Capitals going to call Brad Richards

[j-bay]

http://slapshot.blogs.nytimes.com/20...he-next-chara/

[InsaneBoost]

I remember us showing interest in him during this season if I remember correctly.

[lasthe]

His price is too high, unless he takes a huge pay cut for a shot at the Cup, he'll end up with the Rangers or something.

[InsaneBoost]

Well there's two scenerios for that.

a) You know a team is a couple players short of a cup, so you take a paycut
or
b) With rumored moves the Capitals are making, enough cap space will allow him to come.

[chocolayo]

Well assuming this is true, this is the type of move the Caps really needed to make this offseason. I would assume that if we acquired Richards that it is certain that Semin will have a new home. Richards brings intangibles, leadership, and almost guaranteed 25g 40a numbers. Although shaking the nucleus is something the Caps need to do, the Caps need skilled grit; players like Brooks Laich, Scott Hartnell, and Milan Lucic. These are the type of players that will move you along in the playoffs.

When you look at our roster, Laich and Knuble are the only ones who provide this type of skilled grit. Fehr shows signs of it but didn't put up the numbers last season to show it. Chimera showed this skilled grit once we hit the post season. We have a bunch of finesse players which don't get you far enough in the playoffs. Backstrom, MJ90, Semin, Sturm, and Green. THREE of our best players are on that list and all three of them have had their struggles over the last three playoff runs. It's ok to have some finesse players but your nucleus can't be a bunch of them together. None of them want to grind or play physical brand of hockey in the playoffs. Take those three players and add our non-existent fourth line to our playoff run this year and the result ends correctly. Out in the second round.

I certainly got off topic but seemed like a good spot to talk about it

[chaos47]

backstrom was hurt in the playoffs, so it's unfair to judge him on these playoffs. but they need to continue to develop the defensive style they started to go to the end of last season, i think its too hardd to take your team from offensive to defensive in the middle of the season

[CapsSawxSkins]

I would like to see Arnott back