Post-Game Talk: WAS @ SJ | 2/11/15 | 10:30pm EST | Shark's in the water. Our shark.

[Halpysback*]

Imagine this team with Cooper, Forsberg, Perreault and all of Burakovsky, Wilson and Kuznetsov developed as well as Tampa's rookies.

 

[KevinM]

McPhee wanted Cooper. Leonsis overruled him and hired Oates.

Wait, really? I thought GMGM made the hire alone.

 

[txpd]

Wait, really? I thought GMGM made the hire alone.

I remember reading it in Washington Post stuff....but I will withdraw it

 

[g00n]

no...leonsis hired oates.

I've seen this repeated here but don't remember the confirmation. Anyone have it?

 

[Suds]

Caps played well in short time blocks - the rest of the time, large men from the other team forced their will on the Caps.

They came to the Caps end of the ice and setup shop. Cycling the puck, passing the to the point and shooting on net - strong-arming our D.

Trotz is always tooting his own horn by saying "I hear teams don't want to play the Caps"

I know one team that has no problem playing the - big, bad,.....Caps

 

[KevinM]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs...apitals-coach/2012/06/26/gJQA9VVX4V_blog.html

Oates, who spent six seasons in Washington as a player and captained the team in 1999-2000, will become the 16th coach in franchise history and the fifth hired by General Manager George McPhee during his 15-year tenure.

Everything I read seems to indicate Oates was a GMGM hire, Leonsis didn't go over his head as far as I can tell.

Edit:

Great job GMGM! Once again... Great choice. I predict the Caps offence improving greatly!

First comment on that article, I laughed.

 

[txpd]

it was all in the rubble after the firings. there was a lot of conversation about it on these boards afterward.

 

[g00n]

it was all in the rubble after the firings. there was a lot of conversation about it on these boards afterward.

Yeah I remember that but I don't remember seeing a confirmation from a reliable source.

 

[Roughing]

Imagine this team with Cooper, Forsberg, Perreault and all of Burakovsky, Wilson and Kuznetsov developed as well as Tampa's rookies.

I'm just gonna open this nice bottle of Bourbon here...

 

[txpd]

Yeah I remember that but I don't remember seeing a confirmation from a reliable source.

it doesn't matter. we know that Leonsis hired Trotz.

 

[RandyHolt]

Hillen over Schilling?

Puck movability. Does BMac really know anything else besides PMD = Cup?

Hillen does provide more offense. That aside, I think a big factor is that Hillen was a good foot soldier taking his repeated scratches without complaint.

Usually, he gets injured, so the debate of him vs moving up a prospect, is a rarity.

 

[g00n]

Hillen over Schilling?

Puck movability. Does BMac really know anything else besides PMD = Cup?

Brooks Orpik and all his money say "hi"

 

[RandyHolt]

Brooks Orpik and all his money say "hi"

BMac is probably still patting himself on the back for getting Orpik. Doing something different.

Orpik has impressed me with a decent breakout pass though. Regardless, this is George's team and all the PMDs come with them. Favoring PMDs may be all BMac knows. Nisky got even more money.

 

[Mickstix]

With Chimera continuing to look like crap, I wonder what O'Brien would look like on our 4th line LW? Anyone know how he's done in Hershey? I liked the energy he brought when he was up..

 

[Suds]

I liked the energy he brought when he was up..

I've been asking that myself. Because you're big doesn't mean you're gritty and tough (Carlson).

I think players with less skill but meaner dispositions would have changed - this - game. Caps were hanging-on like grim death at the end of the game- pathetic. Frantically running out the clock (regulation).
Watch J Thortons post game interview - dead on assesment.

 

[Blades of Steel]

With Chimera continuing to look like crap, I wonder what O'Brien would look like on our 4th line LW? Anyone know how he's done in Hershey? I liked the energy he brought when he was up..

I think a brown would be a better choice to plug into 4th.

 

[AlexBrovechkin8]

I've been asking that myself. Because you're big doesn't mean you're gritty and tough (Carlson).

I think players with less skill but meaner dispositions would have changed - this - game. Caps were hanging-on like grim death at the end of the game- pathetic. Frantically running out the clock (regulation).
Watch J Thortons post game interview - dead on assesment.

Carlson absolutely plays with grit and toughness.

 

[Backstrom #19]

I thought Mcphee had said in an interview after he got fired that Ted was the one who wanted Oates. Can't exactly remember though.

 

[Hivemind]

I thought Mcphee had said in an interview after he got fired that Ted was the one who wanted Oates. Can't exactly remember though.

He didn't say anything that direct. However, he had glowing words about other previous coaches, but only called Adam Oates' firing "unfortunate." Not sure whether or not it's worth reading between the lines there or not.

In terms of the Cooper rumor, put me in the camp of "I swear I read it somewhere credible, but can't fit it now."

 

[Langway]

I think it was Wyshynski on both of those.

 

[BobRouse]

We do know for sure that:

Ted overrode GMGM for Jagr.

Ted was the driving force for hiring Cassidy.

Ted (along with BMac) hired Trotz before an official GM was named. BMac was named GM in part b/c he told Ted to stay the hell out of things.

GMGM and Oates clearly weren't on the same page on a multitude of different things (Erat/Penner come to mind)

I totally believe the reports that GMGM did not want Oates and wanted Cooper instead.

 

[g00n]

We do know for sure that:

Ted overrode GMGM for Jagr.

Ted was the driving force for hiring Cassidy.

Ted (along with BMac) hired Trotz before an official GM was named. BMac was named GM in part b/c he told Ted to stay the hell out of things.

GMGM and Oates clearly weren't on the same page on a multitude of different things (Erat/Penner come to mind)

I totally believe the reports that GMGM did not want Oates and wanted Cooper instead.

The actual meddling we know about was around 15 years ago. Did Ted "override" McPhee on Jagr, or just get the idea for the extension in his head and then GMGM went along with it, only expressing regret later? I seem to recall a quote to the effect that GMGM got a call from Ted about it while on vacation and the implication to me was that McPhee was caught off guard by it and maybe too compliant because he was off duty and kicking back. Plus I thought GMGM had a connection with Butch. I don't look at hiring Trotz as bypassing a GM because it was an opportunity and necessity situation.

I'm not saying Ted wasn't involved in various decisions (he claimed in a presser that he leaves things to his staff) but I don't think there's anything that directly points to him hiring Oates.

 

[BobRouse]

The actual meddling we know about was around 15 years ago. Did Ted "override" McPhee on Jagr, or just get the idea for the extension in his head and then GMGM went along with it, only expressing regret later? I seem to recall a quote to the effect that GMGM got a call from Ted about it while on vacation and the implication to me was that McPhee was caught off guard by it and maybe too compliant because he was off duty and kicking back. Plus I thought GMGM had a connection with Butch. I don't look at hiring Trotz as bypassing a GM because it was an opportunity and necessity situation.

I'm not saying Ted wasn't involved in various decisions (he claimed in a presser that he leaves things to his staff) but I don't think there's anything that directly points to him hiring Oates.

I don't believe GMGM wanted Jagr and was on vacation when Ted wanted to do the deal to bring him here.

I don't recall GMGM having a connection to Cassidy. (side note: I actually watched a few games that Cassidy played for the hawks back in the day..I'm old)

Ted was admittadly blown away by Cassidy. GMGM wanted Hanlon at the time if I remember correctly.

The Oates hire certainly reeks of Ted.

 

[ChibiPooky]

McPhee let it slip in his exit presser that the Jagr decision was Leonsis's.

 

[ReggietheSavage15]

Carlson absolutely plays with grit and toughness.

I don't want to put words in your mouth, but what are your qualifiers for someone playing with "grit" and "toughness." I kind of equate it to physicality, and I don't think of Carlson as 1. a physical player, 2/3 someone who exemplifies grit/toughness (unless you mean having a consecutive games streak or something along those lines). Just my .02