Ovechkin was on the way to his second straight MVP award. Green would be a Norris Trophy finalist. Backstrom was squeezing his distance to the "one of the finest centers inside League" discussion with 101 points and robust two-way play. Semin reached 40 objectives despite playing mostly on another line.
McPhee, Boudreau count on extra from 'Young Guns'Thursday,Offseason News By Corey Masisak - NHL.com Staff Writer Tweet ARLINGTON, Va. Two seasons ago the Washington Capitals sliced through the NHL, turning up objectives and points that could the Presidents' Trophy.
That season unraveled following 3 straight losses into the eighth-seeded Montreal Canadiens, who completed one of the breathtaking first-round upsets in League historical past. Businesses, Washington general manager George McPhee renders a lot of alterations with the roster, and is also most likely deeper and much more talented while the 2011-12 season beckons as compared to the the one which collected 121 points in 2009-10 and scored far more ambitions than any group in earlier times 20 years.
The defense corps additionally, the goaltending provides great progress over it was in a long time, and McPhee has added quite a few forwards costs 15 months to extend the grit quotient to search and every one of the club's skilled scorers.
McPhee might have constructed one of the best supporting cast inside the League, but whether the Capitals can shake the trustworthiness of being paper tiger in the postseason let alone attain their aim of claiming the Stanley Cup in my ballet shoes in franchise history still rests within the feet of the same 4 players have been along the epicenter of Washington's hockey renaissance.
Alex Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom, Mike Green and Alexander Semin are generally the muse in the franchise considering that the Jaromir Jagr trade in January 2004 signaled the beginning of a tremendous rebuild and goaltender Olie Kolzig's profession reached its twilight. Though McPhee has given back more than half belonging to the roster in past times 15 months and parted tactics and some young, talented players, those 4 players the ones who the team's advertising department when deemed the "Young Guns" are still right here.
"They are difference-makers, considering that they can indeed be definitely along with their games and committed and playing well, this group should have accomplishment," McPhee stated. "The message in them august was, 'It is time available for you guys to take control of. You are talented, you could end up a difference-maker, the good news is it's lead. We've had guys like Fedorov in and Jason Arnott, however it's your turn. You're of sufficient age, you are knowledgeable adequate now to essentially dominate and lead.' "
When Washington was on the hockey globe in the 2009-10 regular season, these four players had been considered the same as or a lot better than any quartet in hockey.
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