Independent voices from the TWT Communities
Because the Washington Capitals were done before the final horn in Game 7 Monday night, those watching had some extra time to contemplate general manager George McPhee's work this offseason. But after the Caps became the only NHL team to make the Stanley Cup playoffs in each of the past six years and not reach at least the conference finals, don't expect much to look different when they open the 2013-14 season.
Ribeiro was second on the Caps in points (13 goals and 36 assists for 49) behind only Hart Trophy candidate Alex Ovechkin. Ribeiro was the Caps' first-half MVP, taking the load off Nicklas Backstrom and other stars who weren't producing early.
Martin Erat won't be in the Washington Capitals' lineup for Game 5 of the Eastern Conference quarterfinals Friday night against the New York Rangers after suffering an apparent left wrist or forearm injury in Game 4.
The 29-year-old skated for more than an hour Wednesday but was limited. Laich hasn't played since aggravating a groin injury April 4 and said he had skated a few times before Wednesday and was "unsure" on a timeline.
After a victory late in the regular season that included two goals by Alex Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom was asked if it felt like the "good old days" when the franchise cornerstones powered a high-scoring team. "It depends how it is in the playoffs," he said. "And we weren't that successful in the playoffs in the past."
Holtby will start the regular-season finale against the Boston Bruins as he and the Caps get into playoff pattern.
On Tuesday night he missed his 34th game of the year, and there's no telling when the 29-year-old forward will return. It might not be this season.
Forward saw Dr. Michael Brunt and another specialist this week, and coach Adam Oates says doctors are “having a tough time identifying exactly” what the problem is.
Ward hosted an advance screening of the movie "42" at Mazza Gallerie in Friendship Heights and gave a speech about what the number and Robinson meant to him.
A groin injury kept Laich out for the first 28 games of the season with a groin injury, and he has missed the past three. He suffered a lower-body injury Thursday that coach Adam Oates said negatively impacts Laich's groin.
Brooks Laich will see a groin specialist Tuesday as the Washington Capitals hope to pinpoint exactly what's wrong with the injured forward.
Back from another groin injury, Mike Green isn't worried about limitations, and the firepower that made him a star has seemingly returned.
Braden Holtby doesn't have the heaviest workload among goaltenders around the NHL. He's not even in the top 10 in starts. But Holtby is undoubtedly the man for the Washington Capitals, having started 10 straight games. He's 7-2-1 with 2.25 goals-against average and .925 save percentage in that time.
Fourteenth in the Eastern Conference on March 20, the Southeast Division lead was nine points away and looked like an impossible dream. A little more than two weeks later, the Caps are in first place and in a playoff position for the first time all season by virtue of their 2-1 shootout victory over the New York Islanders.
George McPhee is either a genius who has been able to oversell or a schlub who got taken in a moment of delusion and mad desire to finally see his team make a real, live run at the Stanley Cup. We may know the answer in a couple of weeks. We may not know for a few years.
"They said that this was decided before that we weren't going to risk you based on circumstance; we were going to look out for your long-term health and your career and the answer I got is sort of 'protect myself from myself,' which is what I really need."
Capitals notes: Mike Ribeiro seeks 4-5 years in next contract →
"Prior to the series or during the series, I guess, our medical staff and George McPhee and the coaching staff, they made the decision that my return wasn't going to be predicated upon circumstance but upon timeline," Laich said.
Capitals notes: Mike Ribeiro seeks 4-5 years in next contract →
