No use looking back, we have replayed history again (sort of like a double negative). Halak will go down in Caps history with Billy Smith (Islanders), Ron Hextal (Flyers), Ron Tugnutt (Pens) as goalies that just shut down my Washington Capitals in the playoffs.
How do you go forward? What deficiencies do you have to overcome?
1. The Caps are an open ice, regular season wonder. In pro basketball and hockey, the regular season and playoffs are played differently. Both sports end up with grinding, tense games. The Caps are not prepared for that kind of hockey.
2. Plan A and no plan B. When the fastbreak is not working, the Capitals have no plan B. The team needs to work on some other offensive sets.
3. The defense is behind the offense. The offensive team is older and more established than the defense. Three rookies played in the series and a lot of ice time was used by new acquisition Joe Corvo. It sure would have been nice if the Caps had signed Hal Gill and Rob Scuderi, both solid free-agent defensemen in the past offseason.
4. An upgrade at center. Backstrom is the one top level center that the team has. The Caps really missed Sergei Federov who left the team to go back to Russia after last season.
I think the goaltending will work itself out. No need to add bodies there.
Do you trade Green, Semin, or a goalie? Maybe. If I could, I would hold on them now. Overall, give me two real defensemen and a top-flight center and the team can get to the Cup next season.
What do you folks think?