Adam Oates got fired today. Will the a Caps improve next year?

Does anyone think the two are connected? Only 16 of the league's 30 teasm can make the playoffs. When you are expected to be one of those but aren't, management is apt to start doing things just for the sake of doing things.

And GMGM was fired as well!

Capital Centre Wrote:
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> Adam Oates got fired today. Will the a Caps
> improve next year?

I doubt they will improve much next year. It is going to take some seriously savvy moves, and consistent health for them to improve.

They need defense desperately. And not in that casual "we need a defenseman" way we've been saying for years. They really, really need defense. Carlson and Alzner are the top pair, no doubt there. Carrick looks promising, but has a ton to learn. Mike Green is dreadful. He was dreadful when he was scoring goals. Now that he isn't, and add in the fact he is injury prone, he really is useless. Beyond that they were platooning AHL caliber talent all year. Jack Hillen was hurt a majority of the year, Wey and Orlov aren't ready, Erskine is soooooooo slow. They actually have money for free agency, but there isn't much out there this year. When Brooks Orpik is the highlight of the defensive free agent crop, it isn't a strong year.

That said, Mike Green needs to be moved. The guy needs new scenery as much for him as the Caps. Perhaps he can recapture the magic elsewhere, but he has been a detriment here the last 3 years. If there is a team in need of defensive scoring that has established, concrete defense, perhaps he can be moved for a decent defensive minded 2nd pairing guy and late round pick.

They need guys to get healthy in the off-season. Especially Brooks Laich. Hillen would help as well.

To me the best thing this does is cleans the slate and lowers expectations for next year. Most will dismiss it out of hand as a rebuilding year with a new GM and coach. They should take to opportunity to strip Ovie of the captaincy. Not that I don't love the guy. But, he isn't and never has been a leader. It was a mistake in the first place. Give it to Brooks Laich or Jason Chimera. Let Ovie focus completely on scoring goals. Also with the clean slate, pick a fucking goalie. Come out, say Holtby is the starter and let him play 65-70 games. Enough of this goalie by committee shit. Lastly, if they aren't going to try improving the defensive corps in the off-season, give Orlov and Carrick at least 50 games, if you're going to play lousy defensemen at least let them get some experience.

So, no. I don't suspect they will be much improved next year.

Let's be clear here...Oates wasn't fired for the team's performance. MCPHEE was fired because of the team's performance and the Erat trade. And because they're going out and getting a new GM, no new GM wants "someone else's coach". They want to hire their own coach.

So, now we'll all get to watch Oates pick up with another team in the East and repeatedly sweep the Caps in the playoffs enroute to MULTIPLE Stanley Cups. But...he had to go. For those keeping track at home...the Caps have had 4 coaches over the last 10 seasons.

So, here's my laundry list for this team to improve...

1) Ted, don't be cheap...hire a GM who has been part of winning at least one Stanley Cup championship.

2) Ted, don't be cheap here either...hire a coach who has been a part of at least one Stanley Cup championship. (Note: The Caps have had ONE COACH in their entire history who won a Cup prior to coming to the Caps. And that was Milt Schmidt playing for the Bruins...in 19-fucking-39.)

3) They need a "Zdeno Chara". A large, physical defenseman who will patrol the crease with vengeance.

4) They need a "Ryan Miller". Stop trying to grow "Miller" from within! Your window on this core is closing quickly. Do a better job of interviewing veteran free-agent goalies so you don't go out and get a "Tomas Vokoun" again. Get a proven goaltender...now.

5) They need a "Cam Neely". Hell, I'd even settle for a "Mike Knuble"...remember THAT GUY? He once scored 29 goals in a season for the Caps by doing nothing but standing in front of the opponent's crease and banging in rebounds.

6) They need a "Sergei Federov". Not even 1993 Federov when he scored 56 goals. But post-2002 Federov...the one with 3 rings.

7) Trade Mike Green! His +/- this season? MINUS 16! Worst...year...ever. Look, an offensive defensemen isn't going to lead the league in +/-...I get that. But, Green was -16 with...9 goals. 3 of those on the PP. So, without the 6 even strength goals...he'd a-been -22. You'll take a bath on his contract but...trade that fucker. Worthless!

>1)

The logic here is you can't win a cup unless you have won a cup. Give this some rational thought.

>2)

See previous response

>3)

Maybe. We need some veteran presence on the D-line from players that actually play defense full time.

>4)

We have goalies that would work fine. They look average with a completely useless defense in front of them.

>5)

Several of our current forwards could play this roll. Someone needs to tell them where to stand. Laich could even fill this roll -- it requires less skating so he wouldn't get hurt.

>6)

I don't know that we need a two-way player. We have tried them in the past (Green comes to mind) and our coaching staff couldn't understand it. Maybe Sergei would like a job as GM in the NHL. The local Russian contingent would listen to him.

>7)

Green is certainly inconsistent at his best. He best work is as a two-way player but when he plays purely defense he simply isn't that great. What style dominates playoff hockey? Two-way? Defense?


I guess I wonder who is going to evaluate the new GM and coach prospects?

Ovi must go. He peaked long ago and has never been ateam player. That is for sure. When he's off the ice, they win.
Time for rebuilding.

1 and 2) This team needs as many players, coaches and executives who have won Stanley Cups as possible on the roster. Of course, there's players, coaches and executives out there who have won Cups for their first time. You need people here in WSH who have done it elsewhere. Nobody here knows what it takes. Nobody. 40 years of play, and there's never been anybody as a coach or GM here that's ever won a Cup, except Milt Schmidt.

3) You lead with a "Chara" type...and yes, you get guys who play defense full time. Agreed.

4) Agreed. With lock down defense, these goalies will be adequate.

5) Laich could HAVE BEEN that guy but...he's washed up and banged up now.

6) It's not about having a two-way player. I don't give a fuck about the guy's stats or what his strengths and weaknesses are...If there's a veteran player with 3 rings on his fingers available? Sign him.

7) Our work is done here.

The top 2 candidates for coach should be...Peter Laviolette (available) and Mike Keenan, who is coaching in the KHL (available).

Is Lindy Ruff still looking for a gig?

>Mike Keenan

No. Too much of the same.

>Peter Laviolette

Maybe. He should be interviewed at a minimum. If he and Ovechkin can get along, I don't see a problem.

>Ovi must go. He peaked long ago and has never been ateam player.

Ovechkin doesn't backcheck. That's basically his only "problem".

Bring Bruce back. Arf arf.

Mike Keenan? Too much of the same? The Caps have NEVER had a coach like Keenan...They'd do well to have someone with a bit of discipline behind the bench.

Ovechkin? Backchecking? Look...this isn't a youth hockey development game where you're teaching all of the players the fundamentals of the game and to play two-way hockey. In the NHL, everybody has a role. Every player has a specific skill that they do really, really well which is meshed together with their team mates' skills to form a cohesive unit that works separately, but in the same direction.

Did you see what happened to Ovechkin's output under Hunter because he wanted him playing a two-way style, blocking shots, backchecking, etc? I want Ovechkin scoring 50+ goals a season. I don't want him backchecking.

Perhaps later in his career as he loses a step, he'll become a two-way player like Gretzky, Yzerman and Federov...

Oh and...Lindy Ruff's in Dallas.

the obama's pointer their fingers at it and it became theirs

likely foreingers in the area are helping the launder the cash from teh national money press

Sid the akid > Ovie

I understand Cry Baby is a coach killer as well.