WASHINGTON -- Heres an audacious way to get a promotion: Tell the big boss what hes been doing wrong. Brian MacLellan did just that when he interviewed with owner Ted Leonsis for the Washington Capitals general manager job. "He led off with some of the things that I have to do to be a better owner," Leonsis said. "I thought that was very brave and very astute, because you dont want to hear things like that." MacLellans strategy helped him pull an upset. Leonsis was looking for a new direction and hadnt intended to promote from within after George McPhees contract wasnt renewed, but MacLellans candour helped him rise above the 15 or so candidates and land the job. "I didnt think I had anything to lose," MacLellan said. MacLellan has been with Washington for 13 seasons, including seven as assistant GM, but most of his work had been in scouting and he had rarely spoken to Leonsis. His message: When everyone in the organization is not on the same page, including the owner, the product on the ice suffers. Such was the case last season with McPhee and coach Adam Oates, and the result was a team that missed the playoffs for the first time in seven years despite 51 goals from Alex Ovechkin. "I think the important point I was trying to make is that I think the team feels when theres a disconnect," MacLellan said, "or (when) theres not a unified philosophy from ownership to manger to coach." MacLellan was introduced alongside Barry Trotz, the longtime Nashville Predators coach who replaces Oates. While MacLellan was one of many GM candidates, Trotz was the only coach the Capitals interviewed. His only hang-up was that he had to wait for a GM to get in place, and to make sure it was someone who shared a similar vision. "Its where I started," said Trotz, who coached the Capitals top minor league affiliate in the 1990s before spending 15 seasons with the Predators, "so I feels like I was coming home." Leonsis said he was keen to get someone with a solid track record after five consecutive McPhee hires who had no previous NHL head coaching experience. "We are not rebuilding the team," Leonsis said. "But we are going to refresh the team." Ovechkin has been forced to adjust to multiple offensive systems through several coaching changes in recent years. One of Trotzs priorities will be to sit down with the three-time league MVP and discuss the way forward. "My job as a coach is to find a way to allow Alex and the other players to reach their potential as a group, and be able to play together," Trotz said. "One of the very fundamental things, if you have a kindergarten, they give you your report card and they say, Do you play well with others? My job is to get everybody to play well with the others." Trotz downplayed his reputation as a defensive-minded coach, saying he didnt have the same firepower in Nashville that hell have in Washington. "I dont want to take anything away from the Capitals offensively. ... (They have) great power plays and great individuals that can put the puck in the net," Trotz said. "I didnt have that in Nashville. I had some real good players, but not enough up front, so we become a little more of a defensive team." Trotz said he doesnt see why the Capitals cant get back in the Stanley Cup mix right away, assuming they can forge the unified gameplan envisioned by MacLellan. "Theres enough ability here," Trotz said. "We just have to forge a little bit of an identity going forward." Anton Forsberg Jersey . Weise left the arena with a splint on his wrist and underwent tests to determine whether the tendon is torn. Winger Travis Moen will also miss some time after suffering a concussion in Mondays contest. CM Punk Jersey .com) - Fair Grounds commences its road to the Kentucky Derby Saturday with the 71st running of the $200,000 Lecomte Stakes. http://www.officialblackhawksauthority.c...ks-jersey-c-51/. PAUL, Minn. Nathan Noel Jersey . The Toronto Maple Leafs forward and Nashville Predators goaltender highlighted Mondays waiver transactions, with Calgarys Chuck Kobasew and Edmontons Philip Larsen also being placed on waivers. Patrick Kane Jersey . Louis Blues have returned to the top spot in the TSN.The Baltimore Orioles quest toward their first World Series appearance in 31 years starts on Thursday when they open up the American League Division Series against the Detroit Tigers at Camden Yards. Baltimore is back in the postseason for the second time in three years thanks to its first American League East crown since 1997 after going 96-66. The win total was the most for an Os team since they accumulated 98 in the year of their last division title. The Os had to overcome a pair of serious injuries along the way, as catcher Matt Wieters was lost for the season in June with an elbow injury, while promising third baseman Manny Machado was again done in by a serious leg injury that required surgery in August. Then as if that wasnt enough last years home run champion Chris Davis was suspended for the use of amphetamines in September. His suspension will keep him out of this series and he likely wont be available to the Os unless they reach the World Series. Still it didnt slow the Orioles down from an offensive standpoint, as they hit a league high 211 dingers, with Nelson Cruz leading the way with an MLB- best 40. Chris Tillman will make his first postseason start for the Orioles in Game One. Tillman was as good as any pitcher down the stretch, going 6-1 in the second half with a 2.33 ERA in 14 starts. Overall he was 13-6 with a 3.34 ERA. Baltimore was 11-3 in his 14 starts after the break and also went 20 starts of having allowed three runs or less. You know what? I think the only difference is the stakes are higher, Tillman said of his preparation. I take every game the same way. Theyre all important. There is not one thats less important than the other. As a player, I think between the lines, thats where were comfortable. So once the game starts and the bell rings, thats where were comfortable as a team and as a unit. Might have extra feelings before the game, be nervous, but iif youre not nervous, you need to find another job, really.dddddddddddd Tillman is also a perfect 3-0 in six starts versus the Tigers with a 3.58 ERA. Detroit, meanwhile, needed all 162 games before it finally clinched its fourth straight AL Central title with a win on the final day of the season. The four straight playoff appearances are tied for the longest active streak of postseason appearances in the major leagues. While as good of a story it would have been had the postseason-starved Kansas City Royals overtaken Detroit, it would have been a disaster for a Tigers team that was an overwhelming favorite at the start of the year and one that went all-in at the non-waiver trade deadline with the acquisition of left-hander David Price from the Tampa Bay Rays. Regardless, Detroit is trying to get back to the World Series for the second time in three years, as it chases its first title since 1984. Getting the call for the Tigers on Thursday will be reigning AL Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer, who finished the year tied for the AL lead with 18 wins, while recording a 3.15 ERA and setting career highs in innings (220 1/3) and strikeouts (252). I remember him saying at Spring Training ... to expect him to have a season this year like he did last year just wasnt going to happen, manager Brad Ausmus said. Well, he came pretty darn close. Scherzer was at his best in September, going 3-0 with a 2.48 ERA as the Tigers won all five of his starts, including two important victories over the Royals. He is a four-pitch pitcher, Ausmus said. Hes a No. 1-type pitcher. We certainly feel comfortable sending him to the mound. Scherzer has pitched to a 4.95 ERA in three starts at Camden Yards, but is 3-1 lifetime against the Os with a 3.92 ERA in six starts. These two teams have never met one another in the postseason, but the Tigers were 5-1 against the Os in the regular season. Wholesale NFL T-shirts Cheap Jerseys Free Shipping NFL Jerseys Wholesale China NFL Gear Wholesale NFL Camo Jerseys Cheap NFL Hoodies Camo China NFL Jerseys ' ' '