Will George McPhee be fired?

[elocomotive]

Curious to hear some thoughts from some of you.

This guy has been the GM for nearly two decades now. Has one Finals trip (with a team he didn't build) in his second year with the club.

I think it's time for the organization to move on. He's had one of the best players and playoff performers in Ovechkin (not to mention some other high-level talent) for 7-8 years now and he hasn't been able to build a team that can even make the conference finals yet.

His trade deadline moves have been terrible. His offseason maneuvers have been marginal. I don't see how he's kept his job other than Leonsis seems incapable of firing mediocre/bad GMs (Wizards' GM is somehow still around, too).

Do you think McPhee is on the hot seat? Will he be canned before next season? If the Caps miss the playoffs?

Curious for your thoughts.

 

[DoobeeDoobeeDoo]

Trading Filip Forsberg for Martin Erat should've been the final straw in the Doobster's opinion.

 

[Comeds]

I think it's time too.

 

[esls79]

Does RGIII's dad have a say in this?

 

[Comeds]

Guess I will update my resume.

 

[Cobiemonster]

If they don't make the playoffs, they really have to think about cutting ties - this team has never went out and got an elite defenseman - they could have had Chris Pronger and instead the Flyers ended up getting him - this team has flopped royally in the playoffs every year and it's obvious since Bruce Boudreau was fired that this team has not gotten better

 

[mattola]

Is there a difference between Oilers Ownership and Captials Ownership? I dont see it so I cant see him getting fired. maybe stepping down and taking a higher role and bringing in a new GM in a couple years. the team is always in contention it seems for playoffs not so much a cup run but there are some great players on there.

im not sober

 

[ritari330]

His contract is up at the end of the year if I remember correctly. So then no, but he won't be retained if that's the case.

 

[puckhead]

he should have been canned before the ink dried on the Erat trade.




/he was also the guy who fucked up "Gretzky to Vancouver" back in the day

 

[pixburgher66]

Funny, I sort of talked about this with 46/2 on the twitter today. The Caps have lost a lot of depth, and really have been since '09. They fired Boudreau, and since then it would seem things have only gone down hill. They have once in a generation talent in Ovechkin, and don't seem to be supporting him really. What move has GMGM made in the offseason to really improve the team? The only "big name" FA I can think of for them is Joel Ward. I can't think of a really great deadline move he's made either. Or just a decent deadline move.

Well, I did this for the Pens the other day, so here goes...

2007-08: FA added Tom Poti, Viktor Kozlov, Michael Nylander, Joe Motzko, Jason Morgan; Deadline added Cristobal Huet, Sergei Federov, Matt Cooke
2008-09: FA added Jose Theodore; Deadline added nothing
2009-10: FA added Mike Knuble, Brenden Morrison; trade for Jason Chimera; Deadline added Scott Walker, Eric Belanger, Milan Jurcina, Joe Corvo
2010-11: FA added Matt Hendricks, and a lot of AHLers; trade for Scott Hannan; Deadline added Dennis Wideman, Jason Arnott
2011-12: FA added Joel Ward, Tomas Voukon, Roman Hamerlik, Jeff Halpern, AHLers; traded for Troy Brouwer; Deadline added nothing
2012-13: FA added Eric Fehr, Joey Crabb, Woytik Wolski, Jack Hillen, AHLers; traded for Mike Ribeiro; Deadline added Erat
2013-14: added Grabovski this year, traded away Perreault

None of those moves really blow you away, and I just don't see how he's put the franchise in a better position to win.

 

[Cobiemonster]

Funny, I sort of talked about this with 46/2 on the twitter today. The Caps have lost a lot of depth, and really have been since '09. They fired Boudreau, and since then it would seem things have only gone down hill. They have once in a generation talent in Ovechkin, and don't seem to be supporting him really. What move has GMGM made in the offseason to really improve the team? The only "big name" FA I can think of for them is Joel Ward. I can't think of a really great deadline move he's made either. Or just a decent deadline move.

Well, I did this for the Pens the other day, so here goes...

2007-08: FA added Tom Poti, Viktor Kozlov, Michael Nylander, Joe Motzko, Jason Morgan; Deadline added Cristobal Huet, Sergei Federov, Matt Cooke
2008-09: FA added Jose Theodore; Deadline added nothing
2009-10: FA added Mike Knuble, Brenden Morrison; trade for Jason Chimera; Deadline added Scott Walker, Eric Belanger, Milan Jurcina, Joe Corvo
2010-11: FA added Matt Hendricks, and a lot of AHLers; trade for Scott Hannan; Deadline added Dennis Wideman, Jason Arnott
2011-12: FA added Joel Ward, Tomas Voukon, Roman Hamerlik, Jeff Halpern, AHLers; traded for Troy Brouwer; Deadline added nothing
2012-13: FA added Eric Fehr, Joey Crabb, Woytik Wolski, Jack Hillen, AHLers; traded for Mike Ribeiro; Deadline added Erat
2013-14: added Grabovski this year, traded away Perreault

None of those moves really blow you away, and I just don't see how he's put the franchise in a better position to win.

Yeah they've never really made any big moves to help their team - it's always OV/Backstrom and then everyone else

 

[forty_three]

he should have been canned before the ink dried on the Erat trade.

Who called the press conference on that? That person should be fired too.


As bad as McPhee has been, I think Leonsis holds as much responsibility. He wants to make the big name move, but never figures out what they *need*. Think about some of the guys he had them go get - Jagr, Fedorov, and all the hulabaloo about Erat.

 

[DevilishWon]

and all the hulabaloo about Erat.

This makes me laugh

 

[pixburgher66]

Who called the press conference on that? That person should be fired too.


As bad as McPhee has been, I think Leonsis holds as much responsibility. He wants to make the big name move, but never figures out what they *need*. Think about some of the guys he had them go get - Jagr, Fedorov, and all the hulabaloo about Erat.

I agree. He's a hands-on guy, and frankly I just don't agree with that in any sport. There is a time and a place for an owner to get involved, but that's a very rare occasion. The business side of things, maybe some of the politics, but for most owners: let your GM run the team. That's his job. Unfortunately for the Caps, you can't fire an owner. I tend to wonder if Teddy keeps his guys around because he likes having a "yes" man. He doesn't want a guy to come in and tell him "No, that's not a good idea...I'm going to do my job."

Also, the Erat thing should be the final nail in the coffin. Even if Forsberg doesn't necessarily pan out, Erat is old, expensive, and the mere fact that he sacrificed what was a part of the future for now was not a great sign, especially considering where the Caps were. Heck, that whole deadline for the Caps was rumors about moving Ribeiro...then they didn't. So instead of getting rid of Ribeiro and adding some youth/picks, they traded youth for an old guy. This is all old hat now, and it's been discussed, and of course it's easy to look back and review these things...but man 2 seconds after that trade people weren't happy.

 

[Cobiemonster]

I agree. He's a hands-on guy, and frankly I just don't agree with that in any sport. There is a time and a place for an owner to get involved, but that's a very rare occasion. The business side of things, maybe some of the politics, but for most owners: let your GM run the team. That's his job. Unfortunately for the Caps, you can't fire an owner. I tend to wonder if Teddy keeps his guys around because he likes having a "yes" man. He doesn't want a guy to come in and tell him "No, that's not a good idea...I'm going to do my job."

Also, the Erat thing should be the final nail in the coffin. Even if Forsberg doesn't necessarily pan out, Erat is old, expensive, and the mere fact that he sacrificed what was a part of the future for now was not a great sign, especially considering where the Caps were. Heck, that whole deadline for the Caps was rumors about moving Ribeiro...then they didn't. So instead of getting rid of Ribeiro and adding some youth/picks, they traded youth for an old guy. This is all old hat now, and it's been discussed, and of course it's easy to look back and review these things...but man 2 seconds after that trade people weren't happy.

That sounds very, very similar in Philadelphia too

 

[pixburgher66]

That sounds very, very similar in Philadelphia too

Yeah. It's sort of similar, IMO. They're both "helicopter bosses", and I imagine that's infuriating. That's not to say it's not seen in other places with GMs deemed the best in the league. Ownership for most teams signs off of most moves, especially big money moves, but that's a money decision, not a personnel decision. Also, in Philly Homer has some success to go off of (Cup Final in '10, a few good trades like getting Vorachek, etc.) to balance out his not as good trades/moves (JvR/Bryz).

 

[elocomotive]

Funny, I sort of talked about this with 46/2 on the twitter today. The Caps have lost a lot of depth, and really have been since '09. They fired Boudreau, and since then it would seem things have only gone down hill. They have once in a generation talent in Ovechkin, and don't seem to be supporting him really. What move has GMGM made in the offseason to really improve the team? The only "big name" FA I can think of for them is Joel Ward. I can't think of a really great deadline move he's made either. Or just a decent deadline move.

Well, I did this for the Pens the other day, so here goes...

2007-08: FA added Tom Poti, Viktor Kozlov, Michael Nylander, Joe Motzko, Jason Morgan; Deadline added Cristobal Huet, Sergei Federov, Matt Cooke
2008-09: FA added Jose Theodore; Deadline added nothing
2009-10: FA added Mike Knuble, Brenden Morrison; trade for Jason Chimera; Deadline added Scott Walker, Eric Belanger, Milan Jurcina, Joe Corvo
2010-11: FA added Matt Hendricks, and a lot of AHLers; trade for Scott Hannan; Deadline added Dennis Wideman, Jason Arnott
2011-12: FA added Joel Ward, Tomas Voukon, Roman Hamerlik, Jeff Halpern, AHLers; traded for Troy Brouwer; Deadline added nothing
2012-13: FA added Eric Fehr, Joey Crabb, Woytik Wolski, Jack Hillen, AHLers; traded for Mike Ribeiro; Deadline added Erat
2013-14: added Grabovski this year, traded away Perreault

None of those moves really blow you away, and I just don't see how he's put the franchise in a better position to win.

Good summary, Pix. Your bold part is key I think. Teams used to be scared of all 3 of our top lines, and they aren't anymore. I think 46 has mentioned this, but after we lost the Canadiens' series, it was like McPhee changed the philosophy of the team. And instead of having an identity, I think this team has become a mish-mash of different ideas. It's like a Mister Potato Head. OV is the potato, and they keep sticking random guys with him, but it's not working.

The Erat trade was probably the worst. Not only because it cost us a future talent, but the strain it put on the cap. Without him, I think we would have been able to retain Ribeiro, and I think a Backstrom-Ribeiro-Grabovski combo up the middle would be pretty damn good. Our top salaries aren't killing us, because they produce. But Laich, Erat, and Brouwer are all in the $3.5-4.5 million range. They aren't producing enough for their salary and we'd be better off putting some of that cash towards a D-man. Chimera, Fehr, and Johansson at $2 million or less are much stronger as a threesome.

I bolded a couple guys where the trade was bad because we brought them in and just let them go the next year in free agency. That doesn't make sense to me.

I do disagree with you on Leonsis though. He's pretty hands off and a good owner after a few early mistakes.

Thanks for the thoughts, all. Interesting stuff.

 

[pixburgher66]

Good summary, Pix. Your bold part is key I think. Teams used to be scared of all 3 of our top lines, and they aren't anymore. I think 46 has mentioned this, but after we lost the Canadiens' series, it was like McPhee changed the philosophy of the team. And instead of having an identity, I think this team has become a mish-mash of different ideas. It's like a Mister Potato Head. OV is the potato, and they keep sticking random guys with him, but it's not working.

The Erat trade was probably the worst. Not only because it cost us a future talent, but the strain it put on the cap. Without him, I think we would have been able to retain Ribeiro, and I think a Backstrom-Ribeiro-Grabovski combo up the middle would be pretty damn good. Our top salaries aren't killing us, because they produce. But Laich, Erat, and Brouwer are all in the $3.5-4.5 million range. They aren't producing enough for their salary and we'd be better off putting some of that cash towards a D-man. Chimera, Fehr, and Johansson at $2 million or less are much stronger as a threesome.

I bolded a couple guys where the trade was bad because we brought them in and just let them go the next year in free agency. That doesn't make sense to me.

I do disagree with you on Leonsis though. He's pretty hands off and a good owner after a few early mistakes.

Thanks for the thoughts, all. Interesting stuff.

The Ted stuff is merely an assumption based on some interaction I've seen. I can't say with any confidence that he actually does that stuff. I mean, he's not Al Davis or Dan Schneider, that's for sure. Great metaphor with the Mr. Potato Head...that's pretty spot on. I've definitely noticed a significant change in their play in the past few years, and frankly I'm not scared of them any longer. Even the way they've handled the goalie situation is odd to me. They've had a lot of guys come in and do pretty well (Neuvirth, Varlamov, Holtby, Grubauer), but for some reason none has gained the starter tag. I don't watch enough to know if that's impatience or no one really winning the job.

 

[elocomotive]

The Ted stuff is merely an assumption based on some interaction I've seen. I can't say with any confidence that he actually does that stuff. I mean, he's not Al Davis or Dan Schneider, that's for sure. Great metaphor with the Mr. Potato Head...that's pretty spot on. I've definitely noticed a significant change in their play in the past few years, and frankly I'm not scared of them any longer. Even the way they've handled the goalie situation is odd to me. They've had a lot of guys come in and do pretty well (Neuvirth, Varlamov, Holtby, Grubauer), but for some reason none has gained the starter tag. I don't watch enough to know if that's impatience or no one really winning the job.

Probably a little of both. Agree that's a problem as well. Really more of a coach's decision, but a GM has some prerogative there as well.

 

[Cobiemonster]

Probably a little of both. Agree that's a problem as well. Really more of a coach's decision, but a GM has some prerogative there as well.

I think part of the issue is they don't have a stable defense - if their team defense, especially the defensemen, were good, I don't think the goalies would look so bad at times - they can only keep a team in the game so long