2009-10 NHL preview: Washington Capitals

When the Washington Capitals finally decide on a net minder, they are going to be a very dangerous Hockey team. Until then the hockey fans in America’s capital are going to remain pretty frustrated. They already have the best player in the NHL today in Alex Ovechkin, and have A Norris Trophy worth defenseman in Mike Green, but a solid net minder still eludes them.

The Capitals have had four nominal number one goalies over the past three seasons. First their was Olaf Kolzig, who was replaced by Cristobal Huet. When Huet left as a free agent, the team turned to Veteran Jose Theodore, when he struggled in the playoffs last year the team turned to Semyon Varlamov. He took the mall the way to a game seven in the second round of the playoffs before losing to eventual Stanley Cup Champion Pittsburgh Penguins. Now Varlamov will get a chance to play in the regular season.

Now the Caps have three goalies that will battle one another for playing time. Theodore did win 32 games for this tam a year ago, then Varlamov went goal for goal with Pittsburgh’s Marc Andre-Fleury, and the team has MVP of the AHL playoffs in prospect Michal Neuvirth. Getting the goal tender situation is the top priority of this team, and their is little else to get done on the to do list.

Additions- RW Mike Knuble and F Brendan Morrison

Subtractions- LW Donald Brashear, F Sergei Federov, G Brent Johnson, F Viktor Kozlov, D Sami Lepisto, and F Graham Mink