Here’s to hoping that George McPhee and staff have a productive weekend in Montreal.
Click here for a very good article about the team and its desires this weekend at the draft.
We believe we have a very good team but need to improve to become an elite team. The way that we will improve mostly is that our core group of young players will mature, gain experience and learn what it takes and the price to pay to compete and win a Stanley Cup. We are fortunate that our core group is growing and includes players such as reigning league two-time MVP Alex Ovechkin, Alexander Semin, Nicklas Backstrom, Mike Green, Brooks Laich, our two young goaltenders; and perhaps John Carlson, Karl Alzner and Anton Gustafsson. That is a great group to build around and that group is a very young core of players. We also have several good young players who have tasted great success in Hershey who will push people for minutes in the NHL. This internal competition should raise the state of play of everyone on the team.
Tags: NHL, NHL Draft, Sergei Fedorov, Ted Leonsis, Ted's Take, Washington Capitals
Posted in Hockey | 4 Comments »
Wednesday, June 24th, 2009
I am back from Las Vegas, tanned but not relaxed. I am tired and jet lagged and glad to be home with my family safe and sound.
This week is being spent in preparation for the amateur draft. Our scouts work all year long for this one weekend and they are all in and getting ready for the festivities in Montreal. I won’t be attending the event this year but will have a good handle on what George and Ross hope to get done.
Tags: Father's Day, NHL, NHL Draft, Ted Leonsis, Ted's Take
Posted in General Interests | 1 Comment »
Sunday, July 20th, 2008
Summer is the time to regroup and to rest but so far this summer has been one of burning the midnight oil.
So far we have:
- Been to Toronto to the NHL Awards ceremonies. Alex swept the awards including the MVP and our coach picked up the NHL Coach of the Year award;
- Came back to DC and were feted by the Mayor. Alex got the keys to the city. We saw our fans at an event and we had a big party celebrating the awards;
- Went to the NHL draft and picked two players in the first round;
- Had a busy off season signing Jose Theodore as a free agent and re-signing Mike Green, Brooks Laich, Sergei Fedorov, Matt Bradley, Eric Fehr, Boyd Gordon and just about everyone else on our slate. We await the outcome of arbitration with just one player and we will be done with a very busy off season. Let us NOT forget that during the season we re-signed Alex Semin, Alex Ovechkin and Donald Brashear to extensions as well;
- Held a fabulous Fan Fest at Kettler Capitals Iceplex. Thank you to all that attended;
- Completed a new film called “Kicking It” which went into theaters;
- Hosted the US based Homeless World Cup in DC where we met more than 100 homeless people. We embraced them; housed them at George Washington University; fed them well via volunteerism from many of the Capitals’ great sponsors; took them to see “Kicking It”; took them to the DC United vs. LA Galaxy game; and chose a team to send to Australia for the Homeless World Cup in December;
- Launched a new business called SnagFilms which we talked about last week. SnagFilms is off to a great start and I encourage you to go snag a film widget or go watch a film online via a widget. Check out SnagFilms.com daily :-);
- SnagFilms acquired indieWIRE, the leading online site for news and information on independent films. Check out indieWIRE.com for all of the latest on independent films and what is happening at film festivals.
Wow - what a busy summer already. I am hopeful that in August the pace will slow down and my family and I can relax a bit more.
Tags: Alex Ovechkin, Hockey, Homeless World Cup, Kicking It, NHL Draft, SnagFilms, Ted Leonsis, Ted's Take, Washington Capitals
Posted in Films, Hockey, Sports | 2 Comments »
Saturday, June 21st, 2008
We drafted a defensively responsible, big, edgy center that happens to be the son of one of our former star players and a big, rugged, talented defenseman who will mentor under Dale Hunter next season. We used some assets to trade up to claim these two prospects and we will develop them through our systems and believe they will both play in the NHL in two to three years time.
We have used the most first round picks of any team in the NHL now over the last seven years. This is a big part of our overall strategy to use the draft to feed our system and add depth to the team. We always want players who are young to be pushing players that are coming off of contract. We always want to have lots of assets developing as it gives us “optionality” for trades in the future as well.
I will personally miss Steve Eminger and thank him for his contributions to our team.
Tags: Anton Gustafsson, Hockey, John Carlson, NHL Draft, Steve Eminger, Ted Leonsis, Ted's Take, Washington Capitals
Posted in Hockey | 5 Comments »
Saturday, June 21st, 2008
I love Mike’s work. His real-time blog was terrific covering the draft. Check it out here.
Tags: Dump and Chase, Hockey, Mike Vogel, NHL Draft, Ted Leonsis, Ted's Take, Washington Capitals
Posted in Hockey | 1 Comment »
Wednesday, June 18th, 2008
I will be at the NHL Owners meeting today in NYC. I am sure it will be a long and interesting meeting.
I am up early and have received several emails that make me smile. 
It is almost bordering on mass hysteria and it isn’t even July yet. There are emails with messages to sign Laich; sign Huet; sign Fedorov; sign Green; sign someone! I have requests for a stay at home D man; a rugged wing in free agency; recruit new assistant coaches; draft a big physical player; make a trade; trade up in the draft; resign Peter Bondra; retire Calle’s jersey; and on and on.
We have passionate fans. You have a lot on your minds and you are not afraid to express it. Thank you.
Tags: Hockey, NHL, NHL Draft, Ted Leonsis, Ted's Take, Washington Capitals
Posted in Hockey | 6 Comments »
Tuesday, June 17th, 2008
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.
Tags: George McPhee, Hockey, Karl Alzner, NHL Draft, Ted Leonsis, Ted's Take, Washington Capitals
Posted in Hockey | 9 Comments »
