Caps Stay Quiet

Part three of my off-season look at the Washington Capitals.

The Washington Capitals haven't been up to much since the season ended with a sweep at the hands of the Tampa Bay Lightning in early May. So far, none of the team's free agents have been re-signed and only defenseman Patrick McNeill and goalie Dany Sabourin have been brought back -- and, most likely, both will play for the AHL's Hershey Bears next season.

That means the fates of Brooks Laich, Karl Alzner, Semyon Varlamov, Matt Bradley, Boyd Gordon, Jason Arnott, Marco Sturm, and Scott Hannan have yet to be determined. It also means that the team still has the same roster that hasn't gotten in done in the playoffs under Coach Bruce Boudreau.

Additionally, the team signed Swedish center Mattias Sjogren to a two-year entry-level contract and traded for left wing Taylor Stefishen from the Nashville Predators in exchange for a conditional draft pick in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft. No word on whether either player will be part of the Caps next season or head to the Bears.

With the draft scheduled for this Friday and Saturday, and free agency beginning next Friday, July 1, there are a lot of decisions ahead for GM George McPhee. Among them are what to do with Alex Semin, the mercurial winger who has been the subject of many rumors and questions during his tenure in Washington. Currently, he's signed for next season at $6.7 million -- which McPhee essentially said is the most he'd give Semin. That could mean that this is the end of Semin's tenure in Washington or just McPhee speak.

Either way, the team needs more grit, a second-line center (although Marcus Johansson is growing into that role nicely) and, most importantly, determination that is present on Stanley Cup winners but lacking on this bunch.

It should be an interesting two weeks or so.