Pick 'Em: Where to Play Eric Fehr
by David Getz on Oct 9, 2009 1:18 PM EDT
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The salary cap is a wonderful thing for the NHL. It's brought parity to the game, turned the League into a more level playing field from a management standpoint, and helped secure the NHL's financial security. But sometimes it can sure be a pain in the ass.
That's been the case for the Capitals so far this season, cap restrictions playing a major role in the recall of Boyd Kane, the waiver-wire loss of Chris Bourque, and the team's decision to dress Tyler Sloan as a forward last night, effectively leaving the team with only eleven NHL-caliber forwards. Fortunately that problem looks like it's coming to an end: Eric Fehr is healthy and should be ready to play tomorrow night in Detroit (under unusual circumstances, no less).
Of course this puts this presents Bruce Boudreau and his staff with another problem, albeit a more pleasant one: What line does Eric Fehr play on?
The answer's not obvious. In fact, an argument can be made for just about any of the four. On the one hand, Fehr produced at an impressive level given the amount of ice time he saw last season. Here's how he stacked up among the fourteen forwards who played at least thirty games for the Caps last season (advanced statistics courtesy of Behind the Net):
| Goals/60 | 3rd |
| Points/60 | 4th |
| +/- | t - 3rd |
| +/- ON60 | 3rd |
| Penalties Draw/60 Min | 1st |
| Penalties Taken/ 60 Min | 6th |
| Corsi | 2nd |
| Quality of Competition | 3rd |
| Quality of Teammates | 9th |
In short, Fehr put up great numbers in almost every category despite playing against relatively strong opponents and with relatively weak teammates.
But the season's aggregate numbers don't tell the whole story. His production looks great, but most of it - 12 of his 25 points and seven of his 12 goals - came during one thirteen game stretch. It's true that it's hard to be consistent when you're seeing fourth line minutes and little powerplay time, but it's also true that Fehr's mid-season explosion means he wasn't doing a whole lot for much of the year. On top of his inconsistency Fehr, despite his size, is not a very physical player, something that works against his value when he's not scoring.
At the moment, Boudreau has Fehr on the team's third line, skating with David Steckel and Chris Clark. But it was your call, where would you slot Fehr? (And feel free to let us know with whom in the comments.)
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I’d put him in Hershey for a couple of games.
Lack of Fehr is not the reason we lost two games.
I’d maybe play him to bench someone as a message, but it’s a bit early for that.
The Caps are only carrying 12 forwards at the moment – would you play Sloan as a forward while Fehr’s in Hershey?
Stupid question: Flash appears to be nowhere near to returning, despite the “week to week” nature of his health. Shouldn’t he be on LTIR? Seems to me it’s easily going to be 10 games or more before he’s ready to play. I suppose it doesn’t necessarily matter, but it could have affected the player called up from Hershey, or not demoted, for opening night?
Well, it could have, but… if the Caps LTIR’d Flash to keep Bourque, they’d have gone over the cap and into the LTIR cushion which would’ve meant that they wouldn’t be able to bank any money under the cap later on. It might not sound like much, but if guys get healthy and a move or two is made, that difference can be enormous.
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Understood. And I’m not the Bourque lobby; he’d have been gone sooner or later. But as we were talking about a pro-rated $17,000, I just thought I’d ask. (And I’ve probably got the whole LTIR misunderstood, but I recall that being the amount we’d have been over.)
I was under the impression he was? Is Tomas hitting the cap right now?
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Flash is counting against the cap presently, yes.
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It helps he’s got some decent chemistry with Steckel, hopefully those guys can find their mojo.
"Good crowd out there tonight, boys, let's really try to win this one."
he seems to meld well with nearly anyone. he’s a hard worker that’s hungry. he worked great with Laich, if my memory isn’t too damaged…
by ns on Oct 9, 2009 2:32 PM EDT up reply actions
So, when Fehr and Flash are finally back and healthy, the Caps should look like:
14 up front:
OV – Backs – Semin
Laich – Morrison – Knuble
Fehr – Steckel – Flash
Bradley – Gordon – Clark
(Nylander)
Laing as #13, in some games. Starts on the 4th line, pushes Clark to 3, Flash to 2, Knuble to 1 pending relative position of injured player.
7 in the back:
Green – ShaMo
Pothier – Schultz
Poti – (Erskine / Jurcina / Sloan)
One of the 3 has to be moved before Flash’s return, either to the waiver wire or in a trade. The other two bounce starts pending performance and/or serve as injury filler.
2 in net:
Theodore
Varlamov
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More or less, though I think you’ll see Flash on the left side of some line and Fehr back on the right.
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Question – has Fehr, as far as we know, played much on the left side?
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3rd line. They need a third line than can shutdown opposing forwards effectively and still be a scoring threat. A lot of pressure on a guy coming off two shoulder rehabs. It’s a chance to shine and guage where he’s at.
overall, it’s all indicative of a larger concern which is how do the coaches overcome the lack of hands/skill/whateveryouwannacallit in the bottom 6 at the moment.
by Hunky Dory on Oct 9, 2009 2:30 PM EDT via mobile reply actions
left wing?
That’s gonna make ot tougher on him, no?
by Hunky Dory on Oct 9, 2009 2:31 PM EDT via mobile reply actions
I’d put Eric on the third, but I wouldn’t stop there. I’d move Clark to the fourth and bring up Brads. Chris just hasn’t shown me anything so far. In fact, he looks a step slow. Having Clark and Fehr on the same line could be disastrous against some of the faster lines in the league. Bradley would provide some badly needed giddyup. Once Flash returns then I’d move him to the third and push Matt back to the fourth although I might be tempted to put Laich on the third where he was really effective last year and Flash or Fehr on the second. I’d hand out more advice but I have to go off and win a Nobel Prize.
by b.orr4 on Oct 9, 2009 2:50 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
I have Fehr on line two, but I also have a lot of line shifting:
Ovechkin – Backstrom – Knuble
Semin – Morrison – Fehr
Laich – Steckel – Clark
Laing – Gordon – Bradley
Gives a chance to see what Fehr can do in the top six and it gets you a look at a Laich – Steckel – Clark third line which is something I’d love to see.
by David Getz on Oct 9, 2009 2:53 PM EDT up reply actions 2 recs
Now there are some balanced lines!
"Let the rest be scared of us." - Sasha Semin
by Scott in Shaw on Oct 9, 2009 2:54 PM EDT up reply actions
rimshot!
"Let the rest be scared of us." - Sasha Semin
by Scott in Shaw on Oct 9, 2009 7:09 PM EDT up reply actions
I am on board with these lines.
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I think (or hope) that Backs and Ovie will be together for a long time, so they should stay together.
by GreenLife420 on Oct 9, 2009 4:05 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
I’m on board with that, too. I’m on board with spreading the wealth (of talent).
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But what do you do when Flash returns? Move him to the second, Fehr to the third and Clark to the fourth? I have no problem with that reconstituted first line.
these are what I expect to see with fehr in and flash still out. So far, the lines have been head scratching. Semin, ovechkin and backstrom have put up great numbers but the team has suffered for it, oddly. and yes, if fehr works out. Having semin and Morrison to play with should help him out. laich-steckel-Clark seems a no brainer, but so does leaviing Fehr at rw.
Caps have been thin on rw for a long time. Sticking with their man and taking fehr in the draft was to address that. Those lines address that issue and patch it up. Still, dudes had two shoulder surgeries so it ain’t fehr to expect to much.
by Hunky Dory on Oct 9, 2009 3:20 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
I'd keep Laich on #2
To keep the PP rotation smooth. Otherwise, you get a little hiccup either before or after a PP. Nothing huge, but a consideration.
I'm trying to work out a deal with a club in Europe
Or… You get that top line off the ice after the first minute of the PP and throw them out right after the PP ends for a quick shift because that’s when you know every team is throwing their big guns out there and whatever players they want matched against AO are gassed from the PK.
If you're after gettin' the honey, then you don't go killin' all them bees.
I am pretty sure BB likes playing Semin on RW. Since OV takes long shifts, he has the ability of having OV and Semin play together even when they are on seperate lines.
by CapsFanSince1979 on Oct 10, 2009 10:49 AM EDT up reply actions
Start Fehr on third line. Glad he’s back. Generally, he’s the type that can play on any line although with our cast of characters, the second or third line is the most natural slot for him. (Clark has also been pretty adaptable in that way, too.)
In many ways, our third line (when everyone’s healthy) is like a second line. (I saw situations where the Caps third line for a given game is the same line that was their second line 2-3 months earlier. And vice versa for the second line.)
Not worth a fanpost but interesting
Bout to head out, Stars game’s on. Announcer at intermission report:
“One guy I really noticed is Brian Sutherby. He knows his place out there, he finishes his checks, goes to the net. Now here he heads to the net, sees there are two guys there already, goes back and plays a good defensive role there, then sneaks up and is there to knock the puck in”
Isn’t this his third franchise now?
Caps, Ducks, Stars…it’s been at least three.
by red army line on Oct 9, 2009 11:54 PM EDT up reply actions
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Southeast Standings
| GP | W | L | OTL | PT | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Florida
|
54 | 26 | 17 | 11 | 63 |
|
Washington
|
54 | 28 | 21 | 5 | 61 |
|
Winnipeg
|
57 | 26 | 25 | 6 | 58 |
|
Tampa Bay
|
54 | 24 | 24 | 6 | 54 |
|
Carolina
|
56 | 20 | 25 | 11 | 51 |
(updated 2.12.2012 at 3:50 AM EST)
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