The Case for Willie Mitchell

 photo by Getty Images

GMGM has remained vague about signing any more free agents, saying that the Caps were done but not sounding definitive while saying it.  With Willie Mitchell visiting the Capitals and Kettler Capitals Iceplex this week and having "a very good meeting," could Mitchell be the ace up McPhee's sleeve?

A related question could be: Do the Caps really need Mitchell?  In a word, yes.  One of the persistent issues with the Capitals roster has been the lack of defensive defensemen - the "stay at home" guys who aren't afraid to make the tough hits and are valuable on the penalty kill.  The Caps lost perhaps their only good stay at home defensemen when free agent Shaone Morrisonn (who last year trailed only Alex Ovechkin for the team high in hits) signed with Buffalo.  

The Caps are gaining John Carlson and Karl Alzner,  but both are rookies who lack the experience of a seasoned blue-liner.  Jeff Schultz has stepped up his defensive play in recent years, leading the league in +/- last year, leading the team in blocked shots (129), and improving his hit count with 66 last year.  However, for some perspective, John Erskine bested Schultz in hit total (by over 40 hits) while playing 30 fewer games.

While Willie Mitchell, 33, missed almost half of last season with post-concussion syndrome (thanks to a hit by Evgeni Malkin), his 2008-09 stats show a definite knack for defense.  In that season, he had 82 hits (one per game) and blocked 125 shots.  He was fourth on the Canucks in takeaways with 39.  He also led the team in +/-, finishing up the season with a career-high +29.  Mitchell was awarded the Canucks' trophy, the Babe Pratt Trophy, for best defenseman on the team in 2008 and 2009.

With Kevin Bieksa, Mitchell has been a one half of arguably the best defensive pairing on the Canucks - Bieksa's offensive mindset complements Mitchell's strong defense and long reach (Mitchell uses a stick at the league-maximum of 63 inches).  I'd love the idea of a top defensive line of Mike Green and Willie Mitchell - Green would be a little more free to explore his offensive side without too much worry over the blue line going unprotected.

Only time will tell who Mitchell decides to sign with - Los Angeles and San Jose are in the signing mix with the Caps.  The Canucks haven't been ruled out either; re-signing Mitchell may be an option for them.  But Caps fans are pushing for McPhee to sign someone of Mitchell's physical presence.  The Caps have a decent amount of room under the salary cap.  And it's undeniable that the Caps could use him.

Mitchell is expected to make his decision by the end of the week.
UPDATE 8/25/10 - Willie Mitchell has signed a 2-year contract with the LA Kings.

Hockey is Everywhere

On the way back from vacationing in Hilton Head Island, I stopped for gas at a station off I-95 in Selma, North Carolina (Population: 7,008).  Pumping gas in my Capitals John Carlson shirt, the guy at the pump on the other side of me noticed my team loyalty.

"Is that your team?"

"Yup."

"At least you have a team.  I'm from just north of Toronto.  We haven't had a team for a while.  But Brian Burke's working on it..."

The conversation got me thinking.  First of all, hockey really is everywhere, even between a Capitals fan and a Maple Leafs fan in bumblef*ck North Carolina.

But it also reminded me how lucky Caps fans are.  When I think about all the moaning thats been going on this offseason about the moves the Caps have made, it just makes me realize that we are so much better off than the majority of NHL fans.  And we really do take it for granted.

We have a coach who took over a team in the middle of a complete renovation, and turned them into a President's Trophy-winning Cup contender in just a few seasons.  Boudreau constantly pushes his players to be better, admits it when his players are wrong, and defends them when they're being unjustly criticized.  In fact, he won a Jack Adams trophy for his tremendous coaching in his first season at the helm.  He hadn't even coached a full season when he won - he joined the team in the end of November and won that June.

People have also been tough on General Manager George McPhee this offseason.  Yes, the ending to last season was extremely disappointing, but it wasn't GMGM's fault - Montreal is a good team that had a hunger greater than ours.  McPhee has been one of the most adept GMs in the biz.  He's one of the smartest drafters in the entire league, bringing little names like Alex Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom, Mike Green, Semyon Varlamov, and John Carlson to the Caps.  And when necessary, developing them through one of the greatest minors systems available and bringing them in to the big leagues just when they're ready.  He's also smart when it comes to money.  The Caps are one of the few teams not in a load of trouble right now with the salary cap.  His sharp decisions earned him a nomination for the first-ever General Manager of the Year award this June.

Basically, at least we know that our team will have a postseason.  Our season isn't a total crapshoot - we know our team can win, WILL win.  So stop complaining, Caps fans.  At least we aren't the Maple Leafs.

Sorry, Leafs fans.  No offense intended.  We were there once too.

An Open Letter to George McPhee

photo by Washington Post/Newsweek Interactive 

Dear George,

First off, I'd like to thank you and Owner Ted Leonsis for everything you've done for this team over the past couple years. You've taken risks with the team and they've paid off (see: Ovechkin, Alex and Boudreau, Bruce). With the trade deadline less than a month away, I'd like to give you some advice for this important date:

Do absolutely nothing.

Yes, I said do nothing. I can honestly say right now that this is a Stanley Cup team. We of course have the stars, our "Young Guns," but the trades from last year's offseason and this year's mid-season have created the depth the team has been lacking in previous seasons.  

We now have Mike Knuble, "the garbage man," whose work in front of the net is undeniably valuable. His GWG against Pittsburgh just added to his impressive stats – he has 16 points in the last 14 games. He's also become a leader on the ice, perhaps filling a little bit of the hole that Sergei Federov left when he departed for the KHL last year. The respect that his teammates have for him is evident; he didn't get the "A" on his sweater for nothing.

Brendan Morrison was also a great pick-up. Another veteran, and a former member of the famed "West Coast Express" line, he's become a solid assist man for the Caps, racking up 21 assists so far this season. While he's been having a bit of a goal slump lately, he's remained decent on faceoffs, winning just over 50% of all his draws. He has also shown us some gorgeous moves that have rivaled Alexander Semin.

A more recent acquisition was Jason Chimera from the Columbus Blue Jackets. It's no secret that I was never a fan of Jurcina, but I'll try to keep that bias out of this post in this case. I'll admit I didn't know much about Chimera before he arrived in Washington. In his first couple games, I couldn't really formulate an opinion. But I've come up with an opinion now: He is the fastest player I have ever seen. When there's a race to the puck, Chimera is the guy you want on the ice. Not only that, but he also has become a bit of an enforcer, but unlike Brashear, he's an enforcer that can also produce. He has 10 points in his first 20 games as a Capital. He's already gotten a Gordie Howe hat trick for his play on January 13 in an eventual shootout win against the Panthers, just two weeks after joining the team.

Jose Theodore has been having his best season yet as a Capital, and looks to be the Vezina- and Hart-winning goalie he once was. It's been wonderful seeing him finally have confidence in his ability and make those saves that someone 10 years younger than him probably couldn't make. We also have that depth in the crease now; even with Semyon Varlamov injured, Michal Neuvirth has been providing solid goaltending in his recent starts, and continues to improve. Neuvirth will definitely become a valuable NHL goaltender once we start needing him full-time.

I also have to address Jeff Schultz. To be honest, I've never been a fan of his. I thought he often was lazy and loose with the puck. But this season, he has proved me wrong. He has matured to an extent I didn't think possible. He's been a shot-blocking machine lately, and his impressive +/- rating can't be denied. Hey, I can admit when I'm wrong.

With this roster, the Capitals have their best chance yet to become Stanley Cup Champions. We finally have that depth we've been seeking for so many years. It's becoming more and more evident when you look at our unprecedented 14-win streak. Let's stick with what we got, George. Let's just let these guys win.

Sincerely,

Erika