WASHINGTON -- General manager George McPhee and coach Adam Oates lost their jobs with the Washington Capitals on Saturday, about two weeks after the team failed to make the playoffs for the first time since 2007. Orlando Brown Jr. Jersey . "We were left with the overall impression that the team wasnt trending toward being able to compete for a Stanley Cup," Capitals owner Ted Leonsis said in a news conference at the clubs arena. "And that was just a clear signal and why it was time to make those changes." McPhees contract was up and the team announced it will not give him a new one after his 17 years as the GM, which included drafting Alex Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom in the first round. Oates was fired with one season left on his three-year deal. A former star player for the Capitals, he was in his first job as an NHL head coach. Washington finished this season with the ninth-most points in the Eastern Conference, one spot out of a playoff berth. "You have to do something to pivot the team to be an ongoing strong team," Leonsis said. "And I just felt that new leadership at this time was needed, and lets start it with a clean slate." Asked whether any player would be untouchable as part of upcoming changes -- a chance, perhaps, for Leonsis to mention captain and top scorer Ovechkin -- the owner replied: "Im not the general manager. So If the general manager comes with something, we would listen to the general manager." Ovechkin has won three league MVP awards and again led the NHL in scoring this season with 51 goals, but the Capitals havent made it past the second round of the playoffs during the Russian wings career. Dick Patrick, the president of the Capitals, said the team already has drawn up a list of potential GM candidates. "Typically, youd like to have a general manager in place and have him choose a coach," Patrick said. The Capitals reached the Stanley Cup finals in 1998, McPhees first year on the job, and were swept by the Detroit Red Wings. Later, McPhee oversaw a "rebuild" ordered by Leonsis, including jettisoning top players with big contracts such as Jaromir Jagr. "Lets not forget that rebuilding process was dramatic. And I watched a great executive go through really, really hard times and really rebuild that team quickly. We just didnt get there," Leonsis said. "At some point, you just have to try something different." While McPhee eventually built a young roster filled with offensive stars, he never placed as much emphasis on constructing a rugged, defensive-minded blue line crop. He hired a succession of coaches with zero previous NHL experience running a team, including Glen Hanlon, Bruce Boudreau, Dale Hunter and Oates. Led by Ovechkin, the Capitals produced terrific regular-season results for a half-dozen seasons, without similar success in the post-season. Four years ago, Washington won the Presidents Trophy for having the most points during the season, then lost in the first round of the playoffs to the eighth-seeded Montreal Canadiens. Leonsis called McPhee, who built seven division-winning teams, "a talented man, a great friend," but that it was time for "a fresh set of eyes." The Capitals went 65-48-17 under Oates in his two seasons. In a brief statement released via the team, Oates called it "a tremendous honour to coach the Capitals these past two seasons" and said he was "grateful for the opportunity." In his first season in charge, which was shortened because of a labour dispute, Washington reached the playoffs with a late surge before losing in the first round to the New York Rangers in seven games. "We were a continuously improving playoff team until we werent. And the last two seasons showed us that we need to improve. And thats what it came down to," Leonsis said. "Dick and I said, We have to make that gut check. Do we have to change? And where do you start? And you start with the coach and the general manager." Lamar Jackson Jersey . But qualifying for her first Scotties Tournament of Hearts after years of falling short in tough Manitoba provincial championships is as good as consolation prizes get for the 29-year-old from Winnipegs Fort Rouge Curling Club. Mark Andrews Jersey . - Derek Wolfe says hes finally healthy after suffering a seizure in November that doctors now believe was related to the spinal cord injury he suffered in the preseason. http://www.footballravensstore.us/authentic-hayden-hurst-ravens-jersey/ . Blackhawks RW Patrick Kane came up big when it counted, tallying two goals and an assist. He scored the game-winner with 4:45 remaining in the third period, stopping on the right hashmarks, carrying the puck up through the top of the Kings zone, then firing a wrist shot from the top of the circles past Jonathan Quick, who had his view obstructed by Andrew Shaw.MADRID - France upset Spain 65-52 in front of its stunned fans in the quarter-finals of the Basketball World Cup on Wednesday. After dominating its first six games and blowing out France by 24 points in the group phase, Spain appeared to be the main candidate to dethrone the United States in a possible final that would have been a rematch of the past two Olympic gold-medal games. But France defended well and rebounded even better to ruin Spains quest for a title for a second straight summer. Last summer, Tony Parker helped France end Spains quest for a third consecutive European title. This time, Spain had several reasons to believe it would avenge that loss. Parker wasnt playing for France, and Spain had Pau Gasol back in its ranks, besides playing at home. "Its a painful and disappointing defeat," Pau said. "We had such high expectations and had played so well until now." Spain had averaged 88 points per game through its first six wins, all blowouts. But France cut off Spains passing lanes and forced it into solo efforts. Spains guards didnt adjust by looking for Pau and Marc Gasol in the post enough, and then compounded that by missing all but two of their 22 attempts from beyond the three-point arc. "Everyone thought we had won this before it started, but we didnt prepare well for the game and were trying to play catchup the entire way," Spain guard Juan Carlos Navarro said. "They prepared better than we did. We relied on doing what we always do, defend and get out on the break, but our shots didnt fall, and they played with a lot of poise." Boris Diaw scored 15 points and Thomas Heurtel added 13 for a France team which pulled in 50 rebounds to Spains 28. Pau had 17 for Spain, but his brother Marc and Serge Ibaka each went 1-of-7 from the field to combine for just five points. Serbia awaits France on Friday after it routed Brazil 84-56 in the other quarter-final. The U.S. plays Lithuania in the other semifinal in Barcelona on Thursday. Pau scored in the post to spark Spains 12-4 run to open the third period and edge ahead 40-39. Custom Baltimore Ravens Jerseys. . A brief scuffle marred that span when Frances Florent Pietrus slapped Sergi Llull in the back of the head after an argument. Pietrus was awarded an unsporstmanlike technical foul. Spain entered the final period with a one-point lead but without any clear plan of attack. Diaw nailed a backbreaking three after France again beat Spain to the offensive boards to take a 51-45 lead and force Juan Orenga to call time-out with 6:41 left. A contested jumper by Pau brought Spain to within three points with under two to play, but Heurtel scored five points to quash the comeback and spark chants for Orengas resignation in a loss that hurt almost as much as the Spanish football teams early elimination from this summers World Cup. Pau left open the possibility that this was his last game for Spain, which he has led to one world championship in 2006, two Olympic silver medals, and two European titles. "You never know when your last game or tournament will be," the new Chicago Bull centre said. "I would like to play until I am 50, but I doubt it. We have great young players coming up and Im sure that we have a good team in the future." Whether or not Pau continues, Spain will likely not have such a chance to try and finally beat the U.S. with Pau now 34, and the Olympics two years away. Serbias result also reversed a group matchup, as Serbia lost to Brazil last Wednesday, when Spain also beat France. This time, Brazil and its trio of NBA centers in Varejao, Tiago Splitter and Nene were ineffective, as Serbia bettered the bigger Brazilians inside and out, and turned a five-point halftime advantage into a rout by outscoring Brazil 29-10 in the third period. Serbia was led by guard Milos Teodosic, who scored 23 points, hit three three-pointers, and made four assists. Shooting guard Bogdan Bogdanovic scored 12 points, and centers Miroslav Raduljica and Nenad Krstic added 10 each. Varejao and Vieira had 12 points each for Brazil. Cheap NFL Black Jerseys Wholesale Black NFL Jerseys Wholesale NFL Gear Wholesale Stitched Jerseys Wholesale NFL Womens Jerseys Cheap NFL Black Jerseys Jerseys NFL China ' ' '