Backstrom 10 years, 6.7 per year

[Forty_Sixand2]

I think Schultz will have trouble getting 3. Fehr may get that much however because he is very attractive to other teams.

 

[awaz]

they need more guys that play actual defense.. poti isn't enough.. until they get a couple dmen than can withstand odd man rushes left and right, they wont go anywhere in the playoffs.. cant just win on offensive talent and hope that a goalie gets hot enough to carry you (varly last year)

also i think they need more on that 2nd line.. i love laich as a player but he doesn't exactly provide big-time threat to take some heat off the top line

and last but not least.. i think they will have a new coach before they truly challenge for a cup.. his adjustments this playoff season were not good.. trying to get semin going by moving backstrom to his line during the habs series was just not a smart player.. cost them at least one game IMO.. ovechkin is good but he needs someone else on his line, eric belanger is not that someone

 

[elocomotive]

they need more guys that play actual defense.. poti isn't enough.. until they get a couple dmen than can withstand odd man rushes left and right, they wont go anywhere in the playoffs.. cant just win on offensive talent and hope that a goalie gets hot enough to carry you (varly last year)

also i think they need more on that 2nd line.. i love laich as a player but he doesn't exactly provide big-time threat to take some heat off the top line

and last but not least.. i think they will have a new coach before they truly challenge for a cup.. his adjustments this playoff season were not good.. trying to get semin going by moving backstrom to his line during the habs series was just not a smart player.. cost them at least one game IMO.. ovechkin is good but he needs someone else on his line, eric belanger is not that someone

Most of this rant gets a WTF from me.

Laich is a great 2nd line player who goes to the net. Most teams would love to have a 20-goal/50-point guy that scores like he does. And at $2 million next year, he's a steal. This was the best offensive team in 15 years, I don't think you can say the role-playing forwards did a bad job.

As for OV's line, I think it's pretty set. He has Backstrom and Knuble. That's one of the 2 best offensive lines in hockey and both OV and Backstrom put up huge numbers all season and in the playoffs. So I don't know what you are talking about there.

The point of good defenders is not to HAVE odd-man rushes, not be great against stopping them. Poti isn't the only solid D-man on this team. Schultz, Alzner, and Carlson are all very good and very young - they all got better this year and should improve more next season, with the latter two likely coming on as full-time starters. I don't disagree bringing in a solid blue liner would help this team. D-men take longer to develop than great forwards - that's just a fact of hockey.

Semin's problems were not Boudreau's fault. He was in position and had a lot of quality shots. That's not on the coach, that's on Semin. He should have had 3-5 goals in that series.

If the Caps had played awful D all series, I'd agree with you. But they largely shut down the Habs' offense as the series wore on. Green was the only part of the D that was really awful out there.

 

[awaz]

Most of this rant gets a WTF from me.

Laich is a great 2nd line player who goes to the net. Most teams would love to have a 20-goal/50-point guy that scores like he does. And at $2 million next year, he's a steal. This was the best offensive team in 15 years, I don't think you can say the role-playing forwards did a bad job.

As for OV's line, I think it's pretty set. He has Backstrom and Knuble. That's one of the 2 best offensive lines in hockey and both OV and Backstrom put up huge numbers all season and in the playoffs. So I don't know what you are talking about there.

The point of good defenders is not to HAVE odd-man rushes, not be great against stopping them. Poti isn't the only solid D-man on this team. Schultz, Alzner, and Carlson are all very good and very young - they all got better this year and should improve more next season, with the latter two likely coming on as full-time starters. I don't disagree bringing in a solid blue liner would help this team. D-men take longer to develop than great forwards - that's just a fact of hockey.

Semin's problems were not Boudreau's fault. He was in position and had a lot of quality shots. That's not on the coach, that's on Semin. He should have had 3-5 goals in that series.

If the Caps had played awful D all series, I'd agree with you. But they largely shut down the Habs' offense as the series wore on. Green was the only part of the D that was really awful out there.

i think we have some misunderstandings.. first off the OV line as it stands with backstrom and knuble is absolutely incredible.. IMO its probably the best line in hockey.. knuble was a brilliant pick up last summer.. my problem when it came to that line is that bodreau broke it up during the habs series (game 5 or 6 i think it was) and put backstrom with semin and belanger moved up between knuble and OV.. IMO that was a dreadful move by bodreau.. keep that line together, especially when its clicking.. dont move backstrom to try and get semin going.. the top line was the only thing that was going offensively..

my problem wasn't with bodreau causing semin problems.. its that bodreau tried to help him by hurting the team.. also going to varly so quick (while it wasn't really a problem because he played well) is a bizzare way to go about coaching.. theodore got you there and he just yanked him no big deal.. this team is loaded with talent and i think bodreau gets more help from them than they get from him..

as far as the 2nd line goes.. secondary scoring was the problem in the playoffs was it not? laich had 3 points in 7 games, semin 2.. the top line accounted for 12 of 22 goals on halak.. IMO i think they need something else on the 2nd line.. i'm not saying laich shouldn't be there, he's far superior than some other '2nd liners' out there.. but i think they need something more to take some of the pressure off the top line.. asking them to do more than score 54% of your goals is a bit much..

as far as the d-men go.. maybe i was being a bit ignorrant and didnt realize the quality on the back end.. i did forget about shultz i'll admit that.. but alzner didnt even have a spot on the team this season so i dont think he brings in an upgrade by playing more next season.. and i didnt get a great look at carlson but he reminded me of green a lot.. maybe i didnt get enough of a look at him

 

[filosofy29]

This may be premature, but I think Semin is on his way out...

lol, well played dash. A premature ejaculation.

 

[ROOLZ]

No, he did not stick because his game regressed on the NHL level a little bit and a lot of people think that he was playing through an injury. The blueline was loaded with NHL level guys so it was going to take something special (like carlson) to break in. With the loss of Corvo, ShaMo, and potentially Juice, I fully expect Alzner and Carlson to be the second defensive pairing for this coming season. If anyone is on the market, it may be Poti, but I like him so I hope not.

Is Corvo already gone? I hadn't heard. He was great for the team in the regular season, anyway. I was hoping he'd stick around another year. I'm sure, to a man, every player on that president's trophy winning team would like a chance to redeem themselves next season.

Edit: I'm thinking knuble, not Corvo.

 

[ROOLZ]

And yes, this is great news for Caps fans. Even though Semin has a lack luster playoffs, i still want him back, and hope this isn't a sign that he's gone.

 

[ritari330]

Oh my goodness! This deal makes my day! It gives the caps some space to try to get a shutdown D-man and/or a vet goalie. I wonder, if did Nicki B. took less to allow the caps to get a shutdown D-man, or if he just doesn't think he deserves as much as the media thought he did. This deal puts the caps in position to potentialy have 2 of the top 5 players in the league locked up for the next 10 years.

 

[ritari330]

Is Corvo already gone? I hadn't heard. He was great for the team in the regular season, anyway. I was hoping he'd stick around another year. I'm sure, to a man, every player on that president's trophy winning team would like a chance to redeem themselves next season.

No he isn't gone yet, but its a foregone conclusion. I think either him and Mike Green were on the ice for every goal against in the series against the Habs.

 

[ROOLZ]

No he isn't gone yet, but its a foregone conclusion. I think either him and Mike Green were on the ice for every goal against in the series against the Habs.

It won't hurt my feelings a bit if both are gone.. then again, I just don't think Mike Green could possibly suck as bad in the playoffs, for the Caps, for the 3rd year in a row.

Green is a fan favorite. It's one of the few different than 8 jerseys you see at the games.

That said, I know, on here, we're a little in tune than the average fan, and speaking for myself, he's just about lost his welcome.

I won't be upset if he goes, and will hope for the best if he stays.

If the team stays in tact, and has a flop next year, i think Boudreau needs to go...Even if it's for the sake of making a change and going in a different direction.

 

[elocomotive]

Just a note. I didn't realize this at first, but the cap hit from Backstrom is only $6 million for the next 4 years. His contract breaks down yearly like this...

6, 6, 6, 6, 6.5, 6.5, 7, 7.5, 7.5, 8

Even better news.

 

[postmaster]

cap hit is average for the entire contract. It will still be $6.7 per year cap hit.

 

[ritari330]

Just a note. I didn't realize this at first, but the cap hit from Backstrom is only $6 million for the next 4 years. His contract breaks down yearly like this...

6, 6, 6, 6, 6.5, 6.5, 7, 7.5, 7.5, 8

Even better news.

and isn't OV's the opposite?

 

[ritari330]

cap hit is average for the entire contract. I will still be $6.7 per year cap hit.

oh, I didn't know that. Thanks Post!

 

[elocomotive]

i think we have some misunderstandings.. first off the OV line as it stands with backstrom and knuble is absolutely incredible.. IMO its probably the best line in hockey.. knuble was a brilliant pick up last summer.. my problem when it came to that line is that bodreau broke it up during the habs series (game 5 or 6 i think it was) and put backstrom with semin and belanger moved up between knuble and OV.. IMO that was a dreadful move by bodreau.. keep that line together, especially when its clicking.. dont move backstrom to try and get semin going.. the top line was the only thing that was going offensively..

Oh okay. You wrote OV needs help on his line. I get what you mean now. I agree that moving Backstrom was probably not the right thing, but I don't think it was the worst either. Ovechkin creates with whoever he plays with, so I understand why he did it.

as far as the 2nd line goes.. secondary scoring was the problem in the playoffs was it not? laich had 3 points in 7 games, semin 2.. the top line accounted for 12 of 22 goals on halak.. IMO i think they need something else on the 2nd line.. i'm not saying laich shouldn't be there, he's far superior than some other '2nd liners' out there.. but i think they need something more to take some of the pressure off the top line.. asking them to do more than score 54% of your goals is a bit much.

Scoring from the 2nd line in particular was. The 3rd and 4th lines played pretty well. On the 2nd line, I thought Laich played really well and gave a huge effort every game, but Semin and Flash both seemed not there. With the top line being focused on, these guys should have done more, but I thought Brooks was the highlight of the 2nd line.

as far as the d-men go.. maybe i was being a bit ignorrant and didnt realize the quality on the back end.. i did forget about shultz i'll admit that.. but alzner didnt even have a spot on the team this season so i dont think he brings in an upgrade by playing more next season.. and i didnt get a great look at carlson but he reminded me of green a lot.. maybe i didnt get enough of a look at him

Carlson is much better defensively than Green... already. The kid has a great all around game. Like I said before, it takes time for D-men to develop. Schutlz was awful at times in 08-09, but was very steady this year. Carlson and Alzner should continue to improve as well, and I think as Carlson adds some pounds to that big frame, he'll be a dangerous guy. I don't disagree they could stand to have a stay-at-home blue line vet, but they have a good core of young D-men right now and that will pay dividends in the next few years.

 

[elocomotive]

cap hit is average for the entire contract. I will still be $6.7 per year cap hit.

Oh, my bad. So that is just what the team has to pay him, huh? Thanks.

 

[Comeds]

Wow, Ovechkin and he can really put up some with each other locked up long term.

 

[elocomotive]

Wow, Ovechkin and he can really put up some with each other locked up long term.

Yeah, he might have just stamped his ticket for the HOF if he stays healthy.

 

[ritari330]

little strong there eloco

 

[elocomotive]

Lol. I knew someone would say that. His numbers are impressive. His goals, assists, +/-, points, shooting pct., etc. have gone up every year. Is it early? Sure. Is it far fetched? Not at all.