CAPITALS FIRE HEAD COACH BOUDREAU, NAME HUNTER REPLACEMENT
The Washington Capitals have fired coach Bruce Boudreau, who won 200 games faster than any coach in modern NHL history but stumbled regularly in the playoffs despite a talented lineup featuring two-time league MVP Alex Ovechkin.
Boudreau was replaced by former Capitals captain Dale Hunter, who was scheduled to lead Monday's practice and make his debut behind the bench Tuesday night when Washington hosts the St. Louis Blues to begin a three-game homestand.
Caps can’t afford not to deal this offseason As the Washington Capitals enter another offseason that arrived too soon, ownership and management must confront a number of difficult decisions that could determine the future of a franchise that hasn’t advanced beyond the conference semifinals in 13 years, despite possessing one of the game’s most talented rosters the past four.
Slumping Washington Capitals need to trade for a goalie for a Stanley Cup run McPhee has proven himself a master in recent years, not only on draft day but in making the seemingly minor trade that makes his team better. The only time he made a deadline trade for a goalie was three years ago when he acquired Cristobal Huet from Montreal. Huet actually played very well but signed for big money in Chicago that summer while McPhee decided to go with Jose Theodore.
Washington Capitals find themselves in need of center on second line When the Washington Capitals acquired Scott Hannan this week to add a greater shut-down presence to their defense and bring extra depth to the blue line, they also traded away the player who at the start of the season was dubbed the team's solution to a vacancy in the second-line center role.
Prior to being traded to the Colorado Avalanche for Hannan, Tomas Fleischmann had been moved back to his traditional spot on the left wing and the experiment of his playing center had all but formally come to a close. The transaction highlighted once again, however, that the Capitals have yet to determine who will fill the second-line center position.
Statistical analysis: Will Alexander Semin remain a Capital? Alexander Semin's pace for a career-best 59-goal, 104-point season may not have gotten him on the All-Star ballot, but it is sure to get him on the radar of teams looking to add offense when his one-year deal with the Capitals expires at the end of this season.
Playoff Success Needed For CapitalsNow that the Washington Capitals have proven to be a good regular season team in the Eastern Conference, its time for them now to prove things in the playoffs.
Two years ago they lost a tough, hard fought series to the Penguins which should have been a learning experience for them.
Instead, they regressed and were upset by the 8th seeded Canadiens, leaving them with a long summer to ponder what went wrong.
Willie Mitchell visits with Caps Free agent defenseman Willie Mitchell met with the Capitals at Kettler Capitals Iceplex Tuesday, his agent Mike Liut said, adding that there isn't an established timetable for when the 33-year-old will make a decision on what team to join. CSN's Corey Masisak first reported, via Twitter that Mitchell was at KCI.
The Capitals are one of four teams Mitchell has visited with, Liut said. According to a Sportsnet report, the Los Angeles Kings, San Jose Sharks and Vancouver Canucks are the others.
Eric Belanger to sign with Capitals, possible trade in the works Just heard from Belanger's agent, Joe Tacopina, who said he can't confirm anything at this time about whether the free-agent center will be returning to Washington or not. More to come.
According to The Globe and Mail this afternoon, free-agent Eric Belanger will return to the Capitals once the team has completed another deal that is suspected to be a trade for a defenseman. More to come on this.
Agent: No talks with Caps about Theodore It appears the Caps are prepared to make a change in net next season.
The agent for goaltender
Jose Theodore , who just completed his second season in Washington, said there have been no discussions regarding an extension for the 33-year-old unrestricted free agent to be.
"They haven't communicated with me at all," Don Meehan said this morning from his Toronto-area office.
Washington Capitals press their luck with yet another Game 7 The Washington Capitals have faced the frightening prospect of failure -- and then failed spectacularly-- as often, as infamously, and usually as comically as any pro team in sports in the last 30 years.
But they have never had quite the chance to fail as badly as they do on Wednesday night at Verizon Center. Before you can avoid such a fate in sports, you have to acknowledge it and face it. You can't leave it standing behind you, tapping you on the shoulder.
