Sunday, June 24, 2007

You win with . . .

. . . defense.

As Corey Masisak points out in this morning's Washington Times, the Caps have focused on defense in recent drafts. For the record, it isn't just defensemen, but goaltenders, too. Of the 39 total selections over the past four years, 18 are defensemen or goaltenders, including 10 of 14 first or second round picks. By year:

2004:

Jeff Schultz
Mike Green
Sami Lepisto
Clayton Barthel
Oscar Hedman
Justin Mrazek


2005:

Sasha Pokulok
Joe Finley
Andrew Thomas
Patrick McNeill
Daren Machesney


2006:


Semen Varlamov
Michal Neuvirth
Keith Seabrook


2007:


Karl Alzner
Josh Godfrey
Ted Ruth
Dan Dunn


Strength in numbers? Well, that is what is added to youngsters among the defensemen already on the big club: Steve Eminger, Shaone Morrison, and Milan Jurcina, all of whom are younger than 25.

Building from the inside out. What, you got a problem with that?