Capitals' Season Mercifully Ends
The moment Wayne Gretzky paraded around the ice to the admiration
of the sporting universe, referee Don Koharski dropped the puck
for a meaningless game in Buffalo.
The Washington Capitals (31-45-6, 68 points) capped their worst
season in 21 years by losing to the Sabres, 3-0.
Gretzky retired in a blaze of glory; the Capitals' season ended
in a haze of confusion. There was no reason for the Capitals to
celebrate in Buffalo as they did last June when they advanced to
the Stanley Cup finals. Instead, Washington put the final touches
on its place in history as the fourth team to sandwich an
appearance in the finals with two missed playoff bids. The New
York Rangers last accomplished the feat in 1950, the era before
expansion.
Capitals players only have one commonality with Gretzky; they'll
both be watching the playoffs from home. But unlike Gretzky,
these Capitals could never make the hoisting of the Stanley Cup
in June melodramatic. Gretzky's retirement already has become
the most significant event in sports this year. The Capitals,
meanwhile, are yesterday's news.
Washington lost its last six games of the season and was shut out
in its last two. Benoit Gratton accounted for the team's last
three goals of the season, spanning a period of four games.
Washington likely will rebuild, spending minimal money for role
players who will try to fill a void if unrestricted free agents
Mark Tinordi, Brian Bellows, Kelly Miller and Mike Eagles sign
elsewhere. General manager George McPhee likely will not re-sign
more than one of his unrestricted free agents.
McPhee will need to acquire fresh faces, because center Michal
Pivonka, 33, and goaltender Rick Tabaracci, 30, have both been
told they will not return to the team next season. Pivonka had
been a Capital for life, spending 13 years with the organization,
while Tabaracci's second stint in Washington lasted only one
season.
"I wanted to give them notice early enough to provide them time
to work something out with another club," McPhee told The
Washington Post. "Pivo is a good hockey player. But there are
times when an athlete has been with a team for too long, and
sometimes they get stale."
If McPhee's wish is granted, the Capitals will ice a younger team
next season. That will force returning players to make new
friendships.
"It'll be strange, because it'll be a much different group here
instead next year," defenseman Brendan Witt, 24, told The
Washington Post. "But everyone knew this was coming. It's going
to be weird to come to training camp and not see Dale Hunter on
the bike yelling at me to get in shape, but the work ethic is
still going to be there."
Hunter, Washington's former 38-year-old captain, was traded to
Colorado last month for a second round selection in this year's
Entry Draft.
"We're going to be a younger group and we're going to be
hungrier," Witt continued. "I think we'll be a little more
energetic in games and we'll have a little more speed."
Injuries were the curse behind the Capitals' misery this season.
The club lost 511 man-games to injury, setting a new, unofficial
NHL record. The previous record was established by these same
Capitals last season with 476.
In spite of the injury woes last season, Washington competed for
the Stanley Cup. This season, there has been no glory competing
for bandages, splints and Band-Aids.
"You are not really seeing the Washington Capitals, nobody has
seen them all season," coach Ron Wilson said. "We had 511
man-games to injury. We've got to find a way, whether it's
finding people who are comfortable being hurt and moving them
somewhere else or fixing up our summer training program. We'll be
younger next year. Up until a few weeks ago, we were one of the
oldest."
