Washington Capitals

[Dynasty]

Re: Washington Capitals

Right on man, should pick up some good depth out of this years draft.

[bthomp05]

Re: Washington Capitals

Right on man, should pick up some good depth out of this years draft.

Thanks, I sure hope so. :-)

[bthomp05]

Re: Washington Capitals

2012 Draft, Rumor Mill

Washington Post:


23/June 2011: The day has finally come where rookies from afar finally get thier chance to break into the NHL. Edmonton, the worst team in the league, would have had the 1st pick if they hadn`t traded it to the Capitals for Green. Now with that pick what will the Caps due... Well with out further delay here is how the 2012 draft worked out for the Caps.

1st Pick:
From Skellefata of the Sweedish league, 6'2" stay-at-home defensemen Johan Alm - Has great speed with excellent defensive awareness, rated a B-.

"We really wanted a two way center but looking at the board we realized that we could wait alittle till the guy we wanted to come up. So looking at our strategy sheet we knew we needed a stay at home guy and well Alm fit that profile. I think for the foreseable future will leave him in Europe but in 3 years I can see him cracking our lineup" Quoted Thompson

30th Pick:
From the London Knights, USA breed 6' LW Tyler Brown - Has a great shot and good endurance playing a grinder role, rated B-.

"Looking at our team, we have the right wingers and centers playing in the top 6 so we were focused on our bottom 6 and growing talent to fill those ranks. Brown, who had 2 points in the rookie game, is that guy and in a few years will definately have a key role within those bottom 6" Quoted Thompson.

33rd Pick:
From the WHL, 6'3" hybrid goalie Brandon Glover of the Calgary Hitmen - Great speed and agility in the crease, rated B.

"Glover was another guy we had our eye on. At 6'3 he envelopes the net and we hope within the next couple years he can lead the Bears and possible break into our goal tandum here in Washington." Quoted Thompson

62nd Pick:
From the Lethbridge Hurricanes, 6' Canadian center Neil Tarnesky - Has great discipline and speed, rated B-.

"Finding a two center to lead our 3rd or 4th line of the future was actually ontop of our list. But with a quick analysis of the draft board we were certain that Neil would not go before the 3rd round and we were right. We have great faith in this guy and hope that within the next few years we can call upon him to lead." Quoted Thompson

64th Pick:
The Capitals would select Finish butterfly goalie Nicklas Kekki - Quick and agile, rated C.

"At 5'6" he's kind of small but he is quick around the net so we are hoping that makes up for it. We see him as a career backup on the Bears in a few years but you never know." Quoted Thompson

86th Pick:
With their final pick of the draft they selected from the Saskatoon Blades LW Darian Dziurynski - Wicked wrist shot and great discipline, rated B-.

"Over the years the Caps have been focusing on the top 6. But now we need to groom our bottom 6 and our last pick fits that vision, just like our 2nd and 4th picks did. I hope within the next few years both Brown, Tarnesky, and Dziurynski will blossom and lead those lines." Quoted Thompson

Its expect or rumored that each pick will participate in spring training but will eventually be sent back to thier respective minor league clubs. All in All it was a good draft for the Caps.

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23/June/2011: Only one trade was reported during the draft and that was between the Devils and Sabres as C Paul Gastad and D Henrick Tallinder switch teams,

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25/June/2011: Rumors have it that winger Alexander Semin and goalie Semyon Varlamov have both signed long term contracts with the Caps. Stay Tuned for more info.

[Dynasty]

Re: Washington Capitals

Solid draft here, do you mind showing the overalls of your picks?

Awesome job grabbing a B rated player 33'rd overall, nice selection there. im geussing 4 years on semin and 6 on Varlomov!

[bthomp05]

Re: Washington Capitals

Solid draft here, do you mind showing the overalls of your picks?

Awesome job grabbing a B rated player 33'rd overall, nice selection there. im geussing 4 years on semin and 6 on Varlomov!

Sure, but I will have to get that info later, not at home. Actually signed Varlomov for 8 years (wholy crap) and Semin for 6 (wholy crap again) - won't have to worry about my goaltending and scoring threats for a while. :-)

Thanks for posting Dynasty - by the way really like what you have done with the Leafs.

[Dynasty]

Re: Washington Capitals

Sure, but I will have to get that info later, not at home. Actually signed Varlomov for 8 years (wholy crap) and Semin for 6 (wholy crap again) - won't have to worry about my goaltending and scoring threats for a while. :-)

Thanks for posting Dynasty - by the way really like what you have done with the Leafs.

Woo! long term indeed

Thanks for reading mine as well bt

[bthomp05]

Re: Washington Capitals

Solid draft here, do you mind showing the overalls of your picks?

Awesome job grabbing a B rated player 33'rd overall, nice selection there. im geussing 4 years on semin and 6 on Varlomov!

Here you go Dynasty:

Alm - 67
Brown - 64
Glover - 58 (Lots of potential but hideous rating)
Tarnesky - 55 (Another long term project)
Kekki - 70 (Best rated pick but crappy potential)

[bthomp05]

Re: Washington Capitals

Woo! long term indeed

Thanks for reading mine as well bt

Very long term and no prob, Leafs are my team. :-)

[bthomp05]

Re: Washington Capitals

Locking Up Talent

Washington Post:


August 2011: Thompson started the resigning phase with a bang, locking up goaltending and scoring future for numerous years.

"Both these guys are star players on our team and in the league. It would have been suicide not to get both of them long term deals." Thompson

With a cap hit of 10 million or 70 million over the next 6 to 8 years, Thompson was able to solidify long term deals with playoff hero goalie Varlamov and 47 goal sniper Semin.

Varlamov, who posted a 27-11 record during the season with a 2.50 GAA but really shined in the playoffs posting a 16-2 record with a 1.66 GAA, signed one of the longest deals this offseason in the NHL. Asking $42.28 million for 8 years it was an easy deal for Thompson to sign.

"This kid was awesome for us all through the season and really captured the lime light during our playoff run and could have easily won the Smyth. It was a no brainer bring this guy back." Thompson

"I`m so happy to be back and for the long term. It shows that Thompson and company have faith in me, and well I won`t let them down." Varlamov

The next big signing for the Caps, no surprise at all, was goal scorer Semin. Notching 47 goals last year (Best in his career so far and 2nd in the league), the Russian has steadily increased his goal production over the last 4 years while continuing his 40+ assist output. Signing a 28.5 million dollar deal, it will keep him in the red-white-blue uniform for another 6 years and for the foreseeble future will be the 2nd biggest scoring threat on the Caps.

"Just like Varlamov it was a no brainer. If we want to keep winning Championships then we have to keep this guy around and for the next 6 years I won`t have to worry about it." Thompson

"This is where I want to play, I`m glad they saw my worth and signed me long term." Semin.

With 24 other players looking for contracts it should be an interesting couple of weeks.

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August 2011: It was no surprise that GM Thompson want to keep a winning team together as 22 out of 24 expiring contracts were re-signed. Here is a current list of the re-signees:

Laich - 3 years
Fleischmann - 3 years
B Gordon - 3 years
Neuvirth - 2 years (Jennings winner)
Artyukhin - 2 years (Looking to beat the PIM record)
Alzner - 2 years
Bradley - 2 years
Perreault - 2 years (Looking to bounce back and forth from NHL/AHL)
Collins - 2 years (Bears)
Pinnizzotto - 2 years (Bears)
Erskin - 2 years (Lot to prove with upcoming D talent)
Willsie - 2 years (Bears)
Knuble - 1 year (Will continue to man the 1st line but might get bumped)
Hendricks - 1 year (Bears)
Greentree - 1 year (Bears- expected to be leading scorer for team)
Guerin - 1 year (Bears - back to lead the farm again)
Bruess - 1 year (Bears)
Bouchard - 1 year (Bears - needs to play better or he will be trade bait)
Godfrey - 1 year (Bears - another year of grooming)
P McNeil - 1 year (Bears - trade bait)
A Gordon - 1 year (Bears - roster filler)
Miskovic - 1 year (Bears - with Alm in the system roster filler)


There you have it, going into the UFA the Caps pretty much look the same as last year and have over 17 million in Cap room. Go Caps Go.

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August/2011: Rumour has it that the Caps are looking to bolster thier blue line and find a replacement goalie to lead the Bears. Names flying around have been reargaurds Mckee and Staios and past Capital goalie Theodore. Should be interesting.

[bthomp05]

Re: Washington Capitals

Just want to say congrates to whoever was my 3000 view and of course thank you to all for following - please feel free to comment.

As I will be starting soon season 2, if anyone wants to know some basic timbits of thier favorite teams I will be more then happy to share.

For example the Wings signed Thornton and Jiggy - Lidstrom retired.

[HeroWorship]

Re: Washington Capitals

Nice to see this entering a season two, bthomp.

[bthomp05]

Re: Washington Capitals

Thanks HW.

I`m about to play game 1 of the season and I already have a massive deal/signing on the way. Should be a good season.

[bthomp05]

Re: Washington Capitals

Shoring Up the Backend

Washington Post:

August 2011: With teams making the final touches to thier rosters, adding and subtracting talent before the 2011-2012 season, GM Thompson signed 3 UFAs bring in over 2090 games of experience to the Caps.

"I knew we had some issues to address both on our blue line and down on the farm. So these three signings shore up those concerns and I hope it all works out." Thompson

Bring an extra 404 lbs to the blue line, Thompson was able to sign free agent reargaurds Steve Staios ($3.32 mill for 2 years) and Jay Mckee for just over $4 million, while finding a new netminder for the Bears in Jose Theodore for 3.5 million with over 679 professional games under his belt.

"Both Staios and Mckee play a stay-at-home style of game and are not afraid to punish oppossing offenses which meshes well with who we already have patrolling our blue line. While Theodore (Having been a Cap before) brings alot of experience and a butterfly style to the Bears that we believe will help prospect goalie Holtby mature. So all in all, I think we did well and did an excellent job of maintaining last years team with an added bonous." Thompson

[Dynasty]

Re: Washington Capitals

wow man awesome stuff here, lots of cap space left, nice singings in the off season as well!

[thedudedominick]

Re: Washington Capitals

Impressive management of the cap there in Washington. Good luck in your upcoming season.