Steven Hindle: BIG QUESTIONS ...

Welcome back, Steven ! My expectations are pretty low, I expect a playoff appearance but not much beyond that. I would think that teams like the Caps with new coaches, etc, are at a bit of a disadvantage with the abbreviated camp/regular season. I am excited about Oates but it might take him until next season to really mold a team in the form that he would like.

BTW, to your point about the Caps and the impact of the surge of the Skins/Nats, I think the lockout results in a big hit to the Caps locally (especially relative to the Nats, as they sort of go head-to-head from March to June - yes, Spring Training is going to be a big deal here this year). All things being equal (i.e. Caps and Nats both in contention), baseball is going to trump hockey in this town anyway - for hockey to disappear for 3 1/2 months during a year in which the Nats play at such a high-level and the Skins have their best season in 20 years has to be damaging to the Caps/Leonsis. There has been little or no buzz locally about the Caps not playing. Hopefully that changes as the season starts and if the Caps play well, but I'm skeptical.

BTW, to your point about the Caps and the impact of the surge of the Skins/Nats, I think the lockout results in a big hit to the Caps locally (especially relative to the Nats, as they sort of go head-to-head from March to June - yes, Spring Training is going to be a big deal here this year). All things being equal (i.e. Caps and Nats both in contention), baseball is going to trump hockey in this town anyway - for hockey to disappear for 3 1/2 months during a year in which the Nats play at such a high-level and the Skins have their best season in 20 years has to be damaging to the Caps/Leonsis. There has been little or no buzz locally about the Caps not playing. Hopefully that changes as the season starts and if the Caps play well, but I'm skeptical.
- MadCap2008

That really sums up my worry for this club. Their "window" may have closed already and there is the chance they are looking at more years of retooling. I still think they have a good chance to salvage the many missed opportunities of the last few years, but with the players beginning to turn over once again, it just won't be the same.

Bringing home the Cup was the one thing DC had going for it in the last few years. And now that that is no longer the prevailing sentiment, there is definitely less interest in whether they will or won't...hopefully their play will be worthy of keeping the interest of the fans. It that goes, more and more changes will be inevitable.

Welcome back, Steven ! My expectations are pretty low, I expect a playoff appearance but not much beyond that. I would think that teams like the Caps with new coaches, etc, are at a bit of a disadvantage with the abbreviated camp/regular season. I am excited about Oates but it might take him until next season to really mold a team in the form that he would like.
- MadCap2008

Oh, and thanks, great to be back and nice to see that you're still around. Looking forward to some good hockey talk over the next few months!

That really sums up my worry for this club. Their "window" may have closed already and there is the chance they are looking at more years of retooling. I still think they have a good chance to salvage the many missed opportunities of the last few years, but with the players beginning to turn over once again, it just won't be the same.

Bringing home the Cup was the one thing DC had going for it in the last few years. And now that that is no longer the prevailing sentiment, there is definitely less interest in whether they will or won't...hopefully their play will be worthy of keeping the interest of the fans. It that goes, more and more changes will be inevitable.
- hindlehabs

Agreed, if they had won a Cup they would have bought themselves some degree of insurance against a lockout/some down years. As it stands, I think they are widely viewed as underachievers and the average fair-weather fan is probably going to be hard to win back.

As an aside, it is staggering the turnaround in the way that Leonsis is viewed here. He went from the innovative, fan-friendly owner with an exciting, buzz-worthy young team to one of the faces of the lockout. Couple that locally with his purchase of the Wizards and their historically bad season (which is saying something for that historically bad franchise) and it can't be fun to be him at the moment (well, it's probably still more fun to be him with his money than some schlep like me commenting on a hockey website).

How is Holtby looking will he be competing to be number 1 or has been stinking it up wherever he has been playing during the lockout

Agreed, if they had won a Cup they would have bought themselves some degree of insurance against a lockout/some down years. As it stands, I think they are widely viewed as underachievers and the average fair-weather fan is probably going to be hard to win back.

As an aside, it is staggering the turnaround in the way that Leonsis is viewed here. He went from the innovative, fan-friendly owner with an exciting, buzz-worthy young team to one of the faces of the lockout. Couple that locally with his purchase of the Wizards and their historically bad season (which is saying something for that historically bad franchise) and it can't be fun to be him at the moment (well, it's probably still more fun to be him with his money than some schlep like me commenting on a hockey website).
- MadCap2008

Funny... I've often felt the same about Bob Nutting (Pirate owner). He's got a rat face that rivals Donald Fehrs rat face and yet I guarantee he enjoys every single minute of his over-entitled life. Even though he's thoroughly despised by all sports fans in the burgh, Bob Nutsack's biggest worry is if his chef managed to pick up some fresh caviar.

How is Holtby looking will he be competing to be number 1 or has been stinking it up wherever he has been playing during the lockout
- blizzzard

Holtby has been pretty solid in the AHL so far... in fact he earned goalie of the month for December. G is something they are in good shape... it's the D - the lack of any play by any of the 9 D coming into camp that's more of a concern.

Holtby has been pretty solid in the AHL so far... in fact he earned goalie of the month for December. G is something they are in good shape... it's the D - the lack of any play by any of the 9 D coming into camp that's more of a concern.
- DoxinCalvert

Yea you guys haven't had a shortage of good goalies coming through the pipe lately hopefully one of the Devils goalies will be ready to step in when the old fella's hang them up in the next year or 2

How is Holtby looking will he be competing to be number 1 or has been stinking it up wherever he has been playing during the lockout
- blizzzard

As the guys already mentioned, Holtby is doing a-ok with the Bears. He has an even record, 12-12 or something like that, but his gaa and save percentage are serious. Somewhere around a 2.10 gaa and .930 save percentage.

Watched him a couple times and, following up on his standout performance from last playoffs, he is definitely ready to challenge Neuvirth as the full time starter. I also expect him to win it. Gotta wonder if Neuvirth isn't destined to play elsewhere...

In other goaltending news, Caps prospect Philip Grubauer has been tearing up the ECHL. Perhaps Holtby's backup? After the bidding on Neuvirth is done, of course.

any word on how troy brouwer will ever be able to trust hamrlik on the ice again?

any word on how troy brouwer will ever be able to trust hamrlik on the ice again?
- zedniksghost

Once the competitive juices get flowing, I think all will be forgotten.. "Us against Them". Hamr is only here for another year anyway...

So Backstrom is seeing a specialist in Michigan ? If he's out for an extended period, Caps might have been better off with a longer lockout.