Comments on: Check Out the Standings

By: Carol from Brooklyn

Carol from Brooklyn — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 02:30:16 +0000

Teddy, We all want “The Cup”! But I hope your most demanding fans allow themselves to enjoy the journey. It really is the best part!

By: Capital Spirit

Capital Spirit — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 23:35:35 +0000

And if my math is any gooder than my English, 6-2-2 through ten extrapolates to 114 points. While that’s certainly an amusing bit of conjecture, concerns remain.

Too many games so far have been a lot more exciting than they needed to be. (See under Islanders, Thrashers, Predators, Devils.) We have seen comfortable leads lost, and come-from-behind rallies that never should have come to that. There have been nights where the team looked so sloppy I was name-dropping Sean Avery.

Yes, the Caps have made it through a tough early stretch with a pretty good record, despite ugly efforts on some nights and apparent lack thereof on others. And 6-2-2 is better than some teams have been doing (is Toronto TRYING to beat our inaugural season as worst-ever?)

But I doubt there is a single Caps fan who saw Game 7 against Pittsburgh last year, who will soon forget just how much it hurt to see our season end the way it did. There may be some Caps fans, I suppose, who will NEVER forget that heartbreak, for as long as they live.

And even though I support our players and hope and intend the best for them, I have yet to be entirely convinced that that spirit is present on the ice.

That said, 6-2-2 is certainly better than 2-6-2. You can’t win the Cup in October, but you can certainly lose it (I’m looking at you, too, Minnesota.) So, on balance, it’s a respectable start, and better efforts and results are sure to come. I just hope they come sooner than later.

By: OldChelsea (The Six-Pack)

OldChelsea (The Six-Pack) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 21:54:41 +0000

…but can we please do something about that defence? It still isn’t positionally sound enough or tough enough for a playoff team.

And constructive criticism is not disloyalty - one criticises because one cares!

By: chris

chris — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 21:43:47 +0000

here’s the problem though, we’re 6-2-2, but how many of them are “quality” wins? If we can’t beat the top 5 teams then we ain’t that good. San Jose was the only win from the top 5 that we got in that stretch, and we eeked out a win against the cr@ptaculist team in the NHL? When are they going to realize that they’re not giving it their all?

By: Fishcaps

Fishcaps — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 21:26:18 +0000

19. bh says:
October 26, 2009 at 1:06 pm
You have raised everyone’s expectations that the Caps are a Cup contender. You have sold a lot of tickets based on this expectation. When the Caps don’t play like contenders, you should expect to hear about it from your customers. The tickets aren’t discounted when the team takes a period off.

You reap what you sow. Deal with it.

Amen !!! The prices keep going up and the deal where you have to pay even more to see the best competition that the NHL has to offer is reudely insane. Ted, how about a refund in the difference between the Blue games and the Red games when The CAPS stink the rink up ?? I just want to get what I pay for just like you want the extra $$ from me just to get into the arena !!

By: jpbryant

jpbryant — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 20:23:29 +0000

The fact that people will complain about a 6-2-2 team, and even call you a liar (*headdesk*) for pointing out such things, shows just how determined some people are to be miserable.

Seriously people. Get a life.

By: Erica

Erica — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 19:59:17 +0000

I’m more concerned about trends that seemed to bite the team in the butt last year..showing themselves this year. Some of those wins were some serious on the edge of your seat wins…which is great in some aspects, but worrisome in others.

But it’s still early, and I have confidence that the team you have in place as far as coaching will be watching those trends and trying to curtail and break them quickly!

By: Brian

Brian — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 19:29:52 +0000

RE:
You forgot to mention that the 6-2-2 record is the best start for the Caps since they went 7-2-1 in 1997-98, the year the Caps went to the Stanley Cup Finals.

In 97-98 there was no shootout, or three point games, which puts our current record at 5-3-1 in those terms. Not a bad record overall, but can we compare apples to apples?

That said, we do have a very talented young team. And that is exactly how they play. Almost all of our games have been one goal decisions, with the Caps either taking it easy, or ramping up the pressure like crazy in the third depending on their position. How this season progresses will largely depend on the players “re-maturing” throughout the year.

By: Chris

Chris — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 18:34:38 +0000

I’m sure you have heard it all at this point, yet I felt like I should respond. My frustration with the team is the consistent laziness. We have seen this season what this team has the ability to do (see the Boston game), yet day in and day out they play inconsistent, lazy hockey. It seems as if all we hear from management and coaches are “It’s early in the season” “we are winning games/top in the division” “injuries have hampered us”. At what point are these issues going to get fixed. We have had the same story year in and year out yet the players are still allowed to have the same lazy/inconsistent tendencies. It cost us several games in the playoffs last season and now it seems to be a reoccurring problem. When will the coaches/management take the extra step to say knock it off or bench those who are not willing to go out and give 100% every night?

By: jamebow

jamebow — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 18:21:17 +0000

ted,

i just want you to know that i am not complaining one bit. the fact that we’re 6-2-2 with a TON of room for improvement speaks volumes of the caliber of this team.

a win is a win is a win. if we can improve even somewhat on the issues you noted in your post, this team can be far and away the best team in the NHL.

keep up the good work.

-jamie