The finale ended with a thud, a shutout loss and another team celebrating on the ice. It also ended with a promise. There, in the middle of the locker room, owner Ted Leonsis announced the end of the Capitals’ rebuilding period.
Well, sort of. And no one said this Saturday, but there’s another obvious point: this is a huge offseason for the franchise, coming off consecutive 70-point seasons and finishing 21 points out of the playoffs.
“This team can take a big leap,” general manager George McPhee said, “if we do the right things.”
Said goalie Olie Kolzig, “There has to be change. … But, we have to stay patient.”
That does not mean an open checkbook policy will be in play. But it does mean the fiscally-prudent Capitals have ended, to some extent, their evaluation process after three straight non-playoff seasons.
“We had to get through a couple of years of playing young players to know who can play and who can’t,” McPhee said. “We knew it would be a tough couple of years. Now it’s more about team construction than anything.”
Leonsis said they’d like to add a top center and/or a veteran defenseman, or two, plus a wing. Last year’s top draft pick, center Nicklas Backstrom, might be in Washington next year, which could provide another boost. They viewed winger Alexander Semin akin to a free agent signing; he finished with 73 points, pairing with Alex Ovechkin (92 points) to form a strong duo.
But Leonsis noted how much teams such as Boston, Chicago and Phoenix spent on free agency last year — yet didn’t make the playoffs.
“We want to make sure we spend money the right way,” he said. “Because we have so many young assets, we can be active in the trade market.”
Nobody said if any jobs were on the line, though it’s hard to imagine that not being the case. The frustration level is high.
“We put a plan together a few years ago and it’s a lot easier to talk about a plan than to actually live it,” McPhee said. “It’s been tough living through this, but we can see a light down the road.”
Said captain Chris Clarke, “I hate having my team be a losing team. It’s just as frustrating for [the fans] as for us. Things will change.”
And next year will be about more than building. It’ll be about wins.
“It has to be,” coach Glen Hanlon said. “We have to make strides in that area.”
Decisions, decisions
» The order of the lottery teams will be announced Tuesday, meaning the Capitals will know if they’ll pick first overall in the June draft. That’s their “reward” for finishing in the bottom five for the third straight year.
» Among the possible free-agent targets at center (which likely would cost at least $5 million a season): Pavel Datysuk, a Russian who has played with Alex Ovechkin in the past; Chris Drury and Scott Gomez.
» The top free-agent defensemen (who could command around $6 million a year) are: Mathieu Schneider, Sheldon Souray, Kimmo Timonen, Brian Rafalski and Roman Hamrlik.
