Thursday Caps Clips: Pre-Road Trip Prep
by EmilyB on Feb 16, 2012 9:05 AM EST
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Your savory breakfast links:
Notes and assorted whatnot from yesterday out at Kettler:
- In general. [Capitals Report (audio), Caps365 video (Hunter, Kolzig, Ovechkin), WaPo, WashTimes, 106.7 The Fan, CRtC]
- The power play and penalty killing units got a lot of attention. [DCEx]
- Associate goaltending coach Olie Kolzig was in-house to work with Michal Neuvirth. [CSNW (video)]
- Mike Knuble had a green practice jersey and Brooks Laich and Matt Hendricks for linemates. [WaPo, WashTimes, CSNW (and again), PHT]
- Oh hai there happy Mike Green, on-ice for the full team practice for the first time in forever ... [WaPo, WashTimes]
- ... but it was Kolzig who attracted the most attention with his post-practice remarks:
- On Dale Hunter. [WashTimes, WaPo]
- On Neuvy. [DCEx]
- On Alex Ovechkin. [WaPo, WashTimes, DCEx, CSNW, SBNation DC, Eye On Hockey, PHT]
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Caps raising season-ticket prices average of 8 percent:
I realize no one wants to pay more, but our season-ticket pricing has been moderate when compared with others around the league….More importantly to you, however, our season-ticket pricing will be in the lower half of the league.
Never liked this argument. It’s not like a hockey fan can say “Local team tix are too expensive, let’s go to a Team X game tonight instead.”
"Shots aren't the important thing. Scoring chances are way more important than shots." - Bruce Boudreau
See my work in the Washington Post and on ESPN Insider.
Follow me on Twitter @ngreenberg
Raises my ire, too. Oh well, I already know that I’m going from full STH to splitting two seats with a neighbor. Net loss of 3 ST in our row so far.
That'll make your weagle wink!
"You're the boss, apple sauce" - @GreenLife52
It’s definitely not a very good PR move when the team isn’t playing well.
"Now fair's fair Henry. If I nail Hotlips and punch Hawkeye, can I go home too?
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by YvonLabresMoustache on Feb 16, 2012 7:36 AM EST up reply actions
And the resale market is in the toilet.
That'll make your weagle wink!
"You're the boss, apple sauce" - @GreenLife52
Don’t even get me started on mid-week games against lower-tier teams. Those typically sell for -$10 from STH cost/ each.
#NeedsMoreHendricks
One of these days, I’d like to buy one ticket from you and go with, since we’ve never actually met. Going to the games with a Japers’ Rinker is exponentially more fun.
There's always more to learn about Hockey.
Get a room you two.
Unleash the Apathy.
by D'ohboy on Feb 16, 2012 10:49 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs
Unfortunately, you know that they make these decisions months in advance. Of course, when you’ve fired a coach by Thanksgiving (ok, right after), that kind of indicates your season isn’t going the way you wanted and maybe you should hold back on the increase.
I’m becoming very conflicted about renewal, but I’ll probably keep them.
"The Caps fan doesn't say, 'is the glass half full' or 'is the glass half empty'. He wonders when the glass is going to spill."
That decision could have been made when they thought there was going to be realignment. The extra games against the patrick division teams may have gotten them by on this one. But now? Blech. I am not an STH, but I buy my tickets from them when I’m in town. If it raises their costs, it raises mine.
I'll have the milksteak, over hard
RedBirdie sent a tweet she wants me to pass on.
@WordsOnIce I’m in a meeting, but i’m pissed about another big increase. You can pass that along
There's always more to learn about Hockey.
Oddly enough that justification is low on my list for not renewing (as is on-ice performance).
"My favorite fan base in D.C. Is United's. Period. The end." - Steinberg
Winning trophies on your home field? DC United's done that. Twice. Help Keep United in DC so they can receive a fair deal on a lease and help develop a path to build a stadium with local investment and incentives.
by Bald Pollack on Feb 16, 2012 7:39 AM EST up reply actions
Arena experience?
"Now fair's fair Henry. If I nail Hotlips and punch Hawkeye, can I go home too?
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Ron and Fez 11 to 3
by YvonLabresMoustache on Feb 16, 2012 7:45 AM EST up reply actions
Nah, though it seemed like during the Florida game everything was overdone and bass-heavy, or at least moreso than usual.
"My favorite fan base in D.C. Is United's. Period. The end." - Steinberg
Winning trophies on your home field? DC United's done that. Twice. Help Keep United in DC so they can receive a fair deal on a lease and help develop a path to build a stadium with local investment and incentives.
by Bald Pollack on Feb 16, 2012 7:47 AM EST up reply actions
Weirdly enough, at the last game I went to it was 3rd Bass-heavy, and I had to deal with a lot of weasels.
"Now fair's fair Henry. If I nail Hotlips and punch Hawkeye, can I go home too?
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Ron and Fez 11 to 3
by YvonLabresMoustache on Feb 16, 2012 7:49 AM EST up reply actions
Did it go pop?
"My favorite fan base in D.C. Is United's. Period. The end." - Steinberg
Winning trophies on your home field? DC United's done that. Twice. Help Keep United in DC so they can receive a fair deal on a lease and help develop a path to build a stadium with local investment and incentives.
by Bald Pollack on Feb 16, 2012 7:50 AM EST up reply actions
Pop it went.
"Now fair's fair Henry. If I nail Hotlips and punch Hawkeye, can I go home too?
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Ron and Fez 11 to 3
by YvonLabresMoustache on Feb 16, 2012 7:53 AM EST up reply actions
Care to elaborate?
This increase will probably push me over into not renewing. The secondary market is already really soft – I frequently cannot sell my tickets for what I paid for them. That’ll only get worse next year.
Unleash the Apathy.
Sure, cost + location of my seats doesn’t help (despite a surprising amount of folks who’ve bought our seats this year), part of it is giving 10% to the City considering their treatment of DCU, part of it is a couple places I could put the cash (new car, family, etc.). We’d made our decision before the start of the year, everything that’s gone on since has made that decision easier.
Hope that makes sense.
"Haven’t we all been there, kidnapping someone in a rented ambulance, only to get out onto the interstate and then realize that your intended rape victim has escaped and cheated on her boyfriend with his best friend. Man, if I had a nickel…"
"My favorite fan base in D.C. is United's. Period. The end." - Steinberg
Help Keep United in DC so they can receive a fair deal on a lease and help develop a path to build a stadium with local investment and incentives.
by Bald Pollack on Feb 16, 2012 9:31 AM EST up reply actions
Totally.
I’m not sure I can make a proper time and money commitment to two major hobbies (bike racing and Caps hockey) and a third minor hobby (home brewing) while still keeping my day job (putting fricking laser beams on the heads of sharks).
I’ve been selling way more tickets this year. It was all fine at the start of the season when I was getting STH cost+, but now I’m struggling just to get STH cost -$10. The StubHub prices for my section have absolutely fallen through the floor since the holidays. It doesn’t help that my section is full of “STH” scalpers/ticket brokers, who can afford to take a bath on a bunch of games.
I’m reluctant to give up my seats though, even though I really only want to attend about 10-15 games a year.
Unleash the Apathy.
Your seats are pretty awesome. If you could record every game from your seats I’d be able to do some really interesting stuff on the breakdowns. As it is I’m stuck with TV angles.
And going to games with you and Cluster gave me more information about the Redskins than anywhere else. You sure you want to give that up?
Please, call me F&B.
No, I don’t. But when people move to fricking Hoboken, or spend all their time grading papers and doing grad-school work up in Baltimore, or they disappear into the wilds of Gaithersburg to hunt for jobs after graduation. . . I’m left with precious few people to attend games with.
Also, I sell a lot of tickets to my cycling teammates, but they’ve all got the same training schedule that I do (well, at least they should), so when pre-season training starts ramping up (like, right now) nobody really wants to buy my tickets.
Unleash the Apathy.
I’d buy a few, but giving up the lower level and its prawn sandwiches are too much to bear.
"Haven’t we all been there, kidnapping someone in a rented ambulance, only to get out onto the interstate and then realize that your intended rape victim has escaped and cheated on her boyfriend with his best friend. Man, if I had a nickel…"
"My favorite fan base in D.C. is United's. Period. The end." - Steinberg
Help Keep United in DC so they can receive a fair deal on a lease and help develop a path to build a stadium with local investment and incentives.
by Bald Pollack on Feb 16, 2012 9:51 AM EST up reply actions
Prawn Sandwiches?
"Now fair's fair Henry. If I nail Hotlips and punch Hawkeye, can I go home too?
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Ron and Fez 11 to 3
by YvonLabresMoustache on Feb 16, 2012 9:52 AM EST up reply actions
Just a humble attempt at snark from (what else?) soccer lore.
"Haven’t we all been there, kidnapping someone in a rented ambulance, only to get out onto the interstate and then realize that your intended rape victim has escaped and cheated on her boyfriend with his best friend. Man, if I had a nickel…"
"My favorite fan base in D.C. is United's. Period. The end." - Steinberg
Help Keep United in DC so they can receive a fair deal on a lease and help develop a path to build a stadium with local investment and incentives.
by Bald Pollack on Feb 16, 2012 9:53 AM EST up reply actions
Ah. I was all fired up that there was a place at VC that sold prawn sandwiches.
"Now fair's fair Henry. If I nail Hotlips and punch Hawkeye, can I go home too?
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Ron and Fez 11 to 3
by YvonLabresMoustache on Feb 16, 2012 10:04 AM EST up reply actions
You couldn’t find any folks from work who you put laser beams on their heads to go to the San Jose game with you D’oh? Rough market indeed.
by Rather Bengt on Feb 16, 2012 9:53 AM EST up reply actions
Do you give them nicknames like “Jumbo Joe”, “Marleau” etc?
by Rather Bengt on Feb 16, 2012 10:09 AM EST up reply actions
They probably need it after all of SME’s threats to stab a hobo.
by Rather Bengt on Feb 16, 2012 10:10 AM EST up reply actions
Nothing can save them.
Once you take the fisting element out, it's not romantic anymore.
by Steckel Me Elmo on Feb 16, 2012 11:29 AM EST up reply actions
You can get to them in May. The weapons don’t work then.
"Now fair's fair Henry. If I nail Hotlips and punch Hawkeye, can I go home too?
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Ron and Fez 11 to 3
by YvonLabresMoustache on Feb 16, 2012 10:04 AM EST up reply actions
+1 on the Homebrew! Maybe homebrewers can produce for an upcoming JR gathering?!
by Dirk Dangler on Feb 16, 2012 10:51 AM EST up reply actions
I got a nice black IPA on tap now, and a red ale in the fermenter. Unfortunately any likely location for a JR gathering is likely to be a non-starter for me.
Release the Mackan!
by Killer_Carlson on Feb 16, 2012 11:13 AM EST up reply actions
Hey, we’ll still take your beer! Just ship it down.
by Dirk Dangler on Feb 16, 2012 11:16 AM EST up reply actions
I’ve got a “Happy Holiday Brew” that’s been sitting in the fermenter for months. I’ve been too lazy to bottle it. Ehh…
Tu ne cede malis
by _Skullduggery_ on Feb 16, 2012 11:17 AM EST up reply actions
JP — if you want to weigh in on the feasibility of such a thing, I can create a fan post for a homebrewer’s recruitment drive.
by Dirk Dangler on Feb 16, 2012 11:18 AM EST up reply actions
Five years ago when I went full STH my cost was $12.50 a seat in the top of 426, right now it’s $35 per. I’ve been debating giving up my seats, another increase makes my mind up.
Hell, if you take your time buying individual game tickets you can often get seats below STH cost.
"When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro"
I’m wondering how much of the decline in secondary market prices is due to Ticketmaster Ticket Exchange allowing prices below face value for the first time this year. For people who HAVE TO sell, as I did on Monday – it becomes a game to set the lowest price on the page. Ended up selling for 50% of STH cost… my lowest resale in 4 years.
I doubt it, because there has always been StubHub. I’ve been tracking the prices pretty religiously on there, and they correlate really well to how the team is doing on the ice. I was getting great prices back in October and even into November. Since the holidays, the prices have fallen way, way off.
Unleash the Apathy.
How so? StubHub lets you keep them on the market until like . . . 3pm of game day. Once it’s past then, I’m pretty committed to just going.
Unleash the Apathy.
Yeah, but at this point in the year, I’d rather record the game, or watch it from home while doing a workout on the trainer. I need to put in 200+ miles a week, and that’s tough to do if I’m going to 3 Caps games. I try to work out in the morning, but I’m just not much for morning exercise.
Unleash the Apathy.
My understanding is that to list tickets on StubHub that long, you need to have either uploaded electronic tickets (for a $2 per ticket fee from TM), or forked over the original hard tickets in advance. TM TE also allows sales until 5:30pm.
I do all of my sales electronically.
Does TicketExchange not charge you a fee? What commission do they take?
Unleash the Apathy.
Well, that is another gripe – TM TE pays the STH 90% of their listed price, but also adds 15% to the resale price – so the STH receives 78.26% of what the buyer pays. E.g.: I set my price at $40, they show up for sale at $46, and when a buyer pays that $46, I receive $36.
I can only assume this complexity is in place to confuse the seller, and trick them into believing that they have a lower commission than other resale outfits. I avoid TM TE at all costs, unless I’m in a pinch and have to sell last minute or lose the tickets entirely.
That’s shady. At least StubHub is straightforward… seller pays 15%, buyer pays 10% or $5, whichever is more. (They make a killing… 25% of every ticket sold!)
Either way the online service makes plenty of money off of both the buyer and seller. Again, if you can, find someone willing to sell for a reasonable price and buy from them; you are all better off in that case and not giving any money to the middle man.
It’s pretty obvious why Texchange changed the policy about minimum listing price; there’s been a huge shift from Shub to Texch this season.
and let me take a moment to plug the Rink Rat exchange! Buy from your fellow Rinkers, avoid all the fees and whatnot with stub hub.
Pledge Drive 2011-2012: CARSON KOLZIG FOUNDATION! Season Pledge total--$1328.52!
And if that route proves fruitless, I’ve had luck with Craigslist. Obviously you’re taking a risk with strangers and all, but I’ve never had any trouble.
Eat, drink, and be merry! And then drink some more.
I’d love to, but nobody on the Rink Rat exchange ever wants to pay over STH cost.
Unleash the Apathy.
I just don’t get any response at all there, so why bother?
by Gin and Tonic on Feb 16, 2012 11:13 AM EST up reply actions
I think the question/issue is how to educate buyers to look there. Also, there’s still a range in what people are looking for in terms of profit/cost, but I think coming up with a way to have buyers look over there is the biggest obstacle.
True, but that’s not on me as a seller. If I have better luck with TEx or CL, I’m going to use those.
It’s those who are the buyers who need to encourage others to use it. That way it actually becomes a viable place to sell tickets.
by Gin and Tonic on Feb 16, 2012 11:24 AM EST up reply actions
I’d happily sell some tickets at cost and avoid the fees and commission of TEx or StubHub, but nobody ever replies to posts over there. It seems the only way people “buy” tickets there is if you’re giving them away.
Unleash the Apathy.
Yes, I have had the same experience. It seems to me there is also a very very limited number of buyers who even look over there.
When i’m looking for tickets, I look there, but I almost always end up going with craigslist because no has anything for sale.
When the Rink Exchange works, great, but it is definitely not the only place I look.
I'll have the milksteak, over hard
Why don’t we start a weekly ticket thread?
Since so many people don’t check the RR Ticket Exchange, maybe that would drum up interest.
Unleash the Apathy.
by D'ohboy on Feb 16, 2012 11:42 AM EST up reply actions 20 recs
If that would work, then sounds good. I’d rather help a rinker out than some random broker or whatever on craigslist.
I'll have the milksteak, over hard
That is a GREAT idea!!! I have some games available and I’m looking to share our season tickets next year. This would be terrific…sometimes things come up last minute and we can’t go.
Speaking of which, my tickets for the Devils game on 3/2 are available.
by Gin and Tonic on Feb 16, 2012 12:48 PM EST up reply actions
How many/how much? I know someone who’s looking for 3…
The definition of being a Caps fan is watching the same team over and over and expecting different results.
Only have 2. Just looking to cover my cost.
by Gin and Tonic on Feb 16, 2012 3:31 PM EST up reply actions
That’s a great idea. I’d definitely participate, especially in the next few weeks since we are looking for tickets.
by jopierce on Feb 16, 2012 1:56 PM EST via iPhone app up reply actions
I have looked there a couple of times as a buyer, but my husband – who is megacheap – always finds something cheaper on Craig’s List or StubHub. Sorry.
I look on the RRTE as often as possible, but I go to school 2 hours away so finding tickets that are at season ticket holder price or lower is the only way I can justify the two hour drive to go to a game. I’d like to be able to pay more and buy tickets more often but it’s just not feasible for me right now.
"Ovechkin is as subtle as a shot of vodka."
From my perspective, there is no question in my mind that the Texchange policy changes impacted the sales market this season in terms of where people look and buy and how tickets are priced, especially within 48 hours of a game. Sure, popular games sold in advance still sell for money. However, some of us don’t re-sell for profit or way ahead of time, but only when we can’t use tickets and none of our friends can attend the game either (or already have tickets.) Even a week in advance, there have been a number of games where it was impossible to breakeven on STH cost this season.
Stubhub charges $4.75 to print the tickets and a percentage of the sale price as a processing fee. The STH exchange only charges a processing fee. That by itself can mean a difference of sometimes $10 in pricing. I also notice that prices on Stubhub are a little higher than the STH exchange.
by jopierce on Feb 16, 2012 10:09 AM EST via iPhone app up reply actions
Looks like you are posting the buyer perspective rather than the seller perspective, which was being discussed above. Both are necessary perspectives. All I’ll say is it’s the reason why most people who post here would be happy if people continued to use the exchange and email to sell / buy tickets.
For the games when I have looked, which hasn’t been for me most of the time, but I have looked a lot this season, I don’t think that’s generally been the case unless you are talking much closer to game date.
I would guess it is much more due to on-ice performance than anything else. The DC area is notoriously fickle when it comes to sports teams. Even the Redskins, who once had a decades-long season ticket waiting list, are now struggling to sell tickets after years of miserable performance
#NeedsMoreHendricks
They’re also about as poorly handled from a PR perspective as you can possibly be. It’s actually somewhat impressive.
it took close to 20 years of on and off field incompetence and mismanagement to make a dent in the Redskins stranglehold over DC. That’s impressive.
Pledge Drive 2011-2012: CARSON KOLZIG FOUNDATION! Season Pledge total--$1328.52!
Winning 3 championships in my lifetime will do that.
by Gin and Tonic on Feb 16, 2012 11:18 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs
It’s tough to judge the fickle-ness of the DC fan base given the shitty quality of teams around here. Classic chicken-or-egg scenario. Even in a “die hard” sports town like Boston, Fenway Park was half empty when the Red Sox used to be a sub-.500 team. Nobody wants to watch a loser and D.C. has had nothing but for years and years, across the board.
The single dumbest, more irrelevant argument one could make for a price hike. Like I’m going to price shop and decide, “oh yeah, Florida Panther tickets are a lot less expensive, I’ll but those instead.” The only comparison is between the Caps and themselves or, if “entertainment” is your criterion, the Caps and other local entertainment. I’m guessing the Nats are going to be the new “in” place to be in the next year or two. They haven’t yet (or nearly, for that matter) disappointed their fans to the extent the Caps have disappointed theirs.
If you've read this far...seek help.
They’re at the point the Caps were a few years ago where they’ve got a lot of really young, exciting talent with huge-star potential. Fortunately for the Caps, they really only have to compete with them for a few weeks in April.
"Now fair's fair Henry. If I nail Hotlips and punch Hawkeye, can I go home too?
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Ron and Fez 11 to 3
by YvonLabresMoustache on Feb 16, 2012 7:57 AM EST up reply actions
On a calendar, yes. Dollars? That’s another matter. If one has only som mahy disposable dollars for sports entertainment, and one is not a rabid hockey fan, do you spend it on the Caps, or the new thing in town?
If you've read this far...seek help.
I can’t type today, which I attribute to this nasty bronchitis that has taken over my body.
If you've read this far...seek help.
Eh. You can get baseball tix for fairly cheap, unless you want to spring for an entire season of 81 home games, which would be insane.
"Now fair's fair Henry. If I nail Hotlips and punch Hawkeye, can I go home too?
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Ron and Fez 11 to 3
by YvonLabresMoustache on Feb 16, 2012 8:05 AM EST up reply actions
Meh, it's just PR
Behind the scenes, they’ve probably determined that with the demographics of this area, they can likely increase season ticket prices by X% because we’ll still buy them. I’m surprised they don’t charge more than they do.
"[Boudreau] lets the offensive guys like myself and Brooks do our thing. A lot of dangling." - Matt Bradley
‘we’ = fans and the people who buy tickets straight from the Caps. I don’t think the Caps will have a hard time selling tickets in the primary market. I also contend that an eroding product on the ice will have a much bigger impact than a price hike if people drop their season tickets.
"[Boudreau] lets the offensive guys like myself and Brooks do our thing. A lot of dangling." - Matt Bradley
The economy has kind of taken a bit of a dive the past few years. Disposable income ain’t what it used to be.
"Now fair's fair Henry. If I nail Hotlips and punch Hawkeye, can I go home too?
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Ron and Fez 11 to 3
by YvonLabresMoustache on Feb 16, 2012 8:28 AM EST up reply actions
The DC area hasn’t been hit nearly as hard as other areas. The Caps have had no problem selling tickets the last few years.
"[Boudreau] lets the offensive guys like myself and Brooks do our thing. A lot of dangling." - Matt Bradley
Because the team’s also been really good and fun to watch.
This year? Not so much.
"Now fair's fair Henry. If I nail Hotlips and punch Hawkeye, can I go home too?
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Ron and Fez 11 to 3
by YvonLabresMoustache on Feb 16, 2012 8:36 AM EST up reply actions
Yeah, not fun paying for the experience of being pissed off and miserable.
That'll make your weagle wink!
"You're the boss, apple sauce" - @GreenLife52
Cable bills aside ;)
"Now fair's fair Henry. If I nail Hotlips and punch Hawkeye, can I go home too?
Now Dropping Bombs at Capitals Outsider
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Ron and Fez 11 to 3
by YvonLabresMoustache on Feb 16, 2012 8:40 AM EST up reply actions
I suspect WOI wasn’t referring to the Caps there.
"The Caps fan doesn't say, 'is the glass half full' or 'is the glass half empty'. He wonders when the glass is going to spill."
Aw hell.
It’s too early.
"Now fair's fair Henry. If I nail Hotlips and punch Hawkeye, can I go home too?
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Ron and Fez 11 to 3
by YvonLabresMoustache on Feb 16, 2012 8:42 AM EST up reply actions
They sent out another STH survey earlier this year that included a question about household income. Remember that last year the 400 level went up because they found out that the upper deck was wealthier than previously thought. Sometimes it is best to round down when sharing that information (just saying, I did…)
He's a better skater than Nick, but he's big in the back[side]...BB
by Backeez Got Back on Feb 16, 2012 8:37 AM EST up reply actions
If they think $100,000 is upper class in this town, they need to hire new business advisors.
"The Caps fan doesn't say, 'is the glass half full' or 'is the glass half empty'. He wonders when the glass is going to spill."
I’ll try to keep it on topic, but figure a couple making $50k each. That’s peanuts here.
"The Caps fan doesn't say, 'is the glass half full' or 'is the glass half empty'. He wonders when the glass is going to spill."
Okay, I can see that. And yeah it is, for DC. I get by by picking up game tickets here and there from my Rink friends when they can’t go.
There's always more to learn about Hockey.
You’re continually dealing with money stress. Same as everyone else.
Patron saint of quality footwear.
Truth. Ironically, the time we had the most money was when we were living in an apartment in New York. Although we were paying relatively high rent, we had no child, no mortgage, no car so obviously no car loan, no credit card debt, and had finally paid off the last student loan. Technically we have more now, but it feels like a lot less. It’s earmarked elsewhere.
Back then I wouldn’t have thought twice about carrying two sets of tickets, but this year we are definitely dropping the club ones though keeping the upper deck ones. The bathroom renovation won out. Perhaps had the team been doing better I would take the chance. But my expectations for this season are about as bottom as they can be for someone who habitually keeps rose-colored glasses in her back pocket.
Ovechkin on how he can help the team: "Score MOAR goals."
by capsyoungguns on Feb 16, 2012 10:40 AM EST up reply actions
Only if one twitters about it.
Ovechkin on how he can help the team: "Score MOAR goals."
by capsyoungguns on Feb 16, 2012 11:48 AM EST up reply actions
The relevant question, in my opinion, is if people continued to buy those 400 level tickets after the aforementioned increase. They did, so it appears the Caps made a good business decision.
"[Boudreau] lets the offensive guys like myself and Brooks do our thing. A lot of dangling." - Matt Bradley
So far, anyway.
"The Caps fan doesn't say, 'is the glass half full' or 'is the glass half empty'. He wonders when the glass is going to spill."
Fans like us that attend the games will continue to buy, but those that just hold seats to re-sell may question it. Every game I’m surrounded by new people who bought their tickets off the secondary market. If the owners of those seats are selling them at their initial cost (or less), why would they continue spend that money?
"You can want to get to April but when you get to April you may not like the answers you get, so you might as well enjoy the ride while it's going on." - Brian McNally on JRR, 8/29/2011
The last game I went to, I sat in Goaliemama’s (EXCELLENT!!!) seats as she and her family were in Toronto at the time. I struck up a conversation with the guy sitting next to me, and he and his wife weren’t the seat owners either. It seemed like most of the people around us had gotten tickets from the people who actually owned them.
There's always more to learn about Hockey.
I’m usually given around 3 weekday games per year from a STH friend. The guy who gives them to me has seats right above the Zamboni tunnel. He hands his out pretty regularly to friends
by bathwithtoaster on Feb 16, 2012 9:40 AM EST up reply actions
We usually sell tickets to people we know who want a couple games. Next season we want to ticket share…to many games for us now, but we don’t want to give up the seats. Soooo, if anyone is interested….Glad you liked them WOI, they are pretty great.
My problem is that I can’t know how I’d want to share my tickets until I see the schedule. If I can find someone who’s interested in more tickets in the latter part of the season, that’s probably my ideal.
"The Caps fan doesn't say, 'is the glass half full' or 'is the glass half empty'. He wonders when the glass is going to spill."
My old boss split tickets with 2 other guys. They did a draft for games. Because of our work schedule, my boss would pick more games around certain times of the year, less around others. Worked well for them.
I am a hockey fan first, and a Caps fan second.
by iwearstripes on Feb 16, 2012 12:13 PM EST up reply actions
My Friend, Fiance, 2 brothers and I do a draft, with different people having different shares of our 3 tickets. It’s worked well, and we’ve all been cool with adjusting as needed when schedules interfere with the games we picked earlier.
Because now I can justify browsing and commenting during the work day with the argument that I am promoting my business.
by Sombrero Guy on Feb 17, 2012 11:39 AM EST up reply actions
I’m obviously not in a position to purchase or renew season tickets. It would be a very long drive several times a week.
Here’s my guess why the ticket prices went up:
1. Costs went up, and they are running a business. You can’t sign players to larger contracts and not generate more revenue.
2. Their estimates of STH defection is low. Even though some STH won’t renew, the increase in ticket prices for those that stay is probably enough to cover their profit targets.
Keep in mind that the Caps’ don’t care if people split tickets. In fact, they probably like that, because it creates more fans, and their revenue doesn’t decline..
Lastly – as we have seen repeated in all major sports — if you put a winner on the ice, the team will sell out and STH will pay through the nose to get seats. It might not be some of the folks here, but STH will be there. They will come out of the woodwork.
Nice guys finish first, but sometimes the season is awfully long.
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As we keep saying, put a winner on the ice and you can probalby charge whatever you want. Right now, this team isn’t a winner.
Keep raising ticket prices = increased salary cap – increased costs. It’s a do-loop.
"The Caps fan doesn't say, 'is the glass half full' or 'is the glass half empty'. He wonders when the glass is going to spill."
This team is not the Pittsburgh Pirates or the Columbus Blue Jackets. Fans, MO, don’t bolt after one down year. It takes a few.
And, as I’ve witnessed personally here in the STL, fans leave a lot slower than they return to see a winner. My really nice close-in parking lot at Scottrade now fills up very, very early.
Nice guys finish first, but sometimes the season is awfully long.
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I think it’s more about number 2 than number 1. Supply and demand. Limited primary market supply and still decent demand. He’s got a waiting list of people willing to buy tickets, so he can afford to lose some current STH’s because there will be people there to fill his seats.
I think Ted has done a through analysis of the market pricing for his tickets, especially what prices are being paid on the secondary market. I would not be surprised with more differential pricing depending upon opponent and game date. I also wonder if the ticket hike was determined when he thought realignment was a done deal and thus demand for additional games against old rivals would be high.
Just trying to capture the spirit of the thing...
by dcsportsfan1 on Feb 16, 2012 8:55 AM EST up reply actions
Baseball implemented differentiated pricing either last year or the year before.
I agree 100% that a Flyers or Pens game should cost more than an Oilers or Jackets game.
Nice guys finish first, but sometimes the season is awfully long.
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I have no doubt the club has worked the numbers aggressively, but there is this. Sports is cyclical. Folks probably thought in Dallas or Denver that sellouts would last forever. They don’t. It will happen to the Caps, too. And by that time, the folks who are in it for the hockey (not the “experience”) might have been driven out. Good luck getting them back.
If you've read this far...seek help.
Why would you say that? I think those folks that are in it for hockey are the stickiest season ticket holders. Those are the ones that will “make it work” or who will return as soon as economics allow.
It’s the ones there for the experience that, to me, would leave quickest.
Nice guys finish first, but sometimes the season is awfully long.
Follow me on Twitter.
What is the difference here, though? Are there a lot of more casual fans (in it for the experience, I guess?) who are spending thousands for STH packages? That seems to be a lot of money for something you sort of, kind of like. But to each their own.
by jopierce on Feb 16, 2012 9:27 AM EST via iPhone app up reply actions
You obviously haven’t been to a game at the phone booth in awhile. The “game experience” has been weighing on me for some time. If we don’t renew it will be the team’s decision to sacrifice the hockey part of the game experience…not the 8% increase.
by Yoshietree on Feb 16, 2012 9:44 AM EST via Android app up reply actions
There was a discussion about this, I think early this season or preseason on these boards. Think we took it to a fanpost. I don’t recall anymore who was the author of said fanpost, but I’m curious if anything ever came of their contacting the Caps as the person was doing.
I spoke to my ticket rep at length about it. I don’t think it’s going to change. I must say, however, I went to a game up in New Jersey, and the experience could not have been more different.
Yeah, they’ve got a cheer squad (and if you think the Red Rockers’ outfits are scandalous. . . ), but for the most part, the PA doesn’t feel the need TO FUCKING SCREAM AT YOU ALL THE GODDAMN TIME.
There are actually moments of quiet where you can chat with your seat mate at a reasonable volume level. How novel.
Unleash the Apathy.
Yes, I’ve been to enough arenas to know it doesn’t have to be the horrible way it is in DC. I’ve also purchased enough tickets in different arenas to know that I don’t buy-in to all of the “cost” comparisons used in the marketing BS by this team. Not all center ice or upper level seats are comparable.
I don’t expect any change. Those that are (and have been) there aren’t the target demographic.
by Yoshietree on Feb 16, 2012 9:59 AM EST via Android app up reply actions
I never said I expect it to change, I just wish and hope it will. Although the simple change I really hope and wish for is a simple notch or two down in the volume. It would be naive to think they are going to do away with all the video stuff, but it’s not naive to think that they could realize that the overall volumes as set in the arena are outrageously loud and unnecessary.
Yeah, I find Wes’ shouting after Unleash the Fury to be kind of embarrassing actually.
"Money talks. I listen."
Yep. If the team wants boisterous cheering from the crowd, maybe they should play in a manner the warrants it. Wes yelling at me to “make noise” does not persuade me in the least.
by Gin and Tonic on Feb 16, 2012 10:29 AM EST up reply actions
Am I the only one who isn’t really bothered by the game experience? I think the “everybody clap your hands” song is stupid and don’t get me started on the Red Rockers….but overall, it doesn’t bug me that much to where it detracts from the game or dissuades me from going. I don’t mind the loudness or the zamboni race. The horn to start and end the period used to be really loud but it never bothered me enough that I wouldn’t go to the game.
by jopierce on Feb 16, 2012 10:13 AM EST via iPhone app up reply actions
The horn at the start of each period is jump out of your seat loud, IMO. The overall volume is my issue. I don’t like all the stupid stuff, but I don’t expect it to change and I can ignore it. I can’t ignore the overall volume and the inability to at any time have a simple conversation with someone sitting in the seat next to me at a game during breaks within the period and for the majority of intermission.
by sk84fun_dc on Feb 16, 2012 10:16 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs
I suspect the level of the sound is comparable to any other arena. I finally resorted to ear plugs and I’m much happier. It filters down the ambient noise, yet I can actually talk to the people sitting next to me.
"The Caps fan doesn't say, 'is the glass half full' or 'is the glass half empty'. He wonders when the glass is going to spill."
The Verizon center is much louder (PA-wise) than the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville and the Garden in Boston. And Nashville has a live band at intermission.
I'll have the milksteak, over hard
the VC, imo, was designed to be LOUD. It was designed to amplify the crowd noise and be a building that shakes your ribcage. Pack in 18,000 screaming Caps fans and turn the volume and bass up on everything and get your booming PA announcer to scream everything, combined with those acoustics, and there’s a reason that building is on of the loudest in the NHL.
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It is louder in the wrong way, I think. Boston was loud, but the fun, crowd goes crazy type loud. (Frankly the best description I have is that it was like a frat party.) The VC is eardrum bursting loud, especially if you are in the upper deck.
I'll have the milksteak, over hard
not saying it’s loud in a good way, just that it seems it was intentionally designed to be ear-shatteringly loud, and current production of Caps games only amplifies that.
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The current production is key; I think there are a number us who attended games during other years who know the amplification has changed and it doesn’t have to be the way it is and it can still be loud.
I just wish they’d figure out that it is OK to have relative silence on occasion. Not every silent moment needs to be filled at full volume.
I'll have the milksteak, over hard
by renstar on Feb 16, 2012 11:39 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs
Mick Foley used to always describe wrestling as being like a circus. If you didn’t like the clowns, you probably would like the elephants or the acrobats. Same thing with hockey for me. I don’t like the dog-and-pony show aspects, or some of the “bro” type marketing (ditto for kids-centered stuff) but I put up with it because I like hockey.
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by YvonLabresMoustache on Feb 16, 2012 10:17 AM EST up reply actions
Great analogy. I’ve come to the realization that the “in-game experience” stuff isn’t directed at my demo, but another (much younger) one. I’m there for the stuff on the ice.
"You can want to get to April but when you get to April you may not like the answers you get, so you might as well enjoy the ride while it's going on." - Brian McNally on JRR, 8/29/2011
One of the great pleasures of getting older (at least for me) is no longer getting worked up about stuff that I’m not supposed to care about i.e., stuff not in my demo.
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by YvonLabresMoustache on Feb 16, 2012 11:43 AM EST up reply actions
The cost element works for the owners because it is now a fixed proportion of hockey-related revenues (this is why we missed the 2004-2005 season). There should be a lot less uncertainty with respect to cost, an input that is capped as a function of revenue.
If you've read this far...seek help.
It’s hard to believe anything in Ted’s e-mail when he includes the line “130-plus consecutive sellouts are a testament to your loyalty and our growing fan base.”
Ted’s gonna be eating the cost of more and more tickets until it becomes impossible to call it a sellout…
At some point it will come to that, but the club seems to be pricing tickets as if to assume STH’s will be involved heavily in resale. The club is not interested in the first buyer as a hockey fan, only as a revenue source. The first buyer then gets to be ticket-agent-by-proxy trying to unload a number of tickets to try to recoup some of the price increase. For folks who would just as soon attend all 41 games, this strategy becomes more and more a problem over time.
If you've read this far...seek help.
by ThePeerless on Feb 16, 2012 10:59 AM EST up reply actions
It’s a brilliant strategy if it works. He off-loads all the risk to people like you and me. If the team is great, he gets $40/ticket from us. If the team stinks, he gets $40/ticket from us. We bear all the risk of being completely unable to sell any of our tickets in the secondary market.
Unleash the Apathy.
Thanks, thought I saw someone mention it, but I didn’t recall seeing that in the business news reports.
I took particular note because I’ve always held that against Ted. But offloading it took that issue away
I'll have the milksteak, over hard
Was anything disclosed about the business relationship regarding texchange and how profits are split? I’d think there’d still be some profit for the team when tickets are sold via texch?
I don’t think so. The ticketmaster franchise (or part of it) came with the caps purchase from the Pollins. When he bought the rest of the properties, I think TM was looking to repurchase all of the franchises, and I think the washington one might have even been the last one outstanding. I’m sure it complicated the ‘hockey related revenue’ computation though.
I'll have the milksteak, over hard
Not to mention the “guy” who has all of Row P in a 400-level section. They don’t seem to care that one dealer is holding sixteen season tickets next to each other.
Eat, drink, and be merry! And then drink some more.
then that large blocks of seats in some sections are owned by resell agents, I think it’s pretty clear that they don’t care who owns the seat, just as long as, as D’oh said, Ted get’s his $40 a seat (or whatever that seat goes for)
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so, arriving very late to this (and thank you WOI for posting my earlier comment)…..the fact is, this is the 5th season in a row I’ve seen ~10% increase. That’s a lot of money. And the perks, to be quite honest, aren’t what they used to be. Combine that with a shockingly sub-par on-ice product, and another year of “Great, who the hell is going to buy my mid-week Panthers/Jets/Lightning tickets?” and I’m just a little peeved at another significant price increase for next season.
I think I have someone lined up to split next season, but if I don’t? I won’t be a STHer. There’s enough people on the wait list that it’s not going to matter to the Caps, but it’ll matter to me.
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I’d buy midseason tickets if I knew some were available (and not just by looking at the ticket exchange). Maybe sellers talking to buyers directly would help both parties.
by jopierce on Feb 16, 2012 10:30 AM EST via iPhone app up reply actions
I have a problem as a consumer rewarding bad behavior. The on-ice product is much worse than it was two years ago, and that really is the bottom line here. In what business does a consumer gladly fork over eight percent more for a product that was worse than it was two years ago — a price that gets renewed (i.e., increased again) on an annual basis, whatever the performance of the core product?
I get the whole supply/demand thing, and these are the good days for the Caps to make hay while the sun shines (or, less charitably, soak the suckers while they can). And I can afford the price increase, for which I am grateful. But frankly, it just isn’t worth it the way it used to be, even when the Caps were awful.
I haven’t seen the e-mail yet, so I’d like to hold off on judging it completely, but I really don’t like what I’m hearing about it.
If you've read this far...seek help.
by ThePeerless on Feb 16, 2012 10:31 AM EST up reply actions 2 recs
I can forward you the e-mail, if you want. (are you still sitting by the guy who calls Semin “Monica” all the time?)
I still find the Caps easier to deal with than the Nats, but that’s a pretty low bar. Nats blindsided me with a $20 “printing and shipping” fee yesterday. No where was the fee disclosed until the very end of the process. Like dealing with an airline!
Pledge Drive 2011-2012: CARSON KOLZIG FOUNDATION! Season Pledge total--$1328.52!
Wait, how do you know already?
"The Caps fan doesn't say, 'is the glass half full' or 'is the glass half empty'. He wonders when the glass is going to spill."
Hot damn (/snark). My tickets are going up a dollar less per game than I expected.
"The Caps fan doesn't say, 'is the glass half full' or 'is the glass half empty'. He wonders when the glass is going to spill."
Are you sure you’re not reading the “savings over renewal pricing” as the increase?
"Money talks. I listen."
I’m looking at it……and there’s got to be something seriously wrong. My tickets went down in price?
Pledge Drive 2011-2012: CARSON KOLZIG FOUNDATION! Season Pledge total--$1328.52!
never mind, was looking at ti wrong. We have two seats. Duh.
Min saw a considerable increase :( booooooooooo. actually, make that a HUGE increase. Over 10%.
Pledge Drive 2011-2012: CARSON KOLZIG FOUNDATION! Season Pledge total--$1328.52!
Mine went up a little over 6%. I’m happy to see they split the price at the midpoint of rows. I’ve been bothered about paying the same as the person in the front row.
"The Caps fan doesn't say, 'is the glass half full' or 'is the glass half empty'. He wonders when the glass is going to spill."
we’re now paying, as STH, what the gate price was just a few seasons ago. Crazy.
Pledge Drive 2011-2012: CARSON KOLZIG FOUNDATION! Season Pledge total--$1328.52!
You’re right. Maybe more. I don’t think I still have any stubs old enough to look. I do know that I’m paying just shy of double the price in 08-09.
"The Caps fan doesn't say, 'is the glass half full' or 'is the glass half empty'. He wonders when the glass is going to spill."
Not that this will make anyone feel that much better but I thought it was interesting…was chatting with some friends in Montreal and apparently there is no difference in season ticket cost and face value cost. The only “savings” you get is not having to pay the extra convenience fee.
The definition of being a Caps fan is watching the same team over and over and expecting different results.
If they tried that here, no one would buy season tickets, don’t you think?
"The Caps fan doesn't say, 'is the glass half full' or 'is the glass half empty'. He wonders when the glass is going to spill."
Oh, for sure – it’s certainly not the norm, you have to have a completely insane fanbase to maintain that kind of thing because the only “perk” as it were is guaranteed seats to every game.
I also understand that you can’t inherit tickets from someone unless you’re actually related to the person who owns them (so if someone left them to you in their will, you can’t have them), there’s a crazy-long waiting list that I think you have to pay to stay on and you can get put in waiting list purgatory if your name comes up twice and you’re not able to take the tickets.
The definition of being a Caps fan is watching the same team over and over and expecting different results.
I guess someone told Steinberg about the link. He tweeted it out and Katie re-tweeted.
Twitter (and everywhere else) blows up in 3…2…1…
"The Caps fan doesn't say, 'is the glass half full' or 'is the glass half empty'. He wonders when the glass is going to spill."
Mine went up about 6%, as best I can tell… Maybe more, I’m not sure if those prices are before or after the BS tax DC has on the tickets to repay them for their huge investment in the arena.
Oh wait… they didn’t pay for the arena… right.
I am a hockey fan first, and a Caps fan second.
by iwearstripes on Feb 16, 2012 2:52 PM EST up reply actions
I just created a fan shot for people to see the chart.
"You can want to get to April but when you get to April you may not like the answers you get, so you might as well enjoy the ride while it's going on." - Brian McNally on JRR, 8/29/2011
by bagace on Feb 16, 2012 2:55 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
Welp, I was contemplating dropping mine, this may seal it…if anyone is interested in splitting 2 seats in Mezz Center…let me know.
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Referencing BrooksLaichYear, Carters shoulders scare me, but he’d a legit 2C and would be a huge upgrade for the Caps.
It would give us 3 expensive long term contracts, but trading core players doesn’t seem to be too much of a problem in today’s NHL. Though who knows after the next CBA.
Proud member of the Popsicle Division of the Cupcake Conference.
From an asset management perspective, I like the idea of adding Carter despite the LT contract. You typically have to pay through the nose for a 1-2C. Presumably Carter can be had for a pretty significant discount. I think it’s worth the risk.
by Dirk Dangler on Feb 16, 2012 9:20 AM EST up reply actions
I continue to believe that a healthy Jeff Carter would be a screaming deal on that contract in not too much time.
Hey, atta dinnin stick a who!
by Gould Old Days on Feb 16, 2012 10:16 AM EST up reply actions
Carter and Pahlsson. Come on GMGM, pick that carcass clean.
by Gin and Tonic on Feb 16, 2012 10:35 AM EST up reply actions
I think he’s exactly the wrong guy to bring in from an attitude/character point of view. The Caps need less drama in that room, not more.
Love the player though. Would be worried but cautiously psyched if they found a way to bring him in.
if you are removing 1 problematic 2nd line winger to get a problematic 2nd line center in return, I think it’s a net gain for the team
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by JediChewbacca on Feb 16, 2012 10:19 AM EST up reply actions
What are you referring to, injury history or off-ice issues?
by Gin and Tonic on Feb 16, 2012 10:36 AM EST up reply actions
off ice, I’m guessing.
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Off ice. The party atmosphere, the whole cuckolding Hartnell thing (that was him, right?)… basically all the stuff that got him traded in the first place.
Innocent until proven guilty, naturally, but that’s still a ton of drama that they can do without. Like I said, though, I’d be reluctantly psyched if it were to happen. I can just see it failing hard.
Ehh, not sure I would put much stock in internet rumors.
And I haven’t seen much about his hard partying this year in Columbus. With Ohio State being there and ranked as a top party school, you’d think there would be ample opportunity for him if he wanted it.
by Gin and Tonic on Feb 16, 2012 11:09 AM EST up reply actions
You’re comparing Philly nightlife to Columbus Ohio’s?
"You can want to get to April but when you get to April you may not like the answers you get, so you might as well enjoy the ride while it's going on." - Brian McNally on JRR, 8/29/2011
Tell that to the OSU football team.
If you've read this far...seek help.
by ThePeerless on Feb 16, 2012 12:39 PM EST up reply actions
that’s just because some bitch snitched on ’em. If he had just kept his mouth shut like he was supposed to, no one would be in trouble.
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Nope. Never experienced either and don’t care to, just saying there are plenty of opportunities to party in a college town (even Columbus). And I haven’t seen anything saying that he’s continued doing so.
by Gin and Tonic on Feb 16, 2012 12:52 PM EST up reply actions
Meh. Not like we don’t already have a couple of stars on the team who party too much.
by Murshawursha on Feb 16, 2012 11:31 AM EST up reply actions
Yeah not saying ti wouldn’t necessarily be an issue, but, well, let’s just say that if the team was a house, that house is currently on fire. And with everything that’s gone on lately, at this point I’m more inclined to toss another molotov on just to watch it burn rather than try to put it out.
Really though, when it comes down to it I could care less how hard he parties as long as he puts up points.
by Murshawursha on Feb 16, 2012 12:07 PM EST up reply actions
I think it’s just a bad personnel move altogether. Jeff Carter has made a career of posting big points in little games and virtually disappearing come playoff time – note 21 pts in 47 career games. Wouldn’t it just be more of the same? I find it hard to part with any prospect or roster player for his services.
Oh this young man has had a very trying rookie season, with the litigation, the notoriety, his subsequent deportation to Canada and that country's refusal to accept him...
Do you have a better alternative that’s available and cheapish?
That’s the problem really. He’s easily the most realistic option. And looking forward to next season, if the choice at 2C is between a disappearing Jeff Carter and MoJo, I’ll take my chances with Carter every time.
by Murshawursha on Feb 16, 2012 3:00 PM EST up reply actions
No frankly, I don’t. But in a post I put in a discussion below, my opinion is not to make a move unless it’s to shed players clearly on the out – the old addition by subtraction – and concentrate efforts in the off-season. Regardless of GMGM or TL’s ideas, this team is more likely than not to miss the playoffs and if in are even less likely to make it through the first round.
Oh this young man has had a very trying rookie season, with the litigation, the notoriety, his subsequent deportation to Canada and that country's refusal to accept him...
Oh, for sure. I’m firmly in the camp that thinks we should sell Vokoun, Knuble, and maybe Wideman at the deadline. But I think if the opportunity comes along to grab a legit 2C we need to go for it.
by Murshawursha on Feb 16, 2012 3:45 PM EST up reply actions
I would suggest looking at players who are clear 2Cs, rather than someone like Carter. To throw out a few names, Vermette, Derek Roy, Plekanec, Desharnais – someone who can put up points in the 40-60 range. There are other options like them, those are just a few who are on bottom-ranked teams.
Failure is always an option.
What do you mean by a clear 2C, rather than someone like Carter?
I like Roy or Plekanec, but I’m not really familiar enough with the other two to have an opinion. And they may not be available at a discount (or at all), like Carter. Basically, if it’s Carter or nobody, I think we have to take Carter.
Unless we want to sign Olli Jokinen in the offseason.
by Murshawursha on Feb 16, 2012 3:48 PM EST up reply actions
Plus, Carter is an interesting subject in another way – the epic post season failure. Though I wouldn’t put Philly’s failure in that category, we don’t know who gets unexpectedly bounced in the first round and then decides to sell off half the team. After all, not many of us saw both Richards and Carter being moved. Thus there could be some great talent available and if the cap space is available from shedding some extraneous players then the team may pull off a big signing. For that I’d be willing to see them part with a prospect, etc.
Oh this young man has had a very trying rookie season, with the litigation, the notoriety, his subsequent deportation to Canada and that country's refusal to accept him...
Paul Stastny? More money than Carter, less term.
Bottom line for me is that GMGM has fleeced Cbus and the Avs in the past, and hope he does it again.
by Gin and Tonic on Feb 16, 2012 3:58 PM EST up reply actions
I would classify Carter as a 1C who has played 2C, rather than someone who is clearly not top line material. All 4 I listed there are on teams well out of the playoffs – Columbus, Buffalo, and Montreal – and therefore probably available for the right price, and certainly for less than Carter, with the possible exception of Plekanec. I do agree that if it’s Carter or no one, take Carter, but I think there are cheaper options who can get the job done.
Failure is always an option.
I’d agree on the classification for Carter, but those are the kind of 2Cs that are on Cup teams.
Please, call me F&B.
(Meaning I’m not sure the cheaper options are really going to get it done in the way we want/need it to get done. I don’t think Plekanec makes us a real contender, I do think Carter does.)
Please, call me F&B.
Carter doesn’t answer their need for a 2nd line playmaker. They’re still dependent on MoJo/Perrault for that. Carter just gives them a more stable alternative to Semin, honestly.
(and again, fan of the player)
The playmaker distinction doesn’t really matter to me. He makes the line a threat, that’s good enough. He also plays excellent defense, highly underrated.
Please, call me F&B.
Can he stick handle through traffic and maintain possession? Can he make clean passes? Does he make good decisions with the puck? Can he win draws?
Those are the questions that need to be answered about a 2C for the Caps. A “playmaker” designation is superfluous.
by Gin and Tonic on Feb 16, 2012 4:47 PM EST up reply actions
I don’t care if the C is the playmaker, but they need one. Put MoJo on the LW of Carter and they’d be fine. But they need one. Carter is a sniper, and that’s part of why he isn’t going to fit in CBus.
Any player at Carter’s level can stickhandle and make clean passes and move the puck around smartly. Yeah, Carter is a shooter. Good thing the Caos have Mojo and Kuz as passing wings?
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by red army line on Feb 16, 2012 5:16 PM EST up reply actions
That’s my point. Shooter or playmaker – the Caps don’t have that at 2C right now.
by Gin and Tonic on Feb 16, 2012 5:23 PM EST up reply actions
That hasn’t been the case recently. Look at the last few Cup teams. Boston had Bergeron and Krejci as their top 2 centers; Chicago had… Bolland, I think; Pittsburgh did have 2 1C’s; Detroit had Hudler or Filppula, I think; and I have no idea who Anaheim. Everyone on that list, with the exception of Malkin for the Pens, is closer to the level I’m talking about than where Carter is.
Failure is always an option.
Was Sharp at C during CHI’s cup run? And Zetterberg for DET? Or where they on the wing mostly those years? I can’t remember.
Anaheim is increasingly looking like an aberration, in that they rode three great defensemen, a keeper and one line to the Cup. Yeah, I know the Pahlsson/Niedermayer/Moen line was a great shut-down trio, but the Ducks were a little thin down the middle.
Every other post-lockout team has had serious center depth – going at least three deep, and usually going two deep with guys who’d be considered “elite” or “near-elite.”
Unleash the Apathy.
What do you think about trying to pick up Pahlsson from Cbus?
by Gin and Tonic on Feb 16, 2012 5:08 PM EST up reply actions
I see it more as an addition to, not instead of.
Or we could go for Vermette.
With Semin traded or Backstrom on LTIR. We’d only have to move Schultz’s contract to fit in Carter and Pahlsson/Vermette.
Backstrom (when healthy), Carter, Pahlsson/Vermette, Laich, Halpern. Would be a nice group of Cs. Move Laich to W on Pahlsson/Vermette’s line when Backstrom is healthy.
by Gin and Tonic on Feb 16, 2012 5:31 PM EST up reply actions
How much would you give for him?
What about Carter?
I think it comes down to if they can move Semin. If they can’t then Backstrom has to go to LTIR. Only way they have enough room to make any kind of real move. And only way Nick goes on LTIR is if they can get someone who can be the 2C/fill-in 1C. Carter or Stastny, I think.
by Gin and Tonic on Feb 16, 2012 5:37 PM EST up reply actions
I’d probably be willing to trade a prospect (or a Schultz) and a first for Carter.
Dunno enough about Vermette to speculate.
by Murshawursha on Feb 16, 2012 5:42 PM EST up reply actions
I don’t think that’s enough for Carter, even with the term he’s carrying.
"You do that, you go to the box, you know. Two minutes, by yourself, and you... feel shame" -Denis Lemieux
When I say prospect I’m considering a Carlson or an Orlov in there with it.
by Murshawursha on Feb 16, 2012 6:03 PM EST up reply actions
Orlov I could do, not Carlson.
Please, call me F&B.
by Rob Parker on Feb 16, 2012 6:05 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
Really? I’m actually starting to think I’d rather move JC than Orlov.
by Murshawursha on Feb 16, 2012 6:11 PM EST up reply actions
Ha. Babytown Frolics. That’s just being enamored with the new guy and frustrated with Carlson’s sophomore slump. Carlson is the better player now, ahead of Orlov’s development for the same age, and more well rounded. Orlov might have a bit more offense, but we’ll see.
Please, call me F&B.
I think that’s spot on, although I’m definitely more excited to watch Orlov than Carlson right now. Purely as a fan.
Either way, I’m not sure Carter moves for less than a roster player, a prospect, and a first.
"You do that, you go to the box, you know. Two minutes, by yourself, and you... feel shame" -Denis Lemieux
Meh, CBJ can basically have their pick of roster players. Aside from Alzner and Nick, I don’t think I’d consider anyone untradeable. I could probably be persuaded to give up Green, but that would have to be a straight up 1 for 1 swap.
by Murshawursha on Feb 16, 2012 7:00 PM EST up reply actions
I’m sort of reserving judgement till he comes back from this surgery, but if he’s only gonna play 30 games a year, he’s useless to me.
by Murshawursha on Feb 16, 2012 10:17 PM EST up reply actions
You’ve mentioned this before about Anaheim riding one line, and it’s still not accurate. Anaheim spread their playing time pretty evenly between the Getzlaf/Perry/Penner, McDonald/Kunitz/Selanne and Pahlsson/Niedermayer/Moen lines. They had 7 different forwards scoring 10+ pts, with the highest only scoring 17 pts (Getzlaf).
Getzlaf led the Ducks Fs in ATOI with 21:43. The next highest was Pahlsson at 19:25, then Selanne with 19:07, then McDonald with 18:37. Perry was 8th with 16:29 and Penner was 10th with 14:04. That’s not riding 1 line to the Cup. That’s having depth.
ANA used their lines in a more balanced manner than the ultra-deep CHI team that won the Cup. That team got a much larger percentage of their scoring from 3 players and only had 6 forwards playing more than 14 minutes per game. In fact, the 6th forward in ATOI (Versteeg) had 17:12 and the 7th (Kopecky) had only 13:34. That’s a much bigger drop off from 2nd to 3rd line usage than you see with the Anaheim Aberrations.
Release the Mackan!
by Killer_Carlson on Feb 16, 2012 5:19 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
Which was the Ducks one line?
The McDonald/Selanne line that tore it up, or the Getzlaf/Perry/Penner line that merely did very well?
Please, call me F&B.
by Rob Parker on Feb 16, 2012 5:29 PM EST up reply actions 2 recs
Getzlaf/Perry/Penner combined for 40 points.
McDonald and Selanne combined for 29. Kunitz had 6 in 13 games, so if whoever played that wing when Kunitz was hurt scored 5 points (seems likely) they had two 40 point lines. Either way, they had two 35+ point lines and a beast shutdown line.
So yeah… one line?
Please, call me F&B.
McDonald might as well be a Center. Beast.
Proud member of the Popsicle Division of the Cupcake Conference.
He’s a center/wing, right? Kinda like Laich, only better at C.
Proud member of the Popsicle Division of the Cupcake Conference.
Yeah, he’s listed as an LW on NHL.com, but he was in the top 3 in faceoffs taken during their Cup run.
Release the Mackan!
by Killer_Carlson on Feb 16, 2012 7:12 PM EST up reply actions
needs photoshop
Photoshop with Jeff’s head please!
Tu ne cede malis
by _Skullduggery_ on Feb 16, 2012 4:33 PM EST up reply actions
So if Anaheim can somehow defy all logic, make up six points on the Yotes and make the playoffs, how much do you think the local and national media will freak out? Let’s all recall that most of them either were in favor of it or understood why it happened in the first place, but that’s never stopped them before.
It’ll be the easiest column they can write all year.
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by YvonLabresMoustache on Feb 16, 2012 7:32 AM EST reply actions
http://prohockeytalk.nbcsports.com/2012/02/15/gauging-the-surging-anaheim-ducks-playoff-prospects/
And as everyone on Twitter is noting, the Ducks are now a mere four points behind the Caps.
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As much as everyone already dislikes Ovi for one reason or another, if that happens, you’ll be able to see their collective boner from space.
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by YvonLabresMoustache on Feb 16, 2012 7:41 AM EST up reply actions
There is going to be the obvious comparison of Boudreau’s Ducks to Boudreau’s Caps in 2008, but it’s a hard comparison to make. With 25 games left in 2008 the Caps were in tenth place, two points behind eighth-place Boston. It’s not so much the points but the teams. The Ducks have five teams to climb over, and the odds of none of them making at least a bit of a run to keep Anaheim at bay aren’t good.
If they do it, though, Boudreau should be the Adams winner again.
If you've read this far...seek help.
I kinda hope he does it so they don’t make Babcock coach of the year. I know it probably doesn’t matter to him, but the thought of him being the NHL Coach’s version of Susan Lucci makes me laugh.
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by YvonLabresMoustache on Feb 16, 2012 7:58 AM EST up reply actions
I think Hitch has it locked up unless BB makes a surge with a playoff appearance.
by Dirk Dangler on Feb 16, 2012 9:08 AM EST up reply actions
I still think Paul MacLean should get some votes for what he’s done with the Sens.
by Rather Bengt on Feb 16, 2012 9:09 AM EST up reply actions
Absolutely, paper-towel defense aside.
I thought they’d be one of the worst teams in the league this year.
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by YvonLabresMoustache on Feb 16, 2012 9:14 AM EST up reply actions
Nothing would make me happier than seeing the Caps win the SE and the Sens hold on to 6th with that D corps.
by Rather Bengt on Feb 16, 2012 9:18 AM EST up reply actions
One where you put a Bounty on the opposing team’s forwards’ heads.
by Rather Bengt on Feb 16, 2012 9:20 AM EST up reply actions 2 recs
That’s a Brawny attitude there, Captain.
There's always more to learn about Hockey.
by WordsOnIce on Feb 16, 2012 9:24 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs
That would be fabric softener soft, you silly.
"The Caps fan doesn't say, 'is the glass half full' or 'is the glass half empty'. He wonders when the glass is going to spill."
You know those commercials where they compare the paper towels, and they show how strong one one is while wet and they show the other one wet and something falls right through it?
Ottawa’s defense is the bad paper towel brand.
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by YvonLabresMoustache on Feb 16, 2012 9:24 AM EST up reply actions
I prefer that Hunter/Johnson instilled a sham-wow defensive scheme for the Caps, but they can’t do this all day.
by Rather Bengt on Feb 16, 2012 9:26 AM EST up reply actions
I saw a tweet last night, I forget from whom, that compared the number of games missed by 8, 19, 52, and 28 since Hunter was hired to the number of games lost by Ryan, Getzlaf, Perry and someone else (Selanne?) since Boudreau was hired.
Spoiler alert, the number of games lost for the Ducks’ foursome since Boudreau was hired is ZERO.
You have to imagine the Caps have a better record under different circumstances.
Nice guys finish first, but sometimes the season is awfully long.
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Might have been Vogel. I saw it too.
"The Caps fan doesn't say, 'is the glass half full' or 'is the glass half empty'. He wonders when the glass is going to spill."
It was Peerless:
And for those wanting to compare Boudreau to Hunter…Number of games missed by Getzlaf, Ryan, Selanne, Perry=0 …
Number of man-games missed by 8, 19, 28, 52 since Hunter took over = 56
"You can want to get to April but when you get to April you may not like the answers you get, so you might as well enjoy the ride while it's going on." - Brian McNally on JRR, 8/29/2011
I tweeted it. Zero for the Anaheim group, 56 man games for the Caps’ big four.
If you've read this far...seek help.
Sorry, gave the wrong guy credit then.
"The Caps fan doesn't say, 'is the glass half full' or 'is the glass half empty'. He wonders when the glass is going to spill."
Not credit jumping, just in case you wanted to go see what we wrote…
If you've read this far...seek help.
Great stat. For those folks that are still on the Bruce bandwagon and think 2012 is evidence that Hunter can’t coach, I think they must take this into consideration.
Life isn’t fair, but, neither is this comparison.
Nice guys finish first, but sometimes the season is awfully long.
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Injuries have no doubt played a part, but neither do they absolve the team of this level of performance. Boston won a Stanley Cup with arguably their top center on the bench (haven’t forgotten Marc Savard, have we?). Pittsburgh won a Game 7 in the Finals with their best player on the bench for all but one shift in the third period and for the last ten minutes overall of the season’s ultimate game.
Not entirely comparable, certainly, but the Caps play in a weak division, even by Southeast standards. They are 3-2-2 against the division since Backstrom left the lineup. Is this team, without Green and Backstrom, really inferior to Florida? Winnipeg? If they are, they need a whole new regime picking the talent.
If you've read this far...seek help.
Don’t you hate it when the stats and facts don’t fit the narrative?
Nice guys finish first, but sometimes the season is awfully long.
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Already sick of the “savior” narrative. Just as the Caps weren’t as bad as their record when he was coach earlier this season the Ducks weren’t as bad as they played at the start. Unlike the rest of Caps Nation I’m not stuck on BB, and even if I was, I would never pull for the Thucks. The good news for the rest of the West is Anaheim has15 of their final 25 games are on the road.
The Artist Formerly Known as CP2Devil.
Associate Editor at Five For Howling.
Who do the Yotes seem to have their biggest trouble with in the West CP?
by Rather Bengt on Feb 16, 2012 9:31 AM EST up reply actions
It’s a muddled mess for the last three spots. In our Roundtable a couple weeks ago I thought Dallas was the team to fear most and I still do. However, I could see scenarios where any of the teams currently 6-13 got in. I think health is going to be a huge factor. Besides maybe the Kings, none of those squads can afford major injuries.
The Artist Formerly Known as CP2Devil.
Associate Editor at Five For Howling.
I seem to watch a lot of Flames’ games lately and they have looked good of late. Probably just a hot spell (as guys like Kipper, Olli and even Iggy are known as streaky players anyhow) and they definitely can’t afford any major injuries, but they have been fun to watch lately.
by Rather Bengt on Feb 16, 2012 9:42 AM EST up reply actions
You are right. Olli and Kipper have been playing out of their minds. Hope that stops soon.
Huge game tonight between Yotes and the Kings. I’m sure everyone else is just hoping it ends in regulation.
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Associate Editor at Five For Howling.
Bob McK said on the TSN Roundtable Quiz last night that he sees the Kings as the team most likely to get Nash were he traded—agree?
by Rather Bengt on Feb 16, 2012 9:49 AM EST up reply actions
Makes sense because Kings need scoring and CBus needs a goalie for the future and the Kings would likely be willing to part with Bernier.
The Artist Formerly Known as CP2Devil.
Associate Editor at Five For Howling.
by Carl Putnam on Feb 16, 2012 10:02 AM EST up reply actions
I could see it, they’ve been looking for scoring on the wing forever. They could also give Dustin Penner and Drew Doughty some company in the “most likely to gain 50 pounds in their first year of retirement club.”
No, they can’t have CMCC
Please, call me F&B.
by Rob Parker on Feb 16, 2012 10:02 AM EST up reply actions 2 recs
The Bernier factor was a big reason why and the Kings could definitely could use the wing scoring. Alot of the other teams were weeded out because of "not wanting to disrupt the chemistry (i.e. – NYR, BOS) or not having a goalie to trade (TOR).
by Rather Bengt on Feb 16, 2012 10:07 AM EST up reply actions
I think they can get around the goalie thing. A good enough return package lets them go find a goalie if they want. And if they have any cap room to spare (ahem) they should realize by now they can find perfectly average goaltending for a short deal at a low cap hit over the summer. They don’t need future-franchise-savior right now (and should be careful about trying to find that guy in a trade that sends out Nash).
Please, call me F&B.
If the Caps could afford it, would you want them be in the bidding for Nash?
by Rather Bengt on Feb 16, 2012 10:16 AM EST up reply actions
Make a three-way trade with TOR and CBJ. TOR ends up with Nash. Caps end up with Grabovsky and a D-man . CBJ ends up with Semin and some young players and prospects/picks.
And GMGM will have to work like hell to get Grabs resigned in the off season.
by Rather Bengt on Feb 16, 2012 10:35 AM EST up reply actions
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not sorry he’s gone at all. Something had to change.
I’m just not that enamored with who they replaced him with.
"Now fair's fair Henry. If I nail Hotlips and punch Hawkeye, can I go home too?
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by YvonLabresMoustache on Feb 16, 2012 9:32 AM EST up reply actions
Bruce is a real decent guy. But it was over, and I mean completely finished, with the Caps. He had to go. He’ll always have a place in my heart, kinda like Olie, and I hope he wins a Cup and retires a legend, but he couldn’t continue with the Caps.
Patron saint of quality footwear.
by fat_daddyo on Feb 16, 2012 9:33 AM EST up reply actions 2 recs
H/t to Kukla: Dick Hunter story in the London Free Press.
That'll make your weagle wink!
"You're the boss, apple sauce" - @GreenLife52
Ha, a part of me thinks I am clicking on a link to a story about a homicidal, man-hungry woman in Southwestern Ontario.
by Rather Bengt on Feb 16, 2012 7:46 AM EST up reply actions
Apparently the Knights are owned by Lorena Bobbit.
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by YvonLabresMoustache on Feb 16, 2012 7:47 AM EST up reply actions
hehehehe he said Dick Hunter
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by JediChewbacca on Feb 16, 2012 8:26 AM EST up reply actions 2 recs
Last night
Sens beat Panthers 6-2 so the Kitties remain 4 points up on the Caps in the SE Division.
Tim Connolly scores the OT winner and the Leafs beat the Oilers 4-3 to go 3 points up on the Caps for 8th in the Eastern Conference.
Friday game against the Cats is the biggest game of the season to date, no? I don’t think they make up six on the Cats.
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by YvonLabresMoustache on Feb 16, 2012 7:53 AM EST up reply actions
Well it is Game 2 of the playoffs.
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by Bald Pollack on Feb 16, 2012 7:57 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs
Since Mike Green has said that the Caps’ style has evolved into a “more playoff-style game,” I’d say they are right on track then to finish in disappointing fashion.
If you've read this far...seek help.
by ThePeerless on Feb 16, 2012 8:03 AM EST up reply actions 7 recs
Question: Are you more freaked out right now if you’re a Caps fan or a Blackhawks fan? Hawks have lost ten straight.
You perhaps knew me better as "Your Nation's Capital." Same great commentary, now with 100% more transparency!
Hawks? Unless they want to do the Jersey/Ftorek thing, Quenneville might have to go very soon.
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by YvonLabresMoustache on Feb 16, 2012 7:59 AM EST up reply actions
I would kill for Quenneville to coach here.
That'll make your weagle wink!
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by boutros23 on Feb 16, 2012 8:04 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs
I haven’t been able to watch them much or read much of what’s going on there. Have they just tuned him out? Or is it just the “Crawford is shitty” meme?
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by YvonLabresMoustache on Feb 16, 2012 8:06 AM EST up reply actions
I’m not entirely sure. Bad puck luck for sure. Underperforming Crawford, yes. Management and players have spoken up on Q’s behalf, but we know firsthand that that doesn’t necessarily mean much as the Ls pile up.
That'll make your weagle wink!
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This is a nice, quick look from SCH. In short: goalies performing at ES like they’re PKing, shooting gone cold, too.
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by red army line on Feb 16, 2012 9:48 AM EST up reply actions
After Keith and Seabrook, their defense is just terrible. Hjalmarsson looks lost, Leddy is playing like a second-year player, O’Donnell is 143, and Jon Scott just wants to hit people.
That and Crawford and Emery are just not making big saves.
What are the chances that GMGM has already considered this or has spoken to Stan Bowman? And by extension, how much of a double-edged sword is this for GMGM if he concludes that his decision to pursue Hunter was a misfire? He’s admitting a huge mistake and he has to swallow his pride and find a new coach. I guess the bottom line question there is, how much is GMGM tied to Hunter as far as this season’s success. Ted can be optimistic all he wants. I think if GMGM were to land Quenneville his job is secure and Hunter could return to London. But that’s based on Bowman’s confidence that this is just bad luck, confidence issues, etc. and not a bigger problem.
And will Bowman ride this season out with Quenneville simply because there may not be another option available and he doesn’t want to promote from the lower ranks?
by jopierce on Feb 16, 2012 8:42 AM EST via iPhone app up reply actions
Honestly if GMGM admits to making a mistake with the Hunter hire, I’d view it as a sign of strength rather than weakness, in the whole ‘doing-what-it-takes-to-win-even-at-the-expense-of-his-pride’ kind of way.
Still not 100% convinced Hunter was a bad hire. I’d give him an offseason and a full roster before giving up on him.
by Murshawursha on Feb 16, 2012 12:13 PM EST up reply actions
Yeah that was pretty shitty. But didn’t Bruce do the same thing at least once? Something about blaming Neuvirth for losing a 1-0 game?
by Murshawursha on Feb 16, 2012 12:18 PM EST up reply actions
Dunno how play well and you keep playing is trashing, but to each their own.
"Haven’t we all been there, kidnapping someone in a rented ambulance, only to get out onto the interstate and then realize that your intended rape victim has escaped and cheated on her boyfriend with his best friend. Man, if I had a nickel…"
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by Bald Pollack on Feb 16, 2012 1:00 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
Yeah, that’s a very liberal use of the term “trashing”, particularly after the Caps fired a coach that many fans thought was too soft on the players.
Release the Mackan!
by Killer_Carlson on Feb 16, 2012 1:05 PM EST up reply actions
Credit where credit’s due, Bruce did plenty for the alarm clock-challenged on the team.
by Rather Bengt on Feb 16, 2012 1:22 PM EST up reply actions
It’s bad in Chicago but at least they’ve won theirs already. Probably doesn’t sting as much.
by Kolzilla on Feb 16, 2012 8:03 AM EST via mobile up reply actions
Caps, easily. Even after 10 straight losses the Hawks are still in a playoff spot, and they have much better playoff experience to fall back on. And if they don’t rebound they’ve got a much better core than the Caps moving forward.
Release the Mackan!
by Killer_Carlson on Feb 16, 2012 12:26 PM EST up reply actions
And CHI is losing with bad goaltending. The Caps have been getting the goaltending and still not winning.
Please, call me F&B.
by Rob Parker on Feb 16, 2012 12:30 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
It lost in a shootout
If you've read this far...seek help.
by ThePeerless on Feb 16, 2012 8:26 AM EST up reply actions 2 recs
So anyone else think Olie was up here to do more than just work with Neuvy? Something tells me its no coincidence that he’s up here now and making those comments about Ovi in front of a critical road trip for the team.
Clearly there is respect for Olie from Ovi as a former teammate. Something that no current teammate or coach has. Lest we not forget the infamous iPod smashing incident from 5 years ago. I think Olie was specifically summoned to get his message out publically. Can’t think of another reason why the associate goaltender coach would be called up here at this time, particularly since the team will be in his back yard over the weekend.
Just trying to capture the spirit of the thing...
000
So anyone else think Olie was up here to do more than just work with Neuvy?
You’re in.
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by YvonLabresMoustache on Feb 16, 2012 8:41 AM EST up reply actions 3 recs
To film another awesome commercial like this???
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2OCnDrab3dk
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by JediChewbacca on Feb 16, 2012 8:53 AM EST up reply actions
Abso-freakin’-lutely – and several reasons.
My take – Olie’s here to provide a little bit of damage control for one of his players and to provide a boatload of damage control (if possible) for management. If you want details, I could write a minor novella on this right now.
(As an aside, I have to admit that I thought the “rock star” statement was a piece of sheer, unadulterated, and stunningly beautiful work of art in passive-aggression. Kudos to Olie on that one!)
IMO, this team has a huge problem that nobody is addressing: downward communication (or the lack of it) from the coaching staff and from management. Hunter seems to be failing to actively coach at least some of his players.
This was not the first time that Neuvy has mentioned a lack of communication from coaching (from Hunter and the goalie coaching staff) to the press. Schultz said that same thing about Hunter several weeks into his extended pine-riding episode. Knubs was told that he was benched the other night in lieu of Recker because of his poor Corsi stats, and Aucoin was benched because any points with the team this season (he played all of five games) So Hunter solved the problem – by giving a sweater to someone who may not be able to spell “CORSI” due to all the punches he’s taken to the head.
So, the coach repeatedly refuses to coach some of his players, and he bullshits others into oblivion – then he goes to the press and says that he understands that they’re disappointed and that they’ll man-up if they’re professionals. What kind of fucked-up management classes is this guy taking? There’s no Rosetta Stone for language that this guy is speaking.
Beags and Schultz both made statements that seemed to be in support of Knubs yesterday. (Schultz as a boat-rocker – whoduthunkit?) Makes me wonder if there’s not some unrest in the locker room. I think Kolzig is here to supplicate the team in order to protect some interests for upper management.
I just hope they get rid of Hunter before he does too much long-term damage. A McDonald’s Hamburger University graduate would have better management skills.
by creasemonkey on Feb 16, 2012 12:15 PM EST up reply actions
Haha, I just saw it at ‘capitals insider’, What’s up with GMGM good humor lately? what he knows that we dont…
What doesnt kill you makes you stronger.
by BetterOffWith28 on Feb 16, 2012 1:16 PM EST up reply actions
Maybe he knows that...
When it was suggested (last year) that the Capitals might be better off finishing in 6th, 7th or 8th, I was trying to imagine what that would look like as a season played itself out. Maybe this is what it looks like – shockingly different compared to the past four seasons.
So now the Caps have the opposition right where they want them, thinking they are dysfunctional and not competitive (playing the part to perfection). If you go to Kettler after midnight you will see them all out there, playing like a well oiled team that would have even the Red Wings in awe.
OT: I love that kerfluffle has become part of the hockey lexicon because of a TV commercial that never aired in this country. Reffing a men’s league game the other night, a player asked me about the “kerfluffle” in the previous game. Kinda made me chuckle.
I am a hockey fan first, and a Caps fan second.
by iwearstripes on Feb 16, 2012 1:57 PM EST up reply actions
I love his intentionally terrible puns. He had one last saturday that was so terrible even I rolled my eyes.
"Now fair's fair Henry. If I nail Hotlips and punch Hawkeye, can I go home too?
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by YvonLabresMoustache on Feb 16, 2012 3:09 PM EST up reply actions
OTOT thread is up now. Apologies.
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For those on the Avalanche watch
Giguere left last night’s name with a groin injury. TJ Gallardi left the game with a torso injury. And surprise, surprise Peter Mueller (the Western conference answer to Tim Connolly) didn’t start with a UBI.
Man I feel for Mueller if this is another concussion. His brain is going to be mush before he’s 25 years old at this rate.
by Dirk Dangler on Feb 16, 2012 9:23 AM EST up reply actions
True enough about Mueller’s concussion injury. I believe I read it was torso-related this time though.
by Rather Bengt on Feb 16, 2012 9:24 AM EST up reply actions
So...Some of Us Got What We Wished For
At a certain point in the beginning of the season, and I think it was during the 7-0 run at the start of the season, there was a discussion that centered on the issue of whether we’d rather the Caps continue to win in less-than-impressive fashion or suffer a string of deserved losses. Would it be better for the Caps in the long run to be exposed by desultory play or would we just take the wins.
I was in the camp that was hoping the results reflected the play. I can’t remember who else was in there, but I believe D’oh was there too.
Well, we got what we wanted. And when that happens you have to take your medicine.
So I’m saying that this season will be better for the club in the long run. The dirty laundry is out there, the flaws are exposed. It’s ugly. There’s no longer any illusion that the Caps are an elite team.
The question now becomes whether the FO and players can address the shortcomings expeditiously.
Patron saint of quality footwear.
The Caps are 21-23-5 since that start. As Bill Parcells once put it in typically pithy fashion… “No matter how much you’ve won, no matter how many games, no matter how many championships, no matter how many Super Bowls, you’re not winning now, so you stink.”
If you've read this far...seek help.
The question now becomes whether the FO and players can address the shortcomings
This is the big issue, and honestly I’m not too hopeful. The flaws in this team have been pretty clear for a few years now, and GMGM has seemed content to slap band-aids on them, rather than take the risk of addressing larger, structural issues.
Unleash the Apathy.
I think it’s worth pointing out that he tried the same thing in two ways, it worked one, didn’t work on the other. He went for bandaids and allowing the young D to mature, and that worked when Carlzner developed into a solid tandem the team relied on (notwithstanding this season’s disappointing play). It didn’t work for the 2C, so that gaping hole sticks out.
Please, call me F&B.
The flaws in this team have been pretty clear for a few years now
Assuming Rob has ID’d the flaws you’re referring to, I can’t fault McPhee, and I wonder how you do.
The keyboard is mightier.
The team hasn’t had center depth for five years now. Every year, McPhee has put a band-aid on the problem and hoped that having exceptional wings would make up for a lack of center depth. Every year, teams with center depth have advanced and the Caps have gone home.
The situation on defense isn’t as rosy, but I don’t fault McPhee for Green’s injury, nor for Carlzner’s regression. I wish the team didn’t have $$$ tied up in Tom Poti, and I wish that they’d acquired someone a little more mobile than Hamrlik, but that’s not a glaringly obvious hole like the center position.
Right now, the team has Backstrom (injured), Johansson (terrible), Perreault (fun to watch, but limited), Laich (serviceable, but still a converted wing), and Halpern (old, injury risk).
The band-aids have included Nylander (old), Fedorov (old), Morrison (old, injured), Arnott (old, injured), Flash (WTF?). . . every year it’s the same thing. Every year he balks at changing the fundamental structure of the team to make it less wing-heavy and more center-heavy.
Unleash the Apathy.
Which means a Semin one-year deal should be announced in the next day or so, eh?
If you've read this far...seek help.
by ThePeerless on Feb 16, 2012 10:55 AM EST up reply actions
I’m with you but am not convinced Caps ownership/mgt is on board. “We’re 8-0 with everyone in the lineup” says GMGM only 2 days ago. If Nickie doesn’t play again this season and the Caps miss the playoffs, I fear the response will be “injuries just really killed us.” Maybe that will just be the public response and GMGM (or his successor) will actually do some to address the shortcomings but it’s hard for me to be optimistic given the history here.
by Dirk Dangler on Feb 16, 2012 9:27 AM EST up reply actions
Wasn’t that what they said after losing to Tampa last year?
I am a hockey fan first, and a Caps fan second.
by iwearstripes on Feb 16, 2012 9:42 AM EST up reply actions
I think the fan base will be pretty upset and looking for a more satisfactory explanation than injuries if/when this team misses the playoffs. The injury excuse probably ain’t gonna cut it from a PR perspective this time. But I could also see them going that route if they end up keeping McPhee around.
I bought the argument to an extent in the TB series because they played well, for the most part, leading up to the playoffs and against the Rags. I do recall hating the win one, lose one, coin toss style of games last January and into February under BB. My déjà vu under Hunter’s version of it is visceral, and I lack faith that this team can get its act together and play strongly in the homestretch whether or not they get Nicky and Greenie back.
Ovechkin on how he can help the team: "Score MOAR goals."
by capsyoungguns on Feb 16, 2012 12:06 PM EST up reply actions
That’s why I’m of the opinion the Caps should be neither buyers or sellers. Short-term rentals aren’t worth the price and especially so since I (pessimism here) see the team as a first round exit even if they beat the odds to get the division or eigth seed. Other than possibly moving Semin (and some healthy scratches) if he doesn’t figure into next year’s plans and assuming Hunter will be given a full season to prove he is NHL caliber I would suggest an aggressive approach in the off-season rather than before the trade deadline.
Oh this young man has had a very trying rookie season, with the litigation, the notoriety, his subsequent deportation to Canada and that country's refusal to accept him...
It all depends on what is available at the deadline. Why pass up the opportunity to improve the team if it presents itself.
As far as predictions, I didn’t think the Caps would lost to Montreal or Tampa, I don’t think anyone did. And we know how that turned out.
by Gin and Tonic on Feb 16, 2012 3:44 PM EST up reply actions
Absolutely if a solid long term player becomes available but this time of year is rife with rentals and if Hunter is for sure the coach for next year then take your time and give him the right to help assemble the pieces he deems necessary for his system to work.
Oh this young man has had a very trying rookie season, with the litigation, the notoriety, his subsequent deportation to Canada and that country's refusal to accept him...
The wheel on the Caps bus goes round and round, round and round, round and round…the wheel on the Caps bus goes round and round, all down through the Eastern Conference Standings….
"Now fair's fair Henry. If I nail Hotlips and punch Hawkeye, can I go home too?
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by YvonLabresMoustache on Feb 16, 2012 9:33 AM EST up reply actions
Not really surprising, though, right? 52 almost certainly wasn’t going to go, and they’ve got a full complement of D already.
We’ll see if 22 gets back in the lineup. After the shitshow with him in a suit, I’d be surprised if he doesn’t. Not that I expect he’ll be a difference maker, mind you.
Patron saint of quality footwear.
I’d expect to see 22 for the same reason. Hunter took a lot of heat for his sorry, lukewarm excuse reasons for that last benching.
On a wholly-related note, I’d also expect to see Beags on nacho duty. He was quoted in support of Knubs.
I wonder if Hunter doesn’t have some sort of problem with Knubs’ highly-respected locker room presence.
by creasemonkey on Feb 16, 2012 12:22 PM EST up reply actions
This was expected though, right? A mostly paper transaction to avoid waivers?
"Money talks. I listen."
That was expected though. Didn’t even French call it a “paper transaction” when he was sent back down?
"You can want to get to April but when you get to April you may not like the answers you get, so you might as well enjoy the ride while it's going on." - Brian McNally on JRR, 8/29/2011
transaction de papier
"Now fair's fair Henry. If I nail Hotlips and punch Hawkeye, can I go home too?
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by YvonLabresMoustache on Feb 16, 2012 9:42 AM EST up reply actions
I may be thinking of another player, but I thought I saw something about him not practicing with the Bears over the past few days. That also led to speculation that he was only sent back on paper.
by creasemonkey on Feb 16, 2012 12:24 PM EST up reply actions
I’m a little surprised it was Aucoin and not someone else (no, not Rechlicz), but I am not surprised they recalled a forward.
By my math (note, could be off by a little), the Caps still have cap room and 1 open slot on active roster to activate Mike Green if he’s ready, even after Aucoin recall.
God dammit.
This is driving me bananas. Is Aucoin that much better than Knuble? I have to say no. Who is sitting?
"One of the most difficult things everyone has to learn is that for your entire life you must keep fighting and adjusting if you hope to survive." -George Allen
Aucoin. He’s there in case someone gets sick/injured.
You perhaps knew me better as "Your Nation's Capital." Same great commentary, now with 100% more transparency!
Does anyone else think Kolzig was on to something?
I realize that he is not a high-up person in the franchise anymore, but I think his comments were right on target, in more ways than one. Particularly about Alex. I may be in the minority, but I think for someone who had played with him he has that “right,” if you will.
I blog the Caps at Caps 'Round the Clock.
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by hankthetank5503 on Feb 16, 2012 9:36 AM EST reply actions
I would agree that Olie’s remarks regarding AO were, um, calculated.
I thought he played a lazy game vs SJS.
I suspect the team has reached a certain frustration level with him and want him to step it up. I would imagine they’ve made the same remarks to him privately, and want to see if some public pressure will get him moving.
Olie is maybe the one guy with the standing to make those remarks and survive.
We’ll see how it works.
Patron saint of quality footwear.
What concerns me is that Ovie might view Olie’s words as more piling on and brush them aside. Ovie used to take criticism as a challenge and upped his game after someone called him out in the press. That Ovie has been gone for at least two seasons. He’s been embodying “It is what it is.” too much lately. He needs a new (positive) catch phrase.
(Yes, I know about the avatar hounding - just pretend mine is invisible.)
I hope not. I hope he gets that this is really the first time that anyone from the organization has publicly called him out (oustide of BB’s laughable “benching” attempt, but let’s face it, the “fat f**k” had already lost any control over Ovi by then).
The care that went into Olie’s “rock star” statement was crazy-good. It was almost textbook conflict resolution process. Olie addresed the problem, gave him the solution that he wants to see, and then gave Ovi an “out” that allows Ovi to put the responsibility for his shoddy performance on someone/something else. After all, rock stars can not become rock stars without fans, groupies, managers, engineers, roadies, etc.
Olie’s influential enough yet far enough down the food chain that upper management has plausible deniability about the statement if Ovi took offense to in publicly.
by creasemonkey on Feb 16, 2012 12:41 PM EST up reply actions
Hey now, you’re a rock star, get your game on, go play.
Signed,
George Olie
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by EmilyB on Feb 16, 2012 12:57 PM EST up reply actions 7 recs
You mean like someone told him to say it?
I blog the Caps at Caps 'Round the Clock.
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by hankthetank5503 on Feb 16, 2012 9:40 AM EST up reply actions
Put it this way.
If he popped off of his own accord, that makes him a loose cannon of the of the first order.
I don’t think he’s that loose of a cannon, so I suspect that the remarks are part of a calculated attempt, probably involving Hunter, McPhee et al in the decision loop.
Patron saint of quality footwear.
As someone who played with him (albeit 4 years ago) sure he has a right. But I have to think as a member of management, creating a media shitstorm wouldn’t be considered very productive for the organization.
"You can want to get to April but when you get to April you may not like the answers you get, so you might as well enjoy the ride while it's going on." - Brian McNally on JRR, 8/29/2011
I don’t think the media sh*tstorm can get any bigger… ;-P
I blog the Caps at Caps 'Round the Clock.
Follow me on Twitter - @HarryHawkings
by hankthetank5503 on Feb 16, 2012 9:40 AM EST up reply actions
It be an even bigger shitstorm if he got a DUI on the way home from practice.
I am a hockey fan first, and a Caps fan second.
by iwearstripes on Feb 16, 2012 10:11 AM EST up reply actions
0000
Oh…the shitstorm most certainly could get bigger
"Now fair's fair Henry. If I nail Hotlips and punch Hawkeye, can I go home too?
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by YvonLabresMoustache on Feb 16, 2012 10:18 AM EST up reply actions
you trying to cause epileptic fits with that?
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Page formatting messed up
Perhaps this is indicative of the deterioration of the Caps season, but the Caps Clips page formatting has been messed up for a week or so (I tested it in both Firefox 10 and the dreaded IE). Something may be wrong with the wrapping within the HTML code. Or maybe it’s the coaching staff. Or the Captain’s heart. Who can tell. ;→
Yeah it’s been icky for me in Chrome, but that may just be network related.
"Now fair's fair Henry. If I nail Hotlips and punch Hawkeye, can I go home too?
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Ron and Fez 11 to 3
by YvonLabresMoustache on Feb 16, 2012 10:33 AM EST up reply actions
It’s been fine for me on Firefox and Chrome
Release the Mackan!
by Killer_Carlson on Feb 16, 2012 3:07 PM EST up reply actions
Meanwhile, back on the ice:
@SkyKerstein:So this makes two full-out practices where the lines have stayed the same and Greenlife52 has participated fully. Be still my heart!
#Caps forward lines this AM: 8-90-20, 25-85-28, 26-21-22, 83-23-15-42…all 8 dmen practicing
"You can want to get to April but when you get to April you may not like the answers you get, so you might as well enjoy the ride while it's going on." - Brian McNally on JRR, 8/29/2011
23? Did they recall Aucoin?
You perhaps knew me better as "Your Nation's Capital." Same great commentary, now with 100% more transparency!
Yupper.
"You can want to get to April but when you get to April you may not like the answers you get, so you might as well enjoy the ride while it's going on." - Brian McNally on JRR, 8/29/2011
Hmm. Guess it’s a bit before the Bears need to name their Clear Day roster.
You perhaps knew me better as "Your Nation's Capital." Same great commentary, now with 100% more transparency!
Meanwhile at other NHL practices:
Aaron Portzline @Aportzline
#CBJ Rick Nash, Jeff Carter and Fedor Tyutin absent from practice this morning. Checking.
Out of those three, seeing Tyutin in Caps red would make me happiest.
by Rather Bengt on Feb 16, 2012 10:50 AM EST up reply actions
It could be the Oilers. They need to improve their D, if they trade their 1st or some of the prospects. And thats what Columbus should want. Yakupov, Grigorenko going to 1 team? Nice start for a rebuild.
Young Russians in Columbus? Yeah, that works well.
"The Caps fan doesn't say, 'is the glass half full' or 'is the glass half empty'. He wonders when the glass is going to spill."
At least it´s not St.Louis. I don´t think that any team would pass on them because of their talent. If you draft both of them, you have 1C,1W from the get go.
St Louis drafted Tarasenko, they seem to have no problem with Russians recently.
Proud member of the Popsicle Division of the Cupcake Conference.
I like Tyutin, but CBJ just extended him for 6 and 27 back in August.
"Now fair's fair Henry. If I nail Hotlips and punch Hawkeye, can I go home too?
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Ron and Fez 11 to 3
by YvonLabresMoustache on Feb 16, 2012 11:46 AM EST up reply actions
All these pun possibilities alone would make Locker’s head explode.
"Now fair's fair Henry. If I nail Hotlips and punch Hawkeye, can I go home too?
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Ron and Fez 11 to 3
by YvonLabresMoustache on Feb 16, 2012 12:55 PM EST up reply actions
and
Damian Cristodero @LightningTimes
Lightning D Pavel Kubina not on ice for morning skate. Yzerman scheduled to speak soon. We’ll see what’s up.
from Cristodero’s article in the TB Times today:
Tampa Bay Lightning general manager Steve Yzerman hints at sell-off
Not surprised to see Yzerman get a headstart on things after his acquisition of Brewer last year which was around a week before deadline day, IIRC.
by Rather Bengt on Feb 16, 2012 11:06 AM EST up reply actions
From Erik Erlendsson:
And the #tblightning have officially put out the "For Sale’’ sign after asking Kubina to submit a list of teams he would be willing to go to
by Rather Bengt on Feb 16, 2012 11:09 AM EST up reply actions
Kubina’s been on-ice for 43 goals against at 5/5, and his Corsi numbers aren’t very good. I think I would sell.
"Now fair's fair Henry. If I nail Hotlips and punch Hawkeye, can I go home too?
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by YvonLabresMoustache on Feb 16, 2012 12:07 PM EST up reply actions
per Carrera
Tensions running high at #Caps practice. Ovechkin and Wideman got into it a bit, exchanged some slashes, shoves and stared each other down.
（╯°□°）╯︵ ┻━┻
┬─┬ノ( º _ ºノ)
the soap opera continues
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that sounds more like Jersey Shore…
（╯°□°）╯︵ ┻━┻
┬─┬ノ( º _ ºノ)
by JediChewbacca on Feb 16, 2012 10:48 AM EST up reply actions
I feel like ditching work, going down there, and yelling at them, “Girls! Girls! You’re all pretty! Now grow up and behave.”
There's always more to learn about Hockey.
as long as Snookie still gets punched in the face thats fine
<img src="http://gifsoup.com/view/1545504/snookie-punched.html][IMG]http://gifsoup.com/imager.php?id=1545504&t=o[/IMG][/URL] [URL=http://gifsoup.com/"/>
（╯°□°）╯︵ ┻━┻
┬─┬ノ( º _ ºノ)
by JediChewbacca on Feb 16, 2012 10:54 AM EST up reply actions
as long as Snookie still gets punched in the face thats fine
（╯°□°）╯︵ ┻━┻
┬─┬ノ( º _ ºノ)
by JediChewbacca on Feb 16, 2012 10:55 AM EST up reply actions
Dude, I object. If there’s one thing I dont’ need to see it’s a women being punched in the face. I know I can collapse it and all (and I have) but I have to say that’s way over the top.
And applauding the behavior is just horrible. Really, now.
Patron saint of quality footwear.
by fat_daddyo on Feb 16, 2012 12:48 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
Well, then can we split the bill and find a gif with a woman punching Snooki?
Domestic violence is an abomination, but as a woman, I’d still love to punch Snooki.
by creasemonkey on Feb 16, 2012 12:53 PM EST up reply actions
I’ve never seen Jersey Shore, so I’ll take your word for it.
I just think men punching women is always, always, always out of bounds and I don’t think it should ever be celebrated. Ever.
Anyway, OT rant over.
Patron saint of quality footwear.
Flagged for liberal use of word “women”.
Tu ne cede malis
by _Skullduggery_ on Feb 16, 2012 1:45 PM EST up reply actions
Who didn’t win a Grammy?
Against all reason, I still have certain expectations for gentlemen as it regards their conduct towards women, that’s all.
Patron saint of quality footwear.
Oh, gotcha. I’ll google it.
I’m old, I know nothing about recent pop music, you know that.
Patron saint of quality footwear.
In one week, I can put a bug so far up his ass, he don’t know whether to shit or wind his wristwatch.
by Rather Bengt on Feb 16, 2012 3:11 PM EST up reply actions
Chief already retired.
"Now fair's fair Henry. If I nail Hotlips and punch Hawkeye, can I go home too?
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by YvonLabresMoustache on Feb 16, 2012 3:13 PM EST up reply actions
I mean I’m not one to condone domestic violence, but uhm… Every single member of the Jersey Shore deserves a nice solid clock to the jaw. They’re terrible, terrible people.
by Murshawursha on Feb 16, 2012 1:50 PM EST up reply actions
Well, we’re going OT and this is a flammable topic so I’m going to decline the chance to further this discussion. With respect, of course.
Patron saint of quality footwear.
by fat_daddyo on Feb 16, 2012 1:53 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
Red Rockers!
"Now fair's fair Henry. If I nail Hotlips and punch Hawkeye, can I go home too?
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by YvonLabresMoustache on Feb 16, 2012 1:58 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
Baltimore?
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by fat_daddyo on Feb 16, 2012 2:02 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
JeF SHUlltz!!!!!!!!!!!
"Now fair's fair Henry. If I nail Hotlips and punch Hawkeye, can I go home too?
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by YvonLabresMoustache on Feb 16, 2012 2:04 PM EST up reply actions
1, …IT’S ALL YOUR FAULT!!!!!!1
"You can want to get to April but when you get to April you may not like the answers you get, so you might as well enjoy the ride while it's going on." - Brian McNally on JRR, 8/29/2011
Who cares?
Release the Mackan!
by Killer_Carlson on Feb 16, 2012 3:14 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
Technically,
It’s spelled:
Somebody fucking GOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!
Unleash the Apathy.
by D'ohboy on Feb 16, 2012 3:51 PM EST up reply actions 2 recs
I’ll add 25 bullets to a recap just to make that the acrostic.
Unfortunately, that means the Caps have to give me 25 things to write that don’t make me want to hang myself. The worst part about doing recaps? It means you actually have to watch the Caps flounder around the ice for 60 minutes.
Please, call me F&B.
I think I probably should just do that.
Good hockey teams don’t do what the Caps did tonight.
One would be remiss if they didn’t mention that Paul Martin is terrible.
On the other hand, even a terrible Paul Martin is better than Ryan Whitney.
Olympic hero, Ryan Whitney, that is… for Canadian fans.
Of course, the disappearing act of Phil Kessel didn’t help.
One does wonder what would have changed if Paul Martin had trusted doctors instead of the witchcraft employed by the Devils.
Obviously, it sucks to have an Olympic hero on the Pens, but I’d rather it be an American Olympic hero.
Orpik doesn’t count, he was outplayed by both Johnsons for Crissakes.
Please, call me F&B.
by Rob Parker on Feb 16, 2012 5:36 PM EST up reply actions 2 recs
More fight than they showed for 40 minutes on Monday…
If you've read this far...seek help.
by ThePeerless on Feb 16, 2012 10:51 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs
Good. You deserve to be pissed. We’re all pissed. Play better.
Eat, drink, and be merry! And then drink some more.
by SmallZ827 on Feb 16, 2012 10:54 AM EST up reply actions 2 recs
I wonder whether this is real tension or that kind of haha/is this real? tension Hendricks and Ward sometimes have. I’ve noticed in practices that Hendricks and Ward mess with each other a bit and Hamrlik sometimes is involved. Like a puck will bounce off Hendricks’ stick and hit Ward in the leg. Then he’ll whip around and give a little shove to whoever he thinks did it. The first few times I thought there was tension but then it didn’t seem to be the case. Wondering whether it’s just strange hockey player behavior or if Olie will have to call a beer summit later.
by jopierce on Feb 16, 2012 10:56 AM EST via iPhone app up reply actions
Hockey players fight in practice all the time… like, real fights (although without intent to injure) so I don’t see this as a huge deal either way. Just more fuel for the drama fire though, I guess.
Seems like just yesterday I was laughing at how dysfunctional the Canadiens were after seeing Subban fight Plekanec in practice. And it totally saved their season!!!!
Roman Hamrlik is so bad that I've forgotten how bad Jeff Schultz is.
The Habs fight in practice once a year, (in the past it’s been Cammalleri), you can set your watch to it.
"Haven’t we all been there, kidnapping someone in a rented ambulance, only to get out onto the interstate and then realize that your intended rape victim has escaped and cheated on her boyfriend with his best friend. Man, if I had a nickel…"
"My favorite fan base in D.C. is United's. Period. The end." - Steinberg
Help Keep United in DC so they can receive a fair deal on a lease and help develop a path to build a stadium with local investment and incentives.
by Bald Pollack on Feb 16, 2012 11:19 AM EST up reply actions
Interesting read about if the Dead Puck Era is back
http://www.montrealgazette.com/sports/Dead+puck+back+players+adapt+rules/6160517/story.html
This year, goals in the NHL are down for the third straight season.
Now, in and by itself, that development isn’t overly alarming. We’re talking about three-10ths of a goal per game between the 2008-09 season and this year. But it’s also part of a trend that’s seen a steady downturn in goal production since the 2005-06 season, and that is alarming.
In 2005-06, there were 11.7 power plays per game. That number has decreased every year since and sat at 6.9 power plays per game after Monday’s games.
If the average NHL power play is 15 percent efficient, that works out to almost three-quarters of a goal per game.
If you've read this far...seek help.
by ThePeerless on Feb 16, 2012 11:13 AM EST up reply actions
The sense here, moreover, isn’t that the officiating standard has lapsed. Players have simply adapted. They’ve been drilled in the new game for almost seven full seasons now and if we know one thing about the contemporary NHL, we know it’s not under-coached.
The second part is definitely the case, and will always be the case. The players and coaches will adjust to the rules. But they will also adjust to how the game is being called. And that first sentence is quite wrong, officiating has lapsed. Interference is the norm. It isn’t blatant hooking and holding like it used to be, now it is more subtle picks and late shoves into the boards on dump-ins. But it is there and it hurts the game.
At least it is consistent though. Now the regular season is called like the post season, so we can get a better chance to see who might have post season success.
I'll have the milksteak, over hard
and at least one coach wants to bring back the red line. That’s not going to help the goal scoring decline.
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Isnt body shot-blocking a fairly new thing in hockey? Could that be driving goals down?
What doesnt kill you makes you stronger.
by BetterOffWith28 on Feb 16, 2012 12:39 PM EST up reply actions
Of the ten best seasons for goalies all-time
4 of them are happening THIS year and one happened last year. That might have something to do with it. Average shots per game has remained fairly consistent since the lockout.
PPP’s Return of the dead puck era my ass
It's not that I hate people, I just seem to feel better when they're not around - Hank Chinaski
Because of?
Less power plays?, better defensive systems, more clutching and grabbing. But the shots per game remaining consistent beg to differ – unless the quality of those shots have decreased.
It's not that I hate people, I just seem to feel better when they're not around - Hank Chinaski
That author’s level of snark and confidence is extremely disproportionate to the quality of their argument.
Release the Mackan!
by Killer_Carlson on Feb 16, 2012 5:22 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
at least his sense of humor is still intact? From Whyno:
Ovechkin laughed off Kolzig comments, saying he wanted to look like a rock star like Olie used to be
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Then lead the team to the Cup finals like Olie did.
Just trying to capture the spirit of the thing...
by dcsportsfan1 on Feb 16, 2012 12:03 PM EST up reply actions
I wouldn’t mind if Ovie emulated aspects of Olie, how he acts in certain situations on and off the ice and with people. Olie isn’t perfect and he is volatile, but he got a lot right during the height of his rock stardom. Not as seduced by status and trappings, but maybe nostalgia is screwing with my memories.
(Yes, I know about the avatar hounding - just pretend mine is invisible.)
Olie came into his rock stardom (and never any where near the level as Ovie) when he was considerably older, married, and after years of pay dues in the minors.
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True, but Ovie could still learn a lot from how Olie has handled himself.
(Yes, I know about the avatar hounding - just pretend mine is invisible.)
Yeah. Olie was a true model of unflappability whenever the game wouldn’t break his way, he adapted brilliantly when teams realized started to prey on his 5-hole, and he showed nothing but class when time demoted him. Ovie could learn tons!
....when the truth is if they knew anything about the game, they'd be in it.
--GMGM
by redlineblue on Feb 16, 2012 10:05 PM EST up reply actions
Not sure what else he’d say, but I was amused by this comment:
Stephen Whyno @SWhyno
George McPhee: “We have no interest in trading” Mike Knuble. #Caps
“because we can’t get any value for a guy the coach has sat for a week. Good job, Dale. Way to kill that trade value”
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Oh come on now, we got Scott Walker for a 7th in March 2010 and he scored 2 goals (and the GWG to boot) in his Caps debut ;).
by Rather Bengt on Feb 16, 2012 11:45 AM EST up reply actions
@bmcnally14
#Caps d-man Mike Green will accompany team on upcoming road trip beginning tomorrow in Florida. Could play as soon as this weekend.
Hopefully he’ll just be out there for the powerplay.
"You can want to get to April but when you get to April you may not like the answers you get, so you might as well enjoy the ride while it's going on." - Brian McNally on JRR, 8/29/2011
could dress him in place of the 12th forward that gets no ice time anyway
I'll have the milksteak, over hard
could dress himin place ofas the 12th forward that gets no ice time anyway
FTFY
Just trying to capture the spirit of the thing...
by dcsportsfan1 on Feb 16, 2012 12:02 PM EST up reply actions
It’s like having our very own Marc-Andre Bergeron.
by Rather Bengt on Feb 16, 2012 11:48 AM EST up reply actions
Bergeron for Holtby!
If you've read this far...seek help.
by ThePeerless on Feb 16, 2012 11:59 AM EST up reply actions
Wow, Marchand not being suspended for trying to ruin Emelin’s knee.
(en francais)
Comrades, leave me here a little, while as yet 't is early morn:
Leave me here, and when you want me, sound upon the bugle-horn
the wheel of justice is back, baby!
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I watched both the US and MTL feeds of the hit, and I didn’t think this one was nearly as bad. The hit on Salo was so low, that there really wasn’t a chance it could have been clean. The hit on Emelin looked like it would have made solid hip to hip contact if not for the fact that Emelin launched upward to counter the hit that was forthcoming (kind of like Ovi does when someone tries to stand him up at the blue line and he runs them over).
I actually thought it was a pretty good play. If Marchand tries to go shoulder to shoulder there, he gets wrecked by Emelin. Going for the hip-check mitigates Marchand’s size disadvantage, and it would have been clean contact if Emelin hadn’t jumped into the check.
I am a hockey fan first, and a Caps fan second.
by iwearstripes on Feb 16, 2012 1:48 PM EST up reply actions
It looked to me like Marchand led with his leg on the hit
by kingbonehead on Feb 16, 2012 2:02 PM EST up reply actions
Grant Sonier’s Insider mock draft has…
Washington Capitals (from Colorado)
Andrei Vasilevski, G, Ufa-2 (RUS-Jr.)
With Michal Neuvirth struggling, Tomas Vokoun a free agent and Braden Holtby a question mark, goaltending is something the Caps need and they are not afraid to test the Russian market. Vasilevski is big and while this may be high to select a netminder, I don’t believe they can take the chance of losing the best goaltender in the draft.
Washington Capitals
Stefan Matteau, C, U.S. National Team Development Program (USHL)
Already full of talented — if underproducing — forwards with Alex Ovechkin and company, Matteau’s size and grit to go along with his determination will be just what the Caps are looking for.
1994 Flashback?
MATTEAU!!!! MATTEAU!!!! MATTEAU!!!!
Nice guys finish first, but sometimes the season is awfully long.
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My Dad is a big Rags fan. I’ll never forget watching that as a kid. “And the Rangers have one more hill to climb Baby!”
I am a hockey fan first, and a Caps fan second.
by iwearstripes on Feb 16, 2012 1:49 PM EST up reply actions
Just say no to goalies in the first round, especially the first half.
I could take a guy with Matteau’s make up. I know they want to go for the skill home runs, but at some point I think you need to consider the other things and intangibles. DMG was stumping for Ryan O’Reilly a couple years back, and not just because he’s a huge Oz fan. Now? O’Reilly would look pretty great in a Caps uniform.
Please, call me F&B.
by Rob Parker on Feb 16, 2012 12:13 PM EST up reply actions 2 recs
Fuck, I’d love Ryan O’Reilly in Caps red.
by Rather Bengt on Feb 16, 2012 12:49 PM EST up reply actions
With Michal Neuvirth struggling, Tomas Vokoun a free agent and Braden Holtby a question mark, goaltending is something the Caps need
Rewind to 18 months ago. Could anyone envision that quote? This is why the Caps should never have (and didn’t) trade a goalie until they had to, when all the while there were fans screaming for the Caps to deal one of Neuvirth of Varlamov before their ELC’s were up.
If you've read this far...seek help.
by ThePeerless on Feb 16, 2012 12:43 PM EST up reply actions
How would that help the Caps short term goalie needs? He’d be in development like Grubauer. Vasilevski would deepen the pool again, but the Caps might still need to find an NHL or AHL ready goalie on the market. They have more pressing areas in need of depth, better to spend the draft stocking up on C and D.
(Yes, I know about the avatar hounding - just pretend mine is invisible.)
"As a coach, you’re going to bruise some egos, going to hurt some feelings but that’s what he believes in. If that’s what it’s going to take to get this team close to winning a Stanley Cup, I think at the end of the day if that happens all those unpopular decisions will all of a sudden look pretty smart."
And if you miss the playoffs with a “Cup contender” lineup?
Please, call me F&B.
You get fired, right?
"The Caps fan doesn't say, 'is the glass half full' or 'is the glass half empty'. He wonders when the glass is going to spill."
Maybe, but less than one full season and no off-season is a tough way to fire a guy.
Please, call me F&B.
It is. I’m kind of hoping Dale will make that decision for the Caps, say who needs this shit, and heads back to London.
by Dirk Dangler on Feb 16, 2012 12:33 PM EST up reply actions
I think GMGM goes first and the new GM can make his own call on who the coach is.
Just trying to capture the spirit of the thing...
by dcsportsfan1 on Feb 16, 2012 4:52 PM EST up reply actions
A Checking Line
Now I loved the CLaW line as much as everybody else…but isn’t the whole concept of a checking line, um, reactionary? Look at some of the critiques thrown at the Caps “they’re reactionary instead of dictating play”, and I’d say that’s true to an extent. How about we scratch the whole checking line thing and assemble 4 lines that can score? Matching D pairings only worked fine for a while, right?
Without Backy? 8-21-22, 25-85-28, 42-90-20, 26-15-83. Okay that’s probably not an improvement.
But my point is…they shouldn’t have used a checking line to begin with. With Backy: 8-19-22, 21-85-28, 25-90-20, 26-15-42. Now those are 4 lines that can score. I’ll keep dreaming though…
Those 3rd and 4th lines are rather ugly. Chimera-MoJo will create something from their speed from time to time, but not consistently. IMO Brouwer is wasted there as well.
Well it’s certainly better than having Mojo deployed as 1C or 2C in my opinion. Broewer is fast enough (as opposed to a Fehr or Knuble) to keep up with the other 2, and the grittiness toughness of him and Chimera balance out Mojo’s lack of strength and size.
I think most 4th lines in the league have a lot of “meh”…but you have faceoff master Halpern, who does have a bit of a scoring touch, Ward who CAN put up double-digit goals and throw his weight around, and Hendricks…who also throws his weight around and has scoring touch.
With. But the sentiment applies to both, more or less. Those 3rd and 4th lines are going to end up creating very little.
I said before I don’t think 3-4 scoring lines is possible.
Ovi, Backstrom, Semin, MoJo, Perrault, Brouwer, Laich. Those are the guys in the mix for a top 6 spot in my mind (might give Knuble a shot with Ovi/Backstrom just to see if he can fit there without getting in the way, but not sure how I’d feel about it).
Chimera, Ward, Halpern. Those are your mainstay bottom 6ers, used in either a checking or energy role (with Chimera from time to time being a counterattack offensive threat).
Hendricks, Beagle, callup-du-jour. Those are your 4th liner/scratch borderline guys.
So your “with Backy” lines don’t bother me much (other than, like I said, feeling that Brouwer needs to be in the top 6). They’re just not 4 scoring lines, not even 3. 2.5 maybe, and that’s ok.
by brs03 on Feb 16, 2012 1:11 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
And, to further extend it, I think the team needs a personnel shakeup. Too much wasted money for the wrong kind of depth. If they changed around the types of players they had they might be able to put more actual offensive lines into play, but not with what they have now.
And the guys that seem the most expendable (Ward and Knuble I guess) are guys that aren’t easy to move or won’t have great value, so I don’t know what the answer is.
Just throwing this out there because I don’t have time to figure it out myself, what does an average team look like?
By that, I mean what if a team spent to the cap, but didn’t really weight the top 3lines? Maybe have a 4th line of under 1 mil defensive guys, then the rest of the guys splitting the rest of the cap equally. What would be the average salary, and what guys in the league currently make that.
Would it make a viable team?
by HateOffSeason on Feb 16, 2012 6:24 PM EST up reply actions
So, a team full of Troy Brouwers and Joel Wards and Mike Knubles? I don’t think so. I guess they’d be okay, but you really need some top end talent, even if only a couple of guys (a la Nashville).
Red Line Station and @RedArmyLine, featuring coverage of the most frustrating team in the NHL
I believe in next year.
by red army line on Feb 16, 2012 9:52 PM EST up reply actions
Laich isn’t a 1C, even healthy. And Knuble… that’s some hefty wishful thinking.
Please, call me F&B.
The way the CLaW line was working at the beginning of the season was exactly what the Caps needed – they were outshooting and outscoring whoever they faced. I don’t know exactly what happened since then, but a checking line to use against opponents’ top lines is very helpful.
Failure is always an option.
Boudreau tried to roll 4 scoring lines. Look how well that worked.
by Murshawursha on Feb 16, 2012 12:32 PM EST up reply actions
They only won 4 straight division championships, a Presidents’ Trophy, and the EC twice!
Please, call me F&B.
I mean yeah… and then they crashed and burned in spectacular fashion.
I was mostly just referring to this season anyway, and as was discussed above, I don’t think this team has the personnel for four scoring lines.
by Murshawursha on Feb 16, 2012 1:55 PM EST up reply actions
So, considering everything that is going on right now.
Who is still planning to go to the Caps convention next go?
There's always more to learn about Hockey.
I’m thinking about some complaints I’ve heard from people who feel their Caps Fever not burning as bright.
There's always more to learn about Hockey.
You know how I know my “fever” hasn’t diminished? If I didn’t care so much, I wouldn’t be so disappointed when they lost.
Good season or bad, I had a blast at Caps Con last year. I’ll be back.
I am a hockey fan first, and a Caps fan second.
by iwearstripes on Feb 16, 2012 1:53 PM EST up reply actions
To be fair, Anaheim’s record was virtually entirely the fault of Hiller underperforming and having whoever, McElhenney? in net as well.
Comrades, leave me here a little, while as yet 't is early morn:
Leave me here, and when you want me, sound upon the bugle-horn
To be fair, the Caps record under Boudreau was virtually entirely the fault of well paid professionals under-perform and having a mole from Florida in net as well.
He’s playing here practically for free….It all makes sense.
What doesnt kill you makes you stronger.
by BetterOffWith28 on Feb 16, 2012 1:19 PM EST up reply actions
To be fair to Boudreau, Anaheim was a shit possession team (even if Hiller had been playing well, the Ducks would essentially have been the Hunter-led Caps, but in a tougher division and tougher conference) before him and now they’re solid.
Corsi%, Carlyle: 45.2%
Tied: 42.1%
Boudreau: 48.3%
Tied: 49.7%
That’s essentially near-worst to average (though IMO average is slightly under median).
Red Line Station and @RedArmyLine, featuring coverage of the most frustrating team in the NHL
I believe in next year.
by red army line on Feb 16, 2012 1:34 PM EST up reply actions
I don’t know what that means but I have seen all of their games since the beginning of January and they are fun to watch and there is a strong sense that they are getting better with each game. 7 of a possible 8 points in the first four games of an 8 game road trip. I would love to see them win out for the last four of these.
Those are basically shot differentials, indicating, like you said, they’re getting better. So it’s not all Hiller.
Red Line Station and @RedArmyLine, featuring coverage of the most frustrating team in the NHL
I believe in next year.
by red army line on Feb 16, 2012 2:33 PM EST up reply actions
With apologies to Nick Lowe, but I knew the cap’n when he used to rock n’ roll.
by Rather Bengt on Feb 16, 2012 1:29 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
Jeebus. It’s 2012 NBC!!
Nyjer Morgan plays hockey, is a black guy.
Nice guys finish first, but sometimes the season is awfully long.
Follow me on Twitter.
I think you took this way too seriously, if you’re not snarking.
That'll make your weagle wink!
"You're the boss, apple sauce" - @GreenLife52
Half and half. I read the article. Bad headline though, don’t you think?
Nice guys finish first, but sometimes the season is awfully long.
Follow me on Twitter.
I dunno if anyone saw this yesterday, but apparently terrible luck with flukey goals extends to all levels of the Caps organization.
So do 3 games suspensions of team captains.
"Haven’t we all been there, kidnapping someone in a rented ambulance, only to get out onto the interstate and then realize that your intended rape victim has escaped and cheated on her boyfriend with his best friend. Man, if I had a nickel…"
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by Bald Pollack on Feb 16, 2012 2:22 PM EST up reply actions
He blew the call, according to the ECHL.
You ever see that from the NHL?
"The Caps fan doesn't say, 'is the glass half full' or 'is the glass half empty'. He wonders when the glass is going to spill."
The NHL Officials have a much more powerful union.
I am a hockey fan first, and a Caps fan second.
by iwearstripes on Feb 16, 2012 2:27 PM EST up reply actions
Yeah I was (pleasantly) surprised to read that the ECHL came out and publicly said he got it wrong. Scored some respect points with me.
by Murshawursha on Feb 16, 2012 2:28 PM EST up reply actions
Call a priest.
"Now fair's fair Henry. If I nail Hotlips and punch Hawkeye, can I go home too?
Now Dropping Bombs at Capitals Outsider
Twitter
Ron and Fez 11 to 3
by YvonLabresMoustache on Feb 16, 2012 2:29 PM EST up reply actions
Heh, yeah… I was thinking of that conversation from yesterday when I found it last night… Would have posted it there, but it was like midnight by that point and I figured nobody would really see it.
by Murshawursha on Feb 16, 2012 2:31 PM EST up reply actions
Did someone call for a internet ordained minister? I’m your man.
This is what happens when you find a stranger in the Alps.
by That Beardy Guy on Feb 16, 2012 3:52 PM EST up reply actions
Getting anxious for Green in the lineup. Excited to see what the team can do with him contributing.
Letting in bouncy 80-footers since about last week.
And terrified that he’ll be playing Dale Hunter’s system.
You perhaps knew me better as "Your Nation's Capital." Same great commentary, now with 100% more transparency!
I’ve been seeing that the Caps aren’t as lethargic getting out of their own zone, so maybe Green can make something of that.
Letting in bouncy 80-footers since about last week.
by Penguin Hunter on Feb 16, 2012 7:10 PM EST up reply actions
Man, I must be jumpy. I read this and thought it said they had traded Backstrom.
Chuck Gormley@ChuckGormleyCSN
Caps’ trade plans hinge on Backstrom http://soc.li/wsg4pOh
"The Caps fan doesn't say, 'is the glass half full' or 'is the glass half empty'. He wonders when the glass is going to spill."
Even with Backstrom back, the Caps still need a better option at 2C than what they have now.
by Gin and Tonic on Feb 16, 2012 5:33 PM EST up reply actions
Mike Heika @MikeHeika
The Stars have traded Defenseman Nicklas Grossman to Philadelphia for a 2012 2nd round pick and a 2013 3rd round pick. Update coming.
That seems a little steep, unless I’m missing something.
Failure is always an option.
I don’t know a lot about Grossman.
That'll make your weagle wink!
"You're the boss, apple sauce" - @GreenLife52
Funny thing is I was wondering if Dallas would be more of a buyer as in not renting but looking for players to pick-up as part of the rebuild with new ownership, instead this is a pure sell for draft picks.
Haven’t watched much of Dallas this season, especially recently, but I think it’s decent rental given his cost (less than 2M cap hit, UFA at end of season) and the minutes he can play; he plays regularly on the PK, from what I have seen in the past, too.
Pierre LeBrun @Real_ESPNLeBrun
Nieuwendyk says this does not mean the Stars are sellers but that team feels it’s deep on D and couldn’t pass up the assets offered here
Who did we pick with the draft picks we got from the Bruins in the Gonchar trade? Been looking, can’t find. Puck daddy has a bit on deadline deal draft picks wherein Varly is #7 and am trying to go back further to Scott Stevens (who wasn’t a deadline deal but got us Witt and Gonchar who got us…)
It's not that I hate people, I just seem to feel better when they're not around - Hank Chinaski
Gonchar trade: IIRC, Shaone Morrisonn, draft pick (Schultz) and draft pick (Yunkov)
I think JP has a whole tracker somewhere related to the Stevens trade.
Traded to Boston by Washington for Shaonne Morrisonn and Boston’s 1st (Jeff Schultz) and 2nd (Michail Yunkov) round choices in 2004 Entry Draft, March 3, 2004.
Use Hockey Reference for this everytime. Easy to find.
Nice guys finish first, but sometimes the season is awfully long.
Follow me on Twitter.
Indeed he does
Scott Stevens: The Most Effective Draft Choice In Caps History?
Though this is funny/depressing.
Gonchar was traded to Boston in the great player dump of ’03 and in return the Caps received Shaone Morrisonn (who is arguably their steadiest defenseman right now) and first and second round picks in 2004 that have turned into prospects Jeff Schultz and Michael Yunkov.
Witt was traded to Nashville at last year’s trade deadline for the Caps’ current second-line center, Kris Beech, and the first round pick last summer that became top goaltending prospect Semen Varlamov.
It's not that I hate people, I just seem to feel better when they're not around - Hank Chinaski
Sigh...
If I had a photo album of the Caps, I would be looking mournfully through it now.
BTW, What the hell? SEMEN Varlamov?
Letting in bouncy 80-footers since about last week.
by Penguin Hunter on Feb 16, 2012 7:14 PM EST up reply actions
That was how he spelled his name when he was drafted. He didn’t have it changed to the more phonetically accurate Semyon until later on.
Release the Mackan!
by Killer_Carlson on Feb 16, 2012 7:18 PM EST up reply actions
Must have been hell to announce.
Letting in bouncy 80-footers since about last week.
by Penguin Hunter on Feb 16, 2012 7:47 PM EST up reply actions
Good question. My quick response would be ‘only marginally, at best.’ Unfortunately, Ovi’s and Semin’s under-production and Nicky’s and Greener’s injuries cannot be compensated by one player, let alone a marginal, middle-of-the-pack player….which is not meant as any disrespect to Arnott.
As a follow-up, did the Caps have any other assets that could have prevented all this heartbreak and bloodshed?
Letting in bouncy 80-footers since about last week.
by Penguin Hunter on Feb 16, 2012 8:12 PM EST up reply actions
You’re asking the wrong guy, I suppose. I think the main response is that GMGM should have paid big time LAST year for the 2C. Frankly, I think it would have been a good idea…but he didn’t. Instead, he thought that 8, 28, 19, 52 could carry the load from a numbers perspective and the sad part is that they could…..but, alas, injuries and under-performance left the team without the necessary offense and puck possession. There was no one else to carry the freight. Instead of doing that, GMGM went out and gave big contracts to Laich, Ward, Hamr, Chimmy. They are all good guys, but they can’t substitute for the big guns. So, in hindsight, in my opinion, those trades don’t look so good. Perhaps they should have gotten a top (not Arnott) 2C…..
Last year? For Richards? I think it would have had to come via trade (I think Semin’s trade value was highest during the 09-10 season).
This team was also a pretty strong puck possession team in 07-08 (even without Fedorov) and in 08-09. Ovechkin not being as good now as he was then plays into it, but I don’t think the drop from 56% Corsi to whatever it is now is solely explained by his decline.
Red Line Station and @RedArmyLine, featuring coverage of the most frustrating team in the NHL
I believe in next year.
by red army line on Feb 16, 2012 9:55 PM EST up reply actions
OK, Thanks!
"By the age of 18, the average American has witnessed 200,000 acts of violence on television, most of them occurring during Game 1 of the NHL playoff series."
-Steve Rushin-
by Penguin Hunter on Feb 16, 2012 10:09 PM EST up reply actions
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