Today starts free agency. Wish us luck. We will need it.
We are being very circumspect today. Do not expect any glitz or big news. We will pursue some players that can help us in the immediate future but the criterion is that we do not want to sign any veteran players to long term, big, lucrative contracts.
We are up close to the cap as it is. We need flexibility to keep our core of young players together in the out years. We also believe in rewarding our own players more than someone else’s players. We do not feel like we are desperate to make a move. When you feel pressure, that is when you let agents and the market take advantage of you and you can make a signing that you live to regret. We have done that before as have most teams in the league.
We have a lot to offer potential free agents now: A perennial playoff team; a team that should be able to compete for a Cup; the ability to play alongside the league’s reigning MVP; a great building in a sophisticated and dynamic city in front of a sold out and passionate fan base; the best practice facility in the NHL; ownership that cares about its players; great infrastructure; and nice jerseys too. 
I would expect we can do some subtle deals that help us to improve but doubt we can do any deals at 12:01 pm that make news.
I just want to be honest with everyone. We want to play but we won’t blow our brains out to make a deal. Those days are over.
Ted a great move getting Knuble. With teams in our conference getting better we need more help. Montreal,Philly, Toronto and the Rangers have improved on paper at least. Knuble gives us 25 goals and about 25 assist. I am not privy to cap related issuse,but with Federov and his 4 million gone, also Kozlov and Brash gone it seems to me we should be lower than 3 million. We still need a tougher pressence,an enforcer,a center,and moreuld speed would help.O V wants as well as the rest of the team those two words I won’t say. [Im supperstishes] I don’t know how the N.H.L. works, but if O V would restructer his contract it would help the franchise and get the Caps way below the cap.Ted,George and the rest of the organization Thanks for all you have done. Let’s make 2009-2010 more succesefull. A Caps fan since 1974. Gary
Way to predict the Knuble signing Jonas! Will the Caps sign a d-man or center next?
Just got the Caps Mobile Alert.. we signed Knuble.. This could be interesting..
I wouldn’t consider Theodore a wasted investment given the circumstances last season and what Huet turned out to be in Chicago. Funny, Huet spent a lot of time wearing a baseball cap this year, and look who played in the playoffs? (Hint, the Bulin Wall.) Nylander’s another question, but given that Varlamov and Johnson still both have injury / conditioning question marks, I think we still need Theodore as a workhorse backup to make sure that Varlamov is fresh for when he’s needed most.
Calm down, peeople. The Cup isn’t won on July 1st. I for one appreciate the bargain-hunting approach, and we’ve got till October for Pete’s sake. Contract prices and terms will come down as the summer goes on, and with the salary cap standing more or less pat, free agency this year really is a buyer’s market. If there’s no deal now, that leaves us more flexibility to move at the trade deadline when we truly know what the Hershey guys are capable of and what we still truly need to be successful in the playoffs.
Don’t move to make a move. That’s how you get into Glen Sather’s position (or Bob Gainey’s – wow, how did Sather sucker Gainey into that?) Just because there’s no move on July 1 doesn’t mean you’re not going to get what you need, just that you’re making the most of what you’ve got before going out and getting more.
Way to temper expectations Ted.
Of course we know the team can’t do much being hamstrung with the Nylander and Theodore contracts that no one wants and focusing on signing Backstrom and Semin long term.
However, if the goal of this team is to get better…and the Caps have lost two top line guys in Fedorov and Kozlov, you either have to replace them with upgrades or resign yourself to be worse and wait for the trade deadline.
No internal promotion is going to be better than Kozlov and Fedorov in their roles. And if Caps management thinks otherwise, that’s pretty scary.
Then again, with McPhee’s record of signing free agents (Nylander, Theodore, Mironov, Cassells)…maybe we should hope the Caps don’t sign anyone?
Good luck – Knuble wouldn’t look bad in a Caps jersey for the right price.
I saw this comment from a Caps fan yesterday and it echoes the sentiments of many Washington fans out there:
Patience is starting to wear down. The playoffs showed that the team is still missing some key elements to become an elite club. There is only a limited amount of time that Ovi, Green, Semin, and Backstrom will all be on the team. If not this coming season, then when?
Simple, to the point, and valid.
I realize we have millions in wasted investments with Theo and Nylander – so that means we’re going to sit around and let two bench warmers turn what could be a historic season into just another “good one” that gets us into the playoffs? With a little initiative and creativity, there have to be options for the team.
Great news Ted! Nothing but the very best!
Well said. I think it would be better to leave room for a tweek at the trade deadline.
Good luck!
GMGM is a steady hand. You make a good case for someone who is willing to take a one-year ride on a Cup contender, like Hossa did with the Wings. Is there someone out there who is willing to take that short roller-coaster ride? Maybe. Keep selling the fringe benefits!
Can’t wait to see the kids in camp later this summer.
In Ted we trust.
Good Luck,
Art
Ted, I like that you mentioned that we now have a lot to offer to the potential free agents. Monetary salary should not be the only motivator for them to “rock the red”. I hope to see a strong two way center and a physical Erskineske defenseman on the blue line.
Wishing you the very best with this Ted!
Cheers,
James