Belanger Inks Deal with Phoenix, Gives Exclamation Point to Awful Offseason for the Caps

Heading into the trade deadline last season, Washington saw two weaknesses: defense and penalty killing. They needed defensemen and a center. They brought in defenseman Joe Corvo and center Eric Belanger (along with Scott Walker and Milan Jurcina, but neither made much of a contribution) to try and fix the problem. Yet, these two failed to completely fix the problem and as a result the Capitals were sent home in the first round in one of the biggest upsets in the history of the NHL. Rather than continue to address these needs in the offseason, the Capitals have sat back and now appear to be no closer to winning the Stanley Cup.

In the playoffs last season, the Caps dressed Joe Corvo, Mike Green, Jeff Schultz, Jon Carlson, Shaone Morrisonn, and Tom Poti. They also had Tyler Sloan, Karl Alzner, and Jon Erskine as backups. Joe Corvo went back to Carolina. Hard to fault the Caps for that one, there was no question he was leaving. Green, Schultz, and Poti are back. Carlson established himself as ready for a full time slot and he will be back. Despite being one of the best true defensive players on the team, for some reason the Caps let Morrisonn sign with the Islanders. Alzner will be brought onto the roster this season. This means that the Caps defense will be Green, Schultz, Carlson, Poti, Alzner, and Sloan and Erskine will battle for the last spot. I think Sloan has potential if he continues developing, but any system that promises Erskine extended playing time does not work. He is useless. As a fighter, he has become popular among some fans, but ask yourself if he would have a spot on this team if he could not fight. The answer is no. He either commits a penalty or gives up a big play every game. It is unacceptable. So compare the two lineups. Which one is better? Granted a lot of the players are young and will continue to develop, but the Caps are in desperate need of a DEFENSIVE star. Not a Mike Green, a Carlson, or a Corvo, but a DEFENSIVE defenseman. Instead of fixing that, the Caps have a lineup that will give Erskine playing time. Fail.

While the team has an abundance of offensive talent, they have few true centers. Centers are not only important in the offensive game, but they are VITAL on the penalty kill. For the playoffs the team had Nicklas Backstrom, Eric Belanger, Brendan Morrison, and David Steckle. Morrison is old and expensive. It is not surprise he was on his way out. Steckle is great on the faceoff, but he has fourth line talent at best. Now Belanger is gone. So the team has Backstrom and Steckle. They also have this fantasy of putting Marcus Johansson, a bright young prospect, on the second line. I've seen him play. He would be great on the third line, but he doesn't fit on the second line and this is simply way more playing than he's ready for.

Now the team is talking about how it shows the organization has faith in the team. Absolutely false. There have been rumors about trade talks throughout the offseason. The reason why Belanger is contemplating legal action against the team is because they agreed to a deal weeks ago, but the team said it was contingent on a trade the team was working out. The Capitals could not convince players to come to DC despite the incentives of playing for a contender AND playing with the best player in the world. When it comes to trades, George McPhee is like the cautious poker player. He can win a few chips here and there, but he will never win the pot without pushing more chips into the center. Unless he is willing to put real value on the table, the team will never be able to pick up the players they really need.

So here's the timeline. The team says they need defensemen and centers and bring in players at the deadline. The team enters into the offseason far too soon and lose all the players they brought in at the deadline. They also lose defenseman Shaone Morrisonn and center Brendan Morrison. They try to make deals to fix these problems, cannot make any, and then tell the team that it is because they have faith in them all. Now they are left with holes to fill and only prospects to fill them with. Oops.

NHL Free Agency Under Way, Are Capitals Looking in the Right Direction?

With NHL free agency now underway, Caps fans everywhere are keeping their fingers crossed for that missing piece of the puzzle. While no one can say for certain what that missing piece may be, I have had my theory for the last 2 years. Defense. This team needs defense.

Last season, the Capitals finished the season ranked 1st in offense and 16th in defense. Their powerplay was ranked 1st and their penalty kill was ranked 25th. Now take a wild guess as to what this team may be missing? When it comes to offense or defense, it seems to make a certain amount of sense for this team to focus on defense. This team is overflowing with offensive talent, but there is a serious lack of defensive talent. I have felt for 2 years that this team still needed a strong defensive player. NHL experts have said since the offseason began that this team should focus on defense. Yet an article from the Washington Post this morning wrote that general manager George McPhee was going to be very cautious heading into free agency. Granted, team projections show that the Capitals might not be working with a lot of money and this is a pretty weak free agent class, but when your team exits the playoffs in the first round, you would like to see some changes made to help the team go forward. But wait, the article was not finished. McPhee went on to talk about how his top priority was a second line center, not a defenseman. He believed our defense would be better with the additions of prospects Karl Alzner and Jon Carlson who now appear ready to take on full time roles with the team and hinted that the team would not re-sign free agent defenseman Shaone Morrisonn. This was a hard pill to swallow.

At the trade deadline last season, it was clear the Capitals were seeking a natural and productive center. Brendan Morison will not be re-signed and I am unclear as to what will happen to Eric Belanger, so this team will be in need of a center. Centers are important for offensive set ups, but also contribute a lot on the penalty kill. Still, you know what would help our defensive game more than a center? A DEFENSEman. I cannot understand why when we are the best offensive team in the league and at best a middle of the pack defensive team we refuse to address the issue. Even when we do seek defensemen, we only take offensive minded ones. Mike Green is a fantastic talent, but the reason why he has never made an Olympic squad, all-star team, or won the Norris Trophy despite being nominated two years in a row and leading all defensemen in goals, assists, and points, is because he is terrible defensively. He was the worst player on the ice for the Capitals in the playoffs last season. At the trade deadline, the Capitals added Joe Corvo which failed the address the problem because he is another offensive minded defenseman. Now, the Capitals are talking about letting Shaone Morrisonn walk, despite the fact that he is one of the few defensive minded players on the team.

And what is their solution? Prospects of course. McPhee's answer to everything. To be fair, Carlson looked fantastic when he was called up last season and really gave the Capitals a spark in the post season, but, of course, he is an offensive minded player. Alzner is more of a defensive, grind it out player, which is good, but I have a hard time believing he is the solution to our defensive woes. I look at the starting six for the Capitals and see Green, Jeff Schultz (if he re-signs with the Capitals), Tom Poti, Tyler Sloan, Alzner, and Carlson. That is just not enough.

Of course there is currently no reason for DC fans to hit the panic button. Goalie Semyon Varlamov continues to develop and the team will not have to deal with the post season problems that have plagued Jose Theodore the past two seasons. A strong goalie obviously helps bring the goal totals down. Plus, this team has shown they are more than capable of handling the regular season and perhaps they could make a deal at the trade deadline to bring in a great defenseman who can help contribute to a long playoff run. And of course, free agency is not over yet. Defenseman Anton Volchenkov is still available and still a perfect fit for this team.

And yet, I am still nervous because of McPhee's sense of patience. I will give him all the credit in the world for building this team. He preached patience for years when he brought in many of today's stalwarts as prospects and the team is now a major playoff contender. He brought in Ovechkin and Varlamov and worked deadline magic in 2008 to help the team win the Southeast Division for the first time in 7 years. But I have also seen the Capitals exit the playoffs far too early the last three years. I heard him preach "patience" in 2009 when the team made no moves at the trade deadline despite being second place in the conference because we needed to "think about the future." I watched the urgent need for a defenseman go ignored in the offseason last summer and at the trade deadline last March and I see it happening again. While he has all the confidence in the world in his prospects, I have to ask, are Alzner and Carlson enough to help this team improve one of the worst penalty kills in the league? Are Alzner and Carlson really going to give the team the bump they needed to get deep into the playoffs? They are good players to be sure and may one day be great, but I would feel a lot more confidant about Washington's Stanley Cup chances in 2010-11 with a Volchenkov rather than two unproven prospects.

There is always a limited window of opportunity in sports. I sincerely hope that McPhee is making the right move now or that he will realize we need a big defenseman before that window has closed completely.

Caps Take First Step, Sign Backstrom to 10 Year Deal

The Washington Capitals took the first step towards remaining a Stanley Cup contending team on Monday with a deal to keep their superstar center. The team announced this morning that they have signed Nicklas Backstrom to a 10 year, $67 million deal. Backstrom's entry level contract expired at the end of this season and he was scheduled to become a free agent in July.

Most general managers are reluctant to sign such long term deals, but the Capitals now have two with Ovechkin's 13 year deal. George McPhee seemed unconcerned. "The risks are that the player doesn't meet expectation with the contract, but I never for one minute with Alex Ovechkin or Nicklas Backstrom think that they won't compete all the way through," he said. "It sends the right message to our fans and to this franchise that we have outstanding young players who are ready to commit for the rest of their career." Backstrom has yet to miss a single game in his three year career and his points continue to improve. Singing a player of Backstrom's caliber does not seem to be much of a risk even if it is for such a high price. With the probable departure of other expensive players such as Jose Theodore, the team can afford to sign this much needed deal.

As soon as the Capitals finished their disappointing playoff series against Montreal, signing Backstrom became the top priority. He has become one of the best centers in the league and has developed a report with Ovechkin. The two teamed up for 210 points in the regular season, the highest scoring duo in the NHL.

The Capitals also announced that they had signed their first round draft pick from 2009, Marcus Johansson to a three-year entry level contract. The team hopes Backstrom can help him develop enough in the offseason to earn a roster spot next season. With the probable departure of Brendan Morrison, developing another center will be important.

Caps Make Deadline Move for Stanley Cup Push

The trade deadline has come and gone and the Washington Capitals have four new players from four different teams to use for their run at the Stanley Cup. The Capitals traded four draft picks, prospect Oskar Osala, and defenseman Brian Pothier, for winger Scott Walker, center Eric Belanger, and defenseman Milan Jurcina and Joe Corvo. Despite General Manger George McPhee expressing caution before the deadline he showed he was committed to making this team better. How'd he do?

Well, the first plus is that the Caps really didn't give up anything. This Washington team is young and affiliate Hershey is packed with top prospects. Draft picks are definitely valuable, but it's not really what they need right now and neither is Osala. Brian Pothier has been a great player for the Caps since he was brought in, but this was a good move. He really hasn't been the same since a concussion kept him out for over a year and he really has been in and out of the line up this season with injury problems. Durability was a major concern and this Washington team wants to make a long run this spring.

Despite having the best record in the league, there were some areas of concern for this team heading into the deadline and the post season. The major concern was goaltending. No moves were made there, but that's understandable. The Capitals already have three, all of whom are capable of great play, but can they keep it up? Can Varlamov stay healthy or Theodore keep up the pace? The Caps are poised to have a strong goalie situation in years to come with Varlamov and Michal Neuvirth. With all three playing well, it makes no sense to muddy the water further with another goalie. It would really undermine the confidence of Varlamov and Theodore and no one would get the playing time they needed or deserved.

With this in mind, what they desperately needed was defensive help. When the Caps announced that they had acquired Belanger and Walker, my initial reaction was why? They have the best offense in the league, there is no need for more players up front to ruin the lines that have worked so well and still leave the defense in question. But these two may actually boost the Capitals defense. Walker was not playing up to his potential in Carolina anymore. He adds a strong locker room presence and is also known for being a real tough, gritty player. He will best serve the caps if he replaces Erskine. Erskine has been a staple for the Capitals this season because he is the biggest fighter they have. Without an enforcer teams really go after Ovechkin. Erskine had to stay in the lineup, but he really doesn't have the talent to keep a regular spot on the team. If they don't need him, it opens up a spot for a better player.

Belanger is really needed to help on the penalty kill. Washington currently ranks 25th in penalty kill, which is awful. It is a real area of concern. A center is a big part of the penalty kill because faceoffs can kill a lot of time. The problem the Caps have is that their centers really aren't the gritty penalty kill type. Belanger adds another body on the penalty kill and a faceoff that can help the Caps clear the zone.

For the defensemen they did pick up, they might be a great fit, but it may not be far enough. The idea of trading for a defenseman we already traded away bothers me. Jurcina was splitting time with Erskine, Sloan, and Alzner. I think he is a good fit for the Caps, but what made them realize that now? If they brought him in to be a regular presence on the blue line, great. If they brought him in to split time again, then I really don't see the point. Corvo will be a great fit if he can recognize what he is being brought in for. The Caps can score. Everyone and their mother knows that. What they need is defense. Corvo is more of an offensive minded defenseman, like Mike Green. The problem is that he wasn't (or should not have been) brought in to score and so I have to wonder whether he was the right pick up for this team.

My initial reaction to the moves the Caps made today was 'eh,' but what you really have to realize is that this team did get better. That much is clear. As they were already the best team in the league, that means a lot. What also makes me feel good is how pumped Barry Melrose is. Watch the trade deadline video on ESPN.com. While I consider myself pretty knowledgeable about hockey, Melrose is one of the few people I will freely admit is miles ahead of me. When asked who got better today, the first thing he said was Washington. He clearly believes today's moves were the right moves. Let's hope it is enough to get us our first Stanley Cup.

George Mcphee's Short Memory

Ok, I know the trade deadline has been a pretty frequent topic of mine in this blog, but Capitals' general manager George McPhee is not putting my mind at ease. ESPN analyst Pierre LeBrun asked McPhee about the trade deadline and he responded saying "Well, at this point, I really don't know why we'd change anything. The team is performing about as well as it can. Why change the mix? Certainly if there's something there that would make us better, we would consider it. But there's a lot to be said about chemistry and the intangibles, and we certainly have all that right now. Why give away good young players or picks...we want to be a good team for a long time, not just one season."

McPhee is half right. We absolutely want the Caps to be a good team for a long time, but the top priority is winning the Stanley Cup. The lesson of last season must be learned. Last season the Caps went into March as the number two team in the conference. They looked good, a playoff berth was not in question, and everyone thought they were going to be one of the major competitors for the conference championship. McPhee decided to err on the side of caution and made no moves, presumably for the same reasons he listed above. It looked like sound reasoning, but EVERYONE around the Caps in the standings got better. The result? The Caps struggled in an opening round matchup against a much weaker team and were eventually beaten by the hated Penguins; a Pittsburgh team that DID make deadline moves and ended up winning the Stanley Cup.

This season it is even more important to make a move. Yes, the Caps are red hot, but eventually this streak will end and with it will most likely come the inevitable let down. A good way to relight the fire is with a trade to mix things up. This alone, however, isn't reason enough to make a move. The importance is that the Caps have the bullseye. They are the team to beat in the east. The road to the Stanley Cup in the east runs through Washington. When teams head into March, they will be thinking about the Caps. Teams will be building up for a matchup against the Capitals. Why yield the advantage? Why allow other teams to close the gap? Especially with question marks regarding the defense and goaltending. There is room for improvement despite how good they have been playing and there are moves to be made.

When it comes to winning there is always a limited window of opportunity. I'm not saying that the Caps won't be good for very long, but success like we have seen this season should be a sign that now is the time to make a run. McPhee has always been thinking about the future success of this team, but at some point he has to think about the present. If a winning streak of 11 games and counting plus a 10 point lead in the conference aren't enough to convince McPhee that it's time to start chasing Lord Stanley, what will?