Skip navigation
Favorites
Sign up to follow your favorites on all your devices.
Sign up

Washington Capitals off-season: Jose Theodore out, but Eric Fehr ponders extension

Jose Theodore, Scott Hartnell

Washington Capitals goalie Jose Theodore, left, blocks a shot by Philadelphia Flyers’ Scott Hartnell in the second period of an NHL hockey game, Saturday, Dec. 5, 2009, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

AP

Fair or not, the lasting image of Jose Theodore’s stay with the Washington Capitals might be the final playoff game he started against the Montreal Canadiens in which he allowed 2 goals on 2 shots. Friendlier Capitals fans will note that the former Hart Trophy winner was excellent - at times - during the 2009-10 season, particularly during the stretch run to the playoffs.

Either way, Tarik El-Bashir of the Washington Post notes that the chances of Theodore coming back as a Capital are pretty slim. The French-Canadian goalie’s agent, Don Meehan, said that the team hasn’t contacted him about re-signing the unrestricted free agent.

“They haven’t communicated with me at all,” Don Meehan said this morning from his Toronto-area office.

Meehan didn’t want to speculate about the Caps’ plans. But we know this: If there hasn’t been a single discussion of an extension by now, most likely there’s not going to be one.

“Jose can’t control anything as far as his association with Washington,” Meehan added. “It’s a matter of going to free agency on July 1 if Washington chooses not to establish a relationship with him. He’s a veteran, he’s been around a long time, he’s positive.”

As El-Bashir notes, the Capitals could very well rest their goalie hopes on holdover youngster Semyon Varlamov and fellow prospect Michael Neuvirth. The biggest plus is that the two goalies would only make about $1.7 million combined, giving the Capitals the opportunity to model themselves after the goalie-frugal Detroit Red Wings. Of course, the risk is that the team might put too much pressure on two inexperienced goalies.

Is it possible that the team may also consider nabbing a veteran free agent netminder? Perhaps someone along the lines of Marty Turco (whose passing skills could augment an already ridiculous transition game) or Evgeni Nabokov (he certainly wouldn’t feel too out of sorts since the team employs some high-ranking Russians)?

I think it’s a win-win situation for Washington in net; they’ll either go super-cheap with those newbies or be able to make a better use of their cap dollar with a superior veteran option.

While Theodore is out, there is a bit of good news for the most loyal of Caps fans. It appears that the team is in talks with character guy Eric Fehr to extend his contract for a few years, also according to El-Bashir. If there’s one underestimated part about Washington, it’s that they have a nice group of depth guys. Beyond the star power of Alex Ovechkin, Alex Semin and Nicklas Backstrom, the team features hustle players including Fehr, Brooks Laich and Mike Knuble. Keeping those blue-collar/grittier guys will help them as they attempt to fight through their playoff struggles.