The Rumor Mill In Full Effect, Trade Deadline

I love rumors at the trade deadline. And today the rumor mill is cranking out some pretty big ones. It doesn't look like it will stop until the deadline on March 4th.

According to a couple of sources, Brendan Witt is rumored to be back in a Capitals' sweater. Which is interesting considering he wanted no part of the "rebuilding" process.

Some non-trade news, Mike Green was named February's second star:

Green led NHL defensemen and ranked second among all scorers with 20 points (nine goals, 11 assists) in 13 games, helping the Capitals post a 9-3-1 record. Green set an NHL record for defensemen with goals in eight consecutive games from Jan. 27 to Feb. 14, breaking the mark previously held by Mike O'Connell of the Boston Bruins (1983-84). It also matched the longest streak by any NHL player since 1997-98. The 23-year-old Calgary native leads all NHL defensemen in scoring with 23-33--56 in 51 games. His 23 goals are a career high and the most by a Capitals defenseman since Sergei Gonchar had 26 in 2001-02.

Trade Update 5:30pm: Niclas Havlid is now a Devil, per TSN.ca.

Witt Stays On The Island; Scrimmage Today

Brendan Witt resigns a two year $6 million contract with the New York Islanders. I guess that ends all the talk of getting him to resign here.

Today marks the first day of scrimmages at the Kettler for their development camp. The intrasquad scrimmage will be at 3:30 this afternoon and is (as always) open to the public. I was assured that the players will be in sweaters that will don their names on the back, so we can kind of grasp who else is at camp besides those on the public roster.

It should be a bigger crowd too, one more knowledgable about hockey and the Caps in general then what I have encountered in the past two days, I hope. The crowd has been pretty light, except for all the bloggers (Peerless, OFB, CI, PHT). Which is funny, I haven't run into any of these guys there. Well to be honest, I am not sure what they look like. There should be a blogger corner somewhere at Kettler.

Owner on Track

Ted Leonsis was recently interviewed in the Wash Post about what lies ahead for the Capitals as this season comes to a close. Leonsis looks to make some moves, but won’t go free-agent crazy.

I think Leonsis is on the right track as he looks for players to compliment, rather than just looking at stat sheets. He was quoted:

"I'm more interested in free agency as the players get a little younger, as time
marches on," he said. "I want to plug them in as we're on this upclimb, someone
who has been in the league four or five years, his best years are still in front
of them."

It sounds like the Caps have a bright future and it will be exciting to see the team gain it’s chemistry. Leonsis is on the right track in building a successful franchise not just for Stanley endeavors, but for many seasons to come.

Rico Fata and Kris Beech, the two newest Capitals, look like they are going to get some time to impress. Fata’s speed will be helpful in an aggressive forecheck, and Beech’s good playmaking skills the two should be able to grow into their new Caps sweaters.

What the Caps may lack is a physical presence in the absence of the recently departed Brendan Witt (who got into a fight over the glass separator with the Sharks in his first game as a Predator). Nolan Yonkman has tried to fill that gap, but the Caps may need some one with some more experience playing that role.

Caps will play the Sabres tonight on OLN. Capitals will have to play smart team defense when they go up against the leagues top scoring team. Alex Ovechkin is looking for a goal after being shut down in the previous two games.

About Time

Sorry for the hiatus, I know how you puckheads like to check out the blog every now and then. But sometimes life gets in the way of updating blogs and websites. Recently I have found myself with out employment, so right now there are other things that are important, like a paycheck. But this isn’t about me, is it.

Capitals 6, Penguins 3

The Penguins have never swept the Capitals in a season series, and it sure isn’t going to happen this year. The Caps finally put a good team win together to finally put the only team that has a worst record than them down.

A lot of hype about Alex Ovechkin and Sid “the Kid” Crosby, but the story really wasn’t about the two fantastic rookies and more about lucky bounces and solid team play. I thought the Caps played well, using one another for opportunities and seemed to buzz in the offensive zone.

Ivan Majesky probably had the goal of the night. In an attempt of an innocent clear on the penalty kill, Majesky lifted the puck out of his own zone, some 140 feet away, when the puck took a fortunate bounce over the glove of Sebastien Caron and into the net for his first goal of the season. Hey, it counts.

Ovechkin had 10 shots on goal, a goal, 2 assists and a +1. He set up a beautiful goal on a 2 on 1 to Chris Clark, and had even more explosive plays as the game went on, where as Crosby seemed content with drop passes. I guess he figured that he beat the Caps 3 times this season, and that would suffice.

Overall Grade: B

Wash Post and my man Tarik El-Bashir who covered the Daytona 500 during the Olympic Break is back doing what he does best. The Caps needed this win for Ovechkin if for nothing else to secure rookie of the year honors. They came into this game with a better work ethic than the Penguins, who looked a little shell shocked and tired.

During the game a pigeon decided it wanted a closer look and would land on the ice and buzz the referees from time to time. Pittsburgh may sign the bird to fill out their defensive line. Brendan Witt did not dress for this game, which means his trade is in a matter of hours instead of days. Where ever Witt goes I do wish he can make an impact.

Next post should be the review of this week’s trades. I will break down the winners and losers of the sweater switches. Some trades and recent signings have me already raising my eyebrows.

Whose Staying, Whose Going?

March 9 is the trade deadline for the NHL. And if you have checked your calendars lately that means the deadline is just a week away. So I thought I would play General Manager for my team and picked the 3 players I would send away, and the 3 players I wouldn't dare part with on the Capitals roster.

To Trade:

1. Brendan Witt. Obviously, he has wanted a trade since they started this whole rebuilding process. Many Caps fans have already discounted him as trade fodder and cant wait to see the replacement they get for the 31 year old defensemen.

2. Jeff Friesen. Unable to add any spark or veteran steam to this growing team, Friesen has been more of a money taker than a money maker. It just didn't work well for him here in DC. We should get something solid in return for him.

3. Ivan Majesky. The Caps need to shed some size on the blue line for speed and puck handling ability. This Slovak is slow and would rather hit than contribute anything substantial.

On the bubble to trade: Nolan Yonkman, Brian Willsie and Mathieu Biron.

To Keep:

1. Alex Ovechkin. Okay, you would have to be insane to think we would ever give him up.

2. Mike Green. I know he is usually a call up from Hershey, but Green has shown some promise and looks to contribute greatly as his learning curve improves. His speed and offense savy will make him a staple of the position he plays on the Caps roster.

3. Matt Pettinger. Who can deny this guys speed and wrist shot? He has added a spark when he has been on the ice of late. Pettinger has a certain talent of keeping 3rd and 4th line defense off kilter and his speedy stick handling abilities can provide the goal support Ovechkin needs.

On the bubble to keep: Brent Johnson, Dainius Zubrus, Shaone Morrison.

Olaf Kolzig, Jamie Heward, Chris Clark and Bryan Muir have all signed extensions with the Capitals.

The Caps have a good core that is buying into Glen Hanlon's message, but the team is in desperate need of some depth. GM George McPhee should take anything he can get, forwards or defense in this seemingly sellers market. The Caps would do well to keep a core of intact lines and beef up the bench. As usual your thoughts are welcome.

A Little Luck Goes a Long Way

Capitals 5, Maple Leafs 3

The Maple Leafs could do no right, the Capitals could do no wrong. 16 days off seemed to help the Caps gain focus, and a few lucky bounces doesn’t hurt either. After a review of the Alex Ovechkin’s goal where the puck hit his skate and into the wide open net.

The Caps had time to heal and work out some bugs, even rumored to practice during the Olympic break with out coaches and trainers. Even while Olaf Kolzig and Ivan Majesky took the Toronto game off, Ovechkin was back in the swing of things albeit a bit tired.

Matt Pettinger has a huge night with two goals, one shorthanded. Darcy Tucker saw something that made his blood boil a little bit, “It's disappointing because you sit there at the end of the game and the other team is looking over at you and laughing," Tucker told reporters. "It's not a fun thing, that's for sure.”

Tucker must have thin skin or may be steaming after Brent Johnson robbed him of a goal in the second with a fantastic glove save. Either way the whole night seemed to be a disaster for the Maple Leafs as they were booed off their own ice. The Caps just seemed to have Toronto’s number. It proves again the Capitals ability to play to the level of their competitor. A work on consistency is the biggest lesson this team must learn.

Overall Grade: A

Trade Watch

With some injured players returning from Torino, many teams will look for healthy defensemen. Brendan Witt’s stock is about to rise. Apparently he has been ready for a trade for a while renting his car and apartment. I guess that makes it easier to slip away in the night.

Another Capital that may not stick around until the end of the season may be Jeff Friesen. It should be an interesting next week to see who the Caps sell and what they receive.

41 Down, 41 To Go

NBC came out with their schedule of NHL games. No surprise that the Capitals were left off national coverage of the games. Not that it would have been nationally broadcasted as the games are localized. I guess it shouldn’t be a surprise that the Detroit Red Wings appear 4 out of the 6 Sundays NBC broadcasts.

The Caps are officially branded the worst team in the league. The question now remains, where do we go from here, and who gets to come? Rumors have been flying of the trades of Olie Kolzig, Brendan Witt, and Jeff Friesen.

As the Capitals start their second half of their season tonight at Dallas, it will be interesting to see if George McPhee makes to move for a more veteran squad or if he will once again squander veteran players with future prospects and draft picks.

What the Capitals have to accomplish this second half is to work on their consistency. Which means, I would guess, is to either be consistently good or consistently bad. At least gain some consistency.

The Caps must give Alex Ovechkin some kind of goal support. Allow a threat to open ice for the talented rookie to do more damage. The team also must find more than one line to produce offense. I would even consider shaking up the CBS line as they have gotten to some kind of stalemate, neither producing goals nor creating many chances.

The team needs more experience. That is the bottom line. Whether it’s in their cards to find more stable, consistent players will be seen as the trade deadline looms and the teams jockey for better playoff teams.

If I were to play general manager of the Caps I would look at what I need to build a successful team around Kolzig and Ovechkin. I would need to find a playmaker to wing with Ovechkin. Then I would strengthen my defensive core and look for a suitable back up for Kolzig that can one day take starting duties after Olie takes his leave.

Right now McPhee has some leverage with trading some good players for draft picks and maybe future considerations to teams that want to win now. I would put Jeff Friesen and Andrew Cassels on the market for a playmaker. Then I would look for solid draft picks for Witt (because I don’t think I could get a better defenseman with a player to player trade).

Whatever does happen, the Caps will have a different look next year and even by the end of this year. It sucks to talk about trading players so soon for the Capitals, but at this point, with half the season gone, the Caps have only won 13 games. Not a lucky number for Hanlon’s squad.

Capitals at Dallas tonight 8:30 pm.

Trades Past,Present And Future

Caps make some moves that don’t include Brendan Witt or Olaf Kolzig. General Manager George McPhee made the change for forward Colin Forbes for Stephen Peat. Forbes will not report to the Capitals however, he will start his stint in Hershey.

This is Forbes second round with the Capitals after signing with the team as a free agent in 2002. Forbes last NHL points were with the Capitals in the ’01-’02 season. He has played 308 NHL games were he has posted a career 33 goals, 28 assists, and 211 PIMs.

McPhee did acknowledge on OLN that other GMs were interested in obtaining Kolzig. Whether any of those deals were too good to pass up, we will never know, but McPhee stood his ground on keeping the All-Star goaltender.

No word yet on the trade status of defensemen Witt, but closer to the playoffs teams may look to be interested in beefing up the blue line with a seasoned veteran.

A disappointment for the Capitals would have to be the healing process of Jeff Friesen. He has now been on Injury Reserve since November 11th. The last goal the veteran player has scored for the Capitals was October 26th versus Buffalo.

Caps Win At Home

Capitals 5, Maple Leafs 4

It was a game of firsts for the budding Capitals. First game the Capitals scored more than 3 goals, first game the Capitals won when scoring the first goal, first game the Capitals had a two goal lead, first game the Capitals shot more than 30 shots in a game, the Capitals first back to back wins. Was it any surprise that the Capitals finally found their nitch, using their offensive talent to keep good teams off kilter?

Alexander Ovechkin scored twice (including the game winner) earning the first star of the game. Jakub Klepis got his first NHL assist and Olaf Kolzig stopped 26 to give the upstart Capitals a winning record at home at 5-3.

The Maple Leafs looked tired and uninterested the whole game, even up to the end of the third period they looked as if they were simply going to win. In short the Capitals outworked the Leafs in one on one battles and made a point of throwing the puck to the net more. Special teams were the key for the Caps as their first two goals came off a powerplay shot from Bryan Muir, and a shorthanded tally by Matt Pettinger.

When the Leafs scored back to back goals late in the first, I knew the Capitals were thankful for the horn at the end of the period. And they used that intermission wisely, coming back on the ice and in 1:21 scored the only even strength goal the Caps could muster.

Overall Grade: A

Wash Post covers the details including Kolzig praising special teams:

"Special teams was the difference tonight," Capitals goaltender Olie Kolzig
said. "Penalty killing was unbelievable, even though we gave up that
five-on-three goal. Other than that, we were terrific."

The Caps need to continue their hard work against the Leafs Tuesday night. The home and home games played back to back will test the Capitals in a playoff like setting, games against the same opponent back to back. The Caps do have a lot working against them, like their away record, which is a disappointing 1-4.

Most of the talk around Toronto was about Brendan Witt, who many think the Leafs should trade for. The Leafs need a solid defenseman that can come to the plate and make smart plays and Witt matches a lot of what they need. The problem is the Leafs have nothing to trade for him. The Capitals need more experienced defensemen in their line up, so a trade seems unlikely now. However, closer to the playoffs, it may be a different story.

Kolzig Traded?

Breaking news from Edmonton, they are looking for a netminder and Olaf Kolzig is on the menu according to sources at the Edmonton Sun. While other goaltenders were mentioned, Kolzig might be the ideal choice.

It may just be a rumor. Let's hope.

Jussi Markkanen: 2-4-1, 2.87 GAA, .902 SV% (the Probable Trade w/ draft pick?)

Olaf Kolzig: 3-5-0, 4.08 GAA, .894 SV%

Also there seems to be a little bit of interest in Brendan Witt. Teams looking at the 30 year old defenseman, Pittsburgh, Toronto, Edmonton, and Boston. No word on who Witt will be traded with, but the Caps may not be able to land a more verteran D-man.

Preseason Damned, Bring On the Season!

Preseason is just that, preseason. The Caps finish with a disappointing 2-6. However, there is no way to judge a team that is tinkering with lines and developing players to make anything from wins or losses. But now that the games count, it’s time for the Capitals to show some sign of growth and potential to it’s sluggish hockey market.

Some concerns for the Caps this season is defiantly the defensive core. It is the same concern that plagued the team in the ’03-‘04 season. Mike Green, a 19 year-old defenseman, did not make the team after having a solid preseason. A disappointment in this fan's opinion. Meanwhile, Green’s mentor, Brendan Witt, may be a liability rather than reliable on the blue line. Witt has asked for a trade, and whether he plays just to get traded or plays to force a trade is remained to be seen. The two are very different, on the one hand will Witt just go through the motions, or will he play better and adapt to the changing landscape to impress other teams? I guess we will see.

Head coach Glen Hanlon will have to use the Caps youth and speed in some way to win games. The Capitals do have some proven scoring in Jeff Friesen, and solid offensive play in Jeff Halpern, Andrew Cassels, and Dainius Zubrus. With the new rules, the Caps should be able to use their speed and offense to keep teams off kilter.

The Capitals will be going through a growing period for sure, but they also have to learn their roles as the season moves along. It will be a true signature of growth for this young team if the players begin to click together.

Jeff Friesen Comes to DC

The Washington Capitals have traded an '06 draft round pick to the New Jersey Devils in return for Left winger Jeff Friesen. Friesen is a proven veteran, with plenty of Stanley Cup experience. He will most likely take a leadership role within a team of young potentials. To find out more, check out my links on the Capitals News Page. The Caps welcome Friesen with open arms, but a question still remains, why is General Manager George McPhee trading for forwards, rather than getting more experience on the blue line. The Capitals defense is already soft and troublesome. Brendan Witt seems unable to get his head around the new rules, while the rest of the defensive core is young and inexperienced. It may be a rebuilding year, but more and more the Caps continue to make poor choices in developing a team that will be well rounded, with solid offense and defense. Now Head Coach Glen Hanlon has to make McPhee's latest additions work and show that this is a team that can grow and win. Sorry Caps fans, doesn't look like the Caps will even make the playoffs.