As we begin ramping up for the 2023-24 Washington Capitals season we want to begin rolling out a few new regular features here, introduce you to new contributors and give you a chance to give us your feedback and thoughts before the season begins.
One new feature we will be adding is a regular links post to help keep you busy folks in the loop and provide a one-stop post for all of your Capitals and hockey news. Let’s go!
CAPITALS
The Fourth Period is reporting the Flyers assistant coach Brad Shaw is still in the running for the Capitals head coaching job. [NoVa Caps]
Happy anniversary! Five years ago today, T.J. Oshie scored twice and Braden Holtby stopped all 24 shots he faced, as the Caps forced Game 7 against the Lightning in the Eastern Conference Final.
Five years ago today, @TJOshie77 scored twice and Braden Holtby stopped all 24 shots he faced, as the Caps forced Game 7 against the Lightning in the Eastern Conference Final #Hockey365 #ALLCAPS pic.twitter.com/Mgctkm9j7M
— Mike Commito (@mikecommito) May 21, 2023
According to Sportsnet’s Luke Fox, Maple Leafs assistant Spencer Carbery has garnered interest in New York but is still considered the favorite for the Capitals gig. [Sportsnet]
AROUND THE LEAGUE
Sources say NHL commissioner Gary Bettman will meet with veteran coach Joel Quenneville as soon as the season ends to review his status. [Darren Dregger]
According to the latest from Rangers insider Larry Brooks, Mike Babcock is now well into conversations with the Columbus Blue Jackets about taking over as their next head coach. [New York Post]
Clayton Keller‘s agents met with the Arizona Coyotes on Thursday to discuss the organization’s future both on and off the ice. [Sportsnet]
The NHLPA and NHL will meet this week to open discussions on a variety of issues that include the possibility of increasing the salary cap beyond the prescribed $1 million, Slap Shots has learned. [New York Post]
Pierre LeBrun on TSN 1050 radio on if the Arizona Coyotes relocate: “Salt Lake City seems to be emerging early on as a frontrunner. People have mentioned Houston and Atlanta but I think the league would rather keep those two places for future expansion”
The United States routed France 9-0 on Sunday to keep its perfect record at the ice hockey world championship. [ESPN]
Finally, congrats to former Washington Capital and Stanley Cup champion Chandler Stephenson on the overtime game winner on Sunday.
Greetings folks! Just a quick note, if you haven’t done so already, please consider subscribing to NoVa Caps posts in the “subscribe” box located in the upper right corner. Thank you!
We Like the Links! Super Stuff
Thanks “Prevent”!
Yeah, very helpful. Thanks, Jon.
Sounds like Babcock is the leader in the clubhouse turn in Columbus. A bit surprised by that.
I can’t believe leaguenis even open to discussing Quennville.
Are they honestly going to hire a coach and just give him a 3 year contract? Would a coach come here knowing that his success in the next 3 years will be limited or would he want a longer del to take him into the rebuild? Doesn’t matter who it is Shaw, Halpern, Carbery, Nelson, Allen or Warsofsky or Brunette just as long as its not a retread; do you think any of them will settle for a 3 or 4 year deal? I’m thinking 7 or 8 years to get them past the record chase and into the rebuild as why change HC in mid-stream? Might be better to pick a young HC with little experience as a HC and let him learn with an older team so he can make changes and adjust when he has to do the rebuild.
I get what you are saying, but wasn’t Lavi’s deal for three years? I agree, I think they are at least 4 years but maybe it’s a new trend.
Yes his was for 3. Just wonder wo is going to take 3 years and this team and not know what they are going to have n 3 years. Imagine where they would be is they didn’t have Ovie! Wonder what the Gm and owner would do if somewhere in the middle to the end of the 24-25 season Ovie not only passed the record but announced he was retiring. Where Backy and Oshie want to hang on until the can’t walk and needs a wheelchair I can see Ovie saying got the record and 2 good legs and want to spend time with family.
I just don’t think Ovi is going to get the record with the team we are forced to ice in the next few years. I’m sorry, but with so few offensive threats, our opponents would need to be conceding shots for him. And I don’t think hockey works that way.
Well he has 299m power play goals which averages out to 16 a year. So if he gets his average the next 3 years that would be 48. He needs 93 to pass Gretzky. if he gets his average number of PP goals each year that leaves him needing 45 goals in 3 years which is an average of 15 goals a year. So he would have to average 31 goals the next 3 years to tie and get 1 extra to break it. Even when the Caps were lousy his first 5 year he got 52, 45, 65, 56 and 50 those years. Putting it another way he needs 5.5 goals a month the last 18 months of his career to pass Gretzky. Now I realize that he is not the same player as he was when he was young but he will have a decent center and if Wilson is on the wing a good line. You also have to remember that he is not on the ice every shift and win or lose it is still 5 on 5 or 5 on 4 when Alex is on the ice. Also you never know if he will score a goal in the 5 minute overtime which would be a bonus goal. If you noticed he had 6 empty net goals last year and I feel you will see that many or maybe even more this year. It probably will take him until mid season or the trade deadline of his last season to pass the record unless he hits the 50 goal mark next season. I feel that the closer he gets the harder his teammates are going to play not just for wins but also to see him get the record. No team will willingly give him a goal except in the empty net situation. However no one has been able to shut him down for a whole season except the strike. .
Uhm, he actually needs 73 to pass Gretzky)
Woops my bad. So that means he needs to average 24 goals the next 3 years to be the record holder. And if he still averages 16 PP goals a year he only needs 8 other goals each year to pass Gretzky. Instead of 5.5 goals a month he only needs to average 4 or 1 a week. And if last year on basically the same type of team that he will have this coming season and next he could be the all time goal scorer before the trade deadline in the 24/25 season and still have over one full season to play which means we might be looking at 925-930 goals scored before he retires!
Coaches generally have a shorter shelf life than a player on any given team. Seems like 3-4 year contracts are pretty normal. Why take this gig for three years… that is the window to win. And then re-assess after that. Pay could go up. May not want to take on the rebuild. It really is perfect timing. If i were an NHL coaching candidate I would take a 3 year deal in Washington. Chance to win. Chance to coach OV and be part of history. Be part of one of the best org cultures in the NHL. Worry about post OV era after the OV era wins. Lots happens in three years.