Tarik El-Bashir just reported that Brooks Laich and Shaone Morrisonn have filed for arbitration. While the arbitration process (pronounced “pro-cess,” of course, for the Canadians out there) includes evidentiary submissions of an often-contentious nature, this comes as welcome news.

photo by Kate McGovern on ericmcerlain.com

photo by Kate McGovern, at www.offwingopinion.com

By filing, Brooks and Shaone are no longer eligible to sign offer sheets from any other team. So we no longer have to worry about another general manager throwing the Capitals’ whole salary structure out of balance, signing up a fine player like Brooks to a Dustin Penner-style offer sheet, and forcing management to make a painful decision.

And that too avoids McPhee piling on to Brian Burke’s hew and cry over the contents of Pandora’s box opened by one Kevin Lowe.

It would seem that, no matter what the arbitrator awards (should it get to the point of a hearing and decision), the final sums for both players should be reasonable enough for George’s assent.

Better yet, let’s hope that these filings are just a matter of maintaining rights due Brooks and Mo and an invitation to getting amicable, longer-term pacts consummated.

Fans might remember that Laich took the team to arbitration last year, and won. Its amusing to think how concerned were many of us fans, at that time, that Laich’s last deal was a one-way contract, and that many saw him then as primarily a shut-down, shot-blocking defensive forward.

Happily, he’s developed into much more.  He’s the rugged two-way center who goes to the net that we desperately need on the third line, and a capable fill-in at wing on the second line, the latter especially important given Chris Clark’s still uncertain health.

And as for Morrisonn? Well, he’s the chips to Mike Green’s salsa.

One last thing - Boyd Gordon apparently did not file for arbitration. What does this mean? Perhaps he’s still waiting for an offer sheet from another team?

Or perhaps he’s concerned that an arbitration award might come down that is less generous than his qualifying offer? (His decline in season points from 29 in 2006-07 to 16 in 2007-08, in roughly the same ice time - TOI/G of 15:52 in 2006-07 vs. 15:44 in 2007-08, might be a factor.)

Boyd has until July 15 to accept the QO granted to him by the club.