Why So Long?

You'd think I would be writing about the break between the Red Wings last win over Dallas and the start of the Stanley Cup Finals. Actually, I am talking about the painfully long process it's taking the Washington Capitals to resign the few free agents they have.

Are we waiting for the July 1st deadline for Mike Green? Shaone Morrisonn? Is management even negotiating with the players and their representatives? Guess we will never know, being GMGM has a tight pair of lips. A guy who wouldn't even comment on a contract for their own coach.

Mike Green will be the cap gobbler, as he should. A budding defenseman that had the majority of the league sitting up and taking notice. But how much is enough to keep Green on the blue line. Many are talking Dion Phenuef numbers here (around $6.5 million a year), but I think Green is closer to a $3 million dollar keep. I am sure he would want a bit more than that, but who wouldn't.

Shaone Morrisonn's contract has to be pounded out too. The two sparked in chemistry during the regular season, both so-so in the playoffs. But with young talent in the tubes in Karl Alzner, is it a good time to let Morrisonn go? Although with a good partnership that Green and Morrisonn shares would someone want to chance letting the two work another season together.

While it seams the team is willing to wait a couple of months to start signing players, other teams are busy keeping their core together, not waiting until the last minute to get their RFA's under contract and away from the Kevin Lowe's of the league. Then there is the whole UFA situation.

While Caps' fans are frothing at the mouth following the World Championship trio of Alex Semin, Alex Ovechkin and Sergei Fedorov successes, Fedorov still hasn't confirmed nor denied whether he would be back in a Caps sweater next season. Based on the signing track record of GMGM, I would think he would be looking at a $4 million or less (or much, much less) and a 3 to 4 year contract for the experienced Russian. But Fedorov has confessed he is on the waning side of career. He might sign for 3 years, but will you get all of them?

Not to mention that Micheal Nylander will be back next year and the Caps depth will enjoy more puck retention with the crafty playmaker back in the fold. But can the Capitals survive the Cap with both Fedorov and Nylander in the lineup? I guess we will find out July first.