End of year blog

Doug sent this to post on the blog:

"It is hard to believe that 11 months have passed since I accepted Scott Neil's offer of being the Director of Hockey Operations for the Edinburgh Capitals. I can vividly recall making calls to complete strangers named Colin, J.F., Adam, Mike (etc) trying to persuade them to play professional hockey in your city. A city I called home for the last year. Those names became faces, and those faces became teammates, and as a team we accomplished more than any other Edinburgh Capitals team has ever done. It was a season full of ups and downs and it was never boring. The Edinburgh Capitals are better off today than they were a year ago.

First of all I would like to thank all of you for your support and help throughout this season. We would not have accomplished so much without your faith and positive energy. The people of Edinburgh have been nothing but welcoming and sincere.

I am fully aware of the speculation regarding my negotiations with Scott. I would also like to inform you that Scott and I have had many discussions especially this last week in an effort to bring me back next season. It is a difficult situation for everyone. I love Edinburgh and enjoy the challenge that we have here. It is also an ocean away from my loved ones. That being said, it is a city that I could stay for a long time. These are all factors that have become a centerpiece in my discussions with Scott.

Scott needs to make sure that the most recent league regulations are going to help us succeed. He has a firm desire to use this season as a springboard for things to come. As an owner, he needs to make the organization move forward in a way that makes business sense.

Our talks were largely speculative until the league meeting last Wednesday. Scott wanted to know the financial structure of the league next season in order to understand what was going to be needed of him in order to field a strong team. I needed to know that if I were to come back would not "just be fielding a team," but rather, to have a team that can build off of last season. I need to know that we will do everything in our power to compete for silverware. I know that is what the fans pay their hard earned money for, and that is what I thrive off as a competitor.

Thank you all for making 2007-2008 the memorable year it was. I hope to see you all again in the fall! "

Final Regular Season weekend/ Congratulations

It is hard to believe that the year is coming to a close. The regular season has just one weekend remaining. Of course, everyone knows the importance of the games. As a result of Belfast's victory against the Bison last night, if we win in regulation Sunday, we are in. We have a chance on Saturday as well if we win and Basingstoke loses. I am sure our fans are going to be louder than ever. Regardless of what anyone says, Sunday is a playoff game! In fact, it is Game 7.

Bring a friend, bring all your friends! It is going to be a great game. It is a great opportunity for everyone to see a game that does not happen often in sports: an elimination game. I am thrilled to be having the game in our rink in front of our fans!

A large congratulations are in order for the Murrayfield under 20 team which won their League Championship. It is great to see that the future of the Capitals is secure.

Iain Bowie will not be with us this weekend as he is gone with the National Under 18 team. The team is playing in Estonia. It is a great opportunity for him and I am sure he will have a great amount of success against players his own age. He has developed a lot as a player this year and has earned the right to represent Great Britain in international competition. We will miss him in the line up this weekend.

I would like to personally thank all of you for your support. It has been an up and down year, but I am as excited as anyone to get this weekend started!

Up and down week, Dino

This week has been a roller coaster in terms of results. We lost a game against Hull, who was a team we had hoped to beat to solidify our playoff chances. Then we beat a team we have struggled against, Manchester, in a game that was a true nail biter. Last night, we lost to Cardiff in a game where nothing seemed to go the way we wanted it to.

Of course, we are not happy with just 2 points from those 3 games but we have done what was necessary to increase our lead for the 8th playoff position. Hopefully, Sunday we can beat Manchester again and really put the pressure on Basingstoke.

Dino Bauba may not return this season. I am hopeful that we can get him back but this is the same injury he suffered earlier in the year that kept him our for almost 3 months. Therefore, I am not expecting him back.

I am looking forward to seeing you all at our Awards Dinner on Friday night at the Murrayfield. It will be a great way to cap off an exciting year and encourage many of the players to come back next season.

It is hard to imagine that there are only 3 games left in the regular season. We have come along way. We could never have gotten to this position without all the support that we have received from the fans. I hope that we can give you the gift of a home play-off game, something that has been lacking in Scotland for too long!

Playoff Chase, Dino, Premier Executive Travel

Last weekend was the first four point road weekend the Capitals have had in the Elite League. It was a huge weekend and really pushed us in the direction of the coveted playoff spot. We have a long way to go but I was extremely proud of the effort that the players gave. JF Perras was once again outstanding. Colin Hemingway was dominant and Martin Cingel continued to lead the way. However, it was the team defense that we played in Coventry that pleased me the most. We blocked shots, got pucks out whenever we had a chance, and cleared the front of the net. Adam Stefishen probably had the save of the game blocking a shot from Adam Calder that was definitely going in. Holding the Blaze to one goal in Coventry is a team accomplishment.

As great as last weekend was all it did was help us achieve our goal. We have 6 crucial games to go. This weekend we travel to Hull and are home against Manchester. We will be determined to get points out of this weekend and keep our momentum going.

We will most likely be without Dino Bauba who re-injured his groin on Sunday. Mark Garside has been fantastic in his absence and I am looking forward to him stepping up again.

Finally, I would like to personally thank Tom Malcolm the owner of Premier Executive Travel. Tom played a huge role in our successful weekend against Basingstoke and Coventry. He paid for us to leave on Friday so that we did not have a long travel day on Saturday. This included the bus, hotel, and breakfast. It took many hours out of his busy schedule and he really stepped up. Many of the players told me how vital this was to our success. Anyone who saw those games must know how important every ounce of energy was. If any of you are planning road trips in the future, I suggest you try Tom to show your support of his sponsorship.

March Madness

It is officially the stretch drive this weekend. With 8 games to go, we are 3 points back of Basingstoke and pushing hard to claw our way back into the top 8. Last weekend, we split again. That brought us two points closer to the Bison. Saturday's game against the Bison is obviously huge for us. We need to play our best hockey.

Basingstoke are a tough team to beat because they have so many talented players. They are short numbers but they have proven that means nothing. They are skilled and dangerous, they play a different style than every other team in the league and that makes preparing for them difficult. Our D-men will be tested both mentally and physically because they often make you lose concentration and that is when they hurt you. I am excited for the game as it is a playoff game!

Saturday's game is getting all the attention, and rightfully so, but Sunday's game is equally important. Coventry will be trying to distance themselves atop the league and take one step closer to the league championship. We beat them the last time we played them in Coventry and I am sure Paul Thompson will have his men ready for us on Sunday.

Finally, I would like to wish all the mothers a Happy Mother's Day! I hope our play this weekend can give you a few smiles!

Regards,

Doug

Play-off Chase/ Crane

Ten games remain in league play and we are very much alive in the hunt for the play-offs. We are currently 5 points behind Basingstoke and we play them twice more. This week we play Hull at home and Manchester on the road. Hull has struggled recently but they have played some very tight games. I am sure that Saturday's game is going to be a stern test. I know our fans will be loud as always!

Manchester is the team in my mind, other than Basingstoke, that is the key to our play-off aspirations. We play them three more times, twice on the road. I know that Tony Hand will have his team ready as they are trying to climb the standings and pass Cardiff. But we must find a way to beat them!

For me, this time of year is why we play hockey. Every goal is important, every game is crucial. We only have 3 more home games, we need all of your support in those games as we try to claw our way into the play-offs. Having Dino return to the line up was a huge boost with the loss of Mark Wires. Losing Mark was a tough blow to the team, but I was proud of how the team responded.

One player who deserves a lot of credit for our success is Ryan Crane. Ryan has 42 points and is currently 4th in the league for defenders. This past week he had two huge game winning goals. He has consistently been our best D-man. He is not flashy and does not get noticed like many of the other top players in the league. He has really stepped up his play the last two months, especially recently. He is going to be one of the keys to our success the rest of the way. I know he loves the city and is a player who is proud to wear the Capital uniform.

Trip to England, Dino, Knockout Cup

Beating Nottingham in the National Ice Center was one of the best wins we had all year. J.F. Perras played fantastic. He really was the key. We played very hard, and I think that hurt us on Sunday against Manchester. We did not have the jump that we needed. Give Manchester credit, they played a great game. It was great to see all the Capital fans in Manchester! I wish we could have won the game for you!

Dino skated with the team for the first time last Friday. It is great to have him back around the guys. His personality is really uplifting to the guys. He will be skating all week. He will not play against Coventry and is doubtful for the weekend. However, I will keep my fingers crossed.

Finally, lets beat the Blaze! We are in a semi-final for the first time in Capitals Elite league history. I am very excited by the prospect of bringing a trophy to the fans! We all know you deserve it. I am sure that you will be loud tomorrow night. Of course Coventry in the league leader. But I love being the underdog. They are the ones with all the pressure. We have played much better the 9 weeks, it is just a matter of keeping it going.

I look forward to seeing and hearing all of you this week!