Qualifying Offers Out for Green, Morrisonn, Fehr, Gordon & Laich

My action item list for Caps Management had a big omission in it, good thing nobody is crazy enough to give me an NHL GM position. Today, was the last day to issue qualifying offers and fortunately even though it wasn't on my AI list GMGM issued 5 qualifying offers. Per "Dump & Chase", yesterday, the Capitals today issued qualifying contract offers to defensemen Mike Green and Shaone Morrisonn and forwards Eric Fehr, Boyd Gordon and Brooks Laich. The offers allow Washington to retain exclusive negotiating rights with these players even beyond July 1, when the five would gain restricted free agent (RFA) status if they have not yet come to terms with the team. Two of the Caps prospects in the minor league system - Jamie Hunt and Stephen Werner - were not issued offers and now become Unrestricted Free Agents. Last year Hunt and Werner totaled 1.2M in salaries that the Caps free up in their budget.

Now the real fun begins.....

Still can't wait for next season. LETS GO CAPS!!!!

Does Middle Age Mean We Care Less or More About Living

Yesterday, we, my wife and I, came out of our front door together to go out and noticed that once again that time of year had come where Japanese Beetles swarm over a neat weeping cherry tree we have and try to devour every leaf on it as fast as they can. My wife Cindy and I both really like this particular tree. It's really the only "specimen" planting we have and besides looking really cool, it really fits the location we have it in and it anchors the one landscaping item/garden we both feel is "complete" after just 5 years in our home. However until this year, in all the prior five years, when the beetles arrive a debate has started. I have always lobbied for the use of strong pesticides to ward off the beetles since the end of our first year when the beetles almost killed the tree. Cindy, on the other hand, up to this year, has been steadfast in her opposition to the use and dissemination of chemicals of this nature anywhere near our home. (The weeping cherry tree is all of 3 feet from our front door.) In the end, in prior years, I've either prevailed , or surreptitiously sprayed the tree before the beetles defoliated the entire tree. However, yesterday Cindy preceded me out the door, looked over at the tree noted the swarming beetles, and when we got in the car said: "Don't we have more of that spray to keep those beetles away?"



I replied yes and upon our return to the house about an hour later promptly sprayed the tree. I mean why ask what was really on my mind which was something along the lines of: "Why the sudden change of attitude?" However, after 20+ years of wedded bliss, I've learned something so I guess I'm not entirely stupid.



As I sit her recalling the whole series of events though I'm really starting to wonder what they all mean. Does it mean we're getting older and don't care that we might inhale some bad chemicals that could harm us - you know the "It's been a great life, who cares?" Or, does it all mean that we cherish every day of life so much we want to drink it all in, including a view of this really lovely specimen planting, each and every day. You know that whole "When alive, live" kind of thing.



Who knows the real answer, I certainly don't and why over analyze all this sort of stuff when work at ICx Technologies is going fast and furious and the Caps still have eight free agents to deal with/sign before July 1st? Is it just me or do you too really love the music on the NHL Network's NHL "Live Every Shift" commercial, I like the video clips of Ovechkin and Joe Thorton best how about you? Can't wait till next season - LETS GO CAPS!!!!

GMGM Action Item #5 Completed

A while ago I suggested an eight item to do list and despite Ted Leonsis indicating we shouldn't keep reminding him who they need to resign, if you're keeping track here's the list. It's down to six things on the list since despite my suggestion, driven by sentiment and Steve Eminger's performance in the Flyers series, number 44 is now a Phildaelphia Flyer. That said, I'm pleased to note, that per Tarik El-Bashir, the buyout of Ben Clymer is complete with his clearing of waivers today. Good luck Ben, hope you don't come back and kick our butts some night but we needed the salary cap room. Here's the list with updated status

"1) Sign a #1 Goalie and continue to use Brent Johnson as their backup, and that likely will/should be Christobel Huet (UFA). (IN PROCESS)
2) Resign Defenseman Mike Green (RFA). (IN PROCESS)
3) Resign Defenseman Shoane Morrisonn (RFA). (IN PROCESS)
4) Resign Center Brooks Laich (RFA). (IN PROCESS)
5) Trade or buyout Ben Clymer's contract ($1.1m against the Salary Cap next year), unless they plan on using him at Right Wing, which doesn't seem to be a good option. (DONE, 6/24/2008)
6) Resign Steve Eminger (RFA). (OBE - Traded to Flyers during NHL Entry Draft)
7) If they can, resign Matt Cooke (UFA) for a reasonable deal (say ~1.25/yr for 2-3 years) and put him on the depth chart as a Right Wing. (STATUS UNKNOWN, but Doesn't Look Good)
8) Attempt to work a deal with Sergei Federov to get him back on the roster to finish out his career over the next 2-3 seasons. Yes this will be tough - Federov made $6M last year, the Caps don't have that kind of Cap room and Michael Nylander will make $5.5M and his current contract has a No Movement Clause (NMC) through 2011. (STATUS UNKNOWN, but I wouldn't bet on it)

Can't Wait Till Next Season; LETS GO CAPS!!!!!

The Caps 2008 NHL Entry Draft

Well the NHL Entry Draft is Over. The Washington Capitals made a few moves to get the players they wanted and now it's on to closing their contract negotiations with their Restricted and Unrestricted Free Agents. However before that starts, let's recap this past weekends draft for the Capitals.

Round 1 - The Caps traded up from 23 to 21 by trading pick 23 and 2nd Round Pick and selected Swedish Anton Gustafsson, son of former Caps star Bengt Gustafsson. There was never a doubt about the young Swede's talent, pedigree, hockey sense or skill however, he has had some health issues with his back this past season and was projected as low as 30. Apparently the Caps saw the data, MRIs, etc and opted to pick him, also apparently they had reason to believe the Edmonton Oilers also had him as their preferred available Center so they leapfrogged the Oilers and picked him. The Oilers then selected Center Jordan Eberle with the next pick. Gustafsson will remain in Sweden next season. The Caps will probably give him 2 - 3 years to develop, next year in Sweden then a year or two in Hershey.

Round 1 - The Caps traded Defenseman Steve Emminger, a Restricted Free Agent who is arbitration eligible, and their third round pick (number 84)to get the 27th pick and selected Defenseman John Carlson from the Indiana Ice of the USHL. Carlson is a 6'2" 185 pounder from Colonia, NJ who will suit up for Dale Hunter's London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League next season instead of going to the University of Massachusetts.

Round 2 - With the 57th pick that the Caps had obtained previously from San Jose, Washington selected defenseman Eric Mestery from Olaf Kolzig and Stu Barnes' Tri-City Americans of the WHL. Of Mestery,Tarik El-Bashir wrote: "Mestery, a 6-foot-5, 195-pound native of Winnipeg, is a smooth skater who scouts hope will develop into a steady and reliable defenseman in the NHL"

Round 2 - Resisting trade offers from other teams, Caps General manager George McPhee selected Russian Right Wing Dmitri Kugryshev from with the second of back to back 2nd round picks. Kugryshev is a 5-11, 183-pounder who amassed 29 goals and 29 assists in Russia's third division last season, that might have gone in the first round if there was a transfer agreement in place.

Round 3 - The Caps had no third round pick as they traded it to Philadelphia to move up. The Flyers selected Goalie Jacob Deserres from Seattle of the Western Hockey League. If Washington uses some of the Salary Cap Room they got by trading Steve Emminger to sign Christobel Huet and two of the three Goalie prospects already in their system play in the NHL, this fact, trade and selection by the Flyers won't come back to haunt the Caps.

Round 4 - The Caps selected Braden Holtby, an athletic but raw goalie from the Saskatoon Blades of the WHL, with the 94th pick overall.

Round 5 - Washington selected Joel Broda with the 144th overall pick. Broda is a a two-way center from the Moose Jaw Warriors of the WHL.

Round 6 - The Caps selected Greg Burke of the New Hampshire Junior Monarchs 174th overall. Burke is a left wing who will attend the University of New Hampshire so the Caps might get "four free years" of development before they have to decide whether they'll sign him.

Round 7 - With their last pick of this year's draft Washington chose Stefan Della Rovere with 204th of the 211 picks made, he's a left wing from Barrie of the Ontario Hockey League.

So the tallies for the Caps are as follows. By position the Caps chose 2 Defenseman, 2 Centers, 2 Left Wings, 1 Right Wings and 1 Goalie. By nationality the Caps selected 1 Swede, 2 Americans, 4 Canadians, and 1 Russian. By Junior League the Caps selected 3 players from the Western Hockey League; 1 from the Swedish Juniors; 1 from the Russian third league; 1 from the Ontario Hockey League; 1 from the EJHL and 1 from the USHL. In general when you look back a decade later a good draft for a team is one that yields four players who play in the NHL. Since the Caps don't have to rush any of these picks into an NHL uniform and the talent pool was fairly deep, it's not hard to envision this draft class as being a good one for the Caps. If Gustafsson stays healthy, it's not unrealistic to foresee this class having four or five graduate to the NHL in three or four years.

Can't Wait Till Next Season - LETS GO CAPS!!!!!