Brien will be 27 at the start of the 2010-11 season and while he's not going to become an elite player, it's possible he could still develop enough to be considered a legitimate top four defenseman, making him a potential bargain in the long term.
Cons: O'Brien comes with than his fair share of knocks. His skating's not all that great, particularly in terms of agility. Like Bieksa, he has a tendency to take bad penalties (though he did have fewer than half as half penalties minutes in 2009-10 as any of his other NHL seasons). Last season he had trouble staying within his playing weight and at one point was "exiled from the dressing room for a week and scratched from four games" after showing up to a practice late. All things considered O'Brien would be an upgrade over John Erskine and Tyler Sloan - but would he be enough of one to warrant giving up an asset to acquire him?
So, Caps fans, who would you most like to see George McPhee pick up? Vote in the poll, and be sure to let us know why in the comments section.
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All things considered O’Brien would be an upgrade over John Erskine and Tyler Sloan – but would he be enough of one to warrant giving up an asset to acquire him?
I guess that would be the key to whether or not Bieksa/O’Brien could get moved. Any deal that brought either of them in would have to include one of Sloskine back the other way. If not, try to lobby for Mitchell and see what happens.
Look at this signature line. Notice the lack of spelling errors and self-whoring?
The description of Kevin Bieksa makes him sound like a harder-hitting, nastier version of Tom Poti. That would be a decent thing, though I don’t know if that’s what I’d consider him.
Still would prefer Willie Mitchell. Trying to turn Poti into a shutdown defender isn’t quite like making a dog stand on its hind legs, but it’s close.
"Ovechkin, what is good in life?"
"To crush your enemies. To see them driven before you. And to hear the lamentations of their captain."
One thing about Bieksa. His “injury concerns”. That is just not true. The man had two cuts on his calfs from skates. A rare and fluky injury, and he had it happen twice!
Hardly injury prone. He wears kevlar socks now…just in case. Take that away, and he is pretty durable actually.
Bieksa could be just what you need. With multiple teams interested though…it might cost you a bit.
Mitchell? Let’s wait on the head issues. The Canucks would probably be his first choice to sign a one year deal to prove himself ( for less of course ) He is from the Island…so playing at home would be the preference.
Obrien? I like him. Reminds me of how I played as a teen. But with him, you need a strong coach and organization.
What’s the nightlife like in Washington? Shane will want to know. Or might already!
How would Mitchell fit on VAN? If they do sign him they have to move another D out, and then you lose leverage unless you move the D before signing Mitchell. He may want to go there, but it looks like VAN is moving on.
Sometimes you need a criminal lawyer, sometimes you need a criminal lawyer.
We would have to move more than 1
D man. We already need to move one as it stands.
"We love them, We mourn for them, Unlucky boys of Red" - Morrissey
"Giggs gets past Viera, past Dixon, who comes back at him, it's a wonderful run from GIGGS!!!" - Martin Tyler
"He's got a man deep..wait, no that IS Mandeep!!" - Don Taylor
by Section 312 on Jul 12, 2010 1:57 PM EDT up reply actions
I don’t really get into the Cap questions.
Based on whatever we all like to think…it varies too much.
If Mitchell wanted to come back to the home team and is healthy, Gillis will find room for him.
The teams have all summer to shape their teams.
We rabid fans have them all figured out ( correctly of course! ) within 10 minutes of the announcement.
But I wouldn’t say the team has moved on. Gillis was asked about Willie at the season ticket holders meeting. He was concerned most about his health, but sounded like he would take him back if healthy.
There was an article in the Sun a couple weeks ago – sure sounds like Willie’s raring to go:
“Mitchell said his Post-Concussion Syndrome -continuing headaches, cranial pressure whenever he exercised -suddenly abated about 2½ weeks ago during a trip to Tofino, where he and his wife stayed at former Canuck Brendan Morrison’s house.
‘I didn’t want to jinx it or talk about it too much because a concussion can really be up and down," he said. "I just started feeling good. You want to crank it up right away, but I thought I’d just wait a little bit longer then finally felt: Let’s get after it. I’ve had no problems. I’m doing my normal workouts for this time of year. I’m excited. I’m excited about playing hockey again and trying to pick up where I left off.’
He said he has sustained his heart rate during some workouts at 170 beats per minute without any consequences. But he won’t start skating again until July because, he said, that’s his typical summer routine and he doesn’t want to change it due to his injury."
And, VanCity Dan, I do believe Gillis would do everything he would to re-sign Mitchell. I certainly would if I were him, and I think it is quite likely Gillis will do so.
He does know he is well loved hear.
Personally, I like Willie as much for his leadership as his talents.
He was missed here during the second half and playoffs.
For his talents? Sure…but for his ability to always say the right thing…even if it doesn’t jive with what the coach said.
I hope he gets healthy and keeps playing. Here, of course…but anywhere if not here. He is a good guy.
On and off the ice.
I still don’t think you can count on a full season for Willie. If we can sign him, I would expect to bury 1 guy specifically as a back up for Salo/Mitchell. Then another as the 7th D.
Really, I would miss Willie the most. If he can stay healthy, he would help out our team (and yours) greatly.
by Vancouverguy on Jul 13, 2010 1:07 AM EDT up reply actions
Oh don’t worry, the Caps are more than set at the 7 spot.
Of all our iniquities ignorance may be the worst
by Killer_Carlson on Jul 13, 2010 1:52 AM EDT up reply actions
It’ll take a decent chip to get Bieksa for possibly only a year of service, but he’d be my next choice if Mitchell cannot be had.
More norrissey, less morrissey
by bigonetimer on Jul 12, 2010 12:29 PM EDT up reply actions
A decent chip?
You can have him for a bag of Miss Vickie’s Sweet Chili and Sour Cream.
"We love them, We mourn for them, Unlucky boys of Red" - Morrissey
"Giggs gets past Viera, past Dixon, who comes back at him, it's a wonderful run from GIGGS!!!" - Martin Tyler
"He's got a man deep..wait, no that IS Mandeep!!" - Don Taylor
by Section 312 on Jul 12, 2010 1:49 PM EDT up reply actions
Hell of a lot tastier than a bag of pucks.
"Ovechkin, what is good in life?"
"To crush your enemies. To see them driven before you. And to hear the lamentations of their captain."
Making me drool a little
gonna have to go out for lunch today.
"We love them, We mourn for them, Unlucky boys of Red" - Morrissey
"Giggs gets past Viera, past Dixon, who comes back at him, it's a wonderful run from GIGGS!!!" - Martin Tyler
"He's got a man deep..wait, no that IS Mandeep!!" - Don Taylor
by Section 312 on Jul 12, 2010 1:59 PM EDT up reply actions
Nice.
More sincerially, what would you feel Gillis would expect for Bieksa? My guess is a high prospect, bc of contract status primarily, but what would be realistic from your POV?
More norrissey, less morrissey
Well as I said below
and sorry to repeat myself but basically I just want to get rid of his salary off of our books. But I don’t know what Gillis would want. Maybe a young talented third liner who could step up to 2nd line if need be? Someone on a pretty reasonable contract?
"We love them, We mourn for them, Unlucky boys of Red" - Morrissey
"Giggs gets past Viera, past Dixon, who comes back at him, it's a wonderful run from GIGGS!!!" - Martin Tyler
"He's got a man deep..wait, no that IS Mandeep!!" - Don Taylor
by Section 312 on Jul 12, 2010 2:32 PM EDT up reply actions
It’s been said that Gillis would want a warm body who can play in the line-up. Probably a fourth or third-liner.
So don't get violent and don't get caught with your head down, the night she stole the moon.
by thelastjohnny on Jul 12, 2010 2:33 PM EDT up reply actions
But we like to keep those guys so we can keep winning Calder’s.
4th Floor, is next, swimvare, undervare, Eric Fehr...
Your farm team
is Hershey correct?
"We love them, We mourn for them, Unlucky boys of Red" - Morrissey
"Giggs gets past Viera, past Dixon, who comes back at him, it's a wonderful run from GIGGS!!!" - Martin Tyler
"He's got a man deep..wait, no that IS Mandeep!!" - Don Taylor
by Section 312 on Jul 12, 2010 2:38 PM EDT up reply actions
Yes. I like Hershey but not at the expense of the big club.
4th Floor, is next, swimvare, undervare, Eric Fehr...
My buddy played there for a long time
so I used to follow them a little.
"We love them, We mourn for them, Unlucky boys of Red" - Morrissey
"Giggs gets past Viera, past Dixon, who comes back at him, it's a wonderful run from GIGGS!!!" - Martin Tyler
"He's got a man deep..wait, no that IS Mandeep!!" - Don Taylor
by Section 312 on Jul 12, 2010 2:40 PM EDT up reply actions
+++
Though he’s generally a solid defensive player, he does have a tendency to make high-profile defensive errors.
Choking since 1985.
Halifax gets a little crazy sometimes…
"My face is my mask."
by Jake Shapiro on Jul 12, 2010 1:47 PM EDT up reply actions
Not really. In Bieksa, we’d be paying for offensive upside that we honestly don’t really need (kinda similar to how we’re ostensibly paying Poti to be a powerplay QB). Mitchell is better defensively and will likely cost a bit less.
'Cause the end of what it was is what it is right now...
I’m not as down on Bieksa as some are (and certainly not as much as Canucks fans), but given salaries and the Caps’ need Mitchell is a better fit. The defensive contribution of any pickup on D is more important, and Mitchell is much better for the shutdown role the Caps really need filled.
Still, I don’t think the Caps are set at offense from the blueline. After Green they don’t have much, they really don’t (I’m not counting the Carlson chicken till it hatches), and it wouldn’t hurt to have Bieksa’s big shot and more traditional Dman offense.
Of all our iniquities ignorance may be the worst
by Killer_Carlson on Jul 12, 2010 1:03 PM EDT up reply actions
What good is a second offensive defenseman if the coach only trots out the top guy, even when he’s hurt?
Signed,
J.C. in Raleigh
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
What good is an offensive Dman that doesn’t want to win a battle to get the puck and plays with less heart than the cowardly lion?
Signed,
Caps fans
Sometimes you need a criminal lawyer, sometimes you need a criminal lawyer.
by Rob Parker on Jul 12, 2010 1:10 PM EDT up reply actions 2 recs
You know I’ve been one of Corvo’s biggest detractors, but BB’s refusal to give him a real sniff on the PP in the playoffs when Green almost literally could not shoot the puck was rather infuriating, no?
And the tin man was the one w/o a heart – the cowardly lion lacked courage. Needless to say, Corvo the Cap lacked both.
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
What was wrong with Green this time? Did news of an injury leak out?
The PP management, the line (non-) matching, shift length, HS decisions…it added up to a bad coaching performance, and it was frustrating as hell.
"You want to start being part of the Rink? Fine, but more’s expected of you than John/Jane Cap Fan. Carry the cause of informed discussion to the unwashed masses and don’t crap in the yards of other SBN sites if you decide to go over there. They’re passionate about their teams too, no need to troll elsewhere and/or be a sore winner." --BP
Green also said he has been fighting a wrist injury since April 3 when he took a slash in a game against Columbus. He said the injury didn’t affect him much in the playoffs. [Link]
Pretty sure I’d read/heard that it was impacting him on the ice, but I may be misremembering.
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
Ah, missed that one in the period of mourning, or just forgot about it.
He looked like he had something wrong, that’s for sure.
"You want to start being part of the Rink? Fine, but more’s expected of you than John/Jane Cap Fan. Carry the cause of informed discussion to the unwashed masses and don’t crap in the yards of other SBN sites if you decide to go over there. They’re passionate about their teams too, no need to troll elsewhere and/or be a sore winner." --BP
Snowmageddon?
"You want to start being part of the Rink? Fine, but more’s expected of you than John/Jane Cap Fan. Carry the cause of informed discussion to the unwashed masses and don’t crap in the yards of other SBN sites if you decide to go over there. They’re passionate about their teams too, no need to troll elsewhere and/or be a sore winner." --BP
actually, Mike missed both games at Pittsburgh this season, iirc.
#savethekittens!
Donation info for SAVES FOR KIDS 2010!! Make a difference.
The one I was thinking of is the last game at Mellon, in April. Green was out, Ersk was questionable, so they dragged Karl off the Mall, made him drive to HER to get his gear, drive back to Dulles to fly to PIT, then gave Ersk a sweater and sat Alzner. Then Ersk played for four minutes and was out the rest of the game.
I recall that game. I recall that for that game (and either the one before or the one after, I forget which), they said that Green was a “healthy” scratch and being “rested”
Yeah, right! I thought. I might have believed it for one game but not for two in a row.
Then, when news of a wrist injury leaked out, I thought, “Here we go again.” I was thinking about how Semin did when he was suffering from his wrist injuries and feared a similar performance from Green.
Rocking the Red since 1975
I’m pretty sure Green cited that as a reason not to go to the World Championships for Canada. Then again, he played like 50 combined minutes in the last two regular season games so it must not have been bothering him that much…
Sometimes you need a criminal lawyer, sometimes you need a criminal lawyer.
Vital ice time for the big guy.
"You want to start being part of the Rink? Fine, but more’s expected of you than John/Jane Cap Fan. Carry the cause of informed discussion to the unwashed masses and don’t crap in the yards of other SBN sites if you decide to go over there. They’re passionate about their teams too, no need to troll elsewhere and/or be a sore winner." --BP
eh. One thing I’ll never question about Green is how badly he wants to play for the Caps, sometimes to the point of stupidity. Wouldn’t surprise me if he was downplaying the extent his wrist was bothering him (if indeed it was) in a very misguided attempt to “help” his team.
Now, his passion for representing Canada after the Olympic selection?
#savethekittens!
Donation info for SAVES FOR KIDS 2010!! Make a difference.
BB knew Green was nursing an injury and not only dressed him but played him 25 minutes. Insane. I know Green probably hid the injury, but that’s still negligent by BB.
Sometimes you need a criminal lawyer, sometimes you need a criminal lawyer.
Trying to get him that elusive20th goalNorris Trophy.
ftfy
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
I agree, negligent. BB seems to be one of those coaches that says “Well, do you want to play?” and of course the guy is going to say yes, and so let’s the guy play. and that’s just plain stupid. Of course, makes me wonder where the trainers are in all of this.
#savethekittens!
Donation info for SAVES FOR KIDS 2010!! Make a difference.
Actually I thought he really wanted to go but GMGM wouldn’t let him because of the injury.
My guess is it wasn’t bad enough to sit him in the playoffs because it was the playoffs, but McPhee didn’t think it was necessary to play through injury for the WC (which I tend to agree with). Same with Backstrom, GMGM put his foot down there, too.
Haha. I even took a second to think and make sure I got the right character, and still blew it.
Yeah, you’re right. BB could have used Corvo more on PP2, but he also could have used Carlson more. Regardless of the PP issues, it can’t hurt to have more D that are comfortable with the puck. I was real excited for Corvo’s addition and he was a big disappointment (still don’t hate the trade).
Sometimes you need a criminal lawyer, sometimes you need a criminal lawyer.
Courage…
Coeur…
Heart…
Wait, you mean the Lion and the Tin Woodman basically wanted the same thing?
Atta dinnin stick a who!
by Gould Old Days on Jul 12, 2010 3:29 PM EDT up reply actions
To nail Dorothy?
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
by J.P. on Jul 12, 2010 3:54 PM EDT up reply actions 3 recs
I don’t think brains, hearts and courage were all those three were missing…
Atta dinnin stick a who!
by Gould Old Days on Jul 12, 2010 4:29 PM EDT up reply actions
I thought the scarecrow was the one without courage?
I never travel far....without a little Big Star...
Ron and Fez 11 to 3
by YvonLabresMoustache on Jul 12, 2010 2:46 PM EDT up reply actions
I have absolutely no hope that BB will give any Dman not named Green significant PP time. But the Caps could still use more offense from the blueline at even strength.
Of all our iniquities ignorance may be the worst
by Killer_Carlson on Jul 12, 2010 1:12 PM EDT up reply actions
The problem with the Caps’ offensive production from the backline has less to do with personnel and more to do with the system they play. The Caps score a lot off the rush and a lot off of the forwards cycling down low. They rarely pass the puck back to the points.
Given that Bieksa’s main offensive weapon is his shot and that the Caps’ offensive scheme lessens the impact of his shot, he’s going to provide less offensively to the Caps than he would to another organization.
'Cause the end of what it was is what it is right now...
Add that to the fact that his PP TOI would be way down, and yeah – the numbers would drop dramtically, I’d wager.
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
At which point, paying him almost $4m would seem really silly, given that Mitchell is the better player defensively and has a reputation as being more consistent/reliable, which is something this team could desperately use.
'Cause the end of what it was is what it is right now...
by D'ohboy on Jul 12, 2010 1:27 PM EDT up reply actions 2 recs
System is part of it, but so is personnel. Green doesn’t have a problem getting the puck passed to him at the point. Do the cycling forwards use the points more often if they have more than one Dman who is competent offensively?
Of all our iniquities ignorance may be the worst
by Killer_Carlson on Jul 12, 2010 2:12 PM EDT up reply actions
It’s possible, but I look at Poti, Pothier and Corvo, not to mention the games I’ve seen in Hershey (where they play the same system with entirely different personnel), and I think not.
Poti, Pothier and Corvo all had reputations as competent offensive defensemen (with the stats to back it up) before coming to the Caps. Even adjusting for ice time and special teams, they all saw their offensive performance dip to some degree. I don’t think it’s coincidental.
'Cause the end of what it was is what it is right now...
HER looks like they use the points a lot more, judging by what I saw against TEX.
Sometimes you need a criminal lawyer, sometimes you need a criminal lawyer.
Maybe that was the effect of having Carlson and Alzner up, combined with French taking over for Woods. My impression from watching them the year prior, as well as what I saw this year, was that they didn’t use their points nearly as often as they ought to have, particularly in the games early in the series when they struggled.
Odd how struggling against shot-blocking teams and an inability to get good shots from the point seem to coincide.
'Cause the end of what it was is what it is right now...
Maybe, but McNeil had some chances as well. I don’t know if that was a result of HER changing game plans or what, but I saw lots of pucks going to the point in the snippets of the finals I did see.
Sometimes you need a criminal lawyer, sometimes you need a criminal lawyer.
They changed things up substantially after game 2. They basically did what the Caps failed to do against Montreal. They got pucks to the points and traffic in front.
'Cause the end of what it was is what it is right now...
For Poti, at least, it was all PP TOI. His ES Pts actually went up, if I recall correctly.
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
Corvo played like garbage in the short time he was here and it’s not much of a sample size to say anything about. As JP pointed out, Poti got forced into a more defensive role and lost his PP TOI so that has a ton to do with the drop in points.
Still, I agree that BB needs to adjust the system a bit and use the points more. I don’t have a ton of faith that he will, but I know that not getting more effective shooters at the point certainly won’t help move him to change. Get him the personal to ad some versatility to the offense and if BB doesn’t do anything with it that’s on him.
Of all our iniquities ignorance may be the worst
by Killer_Carlson on Jul 12, 2010 10:32 PM EDT up reply actions
That’s a damned good point…but we’re going to see signs of maturation from BB this year, right? Right?
"You want to start being part of the Rink? Fine, but more’s expected of you than John/Jane Cap Fan. Carry the cause of informed discussion to the unwashed masses and don’t crap in the yards of other SBN sites if you decide to go over there. They’re passionate about their teams too, no need to troll elsewhere and/or be a sore winner." --BP
I fully expect BB to learn from his playoff experiences as well as the players. I really do believe that we all learn from our experiences, and I hope BB is reflecting upon what did and did not work in the decisions he made in that series. And that he paid attention to the adjustments made in Hershey’s Calder series. There were some eery parallels.
"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 Jul 12, 2010 8:09 PM EDT up reply actions
For me, this comes down to this question – what is he Caps most pressing need? Do they need someone to pair with Green, or do they need another right handed shot?
If I am looking for someone to pair with Green, Mitchell is the guy. Personally, I thought Schultz did a solid job with Green last season, and the Caps seem to have options in Poti and Alzner who could also fill in on the top pairing in a pinch.
On the other hand, among the 7 defensemen on the roster, the Caps only have 2 right-handed shots (Green and Carlson). Bieksa would fill a need on that side, not to mention some offense and a healthy dose of nastiness. Sounds like a good fit to me.
The only reason I hesitate to advocate for Bieksa is his cap hit. I don’t know if he is an almost $4 million defenseman, and he’s got durability issues.
Eh, screw it. I’m down for Bieksa.
At this point, I’d like to de-emphasize the R/L factor. How you play the position is what matters.
Choking since 1985.
You can de-emphasize it as much as you like, but as long as BB keeps selling it, we’ve gotta buy.
'Cause the end of what it was is what it is right now...
The biggest misconception about Bieksa is his durability.
Two freak injuries that sliced his calf open. Other than that, he has been pretty good overall.
Oh, and he wears kevlar socks now. I do agree that he is high risk/reward. But he might be just what you need.
At the very least, he brings his talents..plus truculence.
I don’t worry about Bieksa’s injuries from a durability standpoint (at least not when it comes to him being “injury-prone”, because I agree, those were two freak injuries). I worry that they’ve caused him to lose a step. Pre-injury I really liked him, so if he can show that he’s regained his skating stride…maybe worth looking at.
In 2007-8, he only played 34 games – were all those missed games due to that injury? I wasn’t able to watch much hockey then, so I honestly don’t know. And in 2008-9, he still missed 10 games – but again, I don’t know why. I wasn’t paying much attention to Vancouver then.
I vote Mitchell just because he fits our need better and wouldn’t require moving an asset. If he’s healthy enough to play he is the best fit for us. He’ll also be relatively cheap and short term. If he signs a two-year deal then his next contract is a 35+. I think that might convince him to take a one year deal to show he’s healthy and can play so he can land one last big under-35 deal. We’ll see what his skating looks like when he hits the ice, but if he’s recovered he’s my pick.
Bieksa is second. He’s on a one year deal so even if he’s marginally overpaid it’s not terrible and won’t impact our ability to re-sign the guys we need next year. He’d cost a decent asset to get him here, but if that asset is Flash then that’s just another mark in favor of acquiring him. I’m not so worried about his injury history because those are really freak injuries. He’s an immediate upgrade on our D and he’s versatile enough to play on either the second or third pair (assuming Green still holds down the righty spot on the top pair). He’ll be able to take minutes until Carlznerson is able to usurp his ice time. Also, his offensive potential would be a big help. We saw how the lack of offensive depth on the blueline cost us last season, I’d rather not learn that lesson again. MON collapsed the zone and we didn’t have enough D (and didn’t really use the ones we did have) at the point to make MON pay for collapsing. Contrast it with HER against TEX; HER got a lot of offensive contribution from their D and used the points to take advantage of the collapsing TEX team. Having one D on each pair that is competent with the puck would be a welcome change. No, Tom Poti does not count. Right now we have Green and Carlson. Getting a third pairing guy that doesn’t play hot potato would be nice.
Want no part of SOB. We’ve already got our own, superior, SOB (for now). He was absolutely brutal in the playoffs and his repeated ridiculous penalties were one of the biggest reasons LA’s PP was almost able to steal the series (the craptastic VAN PK was, of course, complicit in that failure). He strikes me as a younger Erskine. He has the physical package and people are just waiting for him to turn the corner. Too bad he’s on a career-long straightaway.
Sometimes you need a criminal lawyer, sometimes you need a criminal lawyer.
by Rob Parker on Jul 12, 2010 12:27 PM EDT reply actions 2 recs
great points on all 3. Mitchell seems to be the kind of guy George would take a flyer on and we already know how much Bruces loves him some R-L pairs. Mitchell also helps slot of pairs more appropriately: he would be great with Carlson if 55-52 remains intact (whereas Bieksa would bump Green Carlson down a rung almost certainly).
More norrissey, less morrissey
by bigonetimer on Jul 12, 2010 12:46 PM EDT up reply actions
Couldn’t have said it better myself. I would be happy with Mitchell or Bieksa (preference in that order) but just say no to SOB. He’s struggled to be at all useful on pretty stacked bluelines with ANA and VAN, and I don’t see him getting better playing with the Caps. I certainly don’t want a guy who major contribution is dumb penalties putting the Caps PK on the ice more often than it has to be.
Of all our iniquities ignorance may be the worst
by Killer_Carlson on Jul 12, 2010 1:08 PM EDT up reply actions
Why
dont you guys like Flash?
"But yeah…like CC…I harbour no ill will." - VancityDan
"One time I was invited to come to a social gathering. I was paid a handsome amount of money, and I brought a shotgun and a bottle of Tanqueray and showed those people the best f***ing time they’ve ever seen." - Kenny Powers of Eastbound and Down
C Henrik Sedin #33: Vancouver Canucks Alternate Captain, 2010 Art Ross Trophy Winner and 2010 Hart Memorial Trophy Winner
by Chuckles Canuckles on Jul 12, 2010 6:12 PM EDT up reply actions
He’s inconsistent, soft, constantly misses the net from 5-10 feet away, is prone to dumb giveaways, and doesn’t really have any major upside. The best thing he brings is the ability to be a 20-25 goal scorer – but the Caps have plenty of wingers who can do that. And Flash has only done that last season, when he had a hot start. He had 14 of his 23 goals before Christmas.
Pretty much this. He still has upside if he can get stronger (which maybe this off-season will allow him to do) but basically he’s a finesse/skill player and we’ve already got those. He doesn’t bring much else to the table so when he stops scoring he’s a waste of a jersey. And when he stops scoring is when the weather turns nice and the games start to matter.
Sometimes you need a criminal lawyer, sometimes you need a criminal lawyer.
I’d actually qualify that – getting a center and getting one of these guys aren’t necessarily mutually exclusive. If it’s Bieksa, however, the cap hit is enough that it would impact other roster moves, which is one (among many) reason I favor Mitchell here.
That said, I don’t think that’s what the initial comment was getting at, and if it was, it would’ve been better to have expounded upon that a bit more.
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
That’s fair, and I probably should have expounded more myself.
What I mean is, I can’t imagine getting O’Brien affects whether the Caps can add another center, which means acquiring one of the guys listed doesn’t prohibit the Caps from doing that. A premium on cap space would seem to me that it’s an O’Brien vote by default, unless it’s stated that the person’s not interested.
Nice.
More sincerially, what would you feel Gillis would expect for Bieksa? My guess is a high prospect, bc of contract status primarily, but what would be realistic from your POV?
More norrissey, less morrissey
I’m really not sure because I don’t have a great feel for the organization. My guess would be a top-six forward and something to help in the future, being it a prospect or pick(s). I think a lot of it’s going to come down to who makes the best offer, because Vancouver needs to move someone and Bieksa probably makes the most sense.
Hopefully one of our visitors from Nucks Misconduct can help out and give a better idea.
I don’t know your roster well enough…but a good prospect and a pick might be enough.
Though, with up to ten teams involved, you might have to pay a premium.
Depends what you want. Hey…you could always go after the Czech creampuff Kaberle instead!
We already have our own Czech creampuff in Flash.
by vtcapsfan99 on Jul 12, 2010 2:38 PM EDT up reply actions 2 recs
Recall, of course, that Gillis was Nylander’s agent during the whole Edmonton/Washington free agency fiasco (and was the inspiration for perhaps my favorite post title ever).
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
That is pretty clever
"We love them, We mourn for them, Unlucky boys of Red" - Morrissey
"Giggs gets past Viera, past Dixon, who comes back at him, it's a wonderful run from GIGGS!!!" - Martin Tyler
"He's got a man deep..wait, no that IS Mandeep!!" - Don Taylor
by Section 312 on Jul 12, 2010 2:39 PM EDT up reply actions
I’ll expound…
I just don’t buy into the whole “desperate for a shutdown d’man” thing, although I agree that the Caps need to improve on last year’s d-corps. I honestly think that people like Schultz and Alzner will step up and be more of a force around the net, and a couple of the kids might make some noise too.
If there was a Niedermayer or a Pronger available, that’s one thing, but trying to manufacture one by overpaying a decent d-man and giving up assets would be a mistake in my opinion. I also think it would be a mistake to spend up to the cap just because the money is there, save some for the trade deadline.
The Caps didn’t lose to the Habs because of a missing defenseman, they lost because the second line basically disappeared for the whole series.
I agree with you, but I don’t think anyone would expect any of these guys to come in and be an elite defenseman, or even a number one (or, with the possible exception of Mitchell, even a top-pairing guy). And while it’s true none are elite level, and the defense wasn’t the reason the Caps lost to the Habs, I think all three current/former Canucks are better than either John Erskine or Tyler Sloan.
Mitchell
1) All three are effective, and Bieksa is clearly the most talented, but Mitchell will likely have the lowest cap hit. If he is as healthy as he says he is, then the Caps can get him at a bargain.
2) Of all of these guys, Mitchell is the only one who can stop Ovechkin. In several Canucks-Caps games, Mitchell has been able to slow down AO. He hasn’t contained him completely, but Mitchell is a player that gets under his skin. Acquiring a player like that is a good thing. It goes back to the Gretzky trade to LA. There were at the time, only two players who gave Gretzky fits: Bob Gould and Mike Krushelnyski. The Oilers, during the late 80s, acquired Kru in order to help out Wayne, and when Wayne was traded to LA, he insisted that Kru be a part of the deal.
3) Mitchell is defensively the best of these three, and if he were to come to the Caps would be one of the top two defensive defensemen on the team along with Schultz.
4) Mitchell has a bit of a mean streak, something that is lacking on the Caps back line other than with Erskine…
Any of the three of them would be an upgrade as the 6th d-man, but Mitchell is probably the lowest risk in terms of financials, and has a great reward potential.
Washington Capitals 2009-10 = Quebec Nordiques 1994-95
--- D'ohboy
by MikeL-Pivonka on Jul 12, 2010 12:44 PM EDT reply actions 2 recs
Rec’d for the Bob Gould love. Mario Lemieux isn’t the only superstar he had an answer for…
Atta dinnin stick a who!
by Gould Old Days on Jul 12, 2010 3:34 PM EDT up reply actions
Howsabout none of the above?
Not a big fan of Bieksa. Heck, that’s even an understatement. The way most Cap fans feel about Fleischmann is the about the way Canuck fans feel about Bieska, except that Flash hasn’t had the amount of major screwups Bieska has had. The man’s been horribly erratic for 2 years now. He’s a headcase, and I don’t think the Caps lockerroom needs that.
I’d sign Mitchell in a heartbeat, but his slow recovery makes me pause and then stop. He’d be a big health risk, even at a one-year deal, and the Capitals need someone on the blueline so that Erskine and Sloan aren’t platooning as the No. 6 D-man.
O’Brien’s a non-starter, for reasons already explained.
Somebody a few days ago brought up Mike Mattou from the Devils. And I’m beginning to warm to that idea….
Trust me, you’re not going to like him. He’s either a quietly effective guy or he’s plain horrible. And he tends to be the latter more often.
In Lou We Trust: Now More productive than a New Jersey Devils Powerplay
"Pfft, Wii’s where it’s at. *Swings toy plastic racquet, separates shoulder"- RudyKelly
by Kevin Sellathamby on Jul 12, 2010 1:38 PM EDT up reply actions
Since you’re here, thoughts on Andy Greene? Saw he’s a pretty cheap UFA next year, anything to him?
Look at this signature line. Notice the lack of spelling errors and self-whoring?
by Bald Pollack on Jul 12, 2010 1:42 PM EDT up reply actions
He’s a real good player. He’s an excellent skater, can log big minutes at ES and on Special Teams. His size is a concern, as he does have a tendency to get bullied by some of the bigger players. However, i doubt the Devils are going to let him walk come 2011, they need a puck mover badly and i’m not too sure about some of the defensive prospects’ futures.
In Lou We Trust: Now More productive than a New Jersey Devils Powerplay
"Pfft, Wii’s where it’s at. *Swings toy plastic racquet, separates shoulder"- RudyKelly
by Kevin Sellathamby on Jul 12, 2010 1:45 PM EDT up reply actions
Got it. Hadn’t seen him play too much and seemed to do well at ES, though I wasn’t sure how solid he was defensively. I’d have to think he leaves if Lou doesn’t tie him down longer term.
Look at this signature line. Notice the lack of spelling errors and self-whoring?
by Bald Pollack on Jul 12, 2010 1:51 PM EDT up reply actions
Thing is, he hasn’t shown alot at the NHL. He would’ve been buried in the depth charts if Martin didn’t miss 59 games or if the Devils 2nd best defenseman wasn’t Colin White. This year will prove everything for him. If he can put up similar numbers to last year, then he gets re-signed. If he has average numbers and falls below White on the charts, then he’s likely a goner.
In Lou We Trust: Now More productive than a New Jersey Devils Powerplay
"Pfft, Wii’s where it’s at. *Swings toy plastic racquet, separates shoulder"- RudyKelly
by Kevin Sellathamby on Jul 12, 2010 1:55 PM EDT up reply actions
Kellyn came by and was so kind as to explain that Andy Greene is actually a better player than Mike Green. I’m guessing 4 years @ 6 million should do it then.
Sometimes you need a criminal lawyer, sometimes you need a criminal lawyer.
yeah, where is she? It’s been awhile since she’s tried to enlighten us mouth breathers.
#savethekittens!
Donation info for SAVES FOR KIDS 2010!! Make a difference.
Well I saw something that she disowned the Devils and became a Pens fan after the first round. So maybe a Habs fan now? Or probably Flyers.
Sometimes you need a criminal lawyer, sometimes you need a criminal lawyer.
oh, one of those. She’s probably also a Miami Heat fan.
#savethekittens!
Donation info for SAVES FOR KIDS 2010!! Make a difference.
If she became a Flyers fan John would ban her. John hates Flyers and Rangers fans, and he hates Devils fans cheering for them even more.
In Lou We Trust: Now More productive than a New Jersey Devils Powerplay
"Pfft, Wii’s where it’s at. *Swings toy plastic racquet, separates shoulder"- RudyKelly
by Kevin Sellathamby on Jul 12, 2010 2:25 PM EDT up reply actions
Well not ban her, but despise her alot.
In Lou We Trust: Now More productive than a New Jersey Devils Powerplay
"Pfft, Wii’s where it’s at. *Swings toy plastic racquet, separates shoulder"- RudyKelly
by Kevin Sellathamby on Jul 12, 2010 2:25 PM EDT up reply actions
Hey, I got the damned surgery on my septum so I don’t breathe through my mouth anymore, thanks very much.
'Cause the end of what it was is what it is right now...
sorry, sorry! “yeah, where is she? It’s been awhile since she’s tried to enlighten D’ohboy and us mouth breathers.”
#savethekittens!
Donation info for SAVES FOR KIDS 2010!! Make a difference.
Defensively, perhaps. Offensively, it’s a no contest (by a mile).
In Lou We Trust: Now More productive than a New Jersey Devils Powerplay
"Pfft, Wii’s where it’s at. *Swings toy plastic racquet, separates shoulder"- RudyKelly
by Kevin Sellathamby on Jul 12, 2010 2:24 PM EDT up reply actions
I’d take Mike in either situation.
Sometimes you need a criminal lawyer, sometimes you need a criminal lawyer.
As much as i rip on him, i’d take him over Andy Greene. Green has had 3 good seasons, while Greene only got one because Martin missed 59 games. Greene is good, but he’s not Mike Green.
In Lou We Trust: Now More productive than a New Jersey Devils Powerplay
"Pfft, Wii’s where it’s at. *Swings toy plastic racquet, separates shoulder"- RudyKelly
by Kevin Sellathamby on Jul 12, 2010 2:26 PM EDT up reply actions
I posted this on Day Two of free agency, but figured it’d add to the conversation here as well:
While I’ve watched the two coveted Canucks – Mitchell and Bieksa – a bit, I figured I’d reach out to someone who has watched them all the time, namely Yankee Canuck from Nucks Misconduct. Here’s what he had to say about the two:
Mitchell is the tougher one to lose. He’s been out since January since dealing with a concussion (thanks to your pal Malkin) but is supposed to begin skating in two weeks. I can’t imagine a team would sign him before then but who knows. Assuming he returns to normal, he’ll be tough to replace (Hamhuis and Ballard may do it together, but not separately). Tough as nails, plays all the tough minutes and zone
starts against the best the opposition has and a team-first type player that fans will love. Just a trust worthy shutdown D. His one con is he can be made to be a pylon against speedier players, something Chicago has done to him a few times.
Bieksa is an enigma, definitely high risk/high reward. He can explode offensively one season and fall off the map the next. He’s only played 80+ games once in his five seasons, so for a tough guy he’s oddly prone to weird injuries (like skates slicing his calf open for instance). He can fight one game and be disinterested the next. But the most vexing thing for whoever gets him is he’s prone to horrible defensive gaffes. He frequently reads the play completely wrong. In fact, assuming he is moved, his last couple games for Vancouver is a good example of who he is: he lead all VAN defenseman in points in the playoffs and scored two goals in game five, but in game six he made a horrendous turn over to allow Chicago to score on an odd-man rush and ended the game -2. If another coach can get him to be consistent, he could stay a top four, maybe progress to a top two guy. But Vigneault could never do it.
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
by J.P. on Jul 12, 2010 12:55 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
gaaaaahhh. Do. Not. Want.
Bieksa is an enigma, definitely high risk/high reward. He can explode offensively one season and fall off the map the next. He’s only played 80+ games once in his five seasons, so for a tough guy he’s oddly prone to weird injuries (like skates slicing his calf open for instance). He can fight one game and be disinterested the next. But the most vexing thing for whoever gets him is he’s prone to horrible defensive gaffes. He frequently reads the play completely wrong.
"By far the worst performers on the team are in the front office." – Sally Jenkins
Mitchell, provided he’ll sign for either 1 year or 2 years.
Bieksa I don’t know too much about, but the reviews give me pause.
O’Brien I don’t want any part of.
"You want to start being part of the Rink? Fine, but more’s expected of you than John/Jane Cap Fan. Carry the cause of informed discussion to the unwashed masses and don’t crap in the yards of other SBN sites if you decide to go over there. They’re passionate about their teams too, no need to troll elsewhere and/or be a sore winner." --BP
All 3 have pretty big question marks surrounding them. Mitchell hasn’t been on skates since Malkin’s hit. Bieksa has been wildly inconsistent over the past two seasons. Maybe that’s due to the two serious skate cut injuries he’s sustained, I don’t know. He brings toughness and has played well in the past (hence the big contract). O’Brien just seems like a big kid, and a dumb one at that. He’s willing to skate through a wall, but he couldn’t spell it. There’s a reason he signed the first offer Gillis sent his way.
It seems Bieksa is the leading candidate to be moved, although Gillis said he had no plans to move him. Canucks are bumping up against the cap as it stands right now, with Mason Raymond and Jannick Hansen yet to be signed. Moving Bieksa’s contract would be a big help in that regard. I don’t know much about the Cap’s needs, other than maybe they could tighten up their D somewhat. Personally, I think you guys would do better by taking a flyer with Willie, and hope his health improves during the summer.
A creep from the cradle, but a hero's what I want to be
Dude what kind of sales pitch was that?
Take all three of them….please….they are all excellent D men and great guys too. Bieksa will make you breakfast every morning and no one makes a coffee run like Willie Mitchell. SOB will take you out on the town at night and the next morning the other two will help nurse your hang over. Plus they are some of the best defensemen the league has ever seen.
"We love them, We mourn for them, Unlucky boys of Red" - Morrissey
"Giggs gets past Viera, past Dixon, who comes back at him, it's a wonderful run from GIGGS!!!" - Martin Tyler
"He's got a man deep..wait, no that IS Mandeep!!" - Don Taylor
by Section 312 on Jul 12, 2010 1:45 PM EDT up reply actions
Let their agents do the glad handing. People ask me something, I answer. Caveats and all.
A creep from the cradle, but a hero's what I want to be
Correction:
SOB will take you out to the town’s best club EVERY NIGHT.
by Vancouverguy on Jul 13, 2010 1:15 AM EDT up reply actions
The Caps could indeed use an upgrade on the blueline.
Even more pressing, though, is their need for someone to center the second and third lines. They could probably muddle through with their D corps as-is. Maybe.
They’ll be going nowhere without someone to play center. The only in-house solutions are either definitely bad (Fleischmann), probably bad (Brooks Laich), or full of uncertainty (Marcus Johannson and Matt Perreault, who played last year in the Swedish Elite League and the AHL, respectively).
If an acquisition on D binds them to one of the in-house solutions, and that solution doesn’t work out, it could be a real long year.
"You want to start being part of the Rink? Fine, but more’s expected of you than John/Jane Cap Fan. Carry the cause of informed discussion to the unwashed masses and don’t crap in the yards of other SBN sites if you decide to go over there. They’re passionate about their teams too, no need to troll elsewhere and/or be a sore winner." --BP
How are you guys for right handed shots on the back end?
Cause if you need one Bieksa might be your man.
"We love them, We mourn for them, Unlucky boys of Red" - Morrissey
"Giggs gets past Viera, past Dixon, who comes back at him, it's a wonderful run from GIGGS!!!" - Martin Tyler
"He's got a man deep..wait, no that IS Mandeep!!" - Don Taylor
by Section 312 on Jul 12, 2010 1:59 PM EDT up reply actions
Boudreau is obsessed with balancing the D pair as far as L/R goes, and there are two on the roster now, but I sincerely hope that’s not the consideration that drives this whole thing.
"You want to start being part of the Rink? Fine, but more’s expected of you than John/Jane Cap Fan. Carry the cause of informed discussion to the unwashed masses and don’t crap in the yards of other SBN sites if you decide to go over there. They’re passionate about their teams too, no need to troll elsewhere and/or be a sore winner." --BP
Just put a guy right behind the net, since the puck will inevitably get there after Bieksa shoots it.
by Vancouverguy on Jul 13, 2010 1:16 AM EDT up reply actions
Not a Bad Thing...
…Bear in mind that Bourque had not only a huge number of shots on net, often tops of the Bruins, but also one of the worst shooting percentages. Being unafraid to shoot is an asset.
Added bonus on Mitchell – b/t him and Ovi, Malkin will shake at the thought of playing the Caps.
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
And between him and Schultz we might actually be able to keep Malkin under control.
Sometimes you need a criminal lawyer, sometimes you need a criminal lawyer.
I think I like Bieksa more than the average poster at Nucksmisconduct. It’s true he’s been on-again-off-again. But I think if he avoids freak accidents and can get through a season, he’ll be able to raise his game. Also, check this out, wouldn’t you want a guy who can do this to the Captain of the Eastern Conference champions? Check out the freaking superman punch! Only one I’ve seen so far in the NHL:
by Beantown Canuck on Jul 12, 2010 2:02 PM EDT reply actions
Not the only one Beantown. I like him too. He just gets to be the fan whipping boy sometimes…that puts him under the microscope, and every little mistake is amplified.
Every team has one. Sounds like “Flash” is yours in Capland.
Bieksa with a new home could be a great pickup.
Honest!
I like him too
I just want his number off of our cap. Salo too if I had my way but that’s not happening. But Bieksa is close to 4 million this year and I would love to have that money to spend on our bottom 6.
"We love them, We mourn for them, Unlucky boys of Red" - Morrissey
"Giggs gets past Viera, past Dixon, who comes back at him, it's a wonderful run from GIGGS!!!" - Martin Tyler
"He's got a man deep..wait, no that IS Mandeep!!" - Don Taylor
by Section 312 on Jul 12, 2010 2:07 PM EDT up reply actions
But come on Caps fans… watch that clip and tell me it is not CRAZY AWESOME!
by Beantown Canuck on Jul 12, 2010 2:10 PM EDT up reply actions
I think Bieksa would do very well with a change of scenery; he does have some raw talent, and he’s human so he makes mistakes sometimes. In Vancouver, because of the way he came on at first, expectations were felt like they weren’t met, so he’s become the whipping boy. I do it too. He’s our player we love to hate. It’s not cuz he’s bad, it’s cuz that’s what he is, and it won’t change in vancouver unless he has a norris-worthy season or two. Which is kind of sad.
My honest opinion is that Willie Mitchell won’t go to the East if he can help it; if no one else calls maybe he’ll go to a real contender (which u guys would be), but I think he’d much rather stay out west if he can. My belief is that Mike Gillis will give him a contract if he’ll give Mike Gillis a discount. I think that’s the most likely scenario for him. Like section, I think it would be great to lose some cap, but I don’t think mitchell is where management wants to lose that cap.
Regarding SOB, I think he will be a really good #3/4 defenseman when he matures. Just the difference between 2008/09 and 2009/10 was pretty impressive, and with all the injuries we took at the end he was playing top four minutes and (more importantly) didn’t look completely out of place doing it. If I had my druthers i’d keep him instead of Bieksa in a second…but thankfully for the other vancouver fans I don’t make those decisions. I think if you got O’Brien you wouldn’t be disappointed with the trade, and he could come pretty cheap too if you decided to sign him longer term.
The artist formerly known as GAHHHHH!
"You'll be playing in England the rest of your career" Alex Burrows
"I'm not a water dwelling mammal, where did you get that preposterous hypothesis, did steve tell you that?" FotC
Don’t worry, Section, Salo will be off the books after next season. Then the ’Nucks can make their play for Shea Weber.
A creep from the cradle, but a hero's what I want to be
Oh really?
What play do we have that lands us Weber?
"We love them, We mourn for them, Unlucky boys of Red" - Morrissey
"Giggs gets past Viera, past Dixon, who comes back at him, it's a wonderful run from GIGGS!!!" - Martin Tyler
"He's got a man deep..wait, no that IS Mandeep!!" - Don Taylor
by Section 312 on Jul 12, 2010 8:19 PM EDT up reply actions
because no one wants to play in Nashville?
#savethekittens!
Donation info for SAVES FOR KIDS 2010!! Make a difference.
Maybe not
I just don’t see the Canucks being able to offer enough to get him here. He is a RFA after this year no? A sign and trade type deal would be the best way to land him if he wants out of Nashville, which I doubt he does, and we wouldn’t be able to put together a competitive enough package to land him unless we sold the farm. Hodgson, Schnieder, Schroeder, and a pick or something like that. That’s all of our organizational depth.
"We love them, We mourn for them, Unlucky boys of Red" - Morrissey
"Giggs gets past Viera, past Dixon, who comes back at him, it's a wonderful run from GIGGS!!!" - Martin Tyler
"He's got a man deep..wait, no that IS Mandeep!!" - Don Taylor
by Section 312 on Jul 12, 2010 8:25 PM EDT up reply actions
That’s too many forwards for Poile.
Sometimes you need a criminal lawyer, sometimes you need a criminal lawyer.
They need a forward who can keep up with Lombardi
so that’s why I threw in Shroeder.
"We love them, We mourn for them, Unlucky boys of Red" - Morrissey
"Giggs gets past Viera, past Dixon, who comes back at him, it's a wonderful run from GIGGS!!!" - Martin Tyler
"He's got a man deep..wait, no that IS Mandeep!!" - Don Taylor
by Section 312 on Jul 12, 2010 8:34 PM EDT up reply actions
Have we started the 2011 Rosterbation already?
Weber? me like!
by Vancouverguy on Jul 13, 2010 1:17 AM EDT up reply actions
Isn't that called premature rosterbation?
I thought guys didn’t like that.
Girls too for that matter…
Sorry, but I can’t fathom any realistic deal that gets Weber out of Nashville. He loves it here, he’s captain, best player, and Poile is working to re-sign him as we type. I wouldn’t take Kesler for Weber if that gives you any idea of his untouchable-ness.
On the Forecheck: preaching the Predators' gospel to the unwashed masses.
by Chris Burton on Jul 13, 2010 1:09 PM EDT up reply actions
I agree
it’s a pipe dream. We should focus on Jack Johnson and Drew Doughty who are both RFA’s after this season. It’s pretty unlikely you could get either of them but slightly more likely than getting Weber.
"We love them, We mourn for them, Unlucky boys of Red" - Morrissey
"Giggs gets past Viera, past Dixon, who comes back at him, it's a wonderful run from GIGGS!!!" - Martin Tyler
"He's got a man deep..wait, no that IS Mandeep!!" - Don Taylor
by Section 312 on Jul 13, 2010 2:08 PM EDT up reply actions
JJ you could get, but there’s zero chance you get DD. Given age, I don’t think there’s a D in the league you trade straight up for Doughty and the Kings certainly don’t have a forward of that caliber on the team – he’s probably a King for life.
Only YOU can prevent idiots from commenting!
by Knee high to a duck on Jul 13, 2010 6:24 PM EDT up reply actions
HEY! ;)
On the Forecheck: preaching the Predators' gospel to the unwashed masses.
by Chris Burton on Jul 13, 2010 1:06 PM EDT up reply actions
Throughout Capsland in general, there seems to be more criticism of Schultz than any D man in general. There was a lot of criticism of Green after the playoffs as well.
Other than that, our defense as a whole gets criticized.
Among forwards, it’s Semin followed by Flash. But Semin is perceived as having more of an upside.
Rocking the Red since 1975
Flash is way more than the whipping boy of the masses…he’s the softest piece of crap ever (and I watched Jagr, so I don’t say this lightly) to ever put on a Caps uniform. 25 goals for in October – December, 100 goals against conceded after that.
"You want to start being part of the Rink? Fine, but more’s expected of you than John/Jane Cap Fan. Carry the cause of informed discussion to the unwashed masses and don’t crap in the yards of other SBN sites if you decide to go over there. They’re passionate about their teams too, no need to troll elsewhere and/or be a sore winner." --BP
Btw, thanks to all the Nucks Misconduct folks for coming over and adding to the discussion.
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
Thanks for welcoming us
and again…please take Bieksa.
"We love them, We mourn for them, Unlucky boys of Red" - Morrissey
"Giggs gets past Viera, past Dixon, who comes back at him, it's a wonderful run from GIGGS!!!" - Martin Tyler
"He's got a man deep..wait, no that IS Mandeep!!" - Don Taylor
by Section 312 on Jul 12, 2010 2:05 PM EDT up reply actions
Call Gillis and you can have a top 6 winger that can score 20 goals and might get less than 3.5 in arbitration and is tissue soft and guaranteed to disappear in the playoffs.
Sometimes you need a criminal lawyer, sometimes you need a criminal lawyer.
I was hoping for a 4th line guys with hands of stone
who will hit anything that moves. Got any of those?
"We love them, We mourn for them, Unlucky boys of Red" - Morrissey
"Giggs gets past Viera, past Dixon, who comes back at him, it's a wonderful run from GIGGS!!!" - Martin Tyler
"He's got a man deep..wait, no that IS Mandeep!!" - Don Taylor
by Section 312 on Jul 12, 2010 2:14 PM EDT up reply actions
Sure. You can have Joe Finley for Bieksa.
by David Getz on Jul 12, 2010 2:15 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
He is listed as a D man
we have plenty of those. Too many in fact. I just want a 4th line guy who makes close to league minimum and you can have Bieksa. I literally just want his cap hit off our books.
"We love them, We mourn for them, Unlucky boys of Red" - Morrissey
"Giggs gets past Viera, past Dixon, who comes back at him, it's a wonderful run from GIGGS!!!" - Martin Tyler
"He's got a man deep..wait, no that IS Mandeep!!" - Don Taylor
by Section 312 on Jul 12, 2010 2:17 PM EDT up reply actions
I thought Flash’s arb wasn’t until July 28. Sounds like you got an advance copy?
Choking since 1985.
Just an educated guess. I bet he comes in between 3-3.5. We can hash it out during the Mock Arbitration.
Sometimes you need a criminal lawyer, sometimes you need a criminal lawyer.
Will Judge Reinhold be there?
'Cause the end of what it was is what it is right now...
by D'ohboy on Jul 12, 2010 3:01 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
And that is terrible asset management. Which is why he should have traded him already.
Sometimes you need a criminal lawyer, sometimes you need a criminal lawyer.
by Rob Parker on Jul 12, 2010 3:54 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Perhaps even funnier would be an arb awarding him 3M, the Caps walking away, and then no one offering him that much.
Choking since 1985.
Of course I’d smile seeing Flash and his agent overplay their hand, but at the end of the day losing Flash for nothing is just stupid.
And, FWIW, that’s exactly what happened with Zherdev. He got 3.9, Rags walked, Zherdev became UFA, nobody was even close to matching the 3.9 so he went to the KHL.
Sometimes you need a criminal lawyer, sometimes you need a criminal lawyer.
Frankly, I think signing Zherdev back up last would have been a smarter move than signing Brash to a 2 year deal, not to mention signing Bougaard this year. And some of the other not so bright moves the Rangers have made in recent years.
Yes, Zherdev is inconsistent and has issues but …..
Rocking the Red since 1975
Well that’s a different issue. Of course the Rags management is terrible, with a couple exceptions. I don’t think Zherdev was worth 3.9, especially coming off that playoffs he had. That was straight up pathetic.
Sometimes you need a criminal lawyer, sometimes you need a criminal lawyer.
But send something back. We’ll take Laich. There’s all kinds of motorists he can rescue here in Van.
A creep from the cradle, but a hero's what I want to be
hands off our favorite tire changer!
#savethekittens!
Donation info for SAVES FOR KIDS 2010!! Make a difference.
That picture...
Instead of one of those defensemen, can we just have Cal Clutterbuck?
I never travel far....without a little Big Star...
Ron and Fez 11 to 3
by YvonLabresMoustache on Jul 12, 2010 2:49 PM EDT reply actions
I wish!!!
But it would be fun to have a pest.
I never travel far....without a little Big Star...
Ron and Fez 11 to 3
by YvonLabresMoustache on Jul 12, 2010 3:06 PM EDT up reply actions
O'Brien's out, for the 45 who cared
Full story about his resigning here. Looks like our fanciful notions will have to be fulfilled by either Mitchell or Bieksa… both of which command salaries in this inflated UFA season that likely exceed GM GM’s “defense was not our problem” mentality.
It’s nice to dream though.
"Baseball was my first love... hockey is a sultry temptress and stole my heart." - Corey Masisak
Thats just a one year deal. He signed to avoid arbitration, which would have been painful for him.
Best season ever on the ice…not so much off it.
Obrien is definitely still a possibility through trade.
What he said. SOB could get us some valuable picks from somewhere and save us a bit of cap space. I’d still like to keep him though…Vancouver is sorely lacking in super enthusiastic highly emotional team members. Burrows, Kesler, SOB…who else is jumping around grinning and dancing on our team?
The artist formerly known as GAHHHHH!
"You'll be playing in England the rest of your career" Alex Burrows
"I'm not a water dwelling mammal, where did you get that preposterous hypothesis, did steve tell you that?" FotC
I was wondering about him signing the standard offer sheet… better that though than arbitration, agreed. Still don’t think you’d give an offer sheet and then trade him immediately… maybe by next March 3rd, however.
"Baseball was my first love... hockey is a sultry temptress and stole my heart." - Corey Masisak
My dreams had nothing to do with O’Brien.
Bieksa isn’t a UFA, so while he’s a little overplayed the Caps can handle it for the last year of his deal. Mitchell is a UFA, but with his age and coming off a concussion he likely won’t be signed for the same inflated contract as other UFAs. He’d be like the Knuble signing: an older guy who isn’t the best guy on the market, but the best fit. That’s the kind of UFA GMGM loves.
Of all our iniquities ignorance may be the worst
by Killer_Carlson on Jul 12, 2010 10:43 PM EDT up reply actions
For Your Consideration
My read on these guys – and it looks like you’ve already taken a look at Nucks Misconduct – is this:
Mitchell is the best of the three, though he’s pretty much one-dimensional. Fantastic shut-down guy, great size, good in the room, and the only player with a longer stick is Chara, and that’s only because Chara got an exemption from the NHL. Mitchell has tried a few slap shots over the past couple seasons… let’s just say it’s as good as Wendel Clark’s was: if it got through, it was because the goalie was in shock.
Bieksa has huge enthusiasm and is a walking adrenaline boost for the team, sometimes to the team’s detriment. He’s a good (not great) fighter and got a pretty good shot, but he’s more likely to score by jumping into the play: he’s been the scorer on more than a couple 2-on-1s. His calf injuries were freak events, and won’t happen again. His temper is a bit of a problem, and can get frustrated and end up in the box.
O’Brien’s problems have been off the ice more than on it – arguments with coaches, public fights with management, general maturity. He seems to be apologetic and does acknowledge what’s happened in the past, and promises it will stay there. We’ll see. As for his skill set, he can fight and is improving his defence and offence, but neither will be great. A third pairing guy until he proves otherwise.
As for contracts, Bieksa has had his energy role replaced by Ballard, and his offence by Ehrhoff, so he’s come available. The contract is only a single year at $3.5 million ($250K higher cap hit), so even if he doesn’t work out, he’s off the books quick.
O’Brien signed on for a single year at $1.6 million, and is bing pushed around the depth chart, ranked anywhere from fifth to seventh with Rome and Alberts, both of whom are cheaper, but with less certain skill levels and fewer headaches off-ice.
Mitchell is a wild card in that he may have to prove himself healthy with a low, single-year deal. On the other hand, he’s got excellent skill and leadership, and someone may be willing to go higher for the chance to get him. However, he loves playing in Vancouver, and could be hard to pull away, as he has to know Vancouver wants him back – if he’s healthy. He hasn’t signed with anyone yet, and you have to wonder why not.
Given that Chicago retained Hjalmarsson, I gotta think that San Jose is now looking for a top-pairing guy to put with Boyle. And because I get the impression that Mitchell isn’t enthusiastic about moving across the continent, I wouldn’t be surprised to see him end up in San Jose on a one- or two-year deal for a 3.5 mil cap hit.
In that case, I think Bieksa’s probably a good option.
"Ovechkin, what is good in life?"
"To crush your enemies. To see them driven before you. And to hear the lamentations of their captain."
The other thing for Caps fans to remember is, there are a bunch of teams looking to upgrade the blue line.
Sure, the Hawks are out of that cuz they spend money like a student with his first Visa card, but the Sharks, Jackets, Coyotes and others in the West, and I am sure teams in the East too…all those that missed on the big UFAs in this Year of the D’man will be looking to improve the blue line.
In a sellers’ market, the Canucks, the Leafs, and maybe a couple others are the big winners…in that they have a surplus.
So, do you want ours, or theirs?
I am sure you could get Finger, or Kaberle. One is damaged goods though, and the other is the most overhyped player in the league.
The guys from Vancouver look to be better deals than what is out there.
No thanks to Finger or Kaberle. Caps have literally zero need for Kaberle. We have Mike Green, we don’t need older, softer, less talented Mike Green. We also don’t need to eat that terrible Finger contract. We have our own guys to worry about signing and 3.5 this year and next isn’t going to help us do that. We’ve got holes to fill, but one Finger doesn’t adequately fill a hole.
Sometimes you need a criminal lawyer, sometimes you need a criminal lawyer.
I don’t want to know where that Finger has been if it doesn’t adequately fill a hole…..
#savethekittens!
Donation info for SAVES FOR KIDS 2010!! Make a difference.
Unless the Finger belongs to a little Dutch boy.
Atta dinnin stick a who!
by Gould Old Days on Jul 12, 2010 7:30 PM EDT up reply actions
Fucking Dutch. If you can’t beat ’em, cleat ’em. I got a finger for Van Bommel…
Sometimes you need a criminal lawyer, sometimes you need a criminal lawyer.
*
Guess I should add that I have another for De Jong as well.
Sometimes you need a criminal lawyer, sometimes you need a criminal lawyer.
That was f-ing awesome. As much as I enjoyed Netherland’s play before the finals, and understand the necessity of their strategy IN the finals…. I can’t refute that it was a poor performance in a world-wide soccer showcase.
by Vancouverguy on Jul 13, 2010 1:24 AM EDT up reply actions
How that was a yellow and not a red huh?
Reminded me of old reruns of Eric Cantona going all Jackie Chan.
It wasn't a red card
because it was accidental. He raised his boot going for the ball which is a free kick. He made contact by accident cause he was looking at the ball so that’s a yellow. If he had been looking right at Alonso then it’s a red.
"We love them, We mourn for them, Unlucky boys of Red" - Morrissey
"Giggs gets past Viera, past Dixon, who comes back at him, it's a wonderful run from GIGGS!!!" - Martin Tyler
"He's got a man deep..wait, no that IS Mandeep!!" - Don Taylor
by Section 312 on Jul 13, 2010 2:10 PM EDT up reply actions
His head is high…the ball was high. I see him looking at it, but aren’t you supposed to be responsible for what happens? I see them throwing cards around all the time when a guy comes in at thigh level on a 50/50 ball.
Dude was far higher than that, with more than Xavi Alonso around. pretty irresponsible.
I would have gave him a red just for jumping into a group of guys that way with studs out.
What did he think was going to happen?
I can see where the ref thought it a yellow based on your explanation. Just thought it about the worst example of the thuggish style the Dutch tried to play.
If he was following the ball
how would he know how many people were around? You start giving red cards for that and where does it stop? Every time someone accidentally runs into someone they get sent off? What about accidental head collisions? Red cards? I just don’t see how that is a red card. He was trying to play the ball and he did so dangerously. He got a yellow card. What’s the problem? Let’s let players play and decide the game. Xabi Alonso came back on and was OK.
"We love them, We mourn for them, Unlucky boys of Red" - Morrissey
"Giggs gets past Viera, past Dixon, who comes back at him, it's a wonderful run from GIGGS!!!" - Martin Tyler
"He's got a man deep..wait, no that IS Mandeep!!" - Don Taylor
by Section 312 on Jul 13, 2010 2:41 PM EDT up reply actions
Where does it end? How about you just limit it to people that karate kick someone in the chest. I saw exactly one of those in that game. Not exactly a slippery slope. Pretty much every commenter agreed it was a red, including the Dutch analyst and De Jong himself.
Sometimes you need a criminal lawyer, sometimes you need a criminal lawyer.
He didn't karate kick him anywhere
he jumped to play the ball and made contact with another player. That isn’t a karate kick. That’s a soccer kick. It’s not like he round house kicked him in the mouth. He had his boot high trying to control the ball and ran into someone. I mean kicking things has a place in this sport so calling it a karate kick is a bit faulty. And I don’t care if God himself thought it was a red card. I didn’t and never will.
"We love them, We mourn for them, Unlucky boys of Red" - Morrissey
"Giggs gets past Viera, past Dixon, who comes back at him, it's a wonderful run from GIGGS!!!" - Martin Tyler
"He's got a man deep..wait, no that IS Mandeep!!" - Don Taylor
by Section 312 on Jul 13, 2010 3:20 PM EDT up reply actions
The ball wasn't even close
Seriously, there was no chance he was going to do anything but kick Alonso in the chest.
Sometimes you need a criminal lawyer, sometimes you need a criminal lawyer.
I agree it was a late challenge
it was late and high and dangerous therefore a yellow card. From other angles you can see his eyes are on the ball the whole time. That’s the bottom line. His eyes were on the ball. So he had no idea he was going to run into Alonso until it happened. He got beat to the ball and had his boot high so he got a yellow. I don’t see what the big issue is.
"We love them, We mourn for them, Unlucky boys of Red" - Morrissey
"Giggs gets past Viera, past Dixon, who comes back at him, it's a wonderful run from GIGGS!!!" - Martin Tyler
"He's got a man deep..wait, no that IS Mandeep!!" - Don Taylor
by Section 312 on Jul 13, 2010 5:22 PM EDT up reply actions
Madness?!
No. This isn’t Madness.
This.
Is.
Holland!
Only YOU can prevent idiots from commenting!
by Knee high to a duck on Jul 13, 2010 6:27 PM EDT up reply actions
The ball and Alonso were in the same spot, how the hell could he have been looking at the ball and not see Alonso? He had to see him and even if he didn’t see him until the last second (unlikely) he still made no attempt to draw back his leg and not deliver a flying kick to the chest.
Of all our iniquities ignorance may be the worst
by Killer_Carlson on Jul 13, 2010 5:24 PM EDT up reply actions
Well I have been playing, watching and officiating soccer
for the better part of 30 years and that’s not a red card to me.
The ball was coming from a different angle than Alonso so I don’t get how you think he saw him coming.
"We love them, We mourn for them, Unlucky boys of Red" - Morrissey
"Giggs gets past Viera, past Dixon, who comes back at him, it's a wonderful run from GIGGS!!!" - Martin Tyler
"He's got a man deep..wait, no that IS Mandeep!!" - Don Taylor
by Section 312 on Jul 13, 2010 7:20 PM EDT up reply actions
FIFA refs have also followed soccer for a long time...
Dude, ever hear of peripheral vision?
Sure, the ball wasn’t always on Alonso’s head, but the ball hit Alonso before he kicked him and he still never tried to hold up. I don’t get how you think a professional athlete can’t notice another man directly in front of him even if he is looking at a slightly different angle.
Of all our iniquities ignorance may be the worst
by Killer_Carlson on Jul 14, 2010 12:58 AM EDT up reply actions
You ever played high level sports?
Cause for me there is a tunnel vision effect that happens when I play. Whether it was baseball and blocking everything but the catchers glove or soccer when defending and focusing on the ball and nothing else. He was focused on the ball.
And this makes no sense to me……
FIFA refs have also followed soccer for a long time…The FIFA ref in charge gave a yellow card………….
"We love them, We mourn for them, Unlucky boys of Red" - Morrissey
"Giggs gets past Viera, past Dixon, who comes back at him, it's a wonderful run from GIGGS!!!" - Martin Tyler
"He's got a man deep..wait, no that IS Mandeep!!" - Don Taylor
by Section 312 on Jul 14, 2010 8:21 PM EDT up reply actions
If you kick a guy square in the chest, and your only excuse is “tunnel vision,” you deserve a red card
Atta dinnin stick a who!
by Gould Old Days on Jul 14, 2010 8:48 PM EDT up reply actions 3 recs
Gouldie is (as usual) more eloquent than I am, but I’ll bet you anything you care to part with that a WC caliber player for a team that made the finals has better situational awareness than tunnel-vision on the ball. I played center D for damn near a decade – closing off passing lanes means being aware of where bodies are.
Only YOU can prevent idiots from commenting!
by Knee high to a duck on Jul 14, 2010 10:24 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Taking a cursory glance at their stat lines, Bieksa played 55 games this season, O’Brien 68 and Mitchell 48.
Are there durability issues here with these players? I am not familiar with the Vancouver roster enough to know if there was a rotation or what, but if the Caps were acquire one of these players by whatever means, I would hope they’d be available for more than just over half a season.
(for perspective, Green played 75, Schultz 73, Poti 70, Mo 68.)
I don’t know about O’Brien, but Bieksa had his calf cut by a skate, and Mitchell was put out with a concussion from a cheap shot by Malkin. Neither is really a durability issue – although with Mitchell, they’d ahve to make sure his concussion symptoms are gone.
Most of O’Brien’s missed games were disciplinary or just plain sent to the press box (probably for disciplinary reasons); I don’t think he had any injury time off. The other two you know about.
The artist formerly known as GAHHHHH!
"You'll be playing in England the rest of your career" Alex Burrows
"I'm not a water dwelling mammal, where did you get that preposterous hypothesis, did steve tell you that?" FotC
Mitchell got a nasty concussion, courtesy Malkin. sidelined him for the remainder of the season. Not sure about the other two.
#savethekittens!
Donation info for SAVES FOR KIDS 2010!! Make a difference.
And, obviously, there’s no way to fully take injuries into consideration. No matter where any of these players end up, they all have a chance of playing all 82 games next season. (Some have better chances than others!)
Injuries are always a wild card
as you said marky you could sign a guy with a history of injuries and have him not miss a game or vice versa. You never know what’s going to happen. You probably want to think about what happens if you bring in Mitchell or Bieksa and they get hurt. How your team can cope without them, are they a good use of your cap if they play 40, 50, or 60 games etc etc.
"We love them, We mourn for them, Unlucky boys of Red" - Morrissey
"Giggs gets past Viera, past Dixon, who comes back at him, it's a wonderful run from GIGGS!!!" - Martin Tyler
"He's got a man deep..wait, no that IS Mandeep!!" - Don Taylor
by Section 312 on Jul 12, 2010 8:23 PM EDT up reply actions
Speaking of window shopping...
Maybe slightly OT since it doesn’t involve anyone from Van but…
http://espn.go.com/nhl/blog//name/lebrunpierre/id/5374242/could-campbell-sharp-move
Perhaps Sharp for a bag of pucks and an underwhelming in crunch time guy named Flash?
Everything ends badly...otherwise it wouldn't end.
by Davethecapsfan on Jul 12, 2010 10:19 PM EDT reply actions
Flash and a whole lot more, maybe. I don’t see us matching the bid that another team is going to make.
Sometimes you need a criminal lawyer, sometimes you need a criminal lawyer.
I was being absurdly optimistic. I wonder what the actual asking price would be.
Everything ends badly...otherwise it wouldn't end.
by Davethecapsfan on Jul 12, 2010 10:27 PM EDT up reply actions
I suppose it depends on how much you value Flash for Chi, but I would expect other teams to put together better packages than that.
Everything ends badly...otherwise it wouldn't end.
by Davethecapsfan on Jul 12, 2010 10:33 PM EDT up reply actions
Not sure if already posted but O’Brien just got re-signed by Van: 1 year 1.6 mil
Everything ends badly...otherwise it wouldn't end.
by Davethecapsfan on Jul 12, 2010 10:40 PM EDT reply actions
he can still be traded, though.
Nucks Misconduct contributor, also on Twitter.
Summer is boring. Give me hockey.
Indeed, was just putting the numbers out there
Everything ends badly...otherwise it wouldn't end.
by Davethecapsfan on Jul 12, 2010 11:01 PM EDT up reply actions
Mitch
I’d take Mitch if I were you. Great shut-down D man, won’t score any goals, but I don’t think you guys really need any more goals. Juice (Bieksa) is good, but sometimes does the stupidest fucking things I have ever seen. He will defend his teammates to death though, and can fight quite a bit and hit hard.
SOB just re-signed. I actually used to absolutely hate him, because he would take so many goddamn penalties because he was slow and not always defensively responsible and would get burned HARD by fast forwards like Kane, etc (This along with the lazy penalties would anger me above all), but he’s improved a lot. He can read the play, hit hard, takes much less penalties, sticks up for teammates, and seemed to be the only one who gave a fuck last year in the playoffs. One problem. He parties, quite a bit. So make sure the clubs in DC have his picture by the door and don’t let him in.
Now, I want all of you to comment on this post and tell me why you hate Flash. He seemed like a good scorer from the few times Ive seen the Caps play.
"But yeah…like CC…I harbour no ill will." - VancityDan
"One time I was invited to come to a social gathering. I was paid a handsome amount of money, and I brought a shotgun and a bottle of Tanqueray and showed those people the best f***ing time they’ve ever seen." - Kenny Powers of Eastbound and Down
C Henrik Sedin #33: Vancouver Canucks Alternate Captain, 2010 Art Ross Trophy Winner and 2010 Hart Memorial Trophy Winner
by Chuckles Canuckles on Jul 13, 2010 1:39 AM EDT reply actions
If you look at the breakdown of Flash’s season, he was hot for the first couple months – 14 goals, 10 assists before Christmas. After that, 9 goals, 18 assists. He doesn’t hit, he plays medicore defense, and he tends to miss close shots when he’s got a wide-open net. It’s not that we hate him – he just doesn’t have any real use for the Caps. He’s only good as a winger, as the center experiment last season showed. We already have 5 other wingers who can score 20+ goals – Ovie, Semin, Knuble, Laich, and Fehr. All of them bring more to the Caps than Flash does – which makes him extremely expendable.
I would offer that his perimeter game gets extinguished in the playoffs when every shift is fought more closely. He was a good deal at ~800K, but not so good at the anticipated markup, not when he can’t produce when the games matter most.
More norrissey, less morrissey
Sounds like
Demitra playing for us. Except we were paying him 4 mill, a year…
"But yeah…like CC…I harbour no ill will." - VancityDan
"One time I was invited to come to a social gathering. I was paid a handsome amount of money, and I brought a shotgun and a bottle of Tanqueray and showed those people the best f***ing time they’ve ever seen." - Kenny Powers of Eastbound and Down
C Henrik Sedin #33: Vancouver Canucks Alternate Captain, 2010 Art Ross Trophy Winner and 2010 Hart Memorial Trophy Winner
by Chuckles Canuckles on Jul 13, 2010 3:56 PM EDT up reply actions
Well Flash is going to Arbitration so might get a lot more than he has now. Most seem to think he’ll probably get about 3mill from arb. Any more and the Caps would probably walk away, as he’s barely worth 3. Really only worth it to hopefully trade…
Proud member of the Popsicle Division of the Cupcake Conference.
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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 3:26 AM EST)
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