Maybe there is hope yet for Alexyev!  That is the kind of guy we need to clear the crease!! Now, if he could just play a little better....

He may be able to get better defensively, but don't think there's any fixing the skating..

Wayne and BlackIce - you guys are right about building for the playoffs. Size and speed! We have always had the reputation as a heavy team, but we are soft and desperately lack size and aggressiveness on the back end. Sandin really got exposed and was tossed around the entire playoffs. I was also disappointed that Chychrun didn't hold up better as he is a strong guy but seemed to get knocked around a bit. 


I'm also concerned about Leonard.  I was under the impression that he was a beast - another Tom Wilson in the making.  He turned out undersized and was lucky he didn't get badly injured. Maybe he can put on some weight and mussel next year and get to a better size, but he is not going to be another Willy. Hopefully his skills are good enough that he will still be very good.

I know people are disappointed with the Caps losing to Carolina when they were obviously outplayed.


But how would you feel if you were the Leafs, after taking a 2-0 lead in your series, losing in 7 games by losing back-to-back 6-1 decisions AT HOME in games 5 and 7?

We have to do a LOT more than just lose Eller, Mangiapane and Bouvillier.  If you watch the other top teams, they get scoring and quality shifts out of their 3rd and 4th lines nightly and I'm not sure minor tinkering will get us there.  I also saw nothing out of Leonard that would make me think he'll be on the 1st line next season.  We also need more size both up front and on the defense.   You build a team for the playoff grind, not the regular season.  That's the reason you see so many conference champs and President's Cup winners fall short when it counts.  We also need to get younger.  I can see us struggling next year unless we make a couple strategic trades to improve the roster as it now stands.

I think the Caps have soured on LaPierre, and are uncertain at best about Miroshnichenko.  I think they resign Beauvillier and continue to use him as a Swiss Army Knife.  I very much doubt that they are counting on Leonard as a top-line RW yet - he probably starts on the 3rd line next season.  Training camp will be interesting here.


I think Chesley starts in Hershey and they judge what he has to offer.  No pressure on him right away.


How can we be excited about Cole Hudson?  Yeah, he's exciting and skilled, but he's small, and his brother Lane, as good as he is, got exposed somewhat in the Caps/Habs series.  We have no reason to think that he's not going to have the same issues.


Cristall had a great training camp, and if he does it again he may well make the roster - but the problem is, if Ovie is back there is no good fit for him in the lineup this upcoming season.  He probably should play at Hershey as well - guys like him need to play lots of games/minutes, not sit on the bench at the NHL level (cf. Alexeyev, who has been ruined.)   


Good news for the Caps is that, with Winnipeg's loss, the Caps move up one spot in the draft, to #27.  Every draft spot is important if they can be positioned to take Blake Fiddler, my #1 hope for their first round pick (6'4", 210 pound RD, good skating, primarily defensive defenseman.)  Jack Nesbitt (6'4" center) is my next choice, but more and more mock drafts have him going before #27.