Capitals Looking to Solidify Blueline

With still two months until the Caps drop the puck on the '09-'10 season, there are questions in need of answers. It is clear what this team does best, score goals. But it is also clear that scoring goals does not get you to the promised land; at least not in the post lockout NHL. Many of us were witness to this last spring as the Caps fell short in devastating fashion to the arch rival Penguins. The Caps were met head on by a team that matched us goal for goal, in six of the seven games. One should never rely on offense to trump offense. Expecting a team to put up four or five goals a game is not realistic. I think the defense was good enough to win, but there is definite room for improvement on the backline.


As I see it right now, six of the seven defensive spots for the '09 team are filled. A few of these are obvious. We know the first defensman to score 30 goals in over a decade will be patrolling the back end for the Caps. Mike Green not only put his best season as an NHL blue-liner, he put up one of the best seasons of any NHL blue-liner since the days of Paul Coffey. Shaone Morrisonn proved to be a good stay-at-home partner for the puck moving Green.

Mike Green scored a career high 31 goals last season.

Masterton Trophy nominee, Brian Pothier, overcame a year long absence from the game due to a devastating concussion and provided both puck moving abilities as well as solid play in his own zone. Finally, John Erskine and Milan Jurcina provided the much need grit that the Caps sorely lacked during the rebuilding years. I haven't forgotten Jeff Shultz. More on him in a bit. How convenient of me to mention Milan Jurcina.

Jurcina is an resticted free agent and has yet to sign a qualifying offer from the Caps. Both Morrisonn and Shultz have accepted qualifying offers from GMGM (GM George McPhee). So is Jurcina the odd man out? I'll be the first to admit skepticism in the play of Jurcina, but I felt his performance in last year's penguins series was noble to say the least. Let's face it, facing one of the two or three best players in the word every shift out is no easy task. I thought Jurcina earned at least another year with this team. But play on the ice isn't everything. Hockey is a business as well and money plays a part in every team's personnel decisions. Its no secret that the Caps are closing in tight on the salary cap. Next summer should be even more fun when qualifying offers will have to made to both Nick Backstrom and Alex Semin. I imagine both players will be looking for long term deals in the $4 million per year range. And that's the starting point. So at this point, there is one (maybe two) spot to be filled on the backline (assuming Jurcina does not return). Who will it be?

Luckily for the Caps, there are options on the table in the form of a few Bears from Hersey. Karl Alzner, John Carlson, and Joe Finley. Alzner did get some time at the NHL level last season due to stretch of injuries the Caps faced in the first half of the year. Alzner proved to be a physical positioning savy player who made few mistakes. The surprise so far this summer was the play of John Carlson during the Caps development camp which took place last week. Word is Carlson really turned heads and is well on his way to earning a full time spot in the NHL. It is just a matter of when. Joe Finley is the third option facing Boudreau and the boys. Finley is an absolute monster. Tipping the scales at 6'7" 230lbs, Finley is exactly what the Caps need. He is bruising stay at home defenseman with puck moving abilities. His puck moving ability is so good that he actually played the wing as well during developmental camp last week. A 6'7" winger? Wow! Imagine being a defensmen with a forecheck of that size screaming down the wing. But I think Finley will make his money on the back end. Maybe not next year, but in two years for sure (Morisonn and Shultz only signed one year contracts).

The defense is still a major question right now for the Caps. Who will be the 6th or 7th man? How will Schultz rebound from his "injury" during the playoffs? Will Green's play in the defensive zone, which was well below par during the playoffs, unfold. He must improve. Many fans expected a big splash by GMGM prior to the trade deadline last year, but nothing unfolded. Many felt free agency would bring an upgrade to the back end. Nothing yet and nothing appears imminent. I feel that Caps management have decided that they will put their faith in their draft picks. I've put my faith in them so my fingers are crossed.