The Washington Capitals clinched the Southeast Division tonight with a huge win against the Winnipeg Jets at Verizon Center. Alex Ovechkin lead the way with a goal and an assist and, in my opinion, John Erksine lead the team with selfless play blocking 7 shots.
If you told me the Caps would be in this position at the start of the season, I’d say you were mad. However, the Capitals have stunned critics and played like a playoff contender, and you can thank head coach Adam Oates.
In a lockout shortened season, a rookie coach with no training camp and a team of underacheiving stars, took his club from second to last in the Conference to the Southeast title. Adam Oates’ patience in introducing his style of play and his system to a bunch of guys who have had three different systems and two different coaches in two years is something to applaud. The way he has worked with Alex Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom to turn their seasons around is more than any player can ask for. He’s earned respect from his players by having them buy into his approach, and they have silenced their critics.
A good team starts with the coach. What they say and how they act can affect how the players learn and how the players approach each game. Oates never lost faith in his system and never lost faith in his team. They have rewarded him with a winning season and a chance to play for the Stanley Cup.
Courtesy: John McDonnell/Washington Post
This last month reminds me a lot of Bruce Boudreau’s first season with the Caps. He took a deadbeat team with a budding superstar and turned them into the most feared team in the league. The run they had in that last month was one of the most exciting times in Caps history and when Sergei Fedorov helped seal the Southeast Division against the Florida Panthers in the last game of the season was something to behold. Ovechkin won the Hart, Lindsay (should still be the Pearson), and the Rocket Richard. Boudreau won the Jack Adams. Bruce started the season in November after the Caps fired Glen Hanlon, and was a rookie head coach with an underacheiving team. Sound familiar?
Adam Oates has to get some consideration for the Jack Adams this year. Everyone wrote them off at the beginning of the season, but now no one can stop talking about them. Boudreau turned Ovechkin into a 65 goal scorer. Oates turned him back into one.
There are two games left in the regular season and they are tough. Even if the Caps lose both of them it doesn’t affect their place in the standings. But let’s hope they continue this run into next week.
Even if Oates doesn’t get the attention he deserves at least the Washington Capitals are as a team. They have dug themselves out of a very deep grave and salvaged what could have been a disastorous season. Credit has to go to GM George McPhee as well. I hate to admit it, but he actually did a good job keeping this team together and not having a firesale two months ago. He believed in his coach and he believed in his team, and so do I and a few thousand other people.
Let’s Go Caps.
More to come…
