2013 Washington Capitals Season Review

We thought with the lockout would cancel the 2012-13 season and with the bitterness between the players and owners (specifically Donald Fehr and Gary Bettman), that was the likelihood. Sure enough, they agree on a new CBA and the 2013 season was on…which wasn’t good initially for the Caps.

As the season started, the Caps had to know Adam Oates’s system on the fly and as the result, the team struggled from the gate. Instead of thinking about the playoffs, the Caps were in the Popeye Jr. (Defenseman Seth Jones, projected to be the number one prospect of the 2013 NHL Draft) Sweepstakes. As the season went on, the team got use to the Oates system, Alex Ovechkin was onboard, and the Caps won the Southeast.

Although the Caps were coming to the playoffs hot, the Rangers were as hot. Although the Caps had home-ice advantage, and all the home teams won in this series, it was the Rangers who prevail and the Caps with an early exit…again.

Caps fans have to admit this team is the New York Knicks of hockey. The have the offensive flair, some defense, and they prefer to shoot from the perimeter. The only difference is the Knicks are selfish, while the Caps are passive.

This was a team that should’ve learned from Dale Hunter last year to learn about defense and be mentally tough. Instead, it’s the old Bruce Boudreau teams of a high-octane offense, but with little grit. Most people want to blame the players and coaches, which is fair, but I think it’s more of the culture of the team, which starts with owner Ted Leonsis. Yes, the Stanley Cup is the hardest-earned trophy in sports, but it seems Leonsis is satisfied of the business side of the sport than the result. He says he might care, but you have to act on it.

This leads to the GM of the Washington Capitals, George McPhee. He has done a good job shaping the team in the late 90s, early 2000s and rebuilding the team around Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom, and Mike Green (and Alex Semin). Since 2008, the team has made it to the playoffs, but have not passed 2nd round. Although McPhee has drafted and got great talent from free agency and trades, he has focus on talent and not character that can counteract with Ovechkin.

Speaking of Ovechkin, one of the biggest faults for the Caps is making him captain. He is a talented player, but his personality is the culture of this team and fair or not with the passing and the perimeter shooting, he is shaping this team and from the looks of it, he does about winning, he doesn’t know how.

As for next season, there will be a new conference, an actual 82 game season, and new players who can fit in Oates’s system and be the Yang to Ovechkin’s Yin. If we get Oates as the assistant coach who learned about the trapping defense from the New Jersey Devils, the Caps are set for a potential deep run.

Next year will be Ovechkin’s biggest year yet as the Caps will try again to make it in a crowded playoff field with the Devils, Rangers, Flyers, Penguins, Islanders, Hurricanes, and Blue Jackets. In addition, next season is an Olympic year and it is in Sochi, Russia so we might see a motivated Ovi or an uninterested Ovi depending on the result. Marketing wise, of the six outdoor games, none have the Caps, which tells us the Caps have lost their wide appeal.

Next year is very crucial for the Caps in more ways than one. You get the subplots and the players, but the most important question every year since the 1980s is can the Caps stay with the status quo or do they breakthrough? It’s up to them.

If I Were Running A Company…The Mel Kiper Award (January 2011)

If you been reading on my personal blog and if you are new to this site, the Mel Kiper Award is for someone in pop culture (real or fictional) that plays a part in human resources.  Here are the award winners so far if you missed it:

1. Mel Kiper, Jr. (obviously)
2. Johnny Carson
3. Dave Kovic
4. Mr. Krabs
5. Mary Tyler Moore
6. Dave Nelson
7. Mariah Carey
8. George Michael (sports broadcaster)
9. David Simon
10. 1979-1984 New York Islanders

The next recipient is basically copying my life, but he makes it much cooler. Ladies and Gentlemen:

Shawn Spencer

Yes, he has ADD issues and he gets in an argument with his father, but with his gift (he’s hyper-observant, not a real psychic), he has used it to build a successful private agency business by using his people’s skills.

Although he is hyper-observant, Shawn is a great communicator since he asks pertinent questions of suspects and people of interests and has a gentle touch to get the answers from them. There are times you need to play good cop/bad cop, but Shawn has to mention that he’s a “psychic” and people will immediately believe in him.

He is also versatile as he has done nearly every job in the United States…literally.

All these “gifts” Shawn has, he would easily do this by himself. However, he realizes he needs some help. He usually asks his father, Henry, for his experience and wisdom, although their personal relationship might be a roller coaster ride.  His best friend and partner of the agency: Gus TT Showbiz…I mean Burton Guster is the “medical expert” and super sniffer (has strong sense of smell). He uses the police station to…well he’s in a relationship with a detective and he does sneak in a lot.

The point is you have all these gifts, but use it to not only benefit yourself, but others surrounding him. Thank you “Psychic Detective” Shawn Spencer for winning the Mel Kiper Award.

If I Were Running A Company…Mobile

I went to the RecruitDC event last week on mobile recruiting, where Michael Marlatt was discussing that businesses need to go mobile since nearly everyone has a mobile device . It was a wonderful discussion and presentation and Michael gave facts for businesses, including the recruiting profession, to push for mobile.  I believe mobile is still in its infancy as a business tool, but in a 24/7 world, mobile will become a potent business tool.

In a mobile world, it is trying to get attention. One amazing stat from the presentation was that SMS texts get a 95% read rate. That’s impressive. Wanna bet businesses want to go into the mobile sector?  Businesses are putting more resources on mobile apps and web sites because it will get a bigger audience, hence the text info and QR codes on the billboards.  You have the attraction, but that’s only the beginning.

After you got the customer/applicant’s attraction, you need them to engage with the business.  You need to know how accessible your mobile strategy is. After that, is your mobile strategy engaging?  The last part is very crucial if your strategy thrives or not.  If you’re strategy is just a bunch of ads, then your spamming.  However, if you communicate with the audience, they might be intrigue on your business. The trick is making your business personable for each individual.  Give them settings that will make the customer/applicant engage to a product or job opening.

The reason mobile will be popular for business because of it’s potential growth and opportunities. In today’s world, people, at a minimum, are taking pictures, shooting video, and text. With our rapid technology development, we can do conference calls and face-to-face conversations on our mobile devices. In the future, we have a device that give 3D imagery, then down the line: holograms, which could lead to a mobile device where a phone scans our body, turns it to molecules and transports us to destinations from 3 or 30,000 miles away.

The reason to have mobile in your business is to reduce the communication gap. It used to be people go to events and mingle. Then, social media help us identify who we want to talk to.  The best way of communication is still face-to-face, but mobile reduces the gap since you can communicate anytime, anywhere. This is what businesses want to see.

If I Were Running A Company…The NHL All-Star Game

Before I moved my HR/Recruiting section of my personal blog to this site, I love writing case studies combining HR and sports.  There are HR sites that focus mostly on basketball (here, here, and here), nearly everyone focuses on football and baseball, but a rare few talk about HR and hockey. That will change soon in a couple of months.

Recently, the NHL and NHL Players Association recently agreed to revamped their all-star format. Traditionally in all-star games, fans vote for the starters for each conference, then the managers/players select the remaining all-stars. In the new format, the fans select six starters (3 forwards, 2 defencemen, 1 goalie, no matter the conference) from the ballot. After the starters are announced, the NHL Hockey operations determines the rest of the all-stars based on performance this season. In addition, they will add 12 rookies to be part of the all-star game. After everything is announced, the fun begins.

On the Friday before the game, the captains pick who they want on their team from the list of all-stars and rookies. Essentially, an NHL All-Star Fantasy Draft. When you look at this, it’s likely to be Team Alex Ovechkin vs. Team Sidney Crosby, but it could be both be on the same team.  No matter who are the captains and which team they play for, it brings intrigue or chaos to the event. Either way, it will be interesting.

What does it relate to HR? Everything!

The captains, who are making a selections, have to decide if they are going to be serious about the game or select a bunch of friends? Add to that, do they want to select their teammates (either from their country or pro team), choose the best hockey player available, or select a need for their team at the time of the draft?  This fantasy draft also could be a great learning tool and could be the next stepping stone to a new career for some players (i.e. Edmonton’s President of Hockey Operations Kevin Lowe, Dallas GM Joe Nieuwendyk, Tampa Bay GM Steve Yzerman, and to some extent, NHL’s VP of Hockey and Business Development, Brendan Shanahan).

The fantasy draft is the same approach recruiters and HR pros do everyday about their staff on how to make their organizations better. They have to decide what direction their organization want with the hirings and if they maximize their bottom line.  The same approach goes to the NHL format.

Although the NFL, NBA, and MLB are more popular, the NHL is the most innovative sports league and are willing to take chances to enhance their product. I can’t wait for the upcoming NHL All-Star Game, although it’s unlikely to havePaul Bissonnette as an all-star, which is a shame.

Jizz Cares

Ever since Matt Bradley was quoted that Alex Semin “doesn’t care” about last year’s playoffs, most of the Caps fan defended Semin, although everyone agrees he needed to step up when the stakes are higher.

This season, people have started the “Semin Cares,” “Sasha Cares” tweets and chants and it is getting old very quickly. Those chants should be only reserved for the playoffs and one other occasion.

That one occasion is “Give to the Max Day.” “Give to the Max Day” is a fundraising drive in the DC, Maryland, and Northern Virginia nonprofits and charities in a 24-hour span. The fundraising event in DC is on November 9. This is where nonprofits step in.

On November 8, the Washington Capitals face the Dallas Stars. When Jizz does something during the game, I will donate money to a charity/nonprofit the following day at “Give it to the Max” Day.  Here’s the breakdown:

• JIZZ!!! (Whenever Alex Semin scores a goal): $100
• Jizz on the assist (Semin assist on the goal): $50
• Jizz in the Box (Semin gets a penalty): $25

Bonus: If Jizz is one of the stars of the game:

• 3rd Star: $100
• 2nd Star: $150
• 1st Star: $250

Rules:

The first charity/nonprofit/nonprofiteer to retweet whenever I tweet when Jizz does something, gets the donation. Your nonprofit must be in the DC Metro area (DC, Northern Virginia, Southern Maryland) participating and have a page on the “Give it to the Max” website to be eligible.

So nonprofits/nonprofiteers, root for Jizz on November 8 to do something and your charity/nonprofit will get something in return from me. Let’s hope Jizz is “Giving it to the Max”…but not the bad kind

The Caps Offseason

There is a huge split among Caps fans about how they’re doing in the offseason.  It’s the sports version of Team Jacob vs. Team Edward (and I can’t believe I typed that).  One half of Caps fans love the Caps silent approach, while the other half want something to be done in the free agent frenzy.  There is no right or wrong method but there are two strong, valid points of view.

The Quiet Approach

Fans have love this team for almost 5 years (after the lockout) and the team has got better each year (except this past season, but that can be debated).  Why not ruin success, just have the same team and hope they get better.  Also, adding Alzner, Carlson, and Neuvirth full-time will make a team younger and one of the defensive pairings set for a long time with Alzner-Carlson.  Just add one more piece and the team could contend again for the Cup.

The Impact Approach

Since the Caps went out in the first round, people are asking for an impact player.  Caps went for not as Paul Martin and Zbyněk Michálek went to Pittsburgh, Dan Hamhuis went to Vancouver, and the stake that drove some Caps fans hearts, Anton Volchenkov signs a $4.25 Million deal with the Devils.  Some thought Volchenkov was one of the two missing pieces to Cup title run for the Caps.  By that, fans were in an uproar and asking for McPhee’s head (and took it to Ted Leonsis’s email).

In my opinion, it is alright to keep a team the same…if they’re close to a Cup or won the Cup, which the Caps are nowhere near.  To me, the Washington Capitals are the Phoenix Suns of the NHL: exciting to watch, but can’t win championships.  It was telling that Bruce Boudreau mention last year they were “5 to 6 passengers.”  I can accept 1 or 2, but 5-6 is insane.  It’s either the coach or the players to blame. In this case, the coach did not have a “playoff” philosophy, while most of the players did not perform under pressure, hence blowing a 3-1 to Montreal.

If the players won’t change, how about a philosophy for more grit on this team? Do you believe all 23 players will change for a more “playoff-ready” philosophy?  There will be some who like it, but don’t expect all to follow, which people should be more concerned about.  This is where I like this report from ESPN’s Pierre LeBrun:

The Washington Capitals have to re-sign several restricted free agents who filed for arbitration Monday, including Tomas Fleischmann, Eric Fehr and Jeff Schultz. This might be crucial because, as the Washington Post writes, “Some teams, including the Caps, have a reputation for being ruthless in their arguments.”

There was some previous speculation that the Caps could shop Fleischmann but, unless talks go sour, it doesn’t look like that’s happening. However, we know the Caps will look for a defenseman in the free agent or trade markets, so there might be some kind of move coming soon.

The biggest move, however, would be an Alexander Semin trade. Yahoo Sports’ Dmitry Chesnokov previously tweeted that Caps may be actively shopping Semin.

If that’s the case, I hope we trade Jizz to the Stars for Brad Richards on the high-end or trade him to a couple of St. Louis Blues players (Oshie, Berglund, Backes, Brewer since all of them are free agents next year), the Kings for Handzus, or any other combination and the team looks very different before the season starts.

I have patience with Ted and George on these moves and they know what to do since they have all the information and if free agency is dry, so be it.  However, don’t tell me keeping the same roster is an option before the season starts. The mindset has to change from opening night and can be altered during the season. McPhee can say, “We got 121 points last year because we’re a pretty good team and we don’t really need a lot.” That’s fine, but D.C. doesn’t want a good team, D.C. wants a champion.

The First Annual Capitals Convention

I went to the First Annual Capitals Convention expecting like a Comic Con atmosphere, just with Caps fans.  There were a lot of people and I didn’t what to expect since this was the first one and only the Blackhawks and Cubs fans know about this, but from the looks of it…we might another one next year, and then the next, and more.  Here are my observations from the Convention:

• I had to take the Metro and Metrobus and it wasn’t that bad.  It took one hour from the Vienna Metro Station to Branch Avenue and 15 minutes from Branch Ave. to the Gaylord Resort and Convention Center.  I was in the bus with the Caps Spirit, which I find it pretty cool.
• This is my first time going to National Harbor and it was the nicest places I’ve been to.  It had the great shops and restaurants and a terrific landscape.  Although, they have a restaurant called “Ketchup>’ Do you want to attract customers with that name?
• Gary Bettman walked by when I was in line. I want to punch his face there.
• Some guy who was behind me said the Exhibit Hall was huge and seeing nothing like it.  Ummm…ever been to the Washington Convention Center?
• I just realize: Bettman + Crysby + Yanni = 666.  That’s why the Pens won the Stanley Cup last year.
• I have a terrible slap shot, but a decent wrist shot if I have the stamina, I might be good.  A wrist shot would look easy, but it’s not.  I’m am still sore from all the slap and wrist shots.
• Why is Bettman so content of keeping a team in Phoenix?  Here’s what I believe: It’s fine to have hockey teams in the Sun Belt, but be smart about it.  Phoenix, although have their own arena, does not have a fan base to help the team. There are success stories like L.A., Carolina, and Dallas, but I also think Nashville and Atlanta either need to be banished or relocate since their fan base is so small.  I’ve heard about Portland, Hamilton, Ontario, and Kansas City as suitors.  Why not Milwaukee (for Winter Classic purposes).
• Bettman also said he doesn’t care who wins the Stanley Cup or the matchups.  Really?
• If there was one thing I was worried about the convention, it was the breakout sessions, but they were the highlights of the organization, although I would like an un-conference, since that’s the new buzzword is conventions.
• Don Fischman gave a great talk about the NHL Salary Cap, but Don, your Powerpoint slides were an utter piece of crap.  Don’t put a thousand words in one slide.  Take some presentation zen.
• I stepped out on the Cap-ology session and seeing a little of “Covering the Caps” with all the Caps broadcasters and apparently missed out on a great panel, though I caught little of it on the video screen at another room.
• What made the breakout sessions wonderful was how open and transparent the panelists (broadcasters, front office, players, others).
• Prices of food were reasonable since the burgers and hot dogs were big, but $4 for a can of soda? Must be the Leonsis-Snyder pact agreement that at least one item must be overpriced.  Also, no recycling bins?
• The Talent Evaluators was my favorite session (since I’m a recruiter, scouting intrigues me).  One of the more eye-popping things they said was that they’re more focus on the Southern area since the teens in the 90s were into roller/inline hockey.  I didn’t believe it until I found this article from the New England Hockey Journal.
• From the looks of it, Alex Giroux is the Byron Leftwich of hockey.
• Ted Leonsis is everywhere, literally
• My favorite part of the breakout sessions: A little girl asked the players what song they sing in the shower?  Mike Knuble responded, “I’m listening to Lady GaGa lately.”
• I was disappointed that I didn’t get autographs from Rod Langway (Asian-American) and Karl Alzner (we share the same birthday).
• Michal Neuvirth’s only words, “I have girlfriend back home,” and “that’s it” and the ladies swoon to him like Liz Clarke swoons to Springsteen or Jeanne McManus swoons to Tom Shales.  By the way, who swoons to Tom Shales?  Of course, it doesn’t hurt that Neuvy looks like an 11-year-old.
• I actually touch Alex Ovechkin.
• Great to see Chasta, Teka, Kelly, Alaina and Erika again, but didn’t see Caps Girl.  This season, I will go around the horn and meet every Caps fan on Twitter face to face.

Overall, the First Caps Convention ran better than I expected and I consider this a success.  Next year though, I believe the Caps organization will move the convention to the Washington Convention Center.  The Gaylord Convention Center acted as an experiment and there was a huge crowd.  Afterwards, there was great buzz about the Convention from fans through WOM and Twitter.  Gaylord might be a great place, but there’s a reason the Caps only gave out 5,000 tickets.  Now, imagine they gave out 20,000 in a bigger place and the amenities are much better (except the DC Convention center does not have a pineapple fountain in front of the building).  This is a start of a new tradition.

Photos from the Capitals Convention

Sadly, My Birthday is Next Week

Next week, it will be my 26th Birthday or as others call, “One Year Closer to Death.”  I would never do a birthday post since, to me, sounds condescending, until I discover Facebook has a birthday wish to donate to a charity/organization.  I love the idea so much, I want to start a new tradition that on my birthday, I want people to donate to my favorite charities.  Here are the five charities:

1. American Special Hockey Association – I chose the ASHA as one of two primary sponsors is because the Capitals Convention is two days after my birthday and one week before the NHL season starts and I have transition myself to a huge puckhead.  I really love the ASHA because they help the disadvantage how to play the game of hockey and how hockey builds strong character among those who have a disability.  Here’s the Causes link to donate.

1A. The Hockey Foundation – I met Adam Sherlip and other fellow DC hockey fans at a tweetup last summer and I came with two impressions:  1) when you wear an original Brooklyn Americans shirt, you know a lot about hockey and 2) his knowledge and love hockey cannot be match.  Sherlip goes to places like China and India and teach people the game of hockey and give them the resources to play.  Sherlip is showing that hockey is truly a global sport.

2. Miriam’s Kitchen – They were the main sponsor for the DC Twestival and a great organization to help the homeless.  They provide free, high quality meals to the homeless and they deserve it.  Also, in 2010, Miriam’s Kitchen will have a dinner program; an additional bonus for the homeless.  I’m glad the Twestival organizers select Miriam’s Kitchen.

3. American Hair Loss Association – The AHLA is there for the sole purpose that I want to grow a beard.  I actually look like a sexy beast when I have a beard.  Sadly, my beard was a little better than Sidney Crysby.  I want the donations to help me grow a beard in the next few years.

4. National Wildlife Federation – If there was one organization that had a profound affect on me, it was the NWF.  I had some (but not reasonable) interest in wildlife and the environment, but when I first met Danielle and Kristin, and later on, Michael and Patricia, I started to change my lifestyle.  I started taking less time in the shower, unplug outlets, and took part in Earth Hour (which Todd Kmiec keeps reminding me the hour I missed the greatest college basketball game…that year in Villanova-Pittsburgh).  The NWF also gave me an opportunity to help make a difference in other cities like in Pittsburgh, where I sponsored a tree and officially call it, “The Alexander Ovechkin Tree.”  The NWF was also helpful for any Animal Revolution news since Tony Kornheiser’s radio show was absent.  Speaking of the Animal Revolution…

5. DC College Access Program – It is a great program helping DC kids going to college.  It is also the main charity for Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon.  You can donate through their site or go buy the Mr. Tony merchandise through 609design.com.  All sales go to DC CAP.  Wear your Mr. Tony for a great cause.

So when you say Happy Birthday (or Happy Spirit Journey Formation), remember to donate to these great organizations.  If you truly want to impress me on my birthday, donate any charity $56 since it is my hockey number…really:

Of note: All the organizations are not clients of Tran Recruiting and have no influence with the selection.

Washington Capitals Development Camp 2009

This was the first Caps Development Camp I attended and I have to say, it was very impressive.  To be honest, I was a great hockey fan since he early 1990s.  I consider myself an expert on hockey since 2006 when I attended my first hockey game (preseason nonetheless), but compare to my Caps friends, my hockey IQ is above the Mendoza line.  However, I survived and my dignity intact…sort of.  I only attended two days of camp, but if you want full coverage, go to On Frozen Blog, Capitals Kremlin, and The Capital Letter.  Here are my observations from those two days:

• Crowds were packed during scrimmages, thus telling me the Capitals are the only team in town and getting a lot more buzz than Redskins Training Camp.
• John Carlson wasn’t spectacular, but from his body language and presence on the ice, he seems ready for the real deal.  Can’t wait to see him in September.
• Honestly, I had no idea Dmitri Orlov was 17 years old, but plays like he’s a 27 year old veteran.  Scouts say he’s an offensive defenseman, but Orlov can brought it.  Definitely a Hershey player.
• I feel sorry for Anton Gustaffsson.  Some are saying already that he’s a bust but in actuality, he gets injured.  He does have the skills to be a borderline Hershey-Washington player, but his health is a concern.  During the last scrimmage, Anton was standing by himself, watch, and ponder what could of been.
• Joe Finley surprise me with his versatility and deceptiveness.  At the second scrimmage, I called him “Hal Gill 2.0″ for being a tall defensemen who knows the ropes.  After the last scrimmage, Finley might but the Capitals utlity player and he might come in handy.
• Mathieu Perreault and Michael Dubuc entertain the crowds with their goal scoring prowess.
• If you want to know why the White team dominated over the more skilled Blue team in Scrimmage:  Brendan Holtby.
• Trevor Bruess exemplifies what the Caps need: grit, toughness with a pinch of annoyance.
• Bruce Boudreau is very excited that he can coach hockey in July…a little too excited.
• Term from Caps Development Camp I won’t forget: Euro Man Capris.
• Met most of the Caps Tweeters (all ladies), but missed on a couple.  Hopefully, I will see them during Caps training camp and/or the Capitals Convention on September 26.

Here the pictures and footage from the 2009 Caps Development Camp:

Facebook
Flickr – Thursday
Flickr – Saturday

Hockey game

I finally circle the wagons and attended a Washington Capitals preseason hockey game.  At first, I wanted to go and thought the seats are going to be middle row or the bleachers for decent value.  However, the seats were in the front row, VIP section, right up against the boards.  I knew I need to sell it, but three things: 1) no one in my inner circle likes hockey, 2) it was in short notice, and 3) its PRESEASON hockey.  I bought the tickets for $100 for charity, yet I didn’t have a second person coming, so I left the ticket outside if anyone would go in for free.  No takers.

The game itself is an experience although its the preseason.  Watching hockey on TV doesn’t do justice if you go see the game live.  The shots to the plexi-glass sound like a gun shot and the players crashing to board becomes more 3-D that they’re crashing to your side and the black eyes, bloody noses, and bruises you see.  If I were to rank the four sporting events:

1. Hockey
2. Football
3. Basketball
4. Baseball

Next up, NASCAR baby.  Oh, the Caps beat the Flyers 1-0 and the Caps could be the surprise team this season in the NHL.