While everyone has added their input on the moves put on by George McPhee and Ted Leonsis, I figure why not give my input. I am a Caps season ticket holder, going on three years now, and have been a fan since the early 90's when I learned that hockey existed. Let's start by taking this one by one.
Troy Brouwer, there weren't many Caps fans that had a clue of who he was before George McPhee traded for him on draft night this year. I for one had vaguely heard of the name but was quick to jump onto the internet to find out as much information as I could about the newest addition. At first glance, I thought it was a brilliant trade. The Caps farm system is flooded with talent and the team needs more grit and toughness. Add in the playoff experience from Brouwer, including a Stanley Cup, will prove necessary for the team to advance. While only 25 years old he has averaged 75 games a season since becoming a full time NHL player, he has also played in 43 playoff games. While his statistics won't jump out at you, he did have 4 goals and 4 assists in the 19 games played leading to the Blackhawks Stanley Cup. Troy Brouwer is the kind of player that won't show up in the stat sheet, but will make other teams know where he is on the ice.
Joel Ward, this to me was a shocking acquisition. After adding Brouwer I wasn't sure why McPhee wanted to add another player of the same type. Ward, like Brouwer is heading into his 4th full season as an NHLer, but has much more of a scoring touch than Brouwer. Ward has averaged around 76-77 games a season and has recorded about 33 points in a season. Solid numbers for a 3rd/4th liner. I was unaware that Ward had put up such amazing playoff numbers this past season. 13 points in 12 games played, couple that with the 4 points in 6 games from the 2010 playoffs and he's just a shade under a point a game. For a team that has struggled to find scoring in most playoff games since Ovechkin and company has hit their stride, this edition comes as a no-brainer. Clearly adding Joel Ward was something Washington had to do in order to advance this team past the second round of the playoffs and onto the Stanley Cup.
Jeff Halpern, the hometown favorite, was the most surprising move to me. I had heard the rumors of a Chris Drury and re-signing Boyd Gordon was a possibility, but Jeff Halpern completely slipped through the cracks. Since leaving the Capitals in 2006 he has only reached the 30 point mark once and that was in a season in which he split time with Dallas and Tampa and reached 42 points. Clearly he was signed on to be the 4th line center and a top line penalty killer, but he does go against the playoff experienced player prototype that George McPhee had gone with during the free agency signings. In his playoff career he has only 34 playoff games to his resume and only 13 points. While he has made the playoffs in each of the past two seasons (with LA and Montreal) both teams were bounced early and he only played in 10 playoff games. With his age and lack of playoff experience will he tire during the midst of a long playoff run? All in all as a 4th line center he was a heck of a deal and we all know Ted Leonsis shows great respect and appreciation for former players. The hope will be that Jeff Halpern can play atleast 70 games this season and be fresh and healthy come playoff time, his veteran leadership will be needed for a group of young and sometimes wreck-less players.
Roman Hamrlik was probably the biggest free agent acquisition on day 1. Everyone knew the Caps needed another shutdown defender, McPhee didn't disappoint. While far from on the upside of his career, Hamrlik is exactly what the Caps needed. Already having a young shutdown pair in Alzner and Carlson, they needed someone to pair with either Green or Wideman. It seems as though Schultz and Erskine will split time so Hamrlik will prove to be a good pairing with the likes of a Mike Green. While Hamrlik can provide some offensive power, pairing him with Green will allow Green to push forward as Hamrlik anchors the back end giving the Caps two solid defensive pairings (not taking anything away from Wideman, Schultz and Erskine). Hamrlik may be 37 years old he has played in 97 playoff games and was a big part in shutting the Caps down in the 2010 playoffs. His health in his career has been great, only playing in under 70 games in one season since the 95-96 season, so he shouldn't have an issue holding up during a long playoff push. His leadership and experience should be something to that of Jason Arnott last year, where when he talks players will shut their mouths and listen. In my opinion Hamrlik should don the alternate "A" and while it was different seeing 4 different players with the "A" it should be his from the start both home and away. He should put Scott Hannan's memory, while a short one, on the back burner and out the door quickly and clearly a big time signing by George McPhee and the Capitals.
Tomas Vokoun, the dark horse of the 2011 Free Agency class. I was sitting at Nationals Park when I received the text message of the Capitals newest acquisition. I was a bit suprised, a day earlier I had saw that George McPhee was done making moves with Holtby and Neuvirth the goalies for the season. It took a day for this to sink in before I realized how great a move it is. Vokoun has the 2nd lowest GAA since the lockout and he has played on sub par teams in Nashville and Florida. He has only 11 playoff games to his name and holds only a 3-8 record but his GAA is 2.47 and has a .922 save percentage. Sure those numbers reflect Neuvy's 2.34 GAA and .912 save percentage from last year, but Vokoun does have plenty of international experience. Most recently in the Olympics and the hockey world's his GAA was around a 1.63 and had a 10-3 record. At $1.5 million dollars for a year he is the biggest steal of the Free Agency and with him and Neuvy in net things are looking good between the pipes for a hopeful playoff push.
George McPhee and the Washington Capitals did what they sought out to do in Free Agency and drastically improved the club. While the Caps did push the limits of the salary cap, with also re-signing Karl Alzner, the team is much improved, more gritty and what seems to be more playoff ready. This may be a do or die type of season for the Caps, more so for Coach Boudreau, but at least George McPhee has armed the team with the players it needs to compete and advance in the playoffs. The countdown for the 2011-12 season has clearly begun and in 75 days we will see against Carolina if these moves have begun to pay off and push this team forward.
Ovie's amazing goal
