Washington Capitals 2009-2010 ongoing thread

[RobH4413]

Lets see here.

We have 1st place in NHL after 30 games, the best player in the world, a rising superstar net minder, a deadly power play, the #1 offense in the NHL, a vastly improved defense, and a nice home stretch on the way.

Gotta say this year is looking good so far. It's hard not to get excited.

But it's important to care about one thing, and one thing only. A Stanley cup.

Next three games
@ Buffalo
vs Carolina
@ Toronto

[GMScud]

This is earliest in any of his seasons that Ovie has reached 20 goals. And he's missed 8 games (6 injury, 2 suspension). Wow.

Varly is really picking it up, too. We don't even need him to be a superstar. With the way we score, all he has to do is be a bit above average and we're cruising.

[RobH4413]

It's nice to see the Caps have a come back win... even if it was just against Carolina.

The unit has to gel a little more together... We haven't been healthy in forever. It'll be nice to have Semin, Ovi, Knuble, and Varly all healthy. We're going to get dangerous in about a week....


Also, Theodore sucks. I've been saying it since mid season last year. We need to just cut our ties with him, and stick with Varlamov and Neuwirth.

Come playoff time, the last thing I want to see is Jose Three-or-more take the stage.

[RobH4413]

Just finished studying for finals for the night... I've got two tomorrow, so that should be fun.

Didn't get a chance to watch the game, but saw the highlights, and read some of the stuff.

Caps keep getting victimized by these cheap shots. Greenie took quite the hit, and ended up busting open his eye. Bruce didn't like it.

"Fifteen feet he saw Green's No. 52 and it didn't stop him one iota from hitting him in the back and going for the head," Boudreau said. "So I hope they throw the book at him.

"I've faced David Koci an awful lot, he might be a nice guy, I have no idea. I'm glad he's making a living, but if this is any other game, he gets on the ice for the first three minutes, he gets into his fight with the guy and then he sits at the end of the bench, so what good is he? It shows what we have to get rid of to have a good game."

Talks are beginning to circulate around the team that we need an enforcer, and with a little extra cap room (actually a lot) freed up with the exit of Nylander, I wouldn't be surprised if we went after one.

Do you think Green would be getting picked on like he has this season if Brashaer were still on the team? Come playoff time, we're not going to be getting huge power play calls on big hits like we have been. Refs simply don't call them anymore, and we need some kind of threat.

Anyways... just felt like venting before I went to bed. It's nice to get a solid win against a strong team. Caps still #1 in NHL, won last 8 out of 10. Theo played nice in goal, even tho I still hate him.

[JLee9718]

In DC sports, the Caps are tops! Leonsis really knows how to run a team. Plus he lucked out on getting a fantastic coach!

[Dirtbag59]

This team is amazing. They are now 3 goalies deep, and 2 of those guys are young. They have beaten three teams by 3 or more goals in the last two weeks that were ranked in the ESPN Power Rankings top 10, with New Jersey being in the number 1 spot (the others are Buffalo and Colorado). Usually I'd save this spot to talk about how the Redskins should look at the Caps as an example of what a good front office can do but as we all know they've already started heading in that direction. So heres to hoping that the Redskins can join the Caps at the top of their respective sports.

Can't wait to see them live on January 9th when the visit Atlanta.

[GMScud]

Phenomenal win tonight. We just stomped on the "best" team in hockey. Neuvirth looked really good. We're gonna have to trade him.

[Dirtbag59]

Originally Posted by GMScud

Phenomenal win tonight. We just stomped on the "best" team in hockey. Neuvirth looked really good. We're gonna have to trade him.

Lol, what? You're kidding right?

[GMScud]

Originally Posted by Dirtbag359

Lol, what? You're kidding right?

Not at all. With him and Varly, we have two very young, very outstanding netminders. IMO Varly represents the next decade plus for the Caps in between the pipes. But Neuvirth is obviously starting caliber material as well, and will only get better. We can't keep them both. Well, I mean we can, but it wouldn't make much sense to have a goalie of his caliber on the bench full-time when we could move him for some serious talent at other positions.

[KLHJ2]

I must be bad luck or something. I caught my first game in a very long time last night to see what this team is all about and they lose their first division game 6 to 3. Not what I expected to see.

On a side note watching the game last night made me realize how much I don't know about the sport. Listening to the pregame I thought that I was listening to a different language when they were talking about goalie stats. I didn't seem to think that 6 men versus 4 men was very fair on a power play. Since when does a sporting event have 3 periods instead of 2 or 4? Needless to say watching Hockey for the first time in 25 years really F'd me up.

[BDBohnzie]

@Angry - yeah Theodore (three-or-more) started in the pipes and got destroyed.

Then I saw this AM that they sent Varly to Hershey to get back to playing shape. With Neuvirth playing well, they can afford for Varly to play a few at Hershey. So if you are in the Hershey area, get out to a Bears game (home games both Saturday and Sunday this weekend).

But between Varly, Neuvirth and Braden Holtby (7-1-0 at Hershey), the Caps have 3 terrific goaltenders all under the age of 22. Unfortunately, one of them will be trade bait...

[FRPLG]

Originally Posted by BDBohnzie

@Angry - yeah Theodore (three-or-more) started in the pipes and got destroyed.

Then I saw this AM that they sent Varly to Hershey to get back to playing shape. With Neuvirth playing well, they can afford for Varly to play a few at Hershey. So if you are in the Hershey area, get out to a Bears game (home games both Saturday and Sunday this weekend).

But between Varly, Neuvirth and Braden Holtby (7-1-0 at Hershey), the Caps have 3 terrific goaltenders all under the age of 22. Unfortunately, one of them will be trade bait...

As long as they take Jose out back and put a bullet in him I don't care. He should not be playing with the two youngsters we have. They both are better. Jose can be real good in spurts but he is just damn streaky. We don't need someone streaking our ass out of the playoffs...or the first seed either.

[mlmdub130]

Originally Posted by FRPLG

As long as they take Jose out back and put a bullet in him I don't care. He should not be playing with the two youngsters we have. They both are better. Jose can be real good in spurts but he is just damn streaky. We don't need someone streaking our ass out of the playoffs...or the first seed either.

i was at that game right behind the goal i got to see three-or-more suck ass in person, my father in law had a good point though three-or-more has been bitching about neuvirth playing so maybe brodure just left him in there to suck ass to show him how much he actually sucks, cause i don't see how he could be left in after letting three go by in the first, he gives up so many rebounds it makes me sick, i can't wait til varley is back

and i would like to send a big ffffffffffff you to team canada, good luck in the olympics without one of the best defense men in the nhl jackasses, keep your head up greeny

[Dirtbag59]

Originally Posted by BDBohnzie

@Angry - yeah Theodore (three-or-more) started in the pipes and got destroyed.

Then I saw this AM that they sent Varly to Hershey to get back to playing shape. With Neuvirth playing well, they can afford for Varly to play a few at Hershey. So if you are in the Hershey area, get out to a Bears game (home games both Saturday and Sunday this weekend).

But between Varly, Neuvirth and Braden Holtby (7-1-0 at Hershey), the Caps have 3 terrific goaltenders all under the age of 22. Unfortunately, one of them will be trade bait...

I posted this in the comments section on Caps Insider:

Keep in mind that of this teams 15 losses (of both OTL and L variety) 10 of them came with Theodore in net. Neuvy and Varly have 5 losses combined, in which case Theo and the Neuvy/Varly combo have 21 games under their belt, each.

Now weather or not the team doesn't play as hard when Theodore is in net is a different story, but the fact of the matter is we are loosing when he's there all while the other two have been playing lights out.

I know Theo's been through a lot lately but the fact of the matter is that this is a business, and it's not like the guy doesn't have a good career to look back on with a Stanley Cup trophy, a Hart trophy, and millions in the bank. Maybe he can recapture his magic somewhere else, but right now I don't believe that Washington is the place for him to do that. Washington might be 3 deep at goalie without Theo, Holtby is 7-0-1 for Hershey and could easily develop into a solid net minder in the near future.

[Dirtbag59]

I hate it when the Caps slump. Ironically the loss to Carolina now makes me feel better about the loss to San Jose because if they beat Carolina and loss to San Jose I would wonder about their ability to compete with the big boys, but now it's obvious that they're lost right now and they just need to get their mojo back.