Here we go again - back to the drafting tables. This is the weekend of the year where our amateur scouts earn their money and see payback for all of their time spent on the road.
We have a first round pick and a bunch of second round picks. We can trade up. We can make some trades for more picks. We can use our picks and prospects for a trade of a player that can help us today. We can trade some picks for this year for some picks in an out year. We can stay put and use them all. We have a lot of choices.
George McPhee plays it so close to the vest that even I don’t know what he is thinking. I do know that he listens to his scouts and professionals and that they fight and argue – in a good-hearted fashion - about who are the best players at what positions. I also know that the team’s philosophy is to pick the best available player on the board that is left when it is our time to pick. We don’t usually draft by positional need.
I do know now that we have a lot of fire power; a lot of role players; and a lot of goalie prospects in the pipeline. We have work to do in the off season on finalizing our lineup for next season but the draft will add to our potential lineup. Last year’s #1 pick, Karl Alzner, will be fighting for a spot in the lineup when camp opens. The NHL draft is a time of renewal and of potential and a time for us to hope and dream. Can we find someone who is a steal in the later rounds? Can we package up a pick and a player for a player that impacts our team today? Stay tuned. This is a fun time of year. The draft is how we chose to rebuild the team. It works. It is important and fundamental. Wish George and the scouting team luck this weekend.
Dmitri Mironov? There’s a name I haven’t heard in awhile. He was brought in to be a hard shot on the power play (and he did that pretty well) but taking a regular shift for him was problematic. And while I didn’t really like him being on the roster, having to retire due to the injuries was kinda sad.
I hope he’s no longer in so much pain like he was when he was playing here…
Ted,
This is an interesting article on the mis-trust b/w the union and Bettman/NHL owners.
http://www.thestar.com/Sports/article/445105
SA – there are no Ovechkin’s in this draft. None of the players picked this year will reach that level.
Steve in Jersey – If there was a year to find a hidden gem like Detroit did with Zetterberg and Datsyuk, this is the year for it. There are a *lot* of quality players out there. It’s possible that the best player from this years draft class will be unselected and signed by someone as a free agent.
take advantage of the Leafs fire-sale. You’ve got a connection in Wilson, don’t blow it. Maybe sign Dimitri Mironov and trade him to Wilson for a 1st rounder.
I know another 2004 draft is too much to ask for (Ovechkin, Schultz, Green, Bourque, Lepisto), but wouldn’t that be great? And don’t forget 1990, when Bondra was taken in the 8th round, but that was before GMGM.
McPhee does have a great streak going, and I’m confident that this will end up good too.
All I wish for in the draft are two hidden gems like Henrik Zetterberg (7th round) and Pavel Datsyuk (6th round). That’s not too much to wish for, is it?
Go Caps!
This is definitely going to be a draft where the scouts earn their $$. The obvious #1, Stamkos, is going to go to Tampa, and then after him there are about 20-25 guys all of whom would be top 10 in a ordinary year, but none of whom are clear-cut #1 choices like Stamkos (even then, Stamkos, though ahead, isn’t a #1 like Oveckin or Crosby…)
This year, unless you can get to #1, there is no real need to trade up, as quality will be available at #23 (where the Caps pick) and all through the second round. It might be nice to maybe parlay two of the round 2 picks into a first round choice, but that’s not likely.
As for Alzner fighting for a spot on the 2008-09 Caps, I have no doubt that if he fights hard for it, he’ll get it, and there is every indication from his season last year, that he is going to fight *very* hard for it. It would not surprise me to see him as Tom Poti’s partner as the pair that eat the most minutes on the backline, and that he also ends up being on the PK.
The problem the Caps have now is that there are probably 10 NHL calibre defensemen in the organization: Poti, Pothier, Green, Morrisonn, Schultz, Emminger, Erskine, Alzner, Lepisto and Jurcina. Unless they change the rules, someone is going to have to be moved from that list. Pothier is a question mark (there has been no news, and in the injury world, no news implies no progress…) so it may be there are only two moves to make. The question is what move to make. Trade a veteran like Emminger or Jurcina and get more picks (this is a good year to do that)? Keep Lepisto in the minors one more year (he’d be a top-6 defenseman on every other team in the Southeast division and probably 2/3 of the rest of the league.)
Tough decisions, but good ones to have to make… it sure beats going through the waiver wire to find people to fill out a roster…
I am so scared about this off season. I just got off the phone with NHL LIVE! talking about the off season situation with EJ RADICK and the acid in my stomach is rising. I didnt look at it like they do until now meaning that I knew it was an important off season but Don Lagrecka saying how far you guys got this year and how much pressure is on you to push forward and the bubbling started. Weres the milk. The goalie situation, the Federov situation, and so many minor decisions. Poti’s concusion all the free agents. Alzner and who knows whats gonna happen after the draft. Please Mr McPhee help me with a bit of my agida and sign Federov. That will help a bit and compfort me for a bit. Brooksy can play winger and Fleshy can run the fourth line. Good luck with juggling the first 3 centers Gabby. I am so looking forward to the season. Good luck with all your decisions and thank you so much as a fan for an unbelivable heart pounding run this year. It was the most fun ive ever had as a Caps fan and im more then ready for more.
Draft another Ovechkin!