HockeyCritter said:
Nope, they didn't. They didn't have a "decent" team for several seasons. The team that Leonsis 'bailed' on was fighting for last place. A $50-million payroll team full of "stars" and "talent" never got out of the bottom five. Time to move all the overpaid underacheiving personnel and replace them with younger, hungrier players.
We're in year one of a rebuild ---- I have no complaints about the directions the Capitals are going. Just watch out - in three years the Caps are going to be a force.
(And not all Cap fans complain --- please don't lump us in one category).
Well, in terms of results, you're right.
But this team has had the lineup up to compete. They had poor coaching and poor leadership.
But they had the ability to compete.
Comparing the Caps of two and three years ago to the Nashvilles of the world is unfair.
They had stars.
Jagr. Gonchar. Lang. Bondra. Kolzig.
How many teams boasted that kind of top flight talent?
And they had a supporting cast of good players.
Zubbrus. Nylander. Konowalchuck. Witt. Grier etc.
I mean, Washington had more than enough talent to compete.
They sold it all off in a year's time, and they got Ovechkin for their trouble.
You think they also deserved a better shot at Crosby?
I don't.