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Leonsis admits he ‘was wrong’ about the Caps having no weaknesses

Ted Leonsis, Adam Oates

Washington Capitals owner Ted Leonsis, right, and coach Adam Oates leave a news conference Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2014, in Arlington, Va. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

AP

“Before the Capitals season started, I was quoted as saying I didn’t see any weakness in our lineup. While I knew some aspects of our team were stronger than others, I didn’t see anything that I believed was a specific weakness. Obviously I was wrong.”

That was Capitals owner Ted Leonsis, writing on his blog after his team was eliminated from playoff contention. Washington will miss the postseason for the first time since 2007, and Leonsis is promising to “conduct a comprehensive review of what transpired this year.”

Certainly, the jobs done by general manager George McPhee and head coach Adam Oates will be part of that review. And it doesn’t sound like staying the course is an option.

“When we have concluded our evaluation, we will make the necessary adjustments and articulate our reasoning and plan for improvement,” Leonsis wrote.

Player wise, the Caps have some big questions to answer as well. Down the middle, Mikhail Grabovski is a pending unrestricted free agent, while Brooks Laich is a potential compliance buyout. The blue line has been rightly targeted by critics, and the goaltending situation is as uncertain as ever, especially after the recent tension between Jaroslav Halak and Oates.

“I empathize with the frustration – and even anger – of our fans,” wrote Leonsis, “and I promise to work diligently as we analyze the season, evaluate our organization and pursue what we believe to be our best options.”