Steven Hindle: Realignment Opens Door to Many Possibilities... ...

if you wanna beat the Rangers, try and get Boudreau back.

opens a door right to a lottery pick.

if you wanna beat the Rangers, try and get Boudreau back.
- jimbro83

Oh they can beat you in the regular season but the playoffs are another story but come Spring 2014 we will get Alex Semin back in the form of EVGENY KUZNETSOV. He could come over after the KHL season is over in time for the playoffs. We will wait and see.....in the mean time enjoy your last game Saturday Night in Beantown.

With the destruction of the Southleast... I think the Caps will struggle mightily to make the post season. Their competition just increased tenfold.

Oh they can beat you in the regular season but the playoffs are another story but come Spring 2014 we will get Alex Semin back in the form of EVGENY KUZNETSOV. He could come over after the KHL season is over in time for the playoffs. We will wait and see.....in the mean time enjoy your last game Saturday Night in Beantown.


- wood3348

What comes first, Smein or Kuznetsov.

Maybe it is time for a new set of eyes to look at what the Caps have or don't have. Ribiero isn't the answer for the 2C not in the new division. Maybe it is time for McPhee to go !!!

Ryan Miller for Filip Forsberg....oops

Just wanted to thank you for helping raise awareness of diabetes. I've been Type I for 20 years (I'm 22).

As for the Caps, I'm not sure. The new division is going to be a dog fight from top to bottom.

Just wanted to thank you for helping raise awareness of diabetes. I've been Type I for 20 years (I'm 22).

As for the Caps, I'm not sure. The new division is going to be a dog fight from top to bottom.
- TheRollingPuck

Thank you for the kind words on the Program. I, myself, do not live with diabetes but have been an advocate all my life and have always been working to give something back...I think this is a good start. We want to do adult fantasy camps for Type 1's as well, and also to branch into the U.S., but you always have to start somewhere!

Good luck with managing you Type 1, if you ever need support, you can always find it from myself or the rest of the good people at Dskate.

If anyone has interest in the program, please feel free to email me @ [email][email protected][/email].

Unless Backstrom returns to form, the Caps, as is, are not going to have much fun in the new alignment. After there top 3 or 4 guys, their talent level drops off a cliff. Too many pluggers making too much money. They need to add some more top forwards. Perreault and Johansson are way over rated and too inconsistent at this level. Erat was not worth the prospect they gave up, and as good as Holtby can be, he has yet to prove it in a game 7. And I'm not too excited about Kuznetsov yet, I just don't think he is good enough to tip the scales in the right direction. But heh, maybe they'll fire GMGM and someone will come in and really evaluate the roster, or maybe not.

Unless Backstrom returns to form, the Caps, as is, are not going to have much fun in the new alignment. After there top 3 or 4 guys, their talent level drops off a cliff. Too many pluggers making too much money. They need to add some more top forwards. Perreault and Johansson are way over rated and too inconsistent at this level. Erat was not worth the prospect they gave up, and as good as Holtby can be, he has yet to prove it in a game 7. And I'm not too excited about Kuznetsov yet, I just don't think he is good enough to tip the scales in the right direction. But heh, maybe they'll fire GMGM and someone will come in and really evaluate the roster, or maybe not.
- not_that_lanny

Explain to me how Backstrom has regressed. He has yet to take that "next level", but he hasn't regressed since his concussion at all. Johansson is over-rated? You know he is still on his ELC, right? Perreault hardly ever, if ever, played top-6 minutes this year. Erat was not worth Forsberg? Hah, well, I'm not the biggest Erat fan, but we will see if Forsberg even sticks it in the NHL. You do realize that Holtby proved himself last year against the Bruins in game 7? You do realize that Holtby's splits are freaking ridiculous for someone going into his 3rd full year? You're not too excited about Kuznetsov yet? Have you've seen him play? He's not the answer, but he certainly isn't nothing to sneeze at. Dominates against men.

Ya know, this team has many problems, but you talk as if you never watched a single Caps game this year. Ovi, Backs, Brouwer, Ribs, MaJo...that's not a bad top 5 , and we had a rotator of Chimera, Ward, some other guys some times. It's our bottom-6 which kills us, and really, our (still) pourous defense. You want to talk overrated, look no further than John Carlson.

With the destruction of the Southleast... I think the Caps will struggle mightily to make the post season. Their competition just increased tenfold.
- mlindsay

This.

The Caps won't get that automatic bid they have received in the modern era.

While they have some nice pieces, they can't compete within the Patrick Division.

The biggest problem for the Caps is going to be the fact that your new division rivals aren't going to let Ovechkin park his ass in the face off circle to one-time PP goals home; and then look like a good player doing it. Ovechkin will get shut down. Can't wait to see it happen.

The biggest problem for the Caps is going to be the fact that your new division rivals aren't going to let Ovechkin park his ass in the face off circle to one-time PP goals home; and then look like a good player doing it. Ovechkin will get shut down. Can't wait to see it happen.
- Panthers88

We'll see. As much as everyone wants to tell Caps fans about the rude awakening coming via realignment, how bad will it be for the rest of the former SE division including your Panthers ? You guys are the doormats that everyone is telling us we have been feasting on.

This.

The Caps won't get that automatic bid they have received in the modern era.

While they have some nice pieces, they can't compete within the Patrick Division.
- Doogs

Again, we will see. They might not win whatever the new division is called, but I certainly think they will be competitive and in the hunt for a playoff spot. Other than the Pens, which team in this new division has a roster which is clearly better than Washington ?

The biggest problem for the Caps is going to be the fact that your new division rivals aren't going to let Ovechkin park his ass in the face off circle to one-time PP goals home; and then look like a good player doing it. Ovechkin will get shut down. Can't wait to see it happen.
- Panthers88

Only took about 8 years for the league to figure it out, eh?

We'll see. As much as everyone wants to tell Caps fans about the rude awakening coming via realignment, how bad will it be for the rest of the former SE division including your Panthers ? You guys are the doormats that everyone is telling us we have been feasting on.
- MadCap2008

hah, exactly. The irony in trying to roast the Caps for going back into their old division. Hey FLA fan, we dominated the "poor" SE division in which your team was in. What did you guys do?

agreed

agreed
- Orpik44

With what are you agreeing ?

Ryan Miller for Filip Forsberg....oops
- toddkac

yeah i think a lot of people are still scratching their heads about that one...
forsberg looks like a future superstar

yeah i think a lot of people are still scratching their heads about that one...
forsberg looks like a future superstar
- MrBigglesworth

Didn't like the Forsberg for Erat trade at the time and still don't. It basically says one of two things, neither which are good : a) we mortgaged the future for a playoff run this year (when this team didn't seem to be an Erat away from a deep run, not that Erat would ever appear to be anyone's missing piece) or b) we f'd up in drafting Forsberg that high (which I think is a real possibility since he was projected to go significantly higher and quite a few teams passed on him).

Assigning Grades to team based on Entry Draft Selections

Before you e-mail or PM me angered by my disrespect and misjudgment of your favorite team's choice, let me one make it clear concerning this specific draft: All team GMs and fans could say how they did great. Or how poorly they did. Because of the depth this draft class at the first four tiers (See Draft Tier explanations elsewhere on DraftSite…),this draft class, from pick 1 to pick 211, may bring major contributors and impact players to many NHL teams. Whether they admit it or not, NHL teams hope that the high character youngster they select not only graduate to the pro game, but develop into high impact stars, no matter which slotting there are chosen in. This draft provides MANY chances of unearth those type players.

My grades will be based NOT on the amount of picks, but on the possibility of the drafted prospects making contributions on NHL rosters FIVE years from now.
I will start by saying the upside of this class is by far one of the finest, but I and NHL teams cannot accurate predict NHL success for them at this juncture, just draw on my opinions of the player's canvass at this particular juncture in the journey.


Of, course I will bump up grades for team where they took my favorites, or prospects are clearly ahead of the curve towards NHL long term advancement and domination. Value in the players picked and where they are picked will also be key factors.
At first glance, I like a lot of team boards.
http://www.draftsite.com/nhl/draft-history/2013/


Washington Capitals
Grade B
Andre' Burakowsky (23)
Madison Bowey (53)


The Capitals have a pick in every round and extra in the 5th. Picking in the third tier they took a chance a bit of a reach with Burkowsky, who can be erratic and non-physical, but then show off his speed moves and brilliance. He needs to be a home run for their draft to be a good one. I like Bowey and was very surprised he lasted so long, but think his present size, and inconsistencies at receiving and controlling pucks can be the only negatives I can pull. He is a developing two way defenseman who is full of enthusiasm, tenacity, and punch on both ends. Zach Sanford is an intriguing big man still developing. he is already big.You also have to love the way the Capitals took smaller defender Blake Heinrich, because he can play. Forward Pinho and defender Lewington also have a nice upside.can be