Photo credit: Graig Abel

Saturday night, during the Capitals’ 4-2 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs, future AHL hall-of-famer Keith Aucoin scored his first NHL goal of the season, and his first since October 24, 2009. For those who are counting, that’s 854 days.

“It’s been about two years now, I think, since I last scored a goal,” Aucoin said with a smile to The Washington Times’ Stephen Whyno. “It’s only been 10, 11 games, but it feels like forever, and it was nice to finally get one and help the team win.”

General Manager George McPhee, clearly unimpressed by his feat (or more likely saving cap space ahead of tomorrow’s trade deadline), sent Aucoin back down to Hershey early this morning.

Coiner’s goal was so pretty, it deserves a closer look. Let’s set the scene. After going down 2-0 to the Caps within the first five minutes and then 3-0 by the second period, the Leafs were left scrambling to climb out of a hole. The play starts at 5:13, with the Caps in possession of the puck in their own zone.

Mike Green looks to exit their defensive zone by passing it to Marcus Johansson.

Mojo takes the pass along the boards.

And fumbles it!

Tim Connolly takes the turnover. Ugh.

And looks to wrist a shot past Neuvirth.

Green utilizes the kamikaze dive to force Connolly to deke.

Now Connolly fumbles the puck and it goes to the corner.

Matthew Lombardi retrieves the puck and sends a centering pass to…

Alex Ovechkin!

Go!

Ovi!

Go!

“Hm, looks like my boi Aucoin is guarded.”

“Let’s try pass to Mojo!”

Mojo shoots!

Just kidding!!

Reimer: “Omigosh, my defense isn’t guarding anyone.”

BAM!

“Just how Dale drew it up!”

Reimer: “Kill me now.” Leafs fan at bottom-left corner: “What in the hell was that?”

Aucoin: “So this is what it feels like to score an NHL goal again!”

And that concludes terrible hockey by both teams.

Video

Now that I have gotten my feelings on free agency out of my system, I’m ready to take a look at some of the bargain UFAs that may still be available. I mean, does it matter if I think Matthew Lombardi was a decent contract and second line center option while you say The Little Viking, Matty P. and/or Flash can handle the load, since we’ll both be cheering the Caps to a Cup anyway? Together. Like BFFs?

Speaking of BFFs, some of your favorite Caps filed for arbitration, and if history is any guide, all three will be in line for sizable raises over last year’s salary. Since there was virtually no FA signing during “The Frenzy”, I would say — that unless something crazy happens– all three will be on the Caps roster come opening night. It doesn’t make sense to let a talented player walk away for nothing and that’s what the Caps would have to do if they decided the arbitration awards were too high.

To me, a worse case scenario would be:

• Flash, $2.5 million
• Fehr, $2 million
• Schultz, $3 million

Anything up to those amounts and I think the Caps will agree. Under this scenario, the Caps would have ~$5.3 million left for two (2) open roster slots (according to Capgeek).  With that said, here are three players I think could be available for a decent (read: “bargain”) price:

Frederick (Freddy) Meyer IV, D

There could be debate as to whether he is ready to be a Top 4 Defenseman, and while he certainly wasn’t paid like one ($587,500 cap hit in 2010), his numbers suggest he could be a true bargain– perhaps even a budding shutdown blueliner.

Frederick Meyer IV started only 45.3% of the time in the offensive zone.  He had the worst teammate ranking (CorsiQoT = -5.787) on the NYI blueline.  He also faced decent opposition (CorsiQoc = .508) playing for the Isles. Those are some tough minutes on the ice. Despite playing in his own end, with weak teammates and against the better than average competition, he still had a positive shot ratio (Corsi=0.40) and was the only blueliner on NYI where his team had a better goal differential when he was on the ice (CorsiOn = 1.36). He also blocked 2.36 shots per 60 minutes on the ice.

As a 4th or 5th DMan, I think Meyer could be an excellent bargain.

Eric Belanger, C

Some of you may be familiar with him and be surprised he is on this list, but he knows the Caps system and is not a bad option at the pivot. No word on whether or not he would demand a better dental plan.

Despite starting only 46.3% of the time in the offensive zone he still managed to put up almost two points per 60 minutes of ice time – in line with all the other Washington centers whose name doesn’t rhyme with Pickless Mackstrom. Add to that the second best Corsi number (.48) on the Caps and for less than $2mil, I think he is a decent bargain.

John Madden, C

At 37 years old anything outside of a one-year contract and this ceases to be a bargain, but with three Stanley Cups for two different teams he could be the experienced veteran who knows how to win the Caps need.

His starting a measly 37.1 % of the time in his own offensive zone could explain the lack of offensive production more than his age, but Washington wouldn’t need his offensive output. Instead, they could use a center who at 36 played against the second best competition with the worst teammates the Hawks had to offer their pivots on their way to a Stanley Cup.

After making $2,750,000 last year, we can’t be sure he would take less, but you don’t get to sign a 3-time Cup winner everyday.

Lately, George McPhee hasn't gotten much credit for the 121 point team he's assembled. Is the criticism he's recieved justified? (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

Photo above taken by Phil of Capitals Outsider

It must be hard owning a professional sports team. Every crackpot with an internet connection is either emailing you, posting articles about you, or just simply trashing you in 140 characters or less.

It’s probably harder still to be a General Manager. Talk about loneliness. You get little credit for drafting the superstar everyone knew would pan out, yet take tons of abuse for those trades/signings that just don’t make sense. You even get crap for the moves that you don’t make, even if you told everyone beforehand that you weren’t going to make them. Then some of your precious assets file arbitration and you don’t know what to expect. On the surface it seems that you were shrewd in holding off on the UFA frenzy, but until we see what the arbitration  rulings are and which, if any, of the deals you walk away from it’s too soon to tell.

It’s also hard being a fan – especially a true fan – in the internet age. Sure, the internet provides us comfort (misery loves company, eh?) after our beloved team flames out in the first round after an exciting regular season performance. It also allows us – perhaps too easily – to give our opinion on what happened. Whether that was the lack of scoring from the second line or the vacancy of a shut-down defenseman on the blueline. Either way, the accessibility to information, and even the players and executives themselves, sometime makes us feel like we are qualified to run the team we have loved for decades. And obviously, we are not.

That’s where hope comes in. And trust. Yes, some owners/GMs do deserve the benefit of the doubt. But it is hard to have hope that Tomas Fleischmann, who started 50% of the time in the offensive zone, had the second-best teammate ranking (CorsiQoT = 5.53) of the Caps centermen (the best, not suprisingly was Backstrom, 8.83) while playing against the second worst competition (CorsiQoc = -1.45) the Caps opponents had to offer a pivot could be an answer at 2nd line center. Even playing pretty cushy minutes, he still managed a NEGATIVE shot ratio (Corsi = -.72), meaning there were more shots directed at his OWN net when he was on the ice. In addition, ALL of the Caps pivots had a better goal differential when they were on the ice – except Flash, who was -1.10.

In fact, the only Caps that had a negative goal differential when they were on the ice:

Karl Alzner, -2.81
Tyler Sloan, -3.73
Chris Borque, -7.55
Jason Chimera, -2.03

Maybe Chimera gets a pass because Behind the Net doesn’t split Chimera’s Corsi numbers from his time in CBJ, but the rest of that list is either a rookie or players just not up to the skill level of the NHL.

Is Mathieu Perreault the answer? (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

I understand this isn’t a democracy, and the prevailing thought in the organization is that we  “don’t really have a lot of holes to fill and we’re pretty confident our young guys can do it anyway.” However, the odds are not on Mathieu Perreault’s side either. Out of the 688 skaters drafted in the 6th round from 1963-2002, each has averaged 93 games played with 16G/25A scored on average – for their entire careers. Even with a healthy 57.50% of starts in the offensive zone and playing against the worst competition of all Caps’ pivots (CorsiQoc = -2.39), he still managed to be a -2 with only 3 points in his last 13 games with the big club. Not exactly the second-line center needed for a legitimate Cup run. I will still hope it works out, even though hope is not a strategy.

I mean, Mike Green was hurt last postseason and we all hoped he would make up for his lackluster performance in the first round against Montreal, only to be held without a goal.

We hoped Alex Semin’s 40-goal scoring ability would provide a much needed spark on the second line, only to also be held goalless.

We hoped the regular season success of Bruce Boudreau’s system – which wins 70% of its games – would carry over into the post season. Yet, it is now a woeful 13-15 in the playoffs.

We hoped that when George McPhee and Ted Leonsis said “[d]on’t expect us to go crazy in free agency“, it meant the Caps would get at least one impact player like a second line center or shut down defenseman, but instead it was Dany Sabourin.

We hope that arbitration doesn’t jack up the price so much on Fleischmann that a signing like Matthew Lombardi’s seems reasonable for a true center for the second line.

I know, I know: July has just started and there is still plenty of time. There are still plenty of “bargains” available. Maybe we could even improve via a trade! However, one of the benefits of the UFA market is that you get to keep your young talent in place. I have a hard time seeing the Caps making a trade using a part of their “great pipeline of home grown talent,” unless it is Alexander Semin. Not sure what the going rate is for 40 goal scoring wingers with a $6 mil cap hit who go AWOL during the playoffs, but I guess we’re going to find out.

So we will continue to wait and we most certainly will continue to hope that there is still time to find that missing piece to the puzzle, despite most of the top tier, impact free agents have already signed with other clubs.

Until then, hope is our strategy.

Sure, maybe it was stating the obvious when we said the second-line center the Caps should target is Matthew Lombardi, but it’s more than that. If we look at the numbers, I think he is the ONLY viable option in free agency.

Luckily our first line center is set in stone for the next decade. You may have heard of him; he’s kind of a big deal. But then there is quite a drop off:

Under contract are Michael Nylander and Brooks Laich. The team will pay Nylander’s $3 million salary next season but will make sure it doesn’t count against the salary cap by assigning him to Europe (again) or sending him to Hershey, leaving just Brooksy.

There is RFA Tomas Fleischmann, who, if you ask his agent, is comparable to Montreal center Tomas Plekanec. So, thanks, but no thanks.

GM George McPhee has said the Caps do not plan to re-sign center Brendan Morrison, a UFA.

That leaves Eric Belanger, who despite being an UFA is “still on the team’s radar.”

So, at center we have Backstrom– possibly Belanger– and Laich, who may be better suited to LW.

If we look at Goals Created for Belanger, we see he created 14.3 goals in 77 games. Or .7 per 60 minutes of ice time. That’s our benchmark. I am not alone in thinking Belanger is at best a #3 center, so any option the Caps consider has to be an improvement over Belanger – or they should simply sign Belanger and hope for the best.

With Plekanec and Marleau off the table, the free agent options become:

Vinny Prospal, who created 19.9 goals last season, and Saku Koivu, who created 18.2 goals. Both will be over 35 years old next season, and the stats on centers over 35 are not encouraging:

From 1987-88 to 2009-10, there have been only 35 centers, aged 35 or older, who have played more than 50 games, had 15+ goals and 30+ assists in a season – the average stats for a second-line centerman. That’s fewer than two players per year!

Olli Jokinen (16.6 goals created) & Matt Cullen (16.3) are only slight upgrades to Belanger– leaving Matt Lombardi, who created 18.4 goals and at 27 years old is just now entering what could be the prime of his career.

Have a better option? Let us know in the comments.

This man may be the answer to the Capitals Second Line Center Woes.

First, the Montreal Canadiens signed leading scorer Tomas Plekanec to a six-year, $30 million contract on Tuesday. Then, the San Jose Sharks sign Patrick Marleau to a four-year contract a week before he would have become a free agent. This eliminated the two best (albeit pricey) options the Caps had to fulfill a glaring need: second-line center.

So we panic right? I mean, it’s over, Johnny, right?

Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor? Hell no!

Is this Washingtonian photo contest (where my picture “ Taking in the Sights” is in second place and could use some votes) over? Nope. (Mostly because voting ends June 30th. Seriously go vote for me.)

Bet you’re asking, “Then who, hot shot?”

We’ll tell you who.

Because even though this NHL free agent season is sure to be overshadowed by a “scary” NBA Free Agent class, there’s a second-line center available that the Caps should target: Matthew Lombardi.

Don’t believe us? Okay, fine. Keep sitting there, re-reading the Plekanic and Marleau signings and entering numbers on Capgeek trying to figure out how the Caps can make a trade for one of them.

Keep on sitting there, ignoring that Lombardi brings blinding speed to the table and is one of the fastest players in the NHL contributing to a career-high 53 points in 2009-10.

Keep sitting there, ignoring that he plays good two-way hockey and is aces on the power play with 16 power play points while leading PHX skaters with 3:20 of TOI/Gm on the Power Play.

Okay, okay, he’s not a No. 1 center, but you get the point, right? I mean, Caps have a pretty good number one center now.

Speaking of things that should be number one, please go vote for me.