Too Much Green For Green?

They were very simple words, but they carried very heavy weight. If any 29 other organizations offer Mike Green a contract, the Capitals will match it. "Probably within 10 minutes," added GM George McPhee. Answering questions on the the draft yesterday, GMGM made it clear that Green wouldn't be going anywhere.

This after Green's agent made some comments on how the Caps have been "low-balling" Green in negotiations. They may stretch things out until July 1st to test the market. So what kind of money are they after that could warrant such a greasy statement? Yea I don't know either, but Green sure did make a case for a lot of cash this season. But are we talking Dion Phenuef numbers, can Green really be worth $7.5 million a season?

Well, I guess he could. He did lead all defensemen in goals on his contract season. He played every game and had some pretty clutch goals. But he also lost the puck a lot, was out of defensive position more than once (behind the net on Knuble's game winner in game 4) and he still has to answer questions about his physicality on the blue line. He's no Scott Stevens, but he has been guilty of taking the puck before the body (a big no-no in full contact hockey).

While his agent, who according to Japer ain't the saint to save all hockey-dom, is ranting about how the Caps management might be offering far too little, I doubt the Caps came to the table seeking a $1.5 or even a $2 million hand out. Don Meehan (Green's agent) is looking to cash in on a career season. But it may be a failed tactic since GMGM sort of challenged Meehan back with a "no questions asked" match, whatever the damage might be.

If I were GMGM (which I am not and that is a very good thing) I would be looking at the $3.5 to $4 million dollar range for long term, with the contract ramping up toward the end to maybe $5.5 to $6 million. The contract would pay Green the same as any other elite player and keep the Washingtonians from paying through the nose for section 400 seats.

This is a "take the dispute public" to try to win a battle behind closed doors, and frankly I am starting to realize why GMGM is often mum about negotiations and contracts. If Green's agent does take him to the July 1st deadline to test the market, we could see some fall out with other players McPhee would like to keep in the fold. If the Caps match something of Kevin Lowe proportions, that could mean getting back RFA's Shaone Morrisonn and Steve Eminger could be a challenge. Even some quality forwards like Boyd Gordon and Brooks Laich could find themselves in different sweaters come October.

Settling Into The Big Ho Hum

Anticipation sucks. And at the rate the Capitals seem to be resigning free agents, it seems we are entering the doldrums of the off season. Hockey no longer seems the priority on Puckhead's summer itinerary. Even the draft coming up in the next few days seems to take a back seat.

For the past 5 years, that is all we seemed to be waiting for. The Draft. Who are we going to get? What first rounders make the most sense for the Caps? So on and so forth. But it's seems that this was the year the Caps turned a corner. Instead of seeing who they can get in this year's draft, I am much more interested in who will be in net, or if they will lose a defensemen or two to make room for some younger players that are knocking on the door.

GM George McPhee will meet with reporters today (6/16) concerning the draft at Kettler. I would much rather hear about how contract negotiations are going with Cris Huet, Shaone Morrisonn, Mike Green, and others. I understand how important it is to have a secure future, and drafting good talent is keeping an eye out for the horizon. At the same time, I am just not jazzed about who the Caps are going to pick just to wait another 3 to 4 years to see their name again.

I am sure that will all change in 5 days time when the Draft starts to ramp up and when the Caps' management decides to start resigning players. But I can't help but feel pretty ho hum about the upcoming draft.

90 goals?

Pierre McGuire, hockey analyst for CBC and NBC, almost guaranteed that Alex Ovechkin could not only break his career record of 65 goals but he could surpass it and can score 90 goals in one season. Ovechkin was the first player in 12 years to reach the 60 goal mark. Now it looks like the pressure is on for him not only to match but exceed that mark.

But 90? There are two things I find unsettling about Pierre McGuire's prediction, 1) that bald head of his is always so shiny and 2) he might be right. I agree with him as far as the infrastructure of the Capitals' offense is on pretty steady ground. That may culture a goal scorer is only hungry to take the next step which is to win the Stanley Cup.

With Jack Adams award winner Bruce Boudreau at the helm, teammates like Nick Backstrom, Micheal Nylander, Alex Semin and the possible return of Sergei Fedorov and the changes that may be had to goaltender equipment, Ovie could make that 90 goal mark. If he does, it will blow the top off of this league. Not since names like Lemieux and Gretzky that graced our sports pages has the league peaked this much interest outside it's traditional fan base.

I don't know which is more scary for a Friday the 13th, 90 goals for Ovechkin, or agreeing with Pierre McGuire?

Ovechkin Cleans Up, Boudreau Wins Too

Alex Ovechkin just made history, again. The dynamic Capitals winger took home the clean sweep, winner of the Hart Trophy for leagues MVP, the Lester B. Pearson Trophy for best player as voted on by the players, the Rocket Richard Trophy for most goals and the Art Ross for most points. Ovechkin was the first player to take home all four.

Bruce Boudreau also got a shiny new trophy taking home the Jack Adams Trophy for leagues top coach. Boudreau took the team from worst to first and propelled the Caps into the playoffs with a team that had been riddled with injuries.

Nick Backstrom did not take the top rookie honors, that went to Patrick Kane who beat both Backstrom and his teammate Jonathan Toews out for the Calder. While Backstrom was prevented the historic sweep for the franchise, he was named to the NHL's All Rookie team.

All of Ovechkin's awards will be on display today at the Kettler Iceplex from noon to one Friday, June 13th. This was actually written in the press release:

"Due to travel and space constraints, the Jack Adams Award, which was won by head coach Bruce Boudreau, will not be on display."

Wow, so much hardware they couldn't get it all back home!

Change Your Locks

Not to jinx Alex Ovechkin or anything, but Friday, in the event that Ovie wins the Hart Trophy as league MVP, Ovechkin will be awarded a key to the city by D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty.

While that seems to suggest that Ovie is the forgone winner, the Caps PR dept. was smart enough to use "in the event" in the press release.

So if you don't have much going on, possibly on Friday at maybe 4 pm, there may or may not be a key to the city awarded to Ovechkin kinda in front of the John A. Wilson Building probably. Don't get your hopes up, but be there!

They did book the Ballou Marching Band for the event. If that doesn't say Hart Trophy winner, you would have to print it on a t-shirt for me to believe it.

The Kids Are Coming Back To Town

Per Tarik and his blog, the Caps development camp starts up mid July. Which is less than a month from now. Time flies when your having fun I guess. All the same prospects will be there like Karl Alzner (possibly his warm up for training camp), Simeon Varlamov (young Russian phenom that may be the Caps' Carey Price) and forwards Francois Bouchard and Mathieu Perreault.

July 6 is when the kids are in town and camp starts on the 7th with the first group hitting the ice at 10 am. Camp is open to the public for free at the Kettler Iceplex in Arlington, Va. It will be interesting to see who makes the graduation from rookie camp to training camp. Nick Backstrom was the only name that comes to mind that made that jump last season.

The camp goes until Saturday July 12th with a scrimmage from 10 am to 1 pm. Again, it's free to the public. Bruce Boudreau and the usual faces will be conducting camp.

In other news, Canadians are breathing a sigh of relief after CTV stepped in and saved the Hockey Theme from Hockey Night in Canada. If they had lost the rights to the song, I am sure the Canadians would have revolt worse than the Rocket Richard riots. Hey, it's a catchy tune. You can listen to it here, it's obviously the second tune in the intro.