THN.com Blog: Caps roll dice with Jose Theodore
Jose Theodore has been up and down since his Hart and Vezina trophy season in 2001-02. (Photo by Michael Martin/NHLI via Getty Images)
Jason Kay
2008-07-05 13:10:36
The Washington Capitals were eliminated in the first round of the 2008 playoffs, but their post-season still ended on something of a high.
Their highly entertaining confrontation with the Philadelphia Flyers could just as easily have gone in their favor and they could have been the Cinderella team in the East that went deep into the spring.
Nonetheless, a feeling persisted they could/would be the next version of the Pittsburgh Penguins, a sickly talented group that emerged from the depths of the NHL to find elite status.
And that may still transpire. But much of that hope now rests on the enigmatic shoulders of new netminder Jose Theodore.
The Caps lost a major stabilizing force when incumbent Cristobal Huet decided to test free agency and bolted to Chicago July 1. In Huet, you know what you’re getting: a top 10 goalie who may not steal as many games as a Martin Brodeur or Roberto Luongo, but one who won’t lose you many, either. He was a very good fit for a team on the rise.
GM George McPhee deserves credit for acting swiftly in securing Plan B, but, if I’m a Caps fan, it’s going to be a while before I find a comfort level with the team’s new No. 1 man.
We all know Theodore, still young at 31, has the physical composition to be one of the league’s best stoppers. His Hart and Vezina trophies in 2002 are testaments to his skill.
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It’s the ensuing years that would have me nervous. His plunge in Colorado, and accompanying off-ice distractions, had some thinking he was playing himself out of the league.
His resurrection of sorts last season made for a feel-good story, but it’s one that is awaiting an ending. Apparently he has his game back, and he did look fantastic at times in 2007-08, particularly in the first round of the playoffs against Minnesota. Avs goalie coach Jeff Hackett worked wonders with him and Theodore says he has regained the confidence he needs to be one of the best.
I hope that’s true for his sake and his team’s. I think it would be good for the league if the Capitals emerged as a dominant club. I’m just less sure about that outcome now than I was before July 1.
Jason Kay is the editor in chief of The Hockey News and a regular contributor to THN.com. His blog normally appears every weekend.
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Brian Kemp (Posted 2008-07-07 11:50:54)
Good pickup by the Caps. 4 years for Huet would have been too much. The Hawks overpaid him, just like they did with Khabibulin. 2 years for less money fits the new NHL landscape much better. Adam, I would definitely put Price, Giguere and Fluery ahead of Huet. Not sure about Thomas, but I'd put Osgood ahead of him, too. And Kramer, Theodores playoff SP was dropped a bit by playing Detroit and having his idiot coach leave him in, despite the fact that Budaj is a good goalie and Theodore had the Flu. Huet has never won a playoff series, and while he might do it someday, Theodore has won a few, and looks to be close to getting both his head and his game straight. I'd take him over Huet, especially with their current contracts.
neilw (Posted 2008-07-07 07:32:28)
With Clark and Nylander back, and if they sign Fedorov, they could have Raycroft in net and still make the playoffs.
Bill H (Posted 2008-07-06 23:22:46)
The Capitals took a big and unexpected leap forward last year once Bruce B. arrived on the scene and used the Huet deadline day trade to fuel an incredible stretch run. It revealed what everyone knew but did not want to say - Olie days as a Capital were over.
The end of the season success made for new expectations for success, and the team has most of its key ingredients growing up together - OV, Green & Semin as well as the other key young players. However, the young hot shot goalies are just joining the organization and playing their first year in the AHL this coming season. For the Caps to realize their dream of a Stanley Cup, they need their "Fleury" ...Theodore or Huet were to be placeholders and in my mind, a 2 year commitment made much more sense than 4. What if Valmarov is NHL ready by mid-season? With backup Johnson only signed through 2008-09, it is clear the Caps figure one of the young guys will be ready to take his place.
I hope Theodore delivers, but in the Caps master plan, a 2 year deal fits much, much better.
Steve Cullen (Posted 2008-07-06 20:41:40)
Kramer - you have to be kidding me. You converted a non absolute .010 save percentage difference into an absolute 16 point loss in points in the standings for the Caps in the season to come. You put too much emphasis on the goaltender position - there are so many variables like power plays and penalty killing, rookie defense, etc. to consider. As for the Caps if Huet was an unrestricted free agent he was completely free to sign anywhere - the Caps did not have a right to match. From what I understand he wanted 4 years and I dont think many teams were lining up to give that to a 32 year old goalie. If your theory were true and Huet were worth 16 points in the standings for most teams (or more if we use your math) he would have got more than Vancouver offered Sundin.
Tom Lynch (Posted 2008-07-06 20:15:11)
By "Hockeytown", you mean DC, right? Rock the Red!
David Kramer (Posted 2008-07-06 19:51:33)
Since the lockout, among goalies playing at least 80 regular season games, Huet has the 2nd best save percentage (.921) in the NHL, while Theodore has the 40th best SP (.895). Even if both goalies replicate their performance in the 2007-08 season, the difference between .910 (Theodore) and .920 (Huet) is significant. Over 55 games, Theodore will let in about 16 more goals than Huet would have, costing the Capitals about 8 wins and 16 points in the standings Since the lockout, Huet’s playoff save percentage (.919) is also much better than Theodore’s (.904). The Caps should have matched Chicago's offer.
Patrick M (Posted 2008-07-06 15:00:08)
For the record the Caps gave up one more shot against than Colorado every 5 games. An average of 27.5 shots against per game while Detroit the supreme comparison gave up 23.5 per game. The Caps are more able to score and give goal support to their goaltender than Colorado. However with 3 more shots a game on average at the opponents goal I would not class them as a "run and gun" offense. Theodore should have an easier time playing in Washington. I suppose if you take away the 3 long rebounds that Huet gives up each game the team should win more games because the Capitals had one of the higher faceoff win percentages in hockey. That is assuming a shot taken without a rebound turns into a defensive faceoff instead of a better shot on goal. I would be stunned if the Capitals did not make the playoffs again in 2008-09.
keng (Posted 2008-07-06 12:11:08)
Joey, do you even watch hockey? The playoffs? What a pointless comment to be made. Theo will do just fine in Washington - just as Huet would have. Perhaps better with Theo. Rebecca's comment were spot on for anyone who doesn't pay attention to the Capitals on a day-to-day basis. This season the team broke out with a change in coaching. Under a full season with Boudreau, there is no doubt the Capitals will be playoff bound.
joey (Posted 2008-07-06 11:55:29)
too bad for the caps as they will not make the playoffs next year with theodore as the main man....he is used to facing 20-25 shots a game...wait and see how fast his head spins when he faces 30-40 a game with the run and gun caps...it will be a new red light district in DC.
fleetwood94 (Posted 2008-07-06 01:41:12)
Finally Jose gets the opportunity to show that he's not just a flash in the pan after his lights-out '01-02 when he took the Hart...if he can stay focused and not let his personal life get in the way, the Caps may be the team to watch in the East!
Ryan (Posted 2008-07-05 23:05:13)
Jose will be great in Washington the fans in Colorado treated him terribly and booed him from day 1 I think a fresh start will do him wonders and the Caps GM said in an interview Theodore was their first choice at the trade deadline but the Avs wouldn't give him up and then Huet was their plan B
greg thompson (Posted 2008-07-05 22:32:43)
huet wanted crazy money. a good goalie but bob gainey is right. he is not going to be great.
Adam (Posted 2008-07-05 21:22:07)
Price, Thomas, Fleury, Giguere? They are not better then Huet.
Patrick Morand (Posted 2008-07-05 21:03:36)
The Caps are a much better team up front now than last year and if signing Theodore instead of Huet and saving a million dollars against the salary cap gets Sergei Fedorov back then the Caps will have done as well as could have expected in this weird free agent market. A 2 year deal makes sense when the Caps have young goaltender prospects in the system. There is no way that Huet is worth 1 million dollars more than Theodore for the regular season! As others have already commented in the playoffs is when it matters and Theodore has at least won playoff series before. The Caps will make the playoffs regardless so this deal can only be measured by playoff success. I am pretty sure Chicago will not surpass Detroit because they now have Huet as goaltender.
jay (Posted 2008-07-05 20:38:34)
lets see where would huet fit in with these goalers..... brodeur,luongo,price,thomas,biron,fleury,nabokov,kiprusoff,miller,giguere,lundqvist an turco there i named 12 goalers all easily better than huet. while he is not a bad guy or a bad goaler he is not a top 10 guy. we loved him in montreal and it was sad to see him leave but 2 years ago when montreal lost to toronto and missed the final playoff spot it was huet that lost that game when halak should have been in nets. so once again he is not a bad goal tender and will most likely do well in chicago but i don't feel theodore is a down grade in anyway and if it's real that he found his form and has got his head back in the game then watch out for washington because they will be a force to be reconned with this year
Greg Watson (Posted 2008-07-05 19:18:38)
Theodore has proved to be enigmatic at best in the last few years. He is a guy who has all the tools, but his personal life has knocked him off balance. I make a lot of bad jokes about Jose and Paris Hilton. Joking aside, he lost his wife and slept with a celebrity slut. The whole situation says a lot about his character. With all the mental ability needed to play goalie, let a lone at the NHL level, Jose mental state is less than peaceful for sure. There is a child involved that will not rest on Jose's conscious very lightly, if he has any integrity as a human being at all. In a nutshell, I expect to see Jose be enigmatic at best until he can come to terms with the bad choices he has made in his life. Maybe an real apology and confession of just plain being stupid to the ex-wife would be a great start. We all make mistakes, but it's if we make them right or not that changes things. I am under the strong belief that the same problem haunted Patrick Roy towards the end of his career. All the off-ice drama and obvious issues with self control took their tole. Roy looked less than impressive on his way out of the NHL. The greatest tragedy is that he seems to be passing it on to his son. His son is one of the worst goalies in the OHL. He's too busy picking a fight with players to spend time focusing mentally of being a goalie. Sounds a little too familiar......
Blowtrees (Posted 2008-07-05 18:09:23)
Well to the Caps benefit, they don't ever play Detroit. And for Jose's sake, those had better be his nights off.
bostongm (Posted 2008-07-05 16:54:06)
Paint it any color you want. Theodore is not the answer. Huet has the top save percentage since the lock-out ended. Huet has been consistent in the regular season. Theodore has not been. Its that simple. While JT has won some play-off rounds. Huet is still better than him. I'm personally glad to see Huet go to the western conference. My B's have a better chance of winning against Theodore. Makes you wonder if Mr. Theodore was really using steroids back then,eh?
Robert C (Posted 2008-07-05 16:08:43)
The Caps did pretty well after Bruce Allan Boudreau got the job even with Ollie in goal. Take a look at Huet's numbers before Washington and after or Ollie and Johnny before and after Bouds for that matter. If the caps infront of Jose keep up the work everyone will be talking next July about Jose being a steal and his great comeback . As far as Huet? He only got the Deal he has because of the way the caps played IMO. His overall numbers last year (and career) are pretty similar, closer if you take away Huets regular season work in Washington. I think they are pretty comparable with a slight nod to JT because of the playoff performances. Works better for the Caps in terms of money and term also. But yea, sure looks like a dicey move on the surface.
Cathy W (Posted 2008-07-05 16:01:05)
While I had hoped that Huet would get signed, I am convinced that the McPhee did the right thing after I heard that the Caps had offered what Huet wanted and then he still wanted to go to free agency. I impressed that McPhee was able to get Jose Theodore given how quickly the Caps had to change their plans. I have not been McPhee's biggest fan (esp. early last season and how long it took to change coaches) but this time I give him props. With Theodore, the Caps goaltending is definitely improved over the start of last season.
Rebecca H (Posted 2008-07-05 15:38:53)
Why is everyone so quick to slam Theodore?? I was a big fan of Huet while he was here, but I don't know why he gets more credit than Theodore. He's never won a playoff series; Theodore's won a number of them, behind teams of varying quality. Theodore may have hit rough patches but Huet's not exactly consistent over his career either. And while Huet is a good goalie I'm not sure that a lot of people consider him a top 10 goalie - even with his numbers last year.
As a Caps fan I'm happy with this move. Paying Huet that $5.6 million for four years would have prevented the team from being able to re-sign other key players, both this year and in the coming years. Theodore is a cheaper, shorter term deal for what I believe is equal quality - plus he really wants to be here. Can't say the same for Huet. So it is at worst a lateral move, and if he regains his form from last season and his early success it'll be trading up for sure...and at a relative bargain.
And let's not forget that the team in front of him is getting better, as well...
Bill Brown (Posted 2008-07-05 15:37:12)
As he was known in Hockeytown in April, "Jose Goneinfour", or "Jose ThreeOrFour".
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