Thursday Roundup - Gamenight: Blues @ Caps
by J.P. on Dec 18, 2008 6:42 AM EST
44 comments
[AP Preview - WashingtonCaps.com Preview]
On the surface, the St. Louis Blues might seem like a hard team to get fired up for - they come into tonight's game as the worst team in the Western Conference (but they try hard!), are seriously banged up (cry us a river), and don't have any particularly detestable, flashy, or for that matter interesting players on the roster.
The Caps have only played the Blues twice in the past five years (a home win in January of 2006 and a road loss in October, 2007), so there's no recent animosity between the franchises, St. Louis leads the all-time head-to-head series 36-34-12, and, other than Brent Johnson, there's not a single player on either roster who has played for both organizations. And hell, how pumped can you get for a team whose name is synonymous with depression?
The answer, of course, is that whatever the motivation, the Caps had best be very pumped for tonight's game, especially after being publicly admonished by their general manager for failing to be adequately focused on Tuesday night. As GMGM put it:
"We didn't play well enough last night. We didn't respect our opponent, and we didn't play hard for the entire game. You could see early in the game that we had a couple of players that were playing far too cute. It was our grinders that got us through. We expect and demand a lot from these guys now."
And while "far too cute" can be a good thing (see Hough, Julianne), it's most certainly not here, and it most likely has led to a break up of the top line (at least it was that way in practice yesterday).
So we'll see if the latest challenge for the team to play to its potential will be heard, and, if it is, we can expect a two-point night for the home team. If not... get ready to skate, boys.
Elsewhere 'Round the Rinks:
Alex Semin is looking for a redhead... Pierre LeBrun has AO winning the Richard Trophy. He also predicts Barack Obama will be our next President, Chrysler will be in some financial trouble in early 2009 and that Jim Carrey's new movie is going to be horrible.... Speaking of Ovi, I have to disagree with Chris Botta - there's a bigger different between the Caps and Isles than Alex Ovechkin.... Some good discussion of Bruce Boudreau early in this interview.... Holy crap, a list of the NHL's most overpaid players that doesn't include Jose Theodore.... If you read of an organization in which "[t]oo many prospects, for a variety of reasons, are falling short of expectations and potential[,]" how many teams would you guess it was referring to before you guessed the Caps?... I suppose the Caps don't need anything, since they're giving when everyone else is receiving.... Cap of the Day: A former Cap and Blue.... It's time to do some voting for All-Stars at the AHL level, if you're into such things.
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LeLapin = GMGM's Too-Cutie?
“At times the game itself is not necessary to me. I would rather make a few good plays, make a few passes, get a little strategy going on the ice.” From that Semin Cosmo interview . . . . hmm. There may be some Russian euphemisms here that we just don’t get. Like “not necessary to me”. What? What is that?
by Uncle C on Dec 18, 2008 8:12 AM EST reply actions 0 recs
My favorite line from that interview
“I dislike material difficulties.”
by grapejoos on Dec 18, 2008 10:54 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Trap game, version two. Should be 5-1. But Tuesday should have been too.
by TylerG on Dec 18, 2008 8:27 AM EST reply actions 0 recs
Um…okay on not being deep in S@H? Didn’t we JUST SEE blueliners they didn’t name? Collins? Sloan? Did they miss the boat on Eric Fehr graduating? No forwards? Giroux? Bourque? Aucoin? These guys are full of crap, JP.
As for as that gift list, I can think of a few things I want:
1. The cap space to keep Alzner and Sloan.
2. A break from the injury bug.
by gotsparkly on Dec 18, 2008 8:35 AM EST reply actions 0 recs
In fairness, Giroux and Aucoin, even Sloan aren’t exactly prospects (a bit long in the tooth for that), and Bourque is a question mark. But Osala looks good, and Bouchard and Andrew Gordon could be NHLers. More to the point, some guys who are younger than some of the “prospects” they name for other teams are in the NHL already and hardly disappointing.
And the D is loaded.
Frankly, the only disappointing prospects in the system, I’d say, are only disappointing because of the injuries they’ve faced since being drafted and/or weren’t great picks where they were taken in the first place.
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by J.P. on Dec 18, 2008 9:00 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
True. I’d forgotten about Osala, and I’ve enjoyed watching the Bouchard line when I find myself in Hershey. But I thought Giroux’s done very well, although he seems to have a problem beating the goaltender. Andrew Gordon is another one.
Agreed that D is seriously deep.
So, given that and the fact that Pothier appears to be on the mend if a long way off – what do we do with our D for this season and next? Who you see staying, and going?
I think Mo is trade bait, given two arbitrations and his performance so far this year. If someone can tell Schultz that it’s good to hit people, we could have something like this:
55-52
27-23
3-89
4 (as a seventh)
it’s also possible that 89 is trade bait too, though I’d kind of like to keep him as a young, cheap, S@H D who sees the game pretty well and is good at staying out of the sin bin.
by gotsparkly on Dec 18, 2008 9:40 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
I have reached the point where when someone complains about 55 not hitting people, I just stop reading. (Wanna complain about Alzner not hitting people either?)
Repeat after me: You can be a very effective, HOF-level defenseman without hitting everything that moves. (Conversely, Big hitters whose names rhyme with ‘spite us’ are 5-6 D in the KHL.)
by TylerG on Dec 18, 2008 10:04 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Poti doesn’t hit either.
Hitting is to defense what spin-o-ramas are to offense – pretty, but not at all necessary to the successful performance of the task at hand.
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by J.P. on Dec 18, 2008 10:16 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Agreed, but see my remark below. There’s a place for everything.
by gotsparkly on Dec 18, 2008 10:17 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
It’s not necessary but it can, like a fight, energize a player (case in point: AO) or the entire team. However, I tend to agree that big hits, especially if they take a player out of position, aren’t productive and there’s more than one way to get the job done in your defensive end. I’m starting to doubt your man-crush on Komisarek though :)
by Lisita on Dec 18, 2008 10:24 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Right, agreed. My point is that you’ve got to have all kinds of things in your toolbox. Sometimes hitting is the right thing to do, sometimes it’s not, but be willing to do either. That’s my point.
by gotsparkly on Dec 18, 2008 10:27 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
My man-crush on Mike Komisarek isn’t because he’s a big hitter, it’s because he’s a very good defender (he just happens to be a big hitter).
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by J.P. on Dec 18, 2008 10:31 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Oh, and no question about the energizing effect of a big hit.
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by J.P. on Dec 18, 2008 10:31 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Oh, save the snark. You don’t have to hit everything that moves to hit someone once in a while, and if I didn’t think Schultz was good, he wouldn’t be on that list. I’ve seen him far too many times not hit someone when he could and should.
Repeat after me: There’s a place for every style and you have to suit to the situation. If you only place one type of game, you are crippling yourself.
by gotsparkly on Dec 18, 2008 10:17 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Not everyone has the versatility of a guy like Chris Pronger or Dion Phaneuf, and if they’re effective at keeping the puck out of the net, who cares?
Bottom line on Schultz is that if he wasn’t as big as he is, it wouldn’t be “a problem” that he doesn’t hit much – it’s not with Alzner, is it?
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by J.P. on Dec 18, 2008 10:33 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
That’s what I’ve always thought. If Schultz were 6’1’’, 190, everyone would love the guy for playing such a sound, solid defensive game. It seems like a lot of Capitals fans are stuck in the “tall guy = big hitter or he sucks” mindset.
I admit that I’ve found myself wishing Schultz were a little more aggressive sometimes but the problem with so many big hitter defensemen is how often they get out of position trying to line up that hit – and I’d much rather have a guy who passes up a hit from time to time than a guy who’s out of position going for the big on a regular basis.
by David M. Getz on Dec 18, 2008 11:00 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
I agree with wanting to see more “aggressive” play out of Schultz, not necessarily more hitting. A little more snarl to his game would be great, but I get a sense that just isn’t his personality. It’s just frustrating as a fan to see a sheepish reaction from him every time a scrum develops or he gets semi-challenged by someone after the whistle.
by Cluster on Dec 18, 2008 1:32 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Fehr’s only played 64 NHL games and you “graduate” at 65 by the rating system they use.
I think if you look at the Capitals system you can say there are prospects who haven’t lived up to their potential even if it’s mostly because of injury: Pokuluk, Fehr, Seabrook and possibly even Dovgan and Finley come to mind off the top of my head.
by David M. Getz on Dec 18, 2008 10:54 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Berglund (Blues rookie)
wouldn’t mind having Patrick Berglund in our pipeline. the kid is good. not bad for a rookie:
GP 25
G 10
A 10
PTS 20
+/- 10
PPG 4
SHG 0
GWG 0
PIM 4
by ns on Dec 18, 2008 9:01 AM EST reply actions 0 recs
He’s very nice. I remember hoping the Caps would draft him where they drafted Varlamov (or that he’d slip to one of their early 2nd round picks in that 2006 draft).
This, incidentally, is among the many reasons I’m not an NHL GM.
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by J.P. on Dec 18, 2008 9:08 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
yeah, but you never know. nonetheless, the 2006 draft for the Caps is looking damn fine right about now:
Backstrom
Varlamov
Neuvirth
Bouchard
Osala
Perrreault
imagine if we had Berglund. two legit scoring-line Swede play-making centers flanked by Russian snipers. i would lose my shit if GMGM traded for him…
by ns on Dec 18, 2008 9:27 AM EST reply actions 0 recs
psssssst, GMGM
send Nylander and a pick/prospect to the Blues for Berglund. thanks.
by ns on Dec 18, 2008 9:31 AM EST reply actions 0 recs
lol
and throw in about five blow jobs.
by macvechkin on Dec 18, 2008 2:27 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
It bears noting, HF ranks the Penguins 29th, ahead of only the Devils. Their prospects are all now with the parent club. The Caps still have a group in Hershey yet to graduate, and that doesn’t include the likes of Anton Gustafsson or Dmitri Kugryshev. I still maintain, the Penguins probably had more high-end talent than did the Caps, prospect-wise, but the Caps were a lot deeper. What that provides, as much as a “pipeline” of talent, is trading assets if the Caps wanted to tweak their roster for a Cup run (not that I’m necessarily advocating such a thing; it only suggests options). If Pittsburgh wants to try to obtain another “Hossa” this year, what’s in their cupboard to include in a deal?
All in all, though, I wonder if the person who wrote the Caps entry is pounding down turpentine shots.
If you've read this far...seek help.
by ThePeerless on Dec 18, 2008 9:32 AM EST reply actions 0 recs
Baby Bengt isn’t looking like a top-flight prospect these days. He couldn’t even make what doesn’t seem to be a super-stacked Swedish WJC roster.
Organizational depth is especially critical with the cap. Most teams simply can’t afford to have $2.5M/year veterans on their third lines.
by TylerG on Dec 18, 2008 9:40 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
And in today’s NHL, it’s almost better in some ways not to have as much high-end talent and to have more depth (to a certain extent, of course), since it’s the high-end guys that you either lose b/c you can’t afford them or you sign and have nothing left to spend on the guys surrounding them. Ideally, I think you want a few high-end guys and then depth out the wazoo, which is what the Caps seem to have.
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by J.P. on Dec 18, 2008 9:41 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Notable’s for tonight’s game (sorry to ruin the streak of prospect talk):
Matt Bradley played his first NHL game against St. Louis in 2000 when he was a Shark.
The St. Louis Blues are the only team that Alex Semin has yet to record a shot on goal against (2 GP, 2 Capitals losses).
by Simply Sensational on Dec 18, 2008 10:02 AM EST reply actions 0 recs
I’m hoping Tuesday’s less than inspiring period 3 was enough of a letdown that we come out strong tonight and keep it up for 60 minutes. This should be another “easy” two points.
Just read from Corey that Jose is still out. Gotta say, I’m really hoping to see Varlamov tonight. Gotta assume this will be one of a few chances before he’s sent back down, and I’d love him to get a home game in.
by Ames on Dec 18, 2008 10:36 AM EST reply actions 0 recs
According to Capitals Insider Tarik El-Bashir, Varmalov is getting the start tonight.
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/capitalsinsider/2008/12/thursday_morning_update_4.html
by PaintDrinkingPete on Dec 18, 2008 10:46 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Excited to see Varlomov again. A little extra incentive for the team to play tight D in front of him. Come on Semin, help the fellow countryman out and lets see a bit more concentration than the last game. Oh, and here’s hoping Craig and Lisa might actually get his name right tonight.
Looks like Collins is back in as well with Sloan still not ready. I would prefer not to see a repeat of Tuesday from him. Keep it simple.
by Ames on Dec 18, 2008 12:46 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
when lisa says var-LA-mov it sounds like she has a mouthful of simeon.
by macvechkin on Dec 18, 2008 2:30 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Erskine is getting better? Quick someone Nancy Kerrigan him so we can keep Alzner up!
by CapitalsKremlin on Dec 18, 2008 11:47 AM EST reply actions 0 recs
let’s be clear, the Kerrigan line is currently forming behind Chris Clark. wait your turn!
by macvechkin on Dec 18, 2008 2:51 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
refreshing
to hear GM take the team to task publicly. It’ll be interesting to see how we respond tonight, and I already feel sorry for the Blues netminder.
by bigonetimer on Dec 18, 2008 1:01 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
By the way, didn’t the Caps just play the Blues? Weight, Guerin, some D named Jackman…
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by J.P. on Dec 18, 2008 1:08 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
Caps should win, but if they need any extra help, they could just lput some golf carts on the ice and chase down the Blues players….
by CapitalsKremlin on Dec 18, 2008 1:11 PM EST reply actions 1 recs
Wrong Jackman, unless I’m missing the sarcasm……feel free to -1 me.
by Cluster on Dec 18, 2008 1:40 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
You’re missing the sarcasm, but it was lame, so we’re even.
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by J.P. on Dec 18, 2008 2:22 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
No Julianne Hough fans, eh? Tough crowd…
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by J.P. on Dec 18, 2008 3:27 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
I’m an Edyta fan personally….what a bod
by Cluster on Dec 18, 2008 3:36 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
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Southeast Standings
| GP | W | L | OTL | PT | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Washington
|
59 | 41 | 12 | 6 | 88 |
|
Tampa Bay
|
57 | 25 | 21 | 11 | 61 |
|
Atlanta
|
57 | 25 | 24 | 8 | 58 |
|
Florida
|
58 | 24 | 25 | 9 | 57 |
|
Carolina
|
58 | 21 | 30 | 7 | 49 |
(updated 2.9.2010 at 9:00 AM EST)
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