Caps Satisfied With Draft; Unlikely to Carry a Legit HW Next Year

[flyersrule]

you can thank paul maurice and peter deboer for this. now the south has really only boulton and whoever(if anyone) tampa decides to carry. caps are gonna be in for a rude reality check when ovy, backstrom, green end up on the ir for a lenghty period of time.

I also think its safe to say belak punched brash right outta DC and a job.

[pesadillamal]

Again we see people citing Detroit as a reason to not carry a heavy. The more success that group of turn the other cheek Euro fXcks have the worse it is for those of us that like fighting. I don't blame the Wings as much as I blame the copycat idiots that can't think for themselves and a league that calls a game that caters to pXssy skill players.

[FightingIsGood]

"If people want to screw around, you beat them on the power play. Nobody is going to intimidate [Alex] Ovechkin, [Nicklas] Backstrom, [Mike] Green or Laich or any of those kids. Some teams you have to have it, some teams you don't."

Keep telling yourself that, George.

The Pens thought the same thing 3 years ago, and after getting tired of seeing Crosby and Malkin take abuse night after night, they went out and traded for Georges Laraque and Gary Roberts. They have carried a HW ever since and will carry one so long as Ray Shero is the GM.

George, despite playing in the weak-as-water Southeast Division in terms of toughness, you will still have to play a lot of games against the Flyers, Devils, Bruins, Leafs (who will be much tougher under Burke), your division rival Thrashers and the Stanley Cup Champs, not to mention games vs. Anaheim, St. Louis, Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Minnesota, San Jose and Los Angeles, all of whom will carry enforcers and most are pretty physical teams. Chicago and Ottawa can turn up the physical play despite not carrying legit HW (assuming Chris Neil leaves Ottawa), the Isles most likely will carry an enforcer, and the Rangers and Dallas carry the best 2 agitators in the game. Just doing the math off the top of my head, that's over 2/3 of your schedule. You can say that nobody will intimidate Ovechkin, Backstrom, et. al, but that won't mean much when they're taking cheap shots every single night, Erskine or no Erskine. Your team may be talented, but they are NOT Detroit, George.

[RetardedChimp]

I guess next season will be a learning season for the Caps. I hope someone hurts Semin bad.

[devils29]

The big difference between Washington and Detroit is experience IMO. If they're planning on imitating Detroit's non-enforcer ways, the big difference that (unfortunately) allows Detroit to get away with it is that they have a LOT of experience in the team and players that have the experience to not allow sh!t to get out of control. Guys like AO, Laich and Green have only a handful of seasons underneath them and less likely to be composed enough to ALWAYS not allow other team's to intimidate them. That's my take.

As for the situation at hand, they still have Erskine. If things get too out of hand he's still capable of looking after the team (if he still can find the desire to). So it's not like they're completely without a HW. I think Erskine will still look after the kids if he has to. However it'd be preferable to have a Brash type enforcer still to give Erskine the room to still be a contributing d-man.

[clydefrog]

how long before someone rearranges Ov's face after he charges someone.

oops too late.

[Isles4life]

Really stupid and unfortunate comments by McPhee. However, the Caps should still have a pretty tough guy roaming their blueline in John Erskine, even if he has become a very rare scrapper compared to a few years ago. So at least they would have someone on their roster who, if the situation called for it, could go out and hold the other team accountable for their actions. That's still much better than what Detroit had.

[nyislesfan45]

Between Matt Bradley and John Erskine, they still have a couple guys that can take care of business. Plus, those two make them about 100 times tougher than Detroit.


Hearing "get them on the powerplay" from another season is disgusting.

[rondo]

John Erskine is more than capable. He went toe to toe with Belak right after Belak kod Brashear. No he does not fight as much as he once did but he will step in and bang with anybody. You might just need to entice him a little more but no way will he let someone take liberties on OV. Besides the league will make anyone pay that takes liberties with a guy like OV. Ironic that a GM who paved his way into the NHL with his fists...... I will say that if its me I have a legit hungry or a well respected hw in the lineup with all of the young stars that the caps have.

[Viper207]

Originally Posted by devils29

The big difference between Washington and Detroit is experience IMO. If they're planning on imitating Detroit's non-enforcer ways, the big difference that (unfortunately) allows Detroit to get away with it is that they have a LOT of experience in the team and players that have the experience to not allow sh!t to get out of control. Guys like AO, Laich and Green have only a handful of seasons underneath them and less likely to be composed enough to ALWAYS not allow other team's to intimidate them. That's my take.

I agree with this completely. Detroit just has this workmanlike, robotic composure that will be hard to emulate. It bores the stool out of you, but it's worked. And yes, it has always been a veteran team, one apparently led by a Swedish T-1000. Ovechkin is a bit more emotional, to say the least, and I just don't see Washington pulling off that kind of game.

You guys may start out without a designated HW, but you'll have one before too long. Isn't Kip Brennan in your system? I'm sure he'll be up for the big games. Are he and Erskine enough of a deterrent? I'd think so.

[CapsFan99]

Maybe Mcphee will finally realize it when Ovechkin is knocked out by Brashear or Rupp/Godard.

GMGM has had his days numbered in Washington and this just adds fuel to the fire.

Caps fans are gonna be screaming Fire Mcphee (or at least i will when i get a chance to go to some games)

I pray to god that Bruce and Bob woods change GMGM's mind or we are offcially out of the Stanley Cup race next year.

[clydefrog]

Originally Posted by CapsFan99

Maybe Mcphee will finally realize it when Ovechkin is knocked out by Brashear or Rupp/Godard.

GMGM has had his days numbered in Washington and this just adds fuel to the fire.

Caps fans are gonna be screaming Fire Mcphee (or at least i will when i get a chance to go to some games)

I pray to god that Bruce and Bob woods change GMGM's mind or we are offcially out of the Stanley Cup race next year.

The first time Brash comes back to Wash is gonna be very interesting..

[Machinehead2k5]

I'm with you CapsFan99. Brashear will take a run at Ovechkin the first shift they see together just to show McPhee why they shouldn't have let him go. Orr is going to take a run at Ovechkin b/c now he doesn't have to answer to Brashear. Rupp/Godard can go beat up on Ovechkin b/c he can't hide behind Brashear for running Orpik/Malkin/Gonchar all the time. See a trend here McPhee? Even the Thrashers started to take runs at Ovechkin after Brashear was out of the lineup during their tilts this year.

[roy36cairns]

John Erskine is a legit HW.

He will be a top 10 HW next season if the Caps don't bring in another HW. Erskine hasn't been fighting as much with Brashear around. That will change.

Watch this and see if the Caps have a legit HW....

YouTube - John Erskine Tribute

[itsJ.Millertime]

Originally Posted by pesadillamal

Again we see people citing Detroit as a reason to not carry a heavy. The more success that group of turn the other cheek Euro fXcks have the worse it is for those of us that like fighting. I don't blame the Wings as much as I blame the copycat idiots that can't think for themselves and a league that calls a game that caters to pXssy skill players.

I agree, I wouldn't neccesarily go blaming Detroit for the mess that is the "new" nhl or the fact so many teams in all levels (a few ahl clubs don't carry a heavy either) don't carry enforcers. I blame the league(s) for constantly changing the rules to make it a sport that allows teams without enforcers to not only do well but one that actually favors them in the long run.

Oh well, it's a sign of the times I guess, the "if you can't beat them in the alley you can't beat them on the ice" type of hockey mentality has been replaced by a "we will beat them with our powerplay" sissified mentality?! Sad fact but some of you must enjoy this garbage, otherwise why would you still watch and support this league?