What's Wrong with the Washington Capitals, Anything?

The Washington Capitals stunned themselves, the hockey world, and their rabid fan base with their first round, early exit from the Stanley Cup playoffs. 

The Capitals were the best in the NHL during the regular season, winning their third straight Southeast Division title, winning the Eastern Conference, and winning the President’s Trophy, given to the best overall NHL team.  They provided new franchise marks in goals scored, total wins, and total home wins. 

The Caps finished well ahead of every NHL team in scoring, posting 313 season goals, well ahead of Vancouver in second place with 268.  Their power play was absolutely terrific, finishing first overall with a 25.2 percent well ahead of second place Montreal at 21.8 percent.  This team was the most exciting thing on ice, selling out every home game, and easily being seen as the offensive juggernaut of the NHL, an exhilarating team to watch. 

Then the playoffs arrived. 

The offensive juggernaut sputtered to complete meltdown and failure.  The Capitals managed to win the first three of four games to take a commanding 3-1 lead and making all things look well.  

However, Montreal and G Jaroslav Halak took control, handcuffing the Caps offense.  In the entire series, the Caps scored 22 goals.  Over the final three games, the Caps manged just three goals, one per game. The feared power play whimpered to an amazing one for 33 conversion. Astonishing! 

So what is wrong with this team?  What has to change?  Was this just a simply fluke?  Was it just the Capitals ran into an amazingly hot goalie? 

There are several theories to think about.  I don’t pretend to have the answers either.  I am just a Caps and DC pro sport blogger, not an NHL GM.  But these are the arguments floating out there. 

1.  Bruce Boudreau?  Boudreau’s clear emphasis has always been put on tons of scoring and tons of speed.  Often however, the Caps get caught in offensive zone pressing and get beat on the back end. Second, the trying to set up odd man rushes, firing away from the outside without net presence, well, it is easy for a team to shutdown if they go into consolidate defense mode, like Montreal did.   

Montreal simply took the productive avenues for the Caps offense away.  The Caps failed to respond.  They never reasserted their offensive zone control.  No adjustments came from Boudreau. 

Facts are facts though.  Bruce Boudreau is safe, he is here to stay long term, the system will likely remain the same, same philosophy. 

2.  Personnel.  The Capitals awarded Mike Green with a big, long term deal.  A long term decision on Alexander Semin was put off.  Ultimately, the caps need to figure to what to do with both of these guys.  Feel free to voice your vote  in a Forum poll we have up on Green/Semin.  There is a wide array of opinions on both of these players. 

Green is a high scoring defensemen.  He has gifted offensive skills and a wicked shot that racks up points for him.  He has led the NHL in scoring two consecutive years for NHL defensemen.  Yet, year after year, his actual defensive skills and technique is criticized. 

But even further, Green seems to simply fade and fumble the puck in the playoffs.  He was pretty bad the entire series, but was horrifically awful in game seven. Many teams simply do not expect defensemen to score.  That isn’t what they want.  They want their defensemen to play defense, lock down the net, and make heavy hits.  IN DC, under Boudreau, it’s a bit different.  Just look at Green. 

Read the whole piece at

http://dcprosportsreport.com/2010/05/03/whats-wrong-with-the-washington-capitals-anything/