Jim Turner

Turnersportsdesk.com

August 18, 2010

I read an interesting blog item this morning while chugging a pot of coffee to get rid of that 9am feeling. The Bleacher Report’s, Ryan Davenport crafted an interesting argument on how signing free agent defenseman Willie Mitchell will make the Caps better.

I like Willie Mitchell but I do not think he can deliver what I call the “Fedorov effect” as in former Cap and soon to be Hall of Famer Sergei Fedorov on the Caps defense. I believe the Caps need either a veteran defensive player that can make a huge and immediate impact like a Nicklas Lidstrom or an incredibly accomplished coach like a recently retired Chris Chelios.  If you look at Mitchell in totality you have to ask what has he done besides be the best defensive defenseman on a team that has not won Jack?

Although I like Willie Mitchell  and his game I just do not see him as having the same Fedorov level of impact. Fedorov made everyone around him better both on and off the ice. Fedorov was a guy that hoisted a cup so when he spoke he was like EF Hutton in that room. Sorry but Mitchell will not carry that same weight. Feds had things on his resume no one could ignore (even if you didn't like him) like cups, Selke trophies and MVP awards.  Does Willie Mitchell have any of that type stuff? I think Jeff Schultz is fast becoming a shut down guy and his numbers reflect that. I believe the younger defensemen like Karl Alzner and John Carlson will improve the Caps defense. Additionally, I think guys like Tom Poti and John Erskine are solid enough to compliment the younger, more offensively oriented guys. From my vantage point if the Caps are going to bring someone in it has to be someone with a little bit more on the resume and I do not necessarily believe that this impact addition has to be a player. I think the right coach that has enough accomplishments that our young players cannot ignore could have as big an impact as a veteran player at a much cheaper cost. Not to mention the fact that a good coach brings more consistency over a longer period of time than an aging veteran player.

This brings us to the anchor point of my case against Willie Mitchell…..ice time. The Caps justified their lack of free agent pursuits of a second line center by claiming they have enough talent in the organization to fill that slot. The Caps offensive prowess often overshadows the fact that their minor league system is loaded with very talented defensive gems.  So if Caps General manager, George McPhee makes the argument that he has enough talent in house then Mitchell is just taking ice time from one of the Caps talented kids.  I just see no long term gain in Mitchell that justifies getting in a free agent bidding war with several other clubs Mitchell is playing against each other. If Mitchell came out and said I want to be a Cap I might feel better about this but I just don’t see him making that much of a difference. In my opinion the Caps would be much better off hiring a guy like Chelios to assist Boudreau than getting an over the hill, head-injury prone player.