GO CAPS!!!!

[Cramer]

Yup, I was just coming over from Fox Sports to update and see Gil beat me to it. According to them he's dead on, Nylander's gumming up the works, both on and off the ice.

[ZonkertheBrainless]

man, we have some really questionable goalie play sometimes...

[Wizards2Lottery]

Philly gets a billion times tougher and more playoff ready with Carcillo.

Rangers get Antropov and Morris.

Pittsburgh gets Guerin and are starting to pick it up lately

Bruins get Mark Rechi

Devils have Brodeur returning and playing on fire

We better pray to god that we end up facing Florida or Montreal in the playoffs because I don't believe we can beat anyone else. Their is just not enough toughness on this team. Too many skilled players and not many tough gritty ones. The story of McPhee's GM career. His fascination with skill over toughness is mind boggling. Absolutely no middle ground.

[Wizards2Lottery]

What a disappointing trade deadline.

I was really hoping to see Nylander, Schultz and Morrison off this team.

[fishercob]

I'm glad we didn't mortgage the future. Sure, it would have been nice to add a piece, but this team is still so so so young.

[Wizards2Lottery]

You can't bank on potential all the time. We needed a tough gritty defense man because the only one on our roster (Erskine) sucks really bad.

There are players on this team that needed to be traded. Especially young ones like Schultz. He needs to be gone before the league figures out how terrible he is. I'm sure their is still a GM who thinks Schultz can develop into something he will never be.

[Cramer]

There are a lot of teams in this league, like everyone of them, that have some players and contracts that they can't move. Did ever occur to you why? And while you clearly follow hockey and you know it beter than I do, you've figured out Schultz but the GM's around the league haven't? Ok. Do you think these guys get hired based on being able to talk a good game in a bar?

And let me guess, you want McPhee, who's put together as talented an organization as there is (or at least in the top couple) in the league from top to bottom, fired?

[Wizards2Lottery]

There are a lot of teams in this league, like everyone of them, that have some players and contracts that they can't move. Did ever occur to you why?

Nylander's contract, while terrible, is not a cap killer nor was it what was stopping this team from making trades. Plenty of other guys who could have been traded, in the minors or in the pros. Only four teams didn't make trades today, the NHL cap and trade deadline is much different than other sports. The Caps didn't make any moves because of being hamstrung by the Cap, but rather because the management believes a little too much in the potential of some of these players.

Not a good strategy IMO. You need a balance to win in the playoffs, which is what we severely lack.

And while you clearly follow hockey and you know it beter than I do, you've figured out Schultz but the GM's around the league haven't? Ok. Do you think these guys get hired based on being able to talk a good game in a bar?

Schultz is still considered a player "with potential". He still has trade value, value that is slowly going down the hill with each and every game he's exposed as one of the softest players in the league. This isn't a new concept in sports. GM's give busts on another team a try in hopes that a change of scenery causes a change. The sad thing is that this team is relying on a gigantic bust like Jeff Schultz to be consistent producer night in and night out. He is terrible and their are better players on the Hershey Bears than him.

And let me guess, you want McPhee, who's put together as talented an organization as there is (or at least in the top couple) in the league from top to bottom, fired?

No I don't want him fired, but he's not as great as many think of him to be. The Capitals record, playoff success and FA signings under him have been suspect at best up until last year. People are on a high horse about this team but are over looking many things.

McPhee has a track record of having a fascination with finesse players, which is basically how he's constructed the modern day Capitals. Their is absolutely no balance at all, which is what many of us were asking for. Tough gritty players that went away for garbage at the deadline while we sat and watched other teams around us in the East get a lot better.

A terrible PK unit and a walk over defense is not "one of the most talented organizations" in the league. The high scoring forwards on this team are masking a lot of other weaknesses, which will get exposed if we happen to play a team like the Devils or Flyers anywhere in the playoffs.

[Wizards2Lottery]

And before I start sounding like a debbie downer, I still believe this team is talented enough to make it far this year because of the superior forward depth.

[Cramer]

Gil, I agree with a lot of what you say but the vast majority of the guys that got moved I can't see as making a huge difference in the long run, at least not enough move some of the kids that this team should be building around for the next 8-10 years. I'll defer to you on some points, especially as far as individual players, as you've followed it longer and know it better than I do.

My points are kind of in general. One is this team might be a year or two ahead of schedule. Yes, we have a fairly legitimate shot this year, but if things keep on according to plan (and no, they don't always do that) we should have legitimates shots at the Cup for a while to come. Don't mortgage the future. If Ovie, Backstrom, Green, etc..., were pushing 30 then I'd say let it rip. Also, the last week or so aside, they've been playing great hockey and the chemistry seems great. You have to be careful about screwing that up.

I might have made a serious move for Backstrom but he came off the market. Lord knows I'd have loved me some Pronger, but they were insising on Azner as part of the deal. That would have been short sighted thinking in my opinion. Morris would have been a nice pickup. Based on what I know of him or any of the other guys, I don't see any of them making a difference as far as advancing another round or anything.

Screw it, we got what we got and I can't wait for the playoffs.

[Wizards2Lottery]

Screw it, we got what we got and I can't wait for the playoffs.

yessir

[Rafael122]

This team is fading FAST.

[Wizards2Lottery]

Terrible defense once again but clutch plays by Laich and Ovechkin are keeping us in the game. Semin is playing terrific too.

I don't want the Pens to get a point. We need to finish this in regular time. Sweep them and hurt their playoff chances.

[lupin]

The Caps are succumbing to Washington Area suckiness.

[Wizards2Lottery]

GMGM is making a huge mistake by keeping Alzner in Hershey. He is by far the best positional defenseman we had this year and made guys like Schultz and Jurcina look like NHL caliber defenders.

How sad that the most sound defensive player on this team is playing in the AHL, is 20 years old and a rookie. But this a conversation for another day.

Just bring back Alzner!

[ZonkertheBrainless]

Holy cow! This is awesome!

http://www.washingtontimes.com/alex-ovechkin/

[fishercob]

Tyler Sloan, as you're probably already read, has been recalled. So why not Karl Alzner, you ask? If Alzner plays 40 games this season, that means he'll reach free agency a year earlier. They did the same thing with Jeff Schultz in 2006-07, when he played only 38 games.

Alzner's played 30, so I'd expect him to come up with 9 games to go (3/21 @ CAR) and never look back.

[doclinkin]

Holy cow! This is awesome!

http://www.washingtontimes.com/alex-ovechkin/

what's it say zonk?

[ZonkertheBrainless]

Ah, you know, the usual: there's an article about how Ovie's a candidate for the Hart trophy, "Ovechkin charms fans with energy, modesty", there's an article about how he's scored three goals in one game seven times already, but is still unhappy about how he's playing...

[Rafael122]

Getting shut out by the Predators.