The biggest news, besides the Capitals are just 3 days away from the start of 2008/09 season, is the Washington Capitals roster is set. Some out there seemed surprised by the final roster reduction, I wasn’t. It all comes down to ability to go up and down without effect from the waiver rules and salary cap contract structures, that’s the bottom line.
The Capitals reduced their roster to 22 which is set for Tuesday. yesterday they optioned Chris Bourque and 2007 first rounder Karl Alzner to Hershey and waived veteran Quintin Laing. Laing cleared waivers and will play in Hershey. There is no doubt these reductions were the hardest decisions Bruce Boudreau has had to make this off-season.
“They were the toughest cuts I’ve ever had to make,” Coach Bruce Boudreau said of Bourque and Alzner. “Because they did everything they could. It’s just not in the cards right now.”
Correct. Fact is, Bourque has the ability to go up and down from Hershey to Washington without clearing waivers. Same with Alzner, but in addition, the Alzner decision was based on cash purposes.
Because of a quirk in the collective bargaining agreement, there is no 7.5 percent cushion for bonuses this season, so all of Alzner’s $1.675 million in compensation (his base salary plus performance incentives) would have counted against the Capitals’ salary cap figure.
I expect fully to see both of these guys at times this season in DC. Sending Alzner to Hershey cuts the Capitals roster to 6 defenseman, with Fedorov ready as a need person on defense.
Boudreau’s explanation of Alzner decision seems pretty plausible outside the money aspects…
That never came up. We think this formula has worked for Mike Green and Jeff Schultz. They learned a lot during their time in Hershey no matter how long or short they were there. Plus we have six bona fide NHL defensemen right now. Karl’s going to go down there and play 25-27 minutes a night.
Granted I agree with the decisions, for financial purposes, but in terms of skill and play, I simply would have rather had Karl Alzner on the blue line than either Milan Jurcina or John Erskine.
The Hockey News writes about the effect of the CBA (Collective Bargaining Agreement) on the financial values of NHL franchises. Although the CBA has failed to realize many of the goals is set forth, Caps owner Ted Leonsis appears to be able to live with it.
“Overall I’m much happier than I was pre-lockout,” Leonsis said. “I would say all the arrows are green.”
But all the ink remains red. In fact, Leonsis said in order for the Capitals to put themselves in a money-making situation, overall league revenues would have to actually grow more slowly than they have so far. “Then the cap would not grow as fast,” Leonsis said. “So let’s say the cap only grows $1 million or $2 million next year and we grow our revenues $10 million. We’re at the top of the cap and if it stayed there and we had a good year and we sold $10 million worth of tickets the following year…because you could raise prices and sell it out and make the playoffs. There’s a path to profitability.”
Who would have ever though the path to profitability was on less revenue? Something wrong with this picture? We can all do our part by simply selling out the Verizon Center game in and game out.
More from our excellent owner …
“We also learned that the system is created so that, if you draft and develop well – and those younger players tend to be less expensive at the start of their careers – that’s how you’ll build a good team. So we went and we traded every brand name, high-paid player who was in his 30s and went into it with the strategy of, ‘Let’s get a (draft) pick and a prospect.’
And the Capitals are reaping the benefits now as they prepare for a season of high expectations with a young roster. In fact, the roster is so set with home grown talent that newbies such as Bourque, Alzner and Sami Lepisto have to stay in Hersey another year. That is success in building.
Ted sums it up in one neat quote …
“This year, we’re kind of looked at as a model franchise. We haven’t achieved anything yet, but we’re still one of the youngest teams in the league, and we’re loaded. Now I watch as other teams face the music and you can almost see them try to emulate what (Capitals GM) George McPhee and his staff did.
Kudos to Ted and George McPhee, who took his tremendous share of criticism during the building phase.
Good article from DCist on the Caps. Point well taken on Alzner’s growth in the AHL.
Peerless has a preview up of Chris Clark. Puckhead has a shake down of the Eastern Conference.
Down in the minors …
The Hershey Bears are set for the season to begin on Wednesday (ummm, tomorrow!). I know, it sucks for Caps fans that Alzner and Bourque were optioned to Hershey, but man, Hershey Bears fans must be ecstatic. I know I am. Just 45 minutes form Hershey, I will be there for more than a few games. This roster is LOADED with Capitals top prospects, including Francois Bouchard, Mathieu Perreault, Karl Alzner, Chris Bourque, Oscar Osala, Josh Godfrey, Simeon Varlamov, Michal Neuvirth, and more, you know, prospects we all talked about last year in the juniors. After a disappointing 2007/08 season, the Bears will look to return to AHL glory with some fo the best prospects in the system. Check out Hershey Bear Hockey blog for their take on the Alzner, Bourque moves.
The Bears completed the pre-season with a perfect 3-0 record.
Hershey Bears coach Bob Woods on Bourque and Alzner joining Chocolate Town …
“I think our strong lineup just got a little bit stronger,” Bears head coach Bob Woods said. “Those are three pretty key guys.”
Both Michael Nuevirth and Simeon Varlamov are nursing minor injuries and are pretty much ready to go, but Daren Machensey will be between the pipes for the Bears on Wednesday. With Neuvirth and Varlamov OK injury wise, Hershey optioned G Bobby Goepfert to South Carolina.
The countdown is on, just three days to go tot he caps opener, 1 day to go to Hershey opener. Hockey is back!
Loading ...
FanSided
NFLMocks.com
