Capitals - Hanlon Fired

The Capitals have been notorious for having bad starts to a season, so why should this season seem so desperate so early? Would the sense of complete failure be due to the standings in the Eastern Conference or the free agent signings and message of the rebuilding process is over from senior management and ownership? The Caps should have had a contingency plan for just such a scenario.

This isn't a young team chalked full of rookies and inexperienced players anymore. Veterans were brought in to help the team make the playoffs. A decision could have definitely been made to make a change in coaching after the signings. Why leave Hanlon there if you believe that the team is maturing and will surpass his skills as a coach the following year? If you're already aware that the coach is losing the team as some would say then why not have a plan in place to replace the coach and move forward directly after a game instead of waiting a day and on Thanksgiving at that.

It's interesting that after ownership had a disastrous affair with Coach Cassidy they replaced him with another minor league coach. Now Hanlon has been replaced mid-season and the Caps have turned to yet another minor league coach for a not so young team. How can the Caps move forward without thinking down the road?