Washington Capitals Hockey
Friday, April 4, 2008
One More Quick Look Back
With a HUGE night on the out-of-town scoreboard
beginning in a few short hours, let's take a brief moment to look at a
couple of the Caps recent moves.
Let's start in net with Cristobal Huet, who
has made
Olie Kolzig
look like Kevin Weekes
up in New Jersey backing up Marty
Brodeur. Looking back to December, I hate to say "I told you so," but I TOLD YOU SO.
After watching the Capitals lose a game 5-2 that they should have won
by that score, I wrote:
Huet,
despite a career 2.46 GAA and .919, has been
relegated to a
backup role in Montreal and is due to become an unrestricted free agent
at the end of this season. A former seventh round draft pick, Huet will
likely be leaving Montreal to sign as a starter elsewhere -- he could
be the #1 guy for at least 20 other teams in this league (including
Washington) and will command top dollar as such. With Kolzig also on
the verge of unrestricted free agency, the Capitals have the room to go
after a guy like Huet if they want to be a serious contender. But we'll
save the speculation for another day.
That "another day," apparently was February 26 and the
Capitals have since become a serious contender -- if they do indeed
reach the playoffs.
Now on to the Matt
Pettinger for Matt
Cooke deal. Last night, Pettinger's Vancouver Canucks lost
to the Edmonton Oilers, thus eliminating them from the playoff race.
The Canucks are just 7-10-2 since the trade while the Capitals have
gone 14-4-0.
And Pettinger? He saw his ice time decrease every single
game during the Canucks' last 7 games, 6 of which were losses. Just two
weeks ago, Pettinger played 15:40. In last night's loss Petty was on
the ice for all of 7:19, the least of any Canuck.
Now how 'bout that Russian who is supposedly past his
physical prime? Sergei
Fedorov has provided the veteran leadership this team has
been desperate for. And with 163 points in 162 career playoff games on
his resumee, his presence will be that much more critical. Donald Brashear is
next on the Caps with just 49. Not to mention the Capitals' number one
line has never scored a goal in the postseason (Viktor Kozlov has
none in 14 games.)
Clearly the trades have worked out magnificently for
Washington and with a win on Saturday, the Capitals are likely to reach
the postseason for the first time in five years. Especially with a
little help this evening.
LETS GO PANTHERS!
LETS GO DEVILS!
LETS GO SENS/BRUINS GAME DECIDED IN REGULATION!
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