Tuesday, November 28, 2006

Tuesday Roundup/Gamenight: Caps @ Lightning

[SeSo Open Thread]

The Caps need a slump buster, stat. The numbers are ugly, so I won't go over them - what's in the past is past, water under the bridge, tabula rasa, etc. The fact remains, though, that the Caps find themselves at something of a crossroad, and with the Stars (16-6-0), Sabres (19-3-2), resurgent Sens (6-4-0 in their last 10) and Ducks (17-2-6) looming, if Washington can't steal one in Tampa, this slump might take on a life of its own.

I've thrown some other thoughts together over on SeSo (my keys to the game), and hope to see some of y'all commenting over there in the Open Thread before, during and after this intra-divisional tilt. But here's the bigger question - when would you hit the panic button? And what exactly would you do at that point? Trade a slow-developing (or regressing) defenseman? Fire the coach? Sign a free agent? Personally, I'd answer no, not yet (more on that later) and hell no. What do you think?

Caps Quick Hit
  • NHL.com posted a profile of Jakub Klepis the other day. I'm not entirely sure why, and lines like "In another year or two Klepis could well be -- and it sounds like the Capitals would like him to be -- the top center on the [Alexander] Ovechkin line" make me question the relevence of the rest of the piece (I doubt the Caps think they drafted a future second-line center with the #4 overall pick last June), but good publicity is good publicity so I'll stop looking a gift horse in the mouth.
Daily Awards
  • Hart: Dominik Hasek (W, 20 saves on 21 shots against)
  • Ross: Patrik Elias (2 points)
  • Norris: Mathieu Schneider (Game-winning shorthanded goal)
  • Vezina: Dominik Hasek (W, 20 saves on 21 shots against)
  • Richard: 7 players tied with one goal each
  • Calder: Anze Kopitar (A, game-winning shootout goal)
  • Aiken: Jere Lehtinen (0 points, -2, 0 SOG in 2-1 loss)

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

) We don't believe you will see much in the way of 'major changes' if this slump continues. As you pointed out, the schedule is not going to get any easier over the next couple of weeks.
2)However, if recent history/what management has said is any guide they will only make marginal changes at best(Demotions/call ups from Hershey. No firings of coaches. No major trades Just a continuation of "the rebuilding". 'Have to stick with the plan for the long term'

Anonymous said...

1) As many as it takes. ; )
2) WE seldomly publicly disagree, but may do so privately before we publish a blog article

JP said...

I actually have a transcript from one of those private disagreements:

Faux: We wants it, we needs it. Must have the precious. They stole it from us. Sneaky little hobbitses. Wicked, tricksy, false!

Rumors: No. Not master!

Faux: Yes, precious, false! They will cheat you, hurt you, LIE.

Rumors: Master is our friend!

Faux: You don't have any friends; nobody likes you!

Rumors: I'm not listening... I'm not listening...

Faux: You're a liar and a thief.

Rumors: No!

Faux: *Murderer*.

Rumors: Go away!

Faux: "Go away?"
[Faux laughs as Smeagol begins crying]

Rumors: I hate you, I hate you.

Faux: Where would you be without me, Rumors, Rumors? I saved us! It was me! We survived because of me!