Stay Put: Caps Won't Need Many Changes

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ANOTHER SEASON ENDED in disappointment for the Washington Capitals on Tuesday, but this time the locker room laments were not about the pains of rebuilding, but about barely missed chances, refereeing and other small things that separate winning from losing at the highest level. There was a quiet confidence in the room. The Caps were eliminated, but they also had arrived.

"Fourteen of our players had never played in the Stanley Cup playoffs, and now we've got a series under our belt. We've got a Game 7 overtime under our belt," center Brooks Laich said. "I think that's going to bode well for us in the future. Right now we're disappointed, but I think it'll be a great learning experience."

The Caps' sterling record under coach Bruce Boudreau and the glut of young talent at his disposal left many at Verizon Center looking forward to next year rather than back at a difficult first-round series. Owner Ted Leonsis declared once again that "we have a plan that's working" and that seven games against Philadelphia "was like getting their MBA in a summer program, where they aged dramatically."

The Capitals were the youngest team in this year's playoffs. Boudreau admitted "there is no substitute for playoff experience," but it was youth that nearly catapulted the Caps to the second round. Players ages 24 or under scored 18 of the team's 20 playoff goals.

Re-signing several of those young stars, especially Laich, Mike Green and Shaone Morrisonn, will be a key offseason task. But compared to previous seasons, the work required is minimal.

"Right now, what can we do? Right now, we have to relax and think about next year," said Alex Ovechkin, who is favored to be named league MVP. "We have a great team. I hope lots of players stay here. It's an unbelievable team."

» SO, NOW WHAT?
Capitals owner Ted Leonsis said "We met our goals for the year," following the team's first-round elimination by Philadelphia on Tuesday, while D Mike Green said "This time next year, we don't want to be in this position." To get from here to there, the Caps likely will have to answer the following questions:

» Goalie: Trade-deadline acquisition Cristobal Huet was stellar down the stretch, but now is an unrestricted free agent. The Caps have several contracts to negotiate this summer, and the 32-year-old goalie will be in high demand. He made about $2.9 million this season. The likely departure of long-time netminder Olie Kolzig also needs to be handled.

» Veterans: Deadline acquisitions Sergei Federov and Matt Cooke also are free agents, and GM George McPhee will have to determine whether he wants to spend to keep them or save the money for his younger players.

» Returning stars: Veteran centers Chris Clark and Michael Nylander (remember them?) missed the stretch run. Clark, a grinder who was the Caps third-leading goal scorer in 2006-07, would have made a difference against the Flyers, while Nylander was the key free agent target last summer. They're both talented, but the Caps' chemistry was great without them.

» Defenseman: A strong and experienced defenseman remains a need the team hasn't addressed. Perhaps one more dip in the free-agent pool will be needed.

Written by Express contributor Brian Straus
Photo by Jonathan Newton/The Washington Post