I am very happy this morning. We won on the road again and we have 3 of 4 points so far on this road trip.
We played well in front of the players’ fathers. That bonding is special and it reflects well on our franchise and our players are really appreciative of this gesture.
Mike Green made NHL history. He is sizzling. He is in the record books. He made history too in front of his dad.
Our first time goaltender played very well. We have two young goaltenders that can play and excel in the NHL. We are drafting and developing well, aren’t we?
Eric Fehr is on fire too and that ”F Line” is really adding scoring to our lineup. Watch out.
The Semin/Backstrom/Ovechkin line was unstoppable too.
I am happy. We played with pride and passion and we got two points on the road. We have a pretty good road record now in the last dozen games or so.
But some of our fans are not happy. They are mad.
“Why play back-up goaltenders that are unseasoned when Manny Legace is out there for the picking? You guys aren’t committed to winning a Cup.”
“We are in a playoff race now with Florida and what do you guys do? Bring family members on a road trip? You are running a circus. This is serious business Ted. You are too nice of a guy. These guys need to be focused and determined and you really don’t know how to run a championship caliber operation.”
“You guys are ruining Karl Alzner. He doesn’t know when he is playing or when he is sitting. I just bought his jersey and I am livid that he is sent back and forth to Hershey or now when he is called up, he doesn’t play. You have influence on this team as the owner. King Karl MUST PLAY.”
And on and on.
I will stay happy for a few more hours and then get focused as we play tonight in a big game against Florida. This is a tough schedule in a tough and talented league.
Try to enjoy the moment and relax a little bit. Last night was fun. We got two points on the road. Onward.
Aren’t our rookie goaltenders undefeated this season? Don’t they have save percentages of .953 and .969 in their 3 games? I’m not trying to say you could just project these stats out over many games and get the same results, but WOW. What else do you want out of these guys?
The Caps are, by far, the best run professional sports team in D.C. A passionate owner who hires a great GM and allows him to run the operation. The Caps were ahead of the curve by preparing for the salary cap and using the draft. Hmmmm, what would you rather have? On one hand – an owner who gets it, makes the right hires/acquistions, and is building a winner; or on the other hand – an owner who meddles in everything, refuses to hire a competent GM, and is all about marketing to make himself more profitable? Dan will likely outlive most of us hardcore ‘Skins fans. ALL of my limited spending dollars will go to a real winner! Thanks, Ted! We appreciate you! You stayed the course when things weren’t profitable and I hope that you rake it in during a long playoff run for years to come.
I’m guessing some of those comments came from pen’s fans. Maybe they can pick up Legacee as their coach?
All joking aside, we’ve got a pretty good team here. I’d like to see us get a little more involved in the Bouwmesiter renta-player discussion – but I guess that’s why I’m not Ted or GMGM. Green and Bouwmeister…very interesting power play – puck movement would be SICK. That said, he isn’t worth a first round pick, a roster player, and a prospect.
I’m pretty happy with our chances. After seeing Nuvi I’m very happy with our goaltending future. I’d like to see Nuvi a few more times – but I can see him taking over 1st string from Var if the Russian can’t stay healthy over longer stretches.
Take a deep breath.. there is a reason that the Caps have a GM and an owner and a coach..
Usually when I’m yelling at the TV.. about any player’s actions.. I’m proven wrong within the next period or before the next game is completed.. what do I know!
Having the dads there for the Florida trip is a classy move. With all the Ovechkin hype (deservedly so) I’m not sure many people in the DC area understand what a special player Mike Green really is, and to think he was a 29th pick overall and is a serious Norris trophy candidate. Congrats to Mr. McPhee and his scouting staff for an outstanding choice. Just imagine all the teams saying “WE COULD HAVE HAD GREEN!” Alzner should never be a healthy scratch over Shultz IMO.
Also what is the deal with making a comment about Legace? The guy is average at best. Played on a great Wings team and he is the solution? A solution to a problem that we dont have.
Our goaltending hasnt been in question since the start of the season. Its our defense that needs some tweaking. Adding a player before the trade deadline will be key. Not picking up a 3rd veteran goalie.
I think Bruce is doing a good job with Alzner and the rest of the defense. He goes with who is playing well and keeps the guys on their toes each game. If they mess up they will be demoted. Seems to be working pretty decently so far.
I just had a problem with Fehr continually being scratched over some of the other guys and now that he is playing every game its finally paying off. No more scratching Fehr! He is playing his butt off. And that was before the goals started coming.
All this negative talk is crazy. With as many guys injured that weve had, its pretty amazing how well they have stepped in and STEPPED UP. There are always those “mass hysteria” people out there. Not many teams have had the injuries to key players and have these young guys just come in and do their job and do it well.
Hey Ted!
Congrats on a great season so far. A lot of the “fan criticism” you’ve gotten so far is quite unfounded, but I have an issue you should take notice of. The “student rush” promotion needs to be reworked. My brother and I have shown up at Verizon Center as soon as the box office has opened, and we’ve not been able to get tickets. For these nights, you should probably set aside a section in the upper deck for this promotion. It would be rockin’ with real fans happy to be there. Right now, it’s basically just a pipe dream to get “student rush” tickets.
Regardless, you guys have done a great job turning DC into a hockey town, and I wish you the best.
-AB
These people are absolutely foolish. Think they would accept this type of ridiculous advice in their own jobs? Keep laughing at them – that’s what you do with clowns.
Holy crap some are complaining about Michal??? He was excellent. Wouldn’t bloody want Legacy. I like having the young goalie’s that moves like lighting. Love the fact that Greens dad got to be there for that historic moment. I’m not above venting to you when the boys have a game like they did against Columbus but the crap you say they are harping about no bloody way. Are you sure the ones harping to you are Caps fans they sound like Cryer fans or Fittsburgh fans. They sure don’t sound like Cap fans hmmm maybe they the same ones harping about fighting.
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Ted, Ted, Ted. Hit “x”. Don’t even give these clowns air time. That’s what they want. Who knows it they are really Caps fans? Who knows if they aren’t 11 year olds?
Who knows? Who cares? Why do YOU care? And why do you write of these fools and tools so frequently.
A Caps player sets an NHL record. And you give this air time? Rise above it. Float beside it. Whatever. Who cares?
Just hit “x” — it’s not that complicated.
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LOL, Don’t sweat it Ted, we would have played the rookie too….weak opponent, a chance for some invaluable NHL ice time….it was the right thing to do. A nice win last night(And tonight!)…..99.9% of us got your back.
Ted – please ignore the haters. They have nothing better to do than complain. I could only shake my head at those idiotic, inane comments. I’m not sure what your reaction must be. Are they joking? They couldn’t be more wrong. What makes it even crazier is that you wrote ‘and on and on’! What could these people be complaining about so much?! It boggles the mind. Tell them to go root for Tampa… they’ll see a real circus there!
As a fan since 1980, I can proudly say that I feel the Caps are an exemplary organization, from the top on down all the way to the lowest minor league teams. I would rate this season an ‘A’ across the board. I drove over from Orlando for that Tampa game last night, and I thought it was brilliant that the Dads / mentors were there again this season, and I was very proud to be there to see Greenie break the record.
Looking forward to a bright Capitals future!
Go Caps!
Rob
keep up the good work, ted!
do you really get e-mails like those?hard to imagine.the young goalies look great so far,and i’m pretty sure alzner will be around for a while,so i’m sure the owner of the new jersey will have plenty of time to wear it.anybody who complains at this point needs to find something else to do with thier time.an 11 piont lead in the division is a nice cushion,just let the boys play,they’re doing good.
You must have tremendously thick skin to be a team owner, thicker than I have. And, I’m sure the comments you posted weren’t even among the worst of them, just the least-profanity laced.
I, too, wondered at not trying to pick up Manny Legace when he was sent to Peoria. But I’m not paid to make those decisions, and I don’t get paid to know the intricacies of salary caps, team chemistry, and the tempering of young talent.
As for the comments about the father-son trip…. criminy. Don’t these people pay attention to the team more than a game at a time? Don’t they realize that the father-son trip isn’t planned on a whim, and that it is, in fact, something that’s been done on a yearly basis for a while now? And other teams do it besides the Capitals?
Last night was indeed a good game to watch. Neuvirth played a lot better than when I saw him in Hershey against Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. Green made history *and* good defense. We should be happy… and hope that it continues through tonight!
People really say that? Wow — where to start?
(1) Legace was cut from a losing team b/c he wasn’t performing. Every other club in the league also passed on him.
(2) The family trips seem to juice guys up more.
(3) Alzner and Jurcina were rested b/c of a very difficult back-to-back. This way we have two completely fresh D-men for tonight’s 5 pm game. Might wanna check with Alzner and see if he was confused. He’s a smart guy; I’m guessing he understood. By the way, the same thing happens all over the league. Just look at Phoenix with Turris sent back to San Antonio and Baedker a healthy scratch.
Do these people watch much hockey?
Your fans writing in apparently are not using their heads, Ted.
I was upset, too, about Alzner’s scratch over ShaMo until someone pointed out that Alzner’s fellow scratch was Jurcina – his normal defensive partner. What does this mean for tonight? It means that the most effective defensive pairing for the last game against the Cats is now 100% fresh and ready to go for a key game. When you’re playing on the second night of a back-to-back, that means the world. It’s smart pool and conserving resources. Now does Alzner’s scratch look bad?
Regarding having the dads there – do you seriously think the guys will work less hard because their dads are there? Wrongo, boyo. Try the opposite. Having the dads there is fun for them and doesn’t hurt the team.
Does someone seriously want Manny Legace after the season he’s put in? Seriously? I want his drugs. No really. Think long term, folks. We need to see what Neuvirth can do, and Tampa’s a pretty safe place to do that. Theodore is playing the game that matters. Ask Don Waddell how well trading away the future for a win today works sometime.
You must have some real winners in your mailbox, Ted. Unfortunately, one doesn’t have to think before hitting the send button anymore, and this sort of drivel is the result. The boys did well last night. Here’s hoping they can do it again against the Cats – a tougher opponent.
Ted,
The adage you can please some of the people some of the time but never all the people all the time goes holds true again even today. I don’t know if anyone has done a comparison around the league to what you have brought to the Caps since owning the team, but I would say that if your not at the top your in the top three.
Thank you for your continued dedication to bringing a championship caliber team to this city and re-igniting hockey fans around the metro area. It just shows that fans are taking the team and sport more seriously, are more dedicated to taking an interest in their overall well being and maybe even a sense of ownership. So cheers to you Ted for helping draft/recruit a new level of NHL talent that is breaking records every year and will be for some time in the foreseeable future.
Let’s Go Caps!
To the three things you posted Ted, 1. why would we want to pick up Legace? We have 2 extremely talented goalies in our system thanks in large part due to wise scouting and draft selection. There is no need to pick up a veteran goalie when we have 2 already in Jose and Brent. Varly and Neuvrith are showing they are ready for the big show and it’s really exciting to see them develop.
2. Bringing family members to the game is running a circus? Mike Green went into the NHL record books for crying out loud! Of course his father would want to go see it! And how can we blame Neuvirth’s family for coming to his first NHL game? I was pretty stunned that a fan would have an issue with this. You could tell how happy the guys were for Greeny when he scored as they all came onto the ice and the same can be said for Neuvirth after he won. It was not a distraction but I would argue a catalyst for their play last night. They wanted to win for the young goalie and really played well. It was too bad Neuvirth didn’t get the shut out, just an unlucky bounce off of Kronwall’s stick. Not too much he could do about it, even with his ridiculous reflexes.
3. Ruining Karl Alzner? If you have a problem with how an organization deals with its rookies then you need to complain to the team we just beat, Tampa Bay. Their number one pick , Stamkos has ridden the struggle bus while up in DC Alzner is playing just fine. Granted, he has missed some assignments but he is a rookie! Give him time. The person seems to suggest Alzner is suffering from being called up so often but in his recent stint in Hershey, he commented how it was GOOD that he went back down because he could relax and get back to his game. He went further to say how he forgot about his superstitions and he played better. So- if you asked Karl, he would say that being able to go down and dominate in the AHL helps him once and a while.
Sorry to hear there are some sour fans out there Ted. You can’t keep everyone happy but I would say we are on the right track! Let’s get the Panthers tonight! GO CAPS
Running a circus indeed. Everyone knows that the way to championship success is via gulag-esque conditions reminiscent of how Soviet states used to house and train their athletes. There are to be no family members, no smiling, no joy. No one should ever have fun playing hockey. This is a matter of the utmost importance; of life and death no less. It is most certainly not a game.
Give me a break.
Wow. That’s all I can say about those people with those comments.
In regards to Mike Green. Congrats on a new NHL Record. I think that him accomplishing this feat is amazing, and it also says a lot about the direction of this team and organization. Amazing.
Congrats to Neuvirth on his first career start in the NHL and his first career win! He looked very sharp, I loved his snappy catching glove and his flashy style, especially on the Lecavailer save in the 1st!
Can’t wait to see the game this afternoon! Thanks for your comments Ted!
Unfortunately, some people will never be satisfied.
I however, am relishing in the fact that this team is not only winning against some of the best teams in the league, but finally getting the recognition they deserve. You (as well as the Caps following) have been patiently awaiting for a winning team, and we finally have it, and we will enjoy our time in the spotlight. Here’s to another successful road win this afternoon!
I think a lot of fans do not realize that highly paid professionals like Bruce B, who has won a lot of games at all levels, knows exactly what he is doing. If you had told me two years ago that my beloved Capitals (who I have followed since their inception) would be in a hunt for the Cup in 2008-2009 I would have laughed at you. The truth is this team has exceeded my expectations, and I am sure the expectations of most long time fans. As long as the Caps continue to get it done with class and passion, how can I complain. Family members going to games, Caps legends receiving gratis season passes, taking care of the needy, and all the other things that Capitals management has done, prove to me this is a classy club. As for players having to be scratched, having too much talent is never a problem!
Ted – tell them to relax. It’s a LONG season; we’re in February and they need to just chill. We’re in strong position and haven’t even peaked yet.
Alzner will be fine. He’s a rookie, scratching him on the first day of back to back games is not a bad thing. He’ll be the corner stone of our blue line in the very near future.
Playing young goalies is smart for the future. We’re not throwing them to the wolves in must win games.
Bringing the fathers along is a great moral booster for the players.
People just need to chill. We still have almost 2 solid months of regular season left. Don’t hit the panic button just yet
Doesn’t matter the subject, blog, or the end result, someone has always got to complain about something. Just shows their outlook on life.
Unreal. Can’t please everyone I guess. #1- good organizations trust their young players and in case that guy didn’t notice, there is something called a salary cap that we are right up against.#2- every team in the league is letting fathers come on a road trip, some are letting moms. Playoffs are 2 months away, one weekend in Feb isn’t going to cost us the season. As for Alzner, he was awful in NY and with 8 D men you have to reward guys that play well. Bottom line Ted is when you win the Cup you better sweep because whatever games you lose the hate mail will flow fast and furious.
Do you think there is any owner in the league that doesnt get commments from the fan base on how to do it better? Whats the ratio of positive comments to negative? Thats all we should be looking at.
Im happy…Go CAPS! Do whatever you want to do, and I’m going to support whoever is in uniform.
They are trying to get under your skin Ted. F-them and the Penguins they flew in on! Let’s Go Caps!!
Anyone complaining about how things are going right now doesn’t know what they’re taking about. Keep doing what you’re doing. The 08-09 Caps have been my favorite team to root for since the late 80′s Redskins. Don’t change a thing.
signed,
A VERY HAPPY CAPS FAN
Ted, keep doing what you’re doing. It works. If it ain’t broke don’t fix it. Go Caps!