Of Concerns Large, Small and Non‑Existent
by David Getz on Oct 15, 2010 2:30 PM EDT
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PrintThere are a lot of teams in the NHL who would be (or are) thrilled to start the season with three wins in their first four games. And maybe the Washington Capitals are one of them. To be sure, points in the standings are easier to come by in October than in March. But for a team of whom great things are expected, wins and losses aren't going to be the sole basis on which the team is evaluated... at least until April. So here it is the second week of October and the Caps are in pretty good shape, even if "things aren’t entirely hunky-dory".
With that in mind, we thought it would be worthwhile to take a look at the Capitals early season "concerns" and try and figure out which ones are legitimate worries, and which ones we should expect to work themselves out.
(1) The power play is struggling
Why it's a concern: After the Caps dominated with the man advantage in 2009-10, clicking at a 25.2% rate last season (Montreal, at 21.8% was second), a 2-for-17 showing through four games might not seem like all that big a deal. And it might not be. But the reality is the Caps have now scored on just three of their last 50 powerplay opportunities, dating back to the start of their series with the Canadiens. Has the League figured out how to stop Washington's powerplay? If so, can Bruce Boudreau make an adjustment, and how effective will the team be after they reset?
Why it's not a concern: The likes of Alex Ovechkin, Mike Green, Nicklas Backstrom, Alexander Semin and Brooks Laich are hard enough to stop with five men, much less four. The goals will come.
(2) Faceoffs
Why it's a concern: In the early going, the Capitals are winning 46.2% of their faceoffs, better than just five other NHL teams, and the problem is virtually team-wide. The usually reliable David Steckel and Boyd Gordon have won 50 and 41.7 percent of their respective faceoffs, while Marcus Johansson and Tomas Fleischmann are at 35.7 and 42.9 percent. As noted by J.P. on Wednesday and the Post's Katie Carrera yesterday evening, faceoffs mean possession, and if the Capitals don't get better at them, they're going to be at a disadvantage, especially in their own end.
Why it's not a concern: David Steckel and Boyd Gordon have been consistent performers in the faceoff dot, and faceoff ability is a skill that doesn't tend to regress to the mean, so they should be fine. Given that Johansson's a rookie and Fleischmann has spent very limited time as a center at the NHL level, there's no reason to think they can't improve.
(3) Defensive Depth
Why it's a concern: As it stands right now, the Capitals are committed to playing either John Erskine or Tyler Sloan every night. And that's when the team's healthy. If the team's missing more than one guy - as they might be tomorrow, with Mike Green out and Tom Poti still day-to-day - the team's looking at Brian Fahey, Sean Collins, or Lawrence Nycholat ( Patrick McNeill is still hurt, but will be another option down the road). Is that a situation a team with Stanley Cup aspirations should be happy with?
Why it's not a concern: It's October, and there's plenty of time for the Caps to add another NHL-caliber defenseman or two (or three), or even have a guy make unexpected progress and establish himself before the postseason starts.
(4) The Second Line Center Situation
Why it's a concern: Tomas Fleischmann has a decent amount of skill and should be able to produce offensively, but he also has a history of inconsistency, has faded towards the end of the year each of the last two seasons, isn't a very good defensive player, and has five points in 22 career playoff games. Marcus Johansson has, all things considered, looked solid this season, but doesn't look close to being ready for second-line duty. And before you point out that the Capitals have enough talent elsewhere to be successful with an underwhelming second line center, remember this: Tampa Bay had Vincent Lecavalier and Brad Richards, Carolina had Eric Staal and Rod Brind'Amour, Anaheim had Ryan Getzlaf and Andy McDonald, Detroit had Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg, Pittsburgh had Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, and Chicago had Jonathan Toews, Patrick Sharp, and Dave Bolland. In the post-lockout NHL, every Stanley Cup winner has carried at least two good centers.
Why it's not a concern: As is the case with defense, there's still plenty of time to find an answer, either from inside or outside the organization, and the odds are a heck of a lot higher that someone who's already with the team will lay claim to the job, be it Fleischmann, Johansson, or Mathieu Perreault.
(5) Semyon Varlamov's health
Why it's a concern: In three years in North America, Varlamov has yet to make it through a full season without missing time due to injury, and last season never seemed to get back on track after missing almost two months with a groin muscle injury (Varlamov's save percentage before the injury was .924; after his return it was .885). Although Varlamov looks ready to get his 2010-11 season underway after missing the Caps' first four games with his injury, it wouldn't exactly surprise anyone to see him land on IR again.
Why it's not a concern: At this point there's not any way to rationalize or explain away Varlamov's injury history, no matter how much we want to believe it's not going to be an issue. That concern, however, is mitigated by the fact Michal Neuvirth has played so well in Varly's absence, meaning another stint on the shelf probably won't do the Caps in.
(6) Nicklas Backstrom's slow start (point-wise)
Why it's a concern: It's not.
Why it's not a concern: He's still Nicklas Backstrom.
At this point in the season, whether a problem is something to be genuinely concerned about is a function of how long it's been around. A sample size of four games are essentially meaningless, and anything that has only been a problem for the last two weeks shouldn't be considered anything more than a bump in the road. The problems we were talking about last spring and over the summer? Those might be another story.
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Why it’s not a concern: The likes of Alex Ovechkin, Mike Green, Nicklas Backstrom, Alexander Semin and Brooks Laich are hard enough to stop with five men, much less four. The goals will come.
If only that was the unit that started our PP. AO, Green, Baxter, Laich and Flash is quite a bit easier to stop.
Lockout talk makes me want to go out and choke an old lady - Elliotte Friedman
Agreed. I’m just bitching about Flash being on PP1. Absolutely no reason Semin should ever be on anything except the PP1.
Lockout talk makes me want to go out and choke an old lady - Elliotte Friedman
by Rob Parker on Oct 15, 2010 2:39 PM EDT up reply actions 9 recs
Maybe because they are trying to up Flash’s trade value by playing him on PP1? I really hope this is the case but I know its not.
Doubt it, unless he’s part of a package that brings back a top-pair defenseman. Unless Fleischmann’s production drops off the table, he’s more of a bargain as time passes owing to his cap hit. 25-plus goal scorers (he scored at a rate of 27/82 games last year) for a $2.6 million annualized cap-hit don’t grow on trees (his cap hit is barely half of that of the top-50 forwards’ cap hits), and he’s about to be a UFA.
If you've read this far...seek help.
Furthermore, I don’t know that BB and GMGM collaborate like that.
by red army line on Oct 16, 2010 12:54 AM EDT up reply actions
And before you point out that the Capitals have enough talent elsewhere to be successful with an underwhelming second line center, remember this: Tampa Bay had Vincent Lecavalier and Brad Richards, Carolina had Eric Staal and Rod Brind’Amour, Anaheim had Ryan Getzlaf and Andy McDonald, Detroit had Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg, Pittsburgh had Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, and Chicago had Jonathan Toews, Patrick Sharp, and Dave Bolland. In the post-lockout NHL, every Stanley Cup winner has carried at least two good centers.
Hooks Orpik in 3…2…1…
Lockout talk makes me want to go out and choke an old lady - Elliotte Friedman
He only shows up when we say something bad about his team. That wasn’t.
"It's always good to have vikings."
Ignoring Staal is saying something bad by implication.
“What, you consider Dave Bolland to be worth of mention but not Jordan Staal? How many third line Cs play 19 minutes a night and score 50 points?”
“(How many times has J. Staal hit 50 points? Zero.)”
“Oh come on, he got 49. Twice.”
“Dude, you know you should have had Toews.”
“No way, right pick for the right team.”
“Who did you want them to take on draft day?”
“Toews, but we won a Cup with Staal so it was the right pick for the right team.”
“Don’t you think you could have won more Cups with Toews?”
“He doesn’t have the D that Staal does, which is what we need.”
“Wasn’t Toews the Shutdown C in the Olympics, the only best-on-best tournament? Wasn’t he also a leading scorer and MVP?”
“Can’t take that away, but Staal is better for the Pens.”
“We can both agree we are glad Toews isn’t on PIT, then.”
/Fin
Lockout talk makes me want to go out and choke an old lady - Elliotte Friedman
by Rob Parker on Oct 15, 2010 4:32 PM EDT up reply actions 8 recs
Toews and Crosby, together, in the same locker room. Next, on HBO 24/7: who can be more boring?!
on a more serious note, damn, Staal got quite a bump from his name at that draft.
has Staal’s foot fallen off yet?
Pledge Drive 2010-2011: SO KIDS CAN!! Help build a playground
Staal got a little name bump, but looking at that draft there aren’t many guys that I’d take above Staal. He is easily still a top 10 and maybe still a top 5.
Lockout talk makes me want to go out and choke an old lady - Elliotte Friedman
Jeez, Sid, Malkin and Toews on one team…that would be bad news.
In retrospect, I think Staal still goes Top 5. Toews, Backstrom, Giroux, Staal, in that order?
Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor?
I think Johnson still goes in the top 5 and Frolik is a player that doesn’t get a lot of notice in FLA, but he’s a badass. Not sure how many GMs notice him, but the guy is really good. I’d probably still draft Staal in front of him, but I might rank Frolik 7th and Brassard 8th. McBain was taken with the last pick of the second round and probably sneaks into the top-10 somehow.
"Essentially, all models are wrong, but some are useful" George E.P. Box
by Knee high to a duck on Oct 15, 2010 5:28 PM EDT up reply actions
5 years from now, I think people will look back on that draft and put Backstrom #1 and EJ #2. I think EJ will still blossom into a super-stud.
I’m also really high on EJ, but that knee surgery concerns me. He’s damn sure got all the tools he needs to succeed, though.
"Essentially, all models are wrong, but some are useful" George E.P. Box
by Knee high to a duck on Oct 15, 2010 5:32 PM EDT up reply actions
I’m not as weary of the knee surgery. Lots of guys recover from that stuff now so unless it becomes recurring I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt. He still has all the tools and was much better than I expected him to be in the Olympics. I agree with L_G that EJ is still going to turn into a premier D. Hard to say who goes 1st though, because Toews, Baxter, and EJ could all be justified based on the needs of the team picking. I do think Baxter is the top offensive player in that draft, but you can’t ignore all the other things Toews can do (or the potential need for a stud D).
Lockout talk makes me want to go out and choke an old lady - Elliotte Friedman
Nashville. He’s actually going to the Preds/Caps game.
Lockout talk makes me want to go out and choke an old lady - Elliotte Friedman
I’m going to assume he’s there for some other reason and just wants to see some hockey, because I can’t imagine he’d be with the Caps’ Road Crew.
"It's always good to have vikings."
The boy really needs a home to call his own. Make him the first line winger flanking Sid, or make him the second line center and be done with it.
If you've read this far...seek help.
I’ll take over for Hooks here:
I would obviously rather have Toews and Backstrom, but Staal was ranked 2 in one scouting report, and 4 in another (one being ISS, one being CSS). I also remember the pre-draft chatter that there was little separating Toews, Backstrom, and Staal.
The pick obviously worked out for the Pens, but anyone who tries to justify it by saying “look how it worked out” is wrong. If the Pens drafted Toews, we could have Crosby, Toews and Malking down the middle. If that’s too expensive, dangle Malkin for a huge return package. That’s all hypothetical though, obviously.
For Staal’s first 3 years, I thought his “shutdown specialist” reputation was far ahead of his play. However, during the 2009 Cup run, and the 2010 season he really did live up to his reputation. He definitely should be mentioned with Malkin and Crosby, as the Pens would not have won that Cup without him.
Now, I will just pray that his offense can actually live up to its reputation. He gets knocked down very easily, muffs a lot of chances in tight, and gets bouts of “Stone-itis” in his hands. Anyone who says “he gets no powerplay time, and that’s how the top scorers get their points” is wrong. He has been tried on the PP, and his stone hands muffed too many chances in front.
Toews is also a guy that can play the wing without losing much. He’s more comfortable there than a lot of Cs. You could also just move Malkin to the wing.
I always thought the Staals were rocks on their feet and when they went down it was usually to draw a call. Maybe I gave them too much credit for their balance.
Lockout talk makes me want to go out and choke an old lady - Elliotte Friedman
ThePeerless, Malkin has to play center. That’s where he belongs. It is hurting my eyeballs to watch him on the wing so far this season. He looks so out of place on the wings, both defensively and in the offensive zone. He needs to be free to roam wherever he wants, and being a center allows him to do so.
He doesn’t look out of place defensively when playing C? (Or in the dot?)
The guy is Peter Schumpmaker. Lord knows what a schump is, but you can bet your bippy his ancestors made them. What he's doing is far worse than crafting fine schumps.
by Steckel Me Elmo on Oct 15, 2010 7:17 PM EDT up reply actions
Malkin is a great forward, but no better at center than wing. He is horrible on faceoffs and defensively, so what do you lose by moving him to the wing?
Never underrate the power of the hissy-cow.
It seems to me that the play tends to go through the center on each line (heck, look at our top line. It goes through Backstrom, not the best player AO).
by red army line on Oct 16, 2010 12:58 AM EDT up reply actions
That depends on the center. If it’s a center who is as good a passer as Backstrom, yes. But with centers who aren’t as skilled at passing, or ones who play near the goal, not necessarily.
Never underrate the power of the hissy-cow.
So Malkin will theoretically be affected by the change. In that case, if I’m PIT, I’m keeping Geno at center. I suppose it’s worth a shot, though.
by red army line on Oct 16, 2010 2:10 PM EDT up reply actions
I don’t think he would be. He’s the main shooter on his line, not the passer. And he is most productive as a winger, especially on the PP. As a center, his defense and faceoffs are below par – thus not losing anything if he goes to wing. I would rather have Staal as the center with malkin on the wing.
Never underrate the power of the hissy-cow.
great work, DMG. I particularly enjoyed #6.
Pledge Drive 2010-2011: SO KIDS CAN!! Help build a playground
Yeah, number 6 sealed the rec.
Lockout talk makes me want to go out and choke an old lady - Elliotte Friedman
True story
"Do you see my fist? It was fists like these that built quaint Canadian cities out of the harsh Canadian wilderness, etc. etc."
Not in Seattle anymore.
by SeattleCapsFan on Oct 15, 2010 3:10 PM EDT up reply actions
I’m more impressed that we’ve won 3 of 4 WITH these problems, than I am concerned about the problems
In theory I agree with you…buuuuuut
for a team of whom great things are expected, wins and losses aren’t going to be the sole basis on which the team is evaluated…
by Yoshietree on Oct 15, 2010 3:07 PM EDT up reply actions 2 recs
I wish hockey-reference had even more detailed information.
I’d love to seeplayoff powerplay and penaltykill statys for the teams that made it to the SC finals the past few years
hockey ref DOES have it if you feel like downloading every playoffs game in a csv format. BLEH. But I did get this playoff data:
2006: Carolina
25 games played
73 G / 31 PPG
42% goals were on PP
2007: Ducks
21 games played
58 G / 16 PPG
28% goals were on PP
2008: wings
22 games played
72 G / 20 PPG
28% goals were on PP
2009: pens (BOOO!)
24 games played
79 G / 20 PPG
25% goals were on PP
2010: hawks
22 games played
78 goals / 18 PPG
23% goals were on PP
—
Dayumn! in 2006 Carlina would be DEAD if it weren’t for their PP. 42% of their goals were power play. Either they had a really BADASS powerplay or they just had a crapload of opportunities
Found it!:
PP% in playoffs
2006: Carolina: 24.0
2007: ducks: 15.2
2008: wings: 18.9
2009: pens: 20.6
2010: hawks: 22.5%
Wow. The Ducks won the cup with a 15.2%
Also notable stats on SC winners:
2003: devils: 15.4 PP% (they only allowed 26.2 Shots against and 1.71 GA/G)
2000: devils 17.1 PP% (23.3 shots agains per game. WOW!)
And here’s the kicker: 1999 Dallas: 12.1 and they STILL won. wtf?
1998: DET 15.5 PP%
Seems like every team that won the CUP with a crappy PP% had a shut down D to go with it ( less than 2.25). And most teams with a 20+ PP% where mostly above 2.5 goals against.
I smell a graph coming up in the next few days.
by Brainumbc on Oct 15, 2010 3:40 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
That is some elite off-the-cuff analysis right there. May I pour you a ca-rec’mel flavored latte?
There's no 'i' in "team". But there's a 'nap' in "champion".
Yup. Only controversial in BUF.
Lockout talk makes me want to go out and choke an old lady - Elliotte Friedman
I think I saw a video of it. Looked fine to me? Was it a matter of whether or not the goalie was interfered with?
the rule back then was strict: no body parts in the crease if the puck isn’t in the crease. Hull put his foot in the crease, then brought the puck in.
Pledge Drive 2010-2011: SO KIDS CAN!! Help build a playground
And here’s the kicker: 1999 Dallas: 12.1 and they STILL won. wtf?
Some in Buffalo would argue that the League fixed it.
"Yes, but Rimmer Directive 271 states just as clearly, 'No chance you metal ba****d.'"
how'd they win? paging Mr. Hull's foot, paging Mr. Hulls' foot
Pledge Drive 2010-2011: SO KIDS CAN!! Help build a playground
Sucks that the cup clinching goal ended this way. How crappy for the sport.
Regarless after the read I gotta say I gotta go with Dallas and the whole “maintaining control” thing.
Afterall, they give assists to people who took a shot and then their teammates scored off a rebound, don’t think? If it wasn’t a continual possession then rebound goals would all be unassisted.
Watching the Stanley Cup end like that or like the way the refs didnt see Kane’s goal is like watching the Lakers win a title. You just throw the remote at the wall, your hands up in the air and yell "g^%^d damnit!:
The rule was terrible back then, and Hull didn’t interfere with Hasek in any way. The Caps did benefit from it once in the playoffs in a crucial moment – in their first-round series vs. Boston en route to the 1998 Finals run. Tim Taylor had a toe in the crease resulting in a crucial disallowed OT goal. The Caps went on to win the game and rolled to take the series.
Here’s the Boston perspective:
http://www.sportsofboston.com/2009/08/08/what-could-have-been-p-j-axelsson-and-the-1997-1998-playoffs/
There are two different sets of problems here.
One set is “performance” — Items 1, 2, and 6. That’s more or less the class of problems we looked at.
The other set is “structural” — Items 3, 4, and 5. Those are the ones (primarily 3 and 4) that have been talked and written about almost since the final horn went off in the Montreal series last season.
The first set is a hiccup (and one Caps fans generally agonize about in a manner way out of proportion to its importance), and the second is one that probably doesn’t resolve itself until late February (later, in the case of Varlamov’s health, which will be an issue right up until and through the post-season).
But hey, we won’t lack for things to talk about.
If you've read this far...seek help.
by ThePeerless on Oct 15, 2010 2:55 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
Depth on D or lack of depth on D in the organization:
Patrick McNeill ( L ), injured, rehabbing from off-season shoulder surgery; 0 NHL GP
Lawrence Nycholat ( L ) – AHL contract; if signed by Washington and if he makes more than $105,000 on his contract with Hershey, he would require re-entry waivers to play for Washington this season; 50 NHL GP
Brian Fahey ( R ) – 29yo, no NHL GP
Zach Miskovic ( R ) – 2nd year pro, 0 NHL GP
Sean Collins ( R ) – 2nd year of 2 year contract; requires re-entry waivers; 15 NHL GP
Other Washington D contracts: Finley (Hershey; L); Godfrey (SC; R); Stevenson (SC; L)
Other Hershey D contracts: Wellar, Kroll, Yeo, Cullity
There is room under the cap as as Peerless notes; one note, based on my calcs, the figure Peerless cited is in the context of counting Alzner’s bonus as bonus cushion space.
correct, and to Brainumbc’s point, don’t just think of this year. If you’re bringing in a player with years left on his deal, you have to think about how that affects next summer’s signings… in face, signings for as long as he has years left. That’s the capology field that seems to be a growth industry in sports.
If you've read this far...seek help.
The problem I have with 3/4 is that we may not be able to resolve in house. While there is time to pursue other guys to fill those spots, that requires another team to tango with. As we’ve heard ad nauseam, with the advent of the three point game, there are not as many teams who might be sellers when needed. The good news is that GMGM has seemed more inclined to part with assets lately. If we are relying on mid-season/trade deadline deals to fill those spots, we may be dissapointed.
Just trying to capture the spirit of the thing...
I would say “very likely will not be able to” instead of “may not be able to”. The Caps have no one in their system who is ready to step up to fill the defensive spot (which would be paired with either Poti or Alzner) and, aside from possibly Perrault, no one who can fill the 2C spot. And as much as I like Perrault, I don’t think he’s ready for that either.
Never underrate the power of the hissy-cow.
The biggest issue I have with the 2C/Top 4D problems is that there likely is no silver bullet here. Let’s just look at the 1C/2C Cup winning tandems included in this post:
In 2004 Tampa Bay had Vincent Lecavalier (1998) and Brad Richards (2000)
In 2006 Carolina had Eric Staal (2003) and Rod Brind’Amour (1999)
In 2007 Anaheim had Ryan Getzlaf (2005) and Andy McDonald (2001)
In 2008 Detroit had Pavel Datsyuk (2001) and Henrik Zetterberg (2002)
In 2009 Pittsburgh had Sidney Crosby (2005) and Evgeni Malkin (2006) and Jordan Staal (2006)
In 2010 Chicago had Jonathan Toews (2007), Patrick Sharp (2006) and Dave Bolland (2007)
The year in parentheses after the player is the year they started playing for that franchise. The shortest amount of time any of those centers had w/ a team is 2 seasons. Simply put, they knew the team, its system, and had continuity. I wouldn’t doubt if there was a similar trend w/ top D pairings on Cup winners.
So now the Caps are going to bring in a 2C at the trade deadline, have them learn the system in a month, then guide us through the playoffs in the harshest conditions possible? I hope we’re getting Crosby b/c he might be one of the two or three guys that could do it. Paging Mr. Belanger (and for D, paging Mr. Corvo).
Not saying it can’t be done, but the odds of the Caps shipping in a magic bullet 2C (and also a top four D) at the trade deadline doesn’t leave me encouraged when we have even larger depth problems at those positions this year.
So the sooner they attempt to fix the 2C/D problem, let that guy(s) mesh with the team and system, the better in my view.
"Because the game is not just about fighting no more. " D.J. King
by bigeugene on Oct 15, 2010 6:11 PM EDT reply actions 3 recs
Brad Richards would be perfect. I have no doubt he could make the transition to BB’s system, he’s defensively responsible, and he’s one of those guys that is so smart he’s real easy to play with. I think him and Semin would be deadly. But he’s also going to probably be too expensive for us. Even if DAL is out of the playoff hunt, I think someone will out-bid us for his services. They can’t do it too soon without shipping out salary because his annual cap hit is too high for us to take on right now, but I’m not that concerned with that. The D is a problem, and I really have no idea how they are going to get around that.
Lockout talk makes me want to go out and choke an old lady - Elliotte Friedman
What this team really needs is the 38 year old sergei fedorov back
by Garyland1177 on Oct 16, 2010 9:19 AM EDT up reply actions
Eric Fehr getting more time on ice.
Why its a concern: Bruce doesn’t know what Corsi is and it runs the risk of making many fans’ heads explode.
Why its not a concern: He’s still playing very well and could be one of the best 3rd line wings around the league which is great for “secondary scoring.” Also with Flash and Semin on 1 year deals the possibility for either to not return, be traded, or a mix of the two gives Fehr ample opportunity and time to play his way into the 2nd line.
Bruce Boudreau when asked about Brooks Laich's return to the lineup, he said: "He just adds another dimension to our team. If it was puzzle, he just fits that thing. He completes us."
Brooks Laich completing everything from teams to tires and everything in between.
Actually, PPG aside, I have Fehr playing pretty poorly this season. Definitely not up to his standards of last year.
"Essentially, all models are wrong, but some are useful" George E.P. Box
by Knee high to a duck on Oct 15, 2010 6:41 PM EDT up reply actions
…or two years ago. Crap, Fehr was a limited TOI monster on 08-09.
Johansson hasn’t been terrific, either, so let’s see how they do with Hendricks or someone else in the middle for a few games.
by red army line on Oct 16, 2010 1:02 AM EDT up reply actions
Fehr also has a habit of looking terrible to the eye right up until he generates a nice goal
Atta dinnin stick a who!
by Gould Old Days on Oct 16, 2010 10:31 AM EDT up reply actions
I’ve been tracking chances this season and Fehr hasn’t done that well by my count, but RAL is right; Johansson’s been getting killed and that’s effecting Fehr’s chances.
"Essentially, all models are wrong, but some are useful" George E.P. Box
by Knee high to a duck on Oct 16, 2010 10:43 AM EDT up reply actions
You know who else looked terribly ugly on his skates and didn’t figure out how to use his body until he was about 24-25? John LeClair. A guy can dream, right?
Lockout talk makes me want to go out and choke an old lady - Elliotte Friedman
God, I hope so.
"Essentially, all models are wrong, but some are useful" George E.P. Box
by Knee high to a duck on Oct 18, 2010 5:48 PM EDT up reply actions
ovechkin car decal
Hey ya’ll, love everything about Japers rink. Saw a car today with a sweet bumper sticker my wife would love. It’s a 3″×5″ Ovechkin jersey. Anyone know where I can pick a few up? I’ve searched washingtoncaps.com and nhlshop among other places. Any help I would be appreciated.
1) welcome to the board
2) post this in the Off Topic thread
3) get an avatar
4) Schultz for Norris
5) Trade Flash
6) Sloan has awesome glasses but he needs to wear them on the ice too
Human existence being an hallucination containing in itself the secondary hallucinations of day and night (the latter an insanitary condition of the atmosphere due to accretions of black air) it ill becomes any man of sense to be concerned at the illusory approach of the supreme hallucination known as death.
by sydtron on Oct 15, 2010 8:26 PM EDT up reply actions 6 recs
PP bad PK excellent
Even though the PP isn’t clicking yet, how about that PK? As nice as it is to have a good power play, there’s a lot to be said for the improved penalty kill, not only are we keeping teams off the board during their man-up we’ve scored at least one shortie already and had plenty of other chances. Definitely a good special teams sign.
Suspend Colin Campbell!
I’d trade a #1 PK for a #1 PP every day of the week and twice the day of on an elimination game. I doubt it’ll stay #1 for all that long but as it stands now it has a legitimate chance of being up in the 85%-ish range.
Human existence being an hallucination containing in itself the secondary hallucinations of day and night (the latter an insanitary condition of the atmosphere due to accretions of black air) it ill becomes any man of sense to be concerned at the illusory approach of the supreme hallucination known as death.
While the PK has been much better the Caps have definitely benefited from some lucky bounces and miscues from opposing teams. The perfect PK is also a reflection on how well Neuvy is playing.
by Garyland1177 on Oct 16, 2010 9:13 AM EDT up reply actions
Good summary of where the Caps are at so far this early in the season. But I think there is somewhere between a concern and not a concern. After all, the optimist says the glass is half full, the pessimist says the glass is half empty but the realist says the water looks cloudy and tastes a little funny. I’m a realist.
"Don’t put your beer in the microwave, eh. It’ll boil."-Bob McKenzie
by ExPatCapFan on Oct 16, 2010 5:45 AM EDT reply actions 1 recs
If we learned anything from last year the regular season doesn’t matter, as long as the Caps make it into the playoffs. From there it is a whole new ballgame. With that said I think the only real concern facing this team right now that is listed above is lack of depth at defense.
by Garyland1177 on Oct 16, 2010 9:15 AM EDT up reply actions
I have to disagree with you about the importance of the regular season. It’s a time where teams build their chemistry, work on the line combos, work on tweaks to the system, work on overall team weaknesses, and develop better habits and greater discipline. Moreover, the playoffs wouldn’t have the excitement and intensity that they do if the teams hadn’t already survived a long regular season. It’s a build up to the playoffs.
For example, the abysmal PK system clearly has been adjusted. But the guys need to keep practicing it and get more comfortable with the new more aggressive style. Hence the need for a regular season.
Besides I enjoy going to the games. It’s all part of the process of getting the team to the playoffs and eventually the Cup.
Alright, confess-how many goals are you going to make this year?
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Well can you at least guarantee fifty?
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by capsyoungguns on Oct 16, 2010 11:22 AM EDT up reply actions
2C is just as much of a concern . Lack of one is a major reason for the Caps loss in the last playoffs.
Never underrate the power of the hissy-cow.
Couldn’t agree more. I don’t know how anyone can look at the 2C information in this thread and say it’s not a concern.
That being said, I’d also like to know what teams have picked up a top 4D at the trade deadline and won the cup in recent history.
I am surmising here, but I’d bet money that Cup winners do not often bring in Top 4D men that late in the season. And here we’re talking about 2 key components to the core of a team—2C and top 4 D.
It doesn’t prove it’s not possible, it just shows that it’s unlikely.
"Because the game is not just about fighting no more. " D.J. King
DET got Brad Stuart at the deadline in ‘08 and then won the Cup. It’s definitely rare for significant pieces to be added at the deadline, but it happens. (Part of the reason it’s rare is because if you’re a serious contender at the deadline you probably don’t need significant pieces.)
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