[News] Caps fire McPhee and Oates

[nik-]

Originally Posted by SuperMatt18

What do you do in Washington though?

Could you have seriously traded Ovechkin when the owner loves him and his marketability.

They have lots of movable pieces.

[RyZ]

Originally Posted by skudr248

instead of potentially putting kuz - backs - ovi to propel them into the playoffs.

That would work as a powerplay. As an even strength 5v5 line, that group would get eaten up by so many other 1st lines in the league that they would take a minus almost every single game. That line wouldn't push any team into the playoffs.

[moon]

GMGM isn't the worst GM in the league but he did get a tough situation of being "stuck" with AO and trying to make that work.

Considering the best they looked was with Hunter benching him and Hunter wouldn't come back tough spot.

I think GM goes somewhere he has more control than here with Burke.

Considering his history with Pat Quinn and the Canucks he seems like a perfect fit in Vancouver to give Linden a veteran, experienced guy to work with.

To me that seems the, maybe too, obvious fit.

[jeffman]

Come on Trevor Linden, hire Mcphee

[Dagger]

McPhee's drafting and Burke's trading would do us well. I think McPhee felt the pressure in Washington and started making moves that were shortsighted in an effort to push them over the top. Obviously he lucked out with AO, but his experience turning a franchise into a contender shouldn't be overlooked.

[Calgary4LIfe]

I think McPhee has a very good body of work. I wouldn't mind him here at all, but I doubt he comes. Agree with Moon on this one - probably the perfect fit for Vancouver.

[nik-]

Originally Posted by Calgary4LIfe

I think McPhee has a very good body of work. I wouldn't mind him here at all, but I doubt he comes. Agree with Moon on this one - probably the perfect fit for Vancouver.

What's his body of work other than drafting 1st and 4th overall?

[$ven27]

IMO Washington should seriously consider moving Ovi. They could retool nicely by getting assets for him along with a cast of Backstrom, Kunezkov, Alzner, Carlson, etc

[Calgary4LIfe]

Originally Posted by nik-

What's his body of work other than drafting 1st and 4th overall?

Simply drafting 1st and 4th overall doesn't make you a good GM or a successful team. Winning the president's trophy and being a contender do. Though his team never won the cup in the end, and look like they are about to free-fall, he did a great job rebuilding that organization into a legitimate powerhouse in the NHL. Very few GMs in this league have built a team from the ground-up like he has that have been as successful.

[nik-]

Originally Posted by Calgary4LIfe

Simply drafting 1st and 4th overall doesn't make you a good GM or a successful team. Winning the president's trophy and being a contender do. Though his team never won the cup in the end, and look like they are about to free-fall, he did a great job rebuilding that organization into a legitimate powerhouse in the NHL. Very few GMs in this league have built a team from the ground-up like he has that have been as successful.

Yeah, I know simply those picks don't make you a successful team. That Presidents Trophy team didn't get out of the first round. He hasn't adjusted significantly adjusted his team other than Federov retiring and not signing Semin. Not a good GM, just lucky to have a superstar.

[c.t.ner]

Originally Posted by nik-

What's his body of work other than drafting 1st and 4th overall?

McPhee has probably one of the strongest records of drafting over the past few years. His round 5,6,7 picks have much to be desired, but he's done really well with pretty much every single 1st rounder (even the ones which were later first rounders) and has a strong record with 2nd rounders.

http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/draft/t...r00008871.html

Guys like Green, Orlev, Johnannson, Wilson, Carlson, Varlamov, Neuvirth, Fehr, Semin, Schultz and a slew of others are all solid NHL'ers and core elements of the team. Guys like Semin, Carlson, Fehr and Green weren't top 5 picks.

GMGM's biggest downfall was the same thing that took down Sutter. He needed to win now and ended up on the losing end of a few trades and bad coaching choices.

[c.t.ner]

I also forgot how long George McPhee has been at the helm, but he did get them to the Stanley Cup finals in '97.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_...ngton_Capitals

Things started off great, as McPhee engineered the club's first trip to the Stanley Cup Finals in his first season. The team has played well under the general management of McPhee, having won seven Southeast Division championships (1999–2000, 2000–01, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2009-10, 2010-11, and 2012-2013), had eight 40-or-more win seasons (1997–98, 1999–2000, 2000–01, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2009–10 and 2010–11, 2011-12) and a franchise record 121-point season (2009–10).

[Sandman]

I would put money on GM being our next GM, and i'm ok with that because Burke is there to rein him in.....

[Nsd1]

Originally Posted by $ven27

IMO Washington should seriously consider moving Ovi. They could retool nicely by getting assets for him along with a cast of Backstrom, Kunezkov, Alzner, Carlson, etc

Who really has the assets and cap space to get him? I dont think Buffalo would sell the farm to get him, maybe the Oilers would be dumb enough to.

[bluejays]

I wonder how attached McPhee and the ownership is to Ovechkin. His enthusiasm when he scores is fantastic, but his passion for playing the game overall seems to have fallen off despite the great goal-scoring pace. You don't see the same explosiveness anymore and you wonder why Washington puts up with him anymore? At this point they'd be better off parting ways, or have McPhee move on, because sticking with the guy looks like it'll be the end of the road for the GM. Really messy.

[UKflames]

With his terrible +/- this year Ovi would fit well on the Oilers, then they would have the two worst Russian +/- scores in the league together.

[Vinny01]

Originally Posted by $ven27

IMO Washington should seriously consider moving Ovi. They could retool nicely by getting assets for him along with a cast of Backstrom, Kunezkov, Alzner, Carlson, etc

I read on the hockey news a couple weeks ago a writer was advocating a Malkin for Ovi swap. If the Pens were able to land Kesler in a separate trade I think it would be a very interesting deal

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Calgary4LIfe

Simply drafting 1st and 4th overall doesn't make you a good GM or a successful team. Winning the president's trophy and being a contender do. Though his team never won the cup in the end, and look like they are about to free-fall, he did a great job rebuilding that organization into a legitimate powerhouse in the NHL. Very few GMs in this league have built a team from the ground-up like he has that have been as successful.

I think a lot of McPhee's accomplishments come with the caveat that they were accomplished by feasting on the worst Division in NHL history.

They just raped and pillaged their own division for points because that old SE division was hot garbage.

[Tinordi]

I think McPhee is a pretty decent GM he just had to dance with the girl he brought these past 5 years. What would the tales be had Halak not totally stoned the Caps 5 years ago?

I really like how he handled the rebuild in Washington. He did it proper. But Ovechkin evidently just isn't the player to build a team around. Thems the breaks. That's not on McPhee what other option did he have?

[c.t.ner]

Originally Posted by fleury

I wonder how attached McPhee and the ownership is to Ovechkin. His enthusiasm when he scores is fantastic, but his passion for playing the game overall seems to have fallen off despite the great goal-scoring pace. You don't see the same explosiveness anymore and you wonder why Washington puts up with him anymore? At this point they'd be better off parting ways, or have McPhee move on, because sticking with the guy looks like it'll be the end of the road for the GM. Really messy.

I haven't lived in Washington for a few years now, but OVI is easily one of the top 3 sports personalities in the city right beside RGIII and Bryce Harper. And in terms of well liked personalities, it's a tie between him and Harper. He is the face of the franchise, in a football city where Hockey is fighting with the Nationals for second place in the sports hierarchy. There's a great and growing fan base of Hockey fans in the city, but Ovi is the guy that brings the casual fans to the verizon centre. Leonis and the team have put all their eggs in the Ovi basket, so I don't see Ovi leaving unless it's for player of equal stature in the NHL.

The Caps are at an interesting crossroads right now, something needs to change, but considering how successful the franchise has been with Ovi, I don't see any way they trade him.