So, it's two and a half weeks into the college football season and it's about now that things start happening that might actually be worth talking about. With only a few exceptions, the first couple weeks are a joke, as most of the top 25 teams play warm-up games against heavily overmatched opponents.
This week, for the most part, isn't much different, with USC being spotlighted on the west coast playing Washington. This game means so little that Pete Carrol is willing to let his starting QB sit the game. This is the same Pete Carrol who likes to rack up at least 50 point margins in every game to somehow prove that his team is better than everyone else in the country and help his team's stats. If you couldn't tell, I don't like teams running up the score.
On that topic, I understand that sometimes it's hard not to. Case in point: Virginia Tech and Frank Beamer. Every time Beamer's team gets up big, he pulls the starting QB and RB. Usually the starting defense is long gone by this point. Take last week against Marshall. Tyrod and Ryan Williams didn't play in the second half. Despite this, Tech scored another 17 points in the second half, and amassed around 200 yards of offense.
What I don't like, is when teams keep in their star players despite the fact that the game is won. Take, for example, Ohio State last season against Youngstown State. Who? you ask. Exactly. Up by over 50 points, Ohio State's star running back Beanie Wells was still in the game late in the third quarter and ended up being injured and missing half the season. It could be argued that Tressel was trying to help his running back's statement in the Heisman trophy race, but it ended up killing his chances, and it could have cost Ohio State's chances at a Big 10 title (though, that's not saying much in my opinion).
Moving on, I want to rank the BCS conferences from toughest to weakest.
1. SEC: I think it's really hard for anyone to argue against the SEC. They consistently have a National title contender each year, and it's almost always a different team, year to year. In the past couple years, it's been a tough competition between Florida and 'Bama for the SEC crown, which is arguably the hardest conference to win. It says something about your conference when your down teams include such big time programs as Auburn, LSU, Georgia, and Tennessee.
2. Big 12: If the Big 12 South was an independent conference, they would arguably be the toughest, with all 6 teams traditionally good teams, and 5 of the 6 making top 25 appearances this season. Even my loathing of Bob Stoops can't stop me from giving the Big 12 South credit. The Big 12 North has, in the last 5 years, really been dragging the conference down. Fortunately for the Big 12, Kansas, Mizzou, and Nebraska have been improving steadily in the last few years. That said, the South is still the heart of the conference, and will represent the conference in the BCS this year, and in years to come. Texas should be the Big 12's representative this year, and likely in the National Title game.
3. ACC: Most established football writers would completely disagree with me on this one. Part of their argument is right: The ACC is still lacking in a true powerhouse to compete year after year on the national title stage. This is, I believe, in part due to the parity of the conference and just how tough it is to truly get through the conference schedule unscathed. Last season, a record 10 teams went to bowl games. 10! That means all but two teams in the conference had a winning record. However, no team had more than 9 wins going into those bowl games. The conference needs a team to step up into the national spotlight, and it could happen this year. Virginia Tech, despite losing to Alabama, can still make a run at the title (and they have almost every other year before this since joining the ACC). Miami is potentially much improved and could crack the top 10 if they continue to play the way they have throughout the season (though I hope that will come to an end in eight days in Blacksburg, I have to give credit where it is due). Another reason I have the ACC where I do is because of what I see as dire flaws in the other BCS conferences.
4. PAC-10: The PAC-10 is an improving conference. The conference's biggest flaw is that, outside of USC, it seems like none of them know how to play defense. In my opinion, in order for the conference to improve and jump at least the ACC, another team besides USC has to really prove themselves as a good team. A return to glory by Cal or UCLA would go a long way. It would also help if the two worst teams in the conference combined for more than 1 win this season (and that win barely counts at all, since it was one previously winless team over another winless team). One of the biggest strengths of the conference is its conference play. The PAC-10 is the only conference where every team plays every other team in the conference each year. That's pretty tough and, if another team or two can emerge as a power, will be a strong argument for the legitimacy of the conference. The problem with that though is that it could lead to the ACC's problem, where all the good teams beat up on each other each year.
5. Big Ten: The Big Ten is a fallen conference. There is too much argument within the conference about its own strength based on its history. The problem is, the Big Ten has fallen behind in college football and is generally, just plain weak. It's one of two conferences that has refused to adopt a conference championship game, and it suffers because of it. Not only does it make the conference "champion" hard to take seriously, the team that wins the conference (aka, Ohio State for the last 4 or 5 years at least), has so much down time between their final game and their bowl game, and as a result, seem to always embarrass themselves on the national stage. Michigan looks better this year, which is good for the conference, but honestly, it won't matter until the Big Ten adopts a division system with a championship game at the end of the season. As it is now, the best teams in the conference, unless they're Michigan and OSU, don't even necessarily play each other, ever, in a given season.
6. Big East: Everyone hates on the Big East, but it's hard not to when a team that's only in its 5th season as a member of a BCS conference is probably going to repeat as conference champions. Yes, I'm talking about Cincinnati. A few years ago, the Big East stunned everyone by having three or four very good teams, and a couple teams right behind them. However, each of those teams, with the exception of Cincinnati, have fallen apart since then. WVU is still trying to recover from Rich Rodriguez's betrayal, and it could be a while for the Mountaineers. Maybe Notre Dame will come to its senses, fire Charlie Weiss, and join the Big East. That would help both the Big East and Notre Dame, believe it or not.
So that's my rankings of the BCS conferences. Purely my opinion, but based on my observations. Feel free to take issue with them, and I wouldn't mind discussing it if you do (not that I have a wide readership).
Until next time,
-TES
Friday, September 18, 2009
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Caps: Free Agency Update 3 - 7/28
There has been some activity on the free agency front that either is recent news, or has yet to be reported by ESPN. I found a new site for hockey news: http://www.tsn.ca/nhl Go figure, it's Canadian.
Anyway. I've decided to do an overview in this update, sorting each player into the relevant category: New, Re-signed, Gone, or Pending
New:
Brendan Morrison (C): Signed to a 1-year deal from the Dallas Stars
Mike Knuble (RW): Signed a 2-year deal from the Philadelphia Flyers
Re-Signed:
Jeff Shultz (D): Signed a 1-year deal with the Caps
Kyle Wilson (C): Signed a 1-year deal with the Caps
Chris Borque (LW): Signed a 1-year deal with the Caps
Eric Fehr (RW): Signed a 1-year deal with the Caps
Boyd Gordon (RW): Signed a 1-year deal with the Caps
Shaone Morrisonn (D): Signed a 1-year deal with the Caps
Steven Pinizzotto (RW): Signed a 2-year deal with the Caps.
Gone:
Donald Brashear (LW): Signed a 2-year deal with the New York Rangers
Sergei Federov (C): Signed with a KHL team in Russia
Brent Johnson (G): Signed a 2-year deal with Pittsburgh. Reportedly, he wasn't very happy about leaving the Caps, particularly to go to the enemy.
Viktor Kozlov (RW): Signed with a team in the KHL
Pending:
UFAs:
Jakub Cutta (D):
Alexandre Giroux (C):
Bryan Helmer (D):
Staffan Kronwall (D):
Quintin Laing (LW):
Graham Mink (C):
RFAs:
Andrew Joudrey (C):
Milan Jurchina (D):
Sami Lepisto (D):
Daren Machesney (G):
Travis Morin (C):
Sasha Polulok (D):
As can be seen, the Caps still have some work to do, but they've gotten most of the major players back for another season. The biggest question mark at this point is Milan Jurchina. The Caps tendered a qualifying offer almost a month ago, but there's been no word since. Jurchina could be shopping around to try to get a bigger contract. Since he is a restricted free agent though, the Caps have the opportunity to match any deal he recieves from another team.
That's all for now.
Until next time,
-TES
Anyway. I've decided to do an overview in this update, sorting each player into the relevant category: New, Re-signed, Gone, or Pending
New:
Brendan Morrison (C): Signed to a 1-year deal from the Dallas Stars
Mike Knuble (RW): Signed a 2-year deal from the Philadelphia Flyers
Re-Signed:
Jeff Shultz (D): Signed a 1-year deal with the Caps
Kyle Wilson (C): Signed a 1-year deal with the Caps
Chris Borque (LW): Signed a 1-year deal with the Caps
Eric Fehr (RW): Signed a 1-year deal with the Caps
Boyd Gordon (RW): Signed a 1-year deal with the Caps
Shaone Morrisonn (D): Signed a 1-year deal with the Caps
Steven Pinizzotto (RW): Signed a 2-year deal with the Caps.
Gone:
Donald Brashear (LW): Signed a 2-year deal with the New York Rangers
Sergei Federov (C): Signed with a KHL team in Russia
Brent Johnson (G): Signed a 2-year deal with Pittsburgh. Reportedly, he wasn't very happy about leaving the Caps, particularly to go to the enemy.
Viktor Kozlov (RW): Signed with a team in the KHL
Pending:
UFAs:
Jakub Cutta (D):
Alexandre Giroux (C):
Bryan Helmer (D):
Staffan Kronwall (D):
Quintin Laing (LW):
Graham Mink (C):
RFAs:
Andrew Joudrey (C):
Milan Jurchina (D):
Sami Lepisto (D):
Daren Machesney (G):
Travis Morin (C):
Sasha Polulok (D):
As can be seen, the Caps still have some work to do, but they've gotten most of the major players back for another season. The biggest question mark at this point is Milan Jurchina. The Caps tendered a qualifying offer almost a month ago, but there's been no word since. Jurchina could be shopping around to try to get a bigger contract. Since he is a restricted free agent though, the Caps have the opportunity to match any deal he recieves from another team.
That's all for now.
Until next time,
-TES
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Caps: Free Agency Update #2 - 7/22
No bad, only good in this one. Caps re-signed defenseman Jeff Schultz to a 1-year contract, for $715,000. Not a bad price for a solid, big, stay-at-home guy like Schultz.
On the offensive front, the Caps signed center Brendan Morrison, formerly of the Dallas Stars, to a 1-year, $1.5 million contract. That's a pretty good price for a solid center to play on the second line with Semin. He had 15 goals and 16 assists in a little over 80 games last season, and should be able to add to an already potent offense.
It seems that Boudreaux and the Caps have an adopted a "the best defense is a good offense" strategy. One of the NHL's most prolific offenses from last season has added two key players to add greater depth and (if possible) even more firepower. I guess, if it's worked so far, don't fix it, 'cause it ain't broken.
Until next time,
-TES
On the offensive front, the Caps signed center Brendan Morrison, formerly of the Dallas Stars, to a 1-year, $1.5 million contract. That's a pretty good price for a solid center to play on the second line with Semin. He had 15 goals and 16 assists in a little over 80 games last season, and should be able to add to an already potent offense.
It seems that Boudreaux and the Caps have an adopted a "the best defense is a good offense" strategy. One of the NHL's most prolific offenses from last season has added two key players to add greater depth and (if possible) even more firepower. I guess, if it's worked so far, don't fix it, 'cause it ain't broken.
Until next time,
-TES
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Caps: Free Agency Update 1 - 7/02
Well rather than be confusing and updating my previous, long post, I will update occassionally with new posts, giving you the signings that have happened to date.
The Good:
The Caps signed veteran right winger Mike Knuble, formerly of the Philadelphia Flyers. He's a big, physical forward who can play both ways. He will be a valuable addition to power play situations on both sides. He can play well defensively short handed, and can also distribute the puck and get in front of the net on power plays (He's had 10 PP Goals in the last five straight seasons). This is a particularly good signing with Kozlov and Federov gone, that regains some of the depth at forward. In all likelyhood, Knuble will play on the first line with Ovechkin and Backstrom, replacing Kozlov.
The Bad:
Donnie Brashear has left the Caps and signed with the New York Rangers. While unfortunate that the Caps have lost him, as I said before, this isn't the biggest loss in the world. In fact, the Caps did just fine in the playoffs with him suspended. He was valuable as an enforcer, but not as much as a skater. The Caps team is, overall, very physical, even without his presence, and so, the bruiser won't be missed very much.
I do think it's rather amusing that Donnie was signed by the Rangers after all the controversy he stirred up in the Rangers series. He was harshly punished for a somewhat late hit on a Ranger, as well as for getting in the face of a fellow bruiser in warmups of the same game. The Rangers bitched and moaned about his play, even after the league handed down a suspension, and then they go ahead and sign him.
Overview:
The Capitals have freed up cap room with Federov and Kozlov gone, and used up a good bit of it to sign Knuble. With that in mind, George McPhee, the Caps GM, has said that Knuble's signing will be the biggest profile signing they make. He expressed confidence in keeping Laich as the second line center, and has no plans to make a move to sign someone else to fill that role.
This leaves the lines looking about like this:
1st: Ovechkin, Backstrom, and Knuble
2nd: Semin, Laich, and possibly Clark
3rd: Bradley, Gordon, Steckel
However, that said, there's a lot of room for this to move around. There is plenty of depth right behind Laich at center with Aucoin and Beagle coming up from the minors, as well as Nylander and Fleischmann in the mix.
As far as depth goes, left wing is simultaneously the shallowest as well as the strongest, with Ovechkin and Semin at the top, but with only Steckel and then three minor leaguers behind that with Laing, Bourque, and Osala. And some of those three are free agents.
On the other side, right wing is both deep and not very strong. Knuble leads the pack, and is followed by numerous guys who can and have played on the energy line; Bradley, Gordon, and Clark. The other notable in this group is Eric Fehr, who could very well compete to be the second line's right winger.
As of now, the defense and goalie situations haven't changed. Whether that's a good thing or a bad thing is yet to be seen. The defense could use some help, but considering the limited cap space, it's unlikely that the Caps will get anyone of note in that area for cheap. The only forseeable possibility could be Chris Chelios. It's yet to be seen how many teams will take a shot at a 47 year old defenseman. If the teams looking at him are hesitant, he could wind up being a steal, and would be valuable for his leadership and experience on a relatively young defense.
That's all for now.
Until next time,
-TES
The Good:
The Caps signed veteran right winger Mike Knuble, formerly of the Philadelphia Flyers. He's a big, physical forward who can play both ways. He will be a valuable addition to power play situations on both sides. He can play well defensively short handed, and can also distribute the puck and get in front of the net on power plays (He's had 10 PP Goals in the last five straight seasons). This is a particularly good signing with Kozlov and Federov gone, that regains some of the depth at forward. In all likelyhood, Knuble will play on the first line with Ovechkin and Backstrom, replacing Kozlov.
The Bad:
Donnie Brashear has left the Caps and signed with the New York Rangers. While unfortunate that the Caps have lost him, as I said before, this isn't the biggest loss in the world. In fact, the Caps did just fine in the playoffs with him suspended. He was valuable as an enforcer, but not as much as a skater. The Caps team is, overall, very physical, even without his presence, and so, the bruiser won't be missed very much.
I do think it's rather amusing that Donnie was signed by the Rangers after all the controversy he stirred up in the Rangers series. He was harshly punished for a somewhat late hit on a Ranger, as well as for getting in the face of a fellow bruiser in warmups of the same game. The Rangers bitched and moaned about his play, even after the league handed down a suspension, and then they go ahead and sign him.
Overview:
The Capitals have freed up cap room with Federov and Kozlov gone, and used up a good bit of it to sign Knuble. With that in mind, George McPhee, the Caps GM, has said that Knuble's signing will be the biggest profile signing they make. He expressed confidence in keeping Laich as the second line center, and has no plans to make a move to sign someone else to fill that role.
This leaves the lines looking about like this:
1st: Ovechkin, Backstrom, and Knuble
2nd: Semin, Laich, and possibly Clark
3rd: Bradley, Gordon, Steckel
However, that said, there's a lot of room for this to move around. There is plenty of depth right behind Laich at center with Aucoin and Beagle coming up from the minors, as well as Nylander and Fleischmann in the mix.
As far as depth goes, left wing is simultaneously the shallowest as well as the strongest, with Ovechkin and Semin at the top, but with only Steckel and then three minor leaguers behind that with Laing, Bourque, and Osala. And some of those three are free agents.
On the other side, right wing is both deep and not very strong. Knuble leads the pack, and is followed by numerous guys who can and have played on the energy line; Bradley, Gordon, and Clark. The other notable in this group is Eric Fehr, who could very well compete to be the second line's right winger.
As of now, the defense and goalie situations haven't changed. Whether that's a good thing or a bad thing is yet to be seen. The defense could use some help, but considering the limited cap space, it's unlikely that the Caps will get anyone of note in that area for cheap. The only forseeable possibility could be Chris Chelios. It's yet to be seen how many teams will take a shot at a 47 year old defenseman. If the teams looking at him are hesitant, he could wind up being a steal, and would be valuable for his leadership and experience on a relatively young defense.
That's all for now.
Until next time,
-TES
Friday, June 26, 2009
Caps: Free Agency
So, it would seem that the Caps have many more free agents this year than I had thought... That said, a lot of the ones listed on ESPN are minor leaguers or restricted free agents. For those who don't know (and I didn't until about 30 seconds ago), a restricted free agent can get offers from other teams, but their old team has the option of matching the offer (or coming close, depending on the league) and keeping the player. So now you know. Anyway, I'll run through a list of players, starting with unrestricted free agents (UFAs), then restricted free agents (RFAs).
UFAs
Donald Brashear (LW): Donnie really could go anywhere he wanted. However, I think it would be in the Caps best interest to keep the old brawler for a one or two year contract. However, it wouldn't be the biggest loss in the world if he left or retired. While the Caps don't have a direct replacement as a bruiser, the hitting line of Steckel and Bradley can do the work. Also, upcoming Jay Beagle is supposed to be a bit of an enforcer, if not a fighter.
Update: Brashear signed with the NYR with a 2 year contract
Jakub Cutta (D): I've never heard of this guy, so I can't really comment on how badly the Caps organization will need to fight to keep him, if they want to at all.
Sergei Federov (C): He's already gone. He signed a deal with a team in Russia, and will be playing with his brother over there, which was an important factor in his decision to leave the NHL.
Alexandre Giroux (C): I don't know much about him, though he was called up for 12 games this past season and had a decent amount of time on ice, and had one goal and one assist. If he is a still developing center, the Caps could definitely use the depth at this position.
Bryan Helmer (D): He played in 12 games last season. I can't say anything about his performance, and numbers don't tell much for defensemen. This will really be up to the staff to decide his value as compared to their important need for good defenders.
Brent Johnson (G): He would be a valuable backup and mentor to Varlamov and Nueverth. However, he would mostly just be a backup, so it would be hard to give him much of anything, especially since Theodore has one more year on his contract and could fulfill the same role.
Update: Johnson signed a 2-year deal with Pittsburgh. Reportedly, he wasn't very happy about leaving the Caps, particularly to go to the enemy.
Viktor Kozlov (RW): Like Federov, he also has signed with a team in the KHL and has gone home to Russia, though ESPN has been slow to show it.
Staffan Kronwall (D): He was called up for only three games this past season, but he is a young defensemen with pretty good size. Once again, it will be up to the guys in the central office, but he probably will be a valuable asset for the future development of the defense.
Quintin Laing (LW): He only played one game at the NHL level this past season. However, he was a part of the Calder Cup winning Bears and could be a valuable asset for depth. It's up to those with more direct knowledge than me to make that decision though.
Graham Mink (C): Same goes for him as most of the other minor leaguers.
RFAs
Chris Borque (LW): Once again, another minor leaguer, but he is very young (23), and I actually recognize his name, meaning Joe and Craig talked about him a few times.
Update: Has signed a 1 year deal with the Caps
Eric Fehr (RW): Fehr has proven himself worthy of a second or third string winger position at the NHL level, and he is still very young (23), with many years ahead of him. The Caps should definitely do their best to re-sign him.
Update: Fehr has re-signed with the caps for a one year deal.
Boyd Gordon (RW): Like Fehr, Gordon has proven himself and is still young (25). He also plays a valuable role as a scrapper on the hitting line and in short handed situations. He is capable of taking faceoffs and is willing to get in front of the net. The Caps should try to keep him as well.
Update: Gordon has signed a one year deal with the Caps
Andrew Joudrey (C): He's a young centerman in the minors. That's about all I know about him.
Milan Jurchina (D): A young defenseman who was one of the best in the playoffs. Without a doubt someone that the Caps need to keep. He was about the closest thing the Caps have to a shut-down defensemen with his size and physicallity. He also has a good slapshot and usually plays smart, not taking many dumb penalties.
Sami Lepisto (D): A young defender who had a fair share of assists in the few games he was up at the NHL level. Worth keeping for a reasonable price.
Daren Machesney (G): As a young goalie, his strongest argument is as a backup or potentially starter for Hershey.
Travis Morin (C): A young center in the minor leagues. That's all I know.
Shaone Morrisonn (D): A valuable piece of the Caps young defense. Worth keeping around as a stay-at-home defender when you have Mike Green opposite him. Proved himself an asset this past season and short of signing a high-profile defender, should be kept.
Update: has signed a one year deal with the Caps
Steven Pinizzotto (RW): ESPN doesn't even have a picture of this guy. So it's beyond me what should be done with him.
Update: Has signed a 2-year deal with the Caps.
Sasha Polulok (D): A young defender (23) with great size (6'5", 220lbs), should be kept, unless he can't skate, which is doubtful since he's from Canada. Up to the central office though.
Jeff Shultz (D): Once again, a valuable defenseman who has proven himself at this level and worth keeping around.
Update: Has signed a 1-year deal with the Caps
Kyle Wilson (C): A young center... what else can I say?
Update: Signed a 1 year deal with the Caps
Updates: I've highlighted the names of the regular starters from last season up for free agency and added any new info I've had available.
Until next time,
-TES
UFAs
Donald Brashear (LW): Donnie really could go anywhere he wanted. However, I think it would be in the Caps best interest to keep the old brawler for a one or two year contract. However, it wouldn't be the biggest loss in the world if he left or retired. While the Caps don't have a direct replacement as a bruiser, the hitting line of Steckel and Bradley can do the work. Also, upcoming Jay Beagle is supposed to be a bit of an enforcer, if not a fighter.
Update: Brashear signed with the NYR with a 2 year contract
Jakub Cutta (D): I've never heard of this guy, so I can't really comment on how badly the Caps organization will need to fight to keep him, if they want to at all.
Sergei Federov (C): He's already gone. He signed a deal with a team in Russia, and will be playing with his brother over there, which was an important factor in his decision to leave the NHL.
Alexandre Giroux (C): I don't know much about him, though he was called up for 12 games this past season and had a decent amount of time on ice, and had one goal and one assist. If he is a still developing center, the Caps could definitely use the depth at this position.
Bryan Helmer (D): He played in 12 games last season. I can't say anything about his performance, and numbers don't tell much for defensemen. This will really be up to the staff to decide his value as compared to their important need for good defenders.
Brent Johnson (G): He would be a valuable backup and mentor to Varlamov and Nueverth. However, he would mostly just be a backup, so it would be hard to give him much of anything, especially since Theodore has one more year on his contract and could fulfill the same role.
Update: Johnson signed a 2-year deal with Pittsburgh. Reportedly, he wasn't very happy about leaving the Caps, particularly to go to the enemy.
Viktor Kozlov (RW): Like Federov, he also has signed with a team in the KHL and has gone home to Russia, though ESPN has been slow to show it.
Staffan Kronwall (D): He was called up for only three games this past season, but he is a young defensemen with pretty good size. Once again, it will be up to the guys in the central office, but he probably will be a valuable asset for the future development of the defense.
Quintin Laing (LW): He only played one game at the NHL level this past season. However, he was a part of the Calder Cup winning Bears and could be a valuable asset for depth. It's up to those with more direct knowledge than me to make that decision though.
Graham Mink (C): Same goes for him as most of the other minor leaguers.
RFAs
Chris Borque (LW): Once again, another minor leaguer, but he is very young (23), and I actually recognize his name, meaning Joe and Craig talked about him a few times.
Update: Has signed a 1 year deal with the Caps
Eric Fehr (RW): Fehr has proven himself worthy of a second or third string winger position at the NHL level, and he is still very young (23), with many years ahead of him. The Caps should definitely do their best to re-sign him.
Update: Fehr has re-signed with the caps for a one year deal.
Boyd Gordon (RW): Like Fehr, Gordon has proven himself and is still young (25). He also plays a valuable role as a scrapper on the hitting line and in short handed situations. He is capable of taking faceoffs and is willing to get in front of the net. The Caps should try to keep him as well.
Update: Gordon has signed a one year deal with the Caps
Andrew Joudrey (C): He's a young centerman in the minors. That's about all I know about him.
Milan Jurchina (D): A young defenseman who was one of the best in the playoffs. Without a doubt someone that the Caps need to keep. He was about the closest thing the Caps have to a shut-down defensemen with his size and physicallity. He also has a good slapshot and usually plays smart, not taking many dumb penalties.
Sami Lepisto (D): A young defender who had a fair share of assists in the few games he was up at the NHL level. Worth keeping for a reasonable price.
Daren Machesney (G): As a young goalie, his strongest argument is as a backup or potentially starter for Hershey.
Travis Morin (C): A young center in the minor leagues. That's all I know.
Shaone Morrisonn (D): A valuable piece of the Caps young defense. Worth keeping around as a stay-at-home defender when you have Mike Green opposite him. Proved himself an asset this past season and short of signing a high-profile defender, should be kept.
Update: has signed a one year deal with the Caps
Steven Pinizzotto (RW): ESPN doesn't even have a picture of this guy. So it's beyond me what should be done with him.
Update: Has signed a 2-year deal with the Caps.
Sasha Polulok (D): A young defender (23) with great size (6'5", 220lbs), should be kept, unless he can't skate, which is doubtful since he's from Canada. Up to the central office though.
Jeff Shultz (D): Once again, a valuable defenseman who has proven himself at this level and worth keeping around.
Update: Has signed a 1-year deal with the Caps
Kyle Wilson (C): A young center... what else can I say?
Update: Signed a 1 year deal with the Caps
Updates: I've highlighted the names of the regular starters from last season up for free agency and added any new info I've had available.
Until next time,
-TES
Sunday, June 14, 2009
The Penguins are Stanley Cup Champions
As much as I dislike the Penguins for the obvious reasons of the Ovie-Cindy rivalry, I have to give them the credit they are due. They are the champions of this season. And who said that the winner of the Caps-Pens series would win it all? That's right, this kid.
But in all seriousness, their accomplishment can't be belittled. They did the same thing to the Red Wings that they did to the Caps. They were outplayed, badly, in the first two games that were away, and then took the next two at home. They kept every game close and won each game at home, and the one game away that counted: Game 7.
Enough can't be said about the job Dan Bylsma did in turning this club around. At mid-season, the Pens were actually on the outside looking in at the playoffs. When Bylsma came in, the Pens turned their fortunes around, but still had a bit of a battle to make their way into the playoffs. They were one of the hottest teams at the end of the season, just like the Caps of '08. Unlike the Caps though, they managed to keep their momentum and didn't give up, even when things were looking grim, against the Flyers, Caps, and the Wings. In fact, the only team that they handled decisively was the Hurricanes.
In all, this season's Stanley Cup playoffs were great to watch, full of drama and good storylines: The best team in the NHL got booted in the first round of the playoffs; the Rangers gave a Caps a run for their money and got them down 3-1, and the Caps rallied from down 3-1 to take the series; and the instate rivalry series, Pittsburgh and Phillidelphia went to six, with a couple dramatic OTs. And that was just round 1. Round 2 featured 3 of the 4 matchups going to game 7, and the NHL's dream matchup of Washington and Pittsburgh, Crosby vs. Ovechkin.
By comparison to the previous two rounds, the division finals were pretty boring and one sided.
And then the drama was back with the finals going to 7 and the Penguins winning in the end despite only getting one goal from Crosby all series long.
And now that it's over we get to look forward to free agency in a month or two, and then the new season in October.
Until next time,
-TES
But in all seriousness, their accomplishment can't be belittled. They did the same thing to the Red Wings that they did to the Caps. They were outplayed, badly, in the first two games that were away, and then took the next two at home. They kept every game close and won each game at home, and the one game away that counted: Game 7.
Enough can't be said about the job Dan Bylsma did in turning this club around. At mid-season, the Pens were actually on the outside looking in at the playoffs. When Bylsma came in, the Pens turned their fortunes around, but still had a bit of a battle to make their way into the playoffs. They were one of the hottest teams at the end of the season, just like the Caps of '08. Unlike the Caps though, they managed to keep their momentum and didn't give up, even when things were looking grim, against the Flyers, Caps, and the Wings. In fact, the only team that they handled decisively was the Hurricanes.
In all, this season's Stanley Cup playoffs were great to watch, full of drama and good storylines: The best team in the NHL got booted in the first round of the playoffs; the Rangers gave a Caps a run for their money and got them down 3-1, and the Caps rallied from down 3-1 to take the series; and the instate rivalry series, Pittsburgh and Phillidelphia went to six, with a couple dramatic OTs. And that was just round 1. Round 2 featured 3 of the 4 matchups going to game 7, and the NHL's dream matchup of Washington and Pittsburgh, Crosby vs. Ovechkin.
By comparison to the previous two rounds, the division finals were pretty boring and one sided.
And then the drama was back with the finals going to 7 and the Penguins winning in the end despite only getting one goal from Crosby all series long.
And now that it's over we get to look forward to free agency in a month or two, and then the new season in October.
Until next time,
-TES
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Caps: Round 2, Game 7
I apologize for not doing my postgame immediately following the game, but frankly, I wasn't looking forward to it. Also, I'll be honest, I didn't pay much attention after the Penguins went up 3-0, and shortly thereafter, 4-0. After the first two I had predicted a 7-1 loss. Sadly, I wasn't far off.
From what I did actually watch of the game, it just seemed that the Caps were completely outplayed. They rarely, if ever, had prolonged possessions in the Pittsburgh zone. Almost every possession resulted in one shot and a turnover. Fleury's lucky stop early on an Ovechkin slapshot was the only good chance the Caps had before they fell hopelessly behind.
For such a high-pressure series, that went back and forth so often, it can't be surprising that one team finally fell off track. It's just disappointing that it happened in Game 7. The first six games of this series were epic, the best the NHL could have hoped for. But Game 7 was a pretty big dud, and it's a shame.
No loss is easy to take, and a close loss is very hard, because you can question all the small things that could have swayed the game. It's almost easier that they lost in such a spectacular fashion, rather than a grind out game that went to OT like last year. However, after the initial disappointment, at least if it was close, the Caps could be proud of playing hard in one of the greatest series of recent playoff history.
Oh well, at least, with a team this talented and this young, there is always next season. To the best of my knowledge, none of the key players' contracts are up this season, and there is a lot of team unity. The Caps have adopted as system of building their talent through their minor leagues and not buying already developed talent from elsewhere. Of course, there are some exceptions, but most of the players seem to have bought into this organization, and I think it is unlikely that any will leave lightly.
Possible departures for the offseason are most notably Federov and possibly Theodore. I would be very surprised if he is awarded more than the backup role, and even that could be unlikely with Nueverth and Brent Johnson in the wings. Theodore has another year on his contract, but it would not surprise me for him to ask to be traded, and if the Caps can any half-decent offers for him, for the trade to go through. That second part might be a bit tricky, since it's pretty obvious that the Caps are not in need of Theodore, at least not at his pay-rate.
Federov is a bit of an enigma to me. He could retire, but he still has the skills and the speed to play at this level. Also, he came in to this system recently, and I'm sure, isn't as tied to Washington as the rest of the team. However, I'm also sure that Ted Leonsis and Bruce Boudreau would love nothing more than to keep Federov around as a senior leader, and have him retire in a few years as a Cap.
Also, with the playoffs over for the Caps, this blog is likely to slow down a bit. There's only so much I can write about the Nats winning an occasional game, and losing most. But we shall see. My goal is to write at least one article a week. I trust you (my probably 2 or 3 loyal readers) to give me grief if I start slipping in my task.
Until next time,
-TES
From what I did actually watch of the game, it just seemed that the Caps were completely outplayed. They rarely, if ever, had prolonged possessions in the Pittsburgh zone. Almost every possession resulted in one shot and a turnover. Fleury's lucky stop early on an Ovechkin slapshot was the only good chance the Caps had before they fell hopelessly behind.
For such a high-pressure series, that went back and forth so often, it can't be surprising that one team finally fell off track. It's just disappointing that it happened in Game 7. The first six games of this series were epic, the best the NHL could have hoped for. But Game 7 was a pretty big dud, and it's a shame.
No loss is easy to take, and a close loss is very hard, because you can question all the small things that could have swayed the game. It's almost easier that they lost in such a spectacular fashion, rather than a grind out game that went to OT like last year. However, after the initial disappointment, at least if it was close, the Caps could be proud of playing hard in one of the greatest series of recent playoff history.
Oh well, at least, with a team this talented and this young, there is always next season. To the best of my knowledge, none of the key players' contracts are up this season, and there is a lot of team unity. The Caps have adopted as system of building their talent through their minor leagues and not buying already developed talent from elsewhere. Of course, there are some exceptions, but most of the players seem to have bought into this organization, and I think it is unlikely that any will leave lightly.
Possible departures for the offseason are most notably Federov and possibly Theodore. I would be very surprised if he is awarded more than the backup role, and even that could be unlikely with Nueverth and Brent Johnson in the wings. Theodore has another year on his contract, but it would not surprise me for him to ask to be traded, and if the Caps can any half-decent offers for him, for the trade to go through. That second part might be a bit tricky, since it's pretty obvious that the Caps are not in need of Theodore, at least not at his pay-rate.
Federov is a bit of an enigma to me. He could retire, but he still has the skills and the speed to play at this level. Also, he came in to this system recently, and I'm sure, isn't as tied to Washington as the rest of the team. However, I'm also sure that Ted Leonsis and Bruce Boudreau would love nothing more than to keep Federov around as a senior leader, and have him retire in a few years as a Cap.
Also, with the playoffs over for the Caps, this blog is likely to slow down a bit. There's only so much I can write about the Nats winning an occasional game, and losing most. But we shall see. My goal is to write at least one article a week. I trust you (my probably 2 or 3 loyal readers) to give me grief if I start slipping in my task.
Until next time,
-TES
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