Washington Capitals general manager David Poile will meet team president Dick Patrick for lunch Monday and begin discussing a new contract.

"I'd like to get it done as quickly as possible," said Poile. "But let's just have the meeting first."

Patrick, who said he hopes to sign Poile to a multi-year contract, anticipates the process will involve several meetings over several weeks.

"That's the way it has evolved in the past," Patrick said. "I'd be surprised if we got it all finalized Monday afternoon."

The Capitals have made the playoffs in each of Poile's 12 years as the team's GM.

This year, after a season long struggle that included an 0-6 start, a 21-game suspension of veteran center Dale Hunter and the firing of coach Terry Murray, Washington rallied to make the playoffs. The Capitals went on to upset Pittsburgh in the Eastern Conference quarterfinals before losing to the New York Rangers, 4-1, in the conference semifinals.

"We'll start by talking parameters," said Patrick. "We'll spend a lot of time discussing where we're going, what our goals are, what his role, mission will be."