Category Archives: Front Office

George McPhee Was Mostly the Architect of an Identity Crisis

It wasn’t supposed to end like this. Ten years ago, gifted by the draft lottery gods, and with a young but battle-tested general manager presiding over a roster rebuild he’d already appropriately earned plaudits for, the Washington Capitals were supposed … Continue reading

Posted in Alexander Ovechkin, David Poile, Evgeny Kuznetsov, Filip Forsberg, Front Office, George McPhee, Martin Erat, Morning cup-a-joe, National Hockey League, Seth Jones, Southeast Division, The curse of Washington hockey, The Great Old Patrick Division, Washington Capitals, Washington the cursed hockey town, Washington the hockey town | 8 Comments

Managing, and Excusing, the Ever Repeating Loop of Mediocrity

“I hope the Caps win a Stanley Cup before I’m dead.” — Kevin Fletcher, age 7, Alexandria, Virginia, earlier this week, relayed by his father on Facebook. The definition of precocious there. Good luck with that, Kevin. This Henrik Lundqvist … Continue reading

Posted in Alexander Ovechkin, Front Office, George McPhee, Marcus Johansson, Martin Erat, Media, Morning cup-a-joe, Much-needed realignment, New York Rangers, NHL referees, playoff hockey, Print, Southeast Division, Ted Leonsis, Thomas Boswell, Washington Capitals, Washington Post, Washington the cursed hockey town, Winter Classic | 8 Comments

Echoes of Outrage

I’ve said my peace about this week’s trade, but I feel compelled to bring to our readers’ attention some additional commentary from one of the indisputably elite talents in the Washington sports blogging community, Homer McFanboy. This resonance of sentiment … Continue reading

Posted in 106.7 the Fan, Filip Forsberg, Front Office, George McPhee, Homer McFanboy, Jason LaCanfora, Martin Erat, Media, New media, Prospects, Radio, Sky Kerstein | 19 Comments

A Desperation Move by a Desperate GM

Once upon a time, Capitals General Manager George McPhee was viewed, rightly I think, as cautious and shrewd each spring around trade deadline time. Never one to radically revamp his roster with wheeling and dealing then, McPhee in fact over … Continue reading

Posted in David Poile, Eastern Conference, Evgeny Kuznetsov, Filip Forsberg, Front Office, George McPhee, Martin Erat, Morning cup-a-joe, Nashville Predators, NHL trade deadline, The curse of Washington hockey, Washington Capitals | 17 Comments

Hitting the Reset Button

I commend to your attention the most recent fit of gutsy thoughtfulness from my blogger buddy Ed Frankovic, who with commendable clarity of consideration arrives at this sobering recommendation as it relates to the handling of the Capitals roster here … Continue reading

Posted in Alexander Ovechkin, Alexander Semin, Ed Frankovic, Free agency, Front Office, George McPhee, Jeff Schultz, Marcus Johansson, Mike Ribeiro, Morning cup-a-joe, New media, Seth Jones, Washington Capitals | 8 Comments

A Crisis of Mismanagement

If you are shocked and dismayed by where we are with hockey in Washington these days, you weren’t reading here last July. The Unexpected Rebuild, I called it. The Washington Capitals today on the ice are receiving their just due: … Continue reading

Posted in Adam Oates, Alexander Ovechkin, Bruce Boudreau, Dale Hunter, Eastern Conference, Ed Frankovic, Eric McErlain, Front Office, George McPhee, hockey blogging, Japers' Rink, John Carlson, Karl Alzner, Mike Ribeiro, Morning cup-a-joe, New Jersey Devils, New media, Philadelphia Flyers, Pittsburgh Penguins, Rock the Red, Ted Leonsis, Washington Capitals, Washington Post, Washington the cursed hockey town | 26 Comments

The Unexpected Rebuild

“Who’s putting the puck in the net?” in D.C. next season, Greg Wyshynski wonders, while digesting the news of Alexander Semin signing with Carolina. I wonder too. Let us hope that the captain shows up in shape this fall. Or: … Continue reading

Posted in Adam Oates, Alexander Ovechkin, Dennis Wideman, Evgeny Kuznetsov, Filip Forsberg, Front Office, George McPhee, hockey blogging, Mathieu Perreault, Media, Mike Ribeiro, Morning cup-a-joe, Tom Wilson, Washington Capitals | 20 Comments

An Agent of Change Leaving All Too Soon

 

Posted in Dale Hunter, Front Office, New media, Twitter | 3 Comments

Pride, Regret, and Questions

If we are of mixed emotions about the end of this hockey season — proud and uplifted by a Capitals team of unlikely cohesion and stunning sacrifice, but also exasperated by the frustration of banishment earlier than forecast, again — … Continue reading

Posted in Alexander Ovechkin, Alexander Semin, Braden Holtby, Dale Hunter, Evgeny Kuznetsov, Front Office, George McPhee, Hockey hearts, Joel Ward, Morning cup-a-joe, New York Rangers, NHL playoffs, Washington the cursed hockey town | 26 Comments

By and Large, by Design, a Training Camp of Tranquility

The best part of the Capitals’ preseason has arrived — its conclusion. They survived a slate of seven exhibition games largely unscathed; no front-line performers ought to be missing from Saturday’s opening night here against Carolina. For a team not … Continue reading

Posted in Alexander Ovechkin, Colorado Avalanche, Dmitri Orlov, Front Office, Gary Bettman, George McPhee, John Walton, Kettler Capitals Iceplex, Mathieu Perreault, Michal Neuvirth, Morning cup-a-joe, Much-needed realignment, Much-needed relocation, National Hockey League, Radio, The Great Old Patrick Division, Tomas Vokoun, Washington Capitals | Leave a comment