Christ people, the last place to point fingers on this team is goaltending, Devise gets its, and I first said it bout 3 or 4 years ago, this squad will not win The Cup with OV as captain. He just doesn’t have that level of leadership. There is a core problem in the locker room, and just like the Skins I highly suspect it starts in the front office
I don't know if I'd go as far as to say we won't win with Ovie as the Captain. However I do fundamentally agree with what your saying. I wasn't trying to say only Canadian players have that by the way, with my last post. Tons of great leaders and proven winners from tons of different countries. DC brings up us having Federov for example, and I think Kozlov too helped during that stretch.
The problem with Ovie is he doesn't just need a mentor. Which is what we thought initially when we brought a name or two to help, even recently with someone like Justin Williams. It's that our core locker room needs to be surrounded by guys who are proven winners, and leaders, and can get done in the playoffs. It's sad, but that s the reality of the levels of mental shake up it appears this group needs. The worst part too, they may not even need it for many seasons.
As much as I don't think there is a "curse" I also think, realistically there are consequences to the playoff failures of the Caps. Nobody on our core, has ever gone deep. That is why this hurts so much, because even if we went to Round 3 or 4, that extra experience, those deep runs, help our core guys understand the valuables it takes to win in these scenarios. It doesn't get said enough but the NHL playoffs are probably the hardest thing to win all of sports, I earnestly mean that.
It's why I hope nobody considers these posts as overly critical or not being a fan. I'm not denying that the guys put their heart out, they do. It's more that in this light, in this vein of competition, the true best of the best get it done when all the marbles are down. And none of our guys have enough experience with ever doing that, yet we constantly wonder why they can't seem to mentally handle the pressure. They haven't endured it enough, seasoned through it and worn it on the other side like a lot of the other stars on these Cup winning teams.
Like Crosby was not the dealbreaker he is now right off the get go, in 2007-08 when the Penguins made the finals the first time with him and lost to Detroit for example. He wasn't stellar that season, and still struggled to score much in the playoffs despite more assists. But that Penguins team was filled with leaders. Even earlier then the Pens management got it. Get this kid the playoff experience he needs as soon as possible, get him deep even if you don't win. Build playoff teams around him and Malkin etc. It just makes sense. The only way to truly understand and grow as a playoff hockey player, is to endure that trial by fire for as long as frequent as you can.
Unfortunately that also sometimes means you need to sacrifice players, and it's something our management doesn't like doing. Everyone gets second and third chances, and we rarely trade big names they either leave due to FA/salary or due to age/retirement.
Anyway I've rambled enough, but I rightfully am just getting sick and tired of seeing the disappointment. It's not even the on ice product that is the problem either, it's watching the guys. It's watching the emotional post locker room videos with guys near tears. I get it, they are pouring their hearts out but that is what it god damn takes. Like go listen to Gretzky after he lost the Islanders the first time in the finals. His team was barely bruised or touched and had lost, yet the winning Isles were covered in shot blocks and bruises. This is not the regular season. I don't know how much this has to be stressed enough to our roster, but it just isn't. Wanting it isn't enough. You can't get away with playing very good for stretches, and sleeping for others. Our playoff gear just far too often looks like a mix of our best and worst regular season ones. And that isn't enough to do it in this league. It never will be.
