Before the rebuild began the Caps made the decision to retain Olie and trade Bondra. It appeared that Olie was playing well and would return solid value back. Ultimately, the Caps didn't receive the value back for Bondra's services.
Looking down the road if the Caps continue to struggle a decision will have to made on whether to receive some good value for Olie, who if kept, would be almost 40 at the end of next season.
Fan favorite or not, all Caps fans want to see a winner return to Washington. It's a matter of receiving the right value back in return. A bona fide top prospect ready to contribute would be what to hold out for even if tossing in a mid-tier prospect or pick of the Caps.
In just a matter of years Olie will be almost 40 and who knows what he'll have left. Brent Johnson isn't the answer and at some point the two goal tenders (from Finland and Russia) drafted a couple of years ago will be thrust into the spot light. Some might remember Carey & Kolzig fighting for the starting roster position in the '90s, so this isn't unheard of for the Caps.
What the Caps do will be determined more by the record than by anything else. The front office decisions have been off the board at times so you never know what will happen, but more importantly are the Caps prepared to make such a tough decision?
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As a hockey-illiterate Washingtonian (true one, not transplanted), I'm not sure what the tough decision is. Are we talking about letting Kolzig go? I think in his mind, he knows he's gone. Maybe it will be Johnson for a year while one of the two we haven't seen back him up. Then they take over.
The issue is that this team was supposed to win and if it doesn't then do you get value for Olie or keep him and hope to improve and do better next year?
If you trade Olie then it sends a message that you're not ready yet and everyone else has to pick up the slack as the rebuild continues. You can only go so far in the playoffs without real goaltending. And the Caps were hoping to make the playoffs THIS year.
Olie signed an extension so he may believe he's weathered the storm and here until the end. The fact remains, have the Caps even thought about this scenario and do they have a plan ready...now? If the Hanlon situation has any impact than this issue is a bit unclear.
Wow, do people in DC actually follow hockey? I just learned that here in the New York metropolitan area we actually have three hockey teams - who knew?