Caps Trade a Guy, Get Other Guys, Fans Are Like WHAT!?

Filip Forsberg has never played a single game as a Washington Capital.  He hasn't even played a game for the Hershey Bears.  However that didn't stop several fans on Twitter from calling for the firing of the Capitals general manager George McPhee after the Caps traded the prospect to the Predators for guy named Erat (not an online store to buy rats) and a minor leaguer.  So what do I think?  Hmmm.

The Caps Could Use "A Guy Like Arnott"

What seems like eons ago (but was actually only one spring ago) the Caps picked up winger Marco Sturm off of waivers and traded for defenseman Dennis Wideman. Also that season, the Caps acquired center Jason Arnott at the trade deadline via a trade with the New Jersey Devils. Sturm is now in Florida after a brief stay in Vancouver, Wideman now plays for the Flames, and Arnott is an unrestricted free agent who was on the Blues last season.

Of all the players that the Capitals “leased” at the end of 2011, Arnott is the one that if he had stuck around, could have had a chance to make an impact for the Caps in 2012-13. Arnott is still a solid center who can play on any line interchangeably. The center exhibits veteran leadership and is a strong presence in the locker room, intangibles that are going to be needed with the departure of Mike Knuble.

With no "grizzled" veterans on the team (Roman Hamrlik? Well he is grizzled) and a team chock full of players who haven't made it far in the Playoffs, a guy likeArnott could provide a veteran presence that could benefit the younger players. Unlike most players on the current Capitals roster, Arnott has won a Stanley Cup. That day came back in 2000 with the New Jersey Devils. His career accolades include a go with the Rookie All Star team back in 1994 and two All-Star games in 1997 and 2008.

The former Caps center is a solid, skilled player who made an impact on the team during his brief time in 2011. The Caps acquired center Mike Ribeiro in the offseason but a player like Arnott would expand the depth at the position. Plus he could provide some guidance to young players like Mattias Sjogren and Mathieu Perreault. Arnott is currently a free agent and is being looked at by the Vancouver Canucks. He would be a cheap sign with some solid benefits.

Now after the signing of Mike Ribeiro the team may not need to add another center. But as Caps new head coach Adam Oates said, the number one priority is winning the Cup, and a "guy like Arnott" anywhere on the roster would bring the Capitals some experience that could help get to that goal.

Written By Camilla A., Updated From Her Blog Capital Connection

Caps Sign A Healthy Scratch

Wojtek Wolski played in the first 2 games of the NHL Playoffs in 2012 for the Florida Panthers.  After playing less than 21 minutes and making no impact on the scorecard he was a healthy scratch for the next 5 games in the series.

Over the course of 2011-12, Wolski went from healthy scratches with the Rangers to healthy scratches with the Panthers and in the past 3 seasons he has played for 4 different teams.

The Caps have allegedly told Wolski he can be a top-6 with the Capitals in the upcoming 2012-13 season; although they only gave him a $600,000 one year deal.  If the team actually believes that bold statement then this is a great low-risk high-reward deal.

But do the Caps really feel that a guy who has struggled to contribute to good hockey teams following a sports hernia injury can be one of the main scorers on the team?

The Caps will be without Alexander Semin in the upcoming season and they would have to be sent to Shutter Island if they believed that Wolski could possibly fill even a part of the elite Russian's skates.

But if Wolski can mimic even a bit of the season he had in 2009-10 when he tallied 65 points and scored 42 goals, it would be a step in the right direction.  If he doesn't, well it's only 600k down the drain...

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I know you Caps fans want to be part of the Wojtekkies!

Some Offseason Questions & A Poll

Sure we are now more professional (lol) at Caps Basektball now that we are a part of the Nexus, but this is my first ever hockey offseason so I have some questions that need answering!  (Yeah, I'd ask the head hockey writer, but where is the fun in that)

1.  When does the hockey free agency period begin?

2.  Is it going to be exciting, or is there just 1 big free agent (Parise)?

3.  I hear Parise is expensive.  Would the Caps ever consider him?

4.  Are there any free agents out there the Caps should target?

5.  What positions do the Caps need to target?

6.  Will the Caps give Semin the long-term contract he wants?

7.  Who do you think is gone?

8.  How much does LW and RW have to do with roster moves?

I know, lots of these are opinion, but just wanted to get a quick glimpse of what is going to happen over the summer.  Also answer this poll question.

The following question is NOT who would you rather have on your team.  If both guys were on your squad, which one would you want as captain?

Who Would You Rather Have As Captain?