Capitals Power Ranking Roundup: Week 0
by EmilyB on Oct 6, 2010 2:00 PM EDT
in Power Ranking Roundups
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PrintOur weekly temperature-taking of the mainstream media's opinions on the Washington Capitals:
| Outlet | This Week | Last Week | What They're Saying |
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The blue line still leaves something to be desired and goaltending is a question mark, but with this kind of talent overall, should it really matter? |
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Can the one-two punch of Semyon Varlamov and Michal Neuvirth do the job in goal? Everyone seems worried, but not GM George McPhee. He told ESPN.com a few days ago that he's quite confident in his two kids. |
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The high-powered Capitals come into the 2010-11 season with a chip on their shoulder. After getting bounced in the opening round of the playoffs last year, the team is out to prove that they're contenders not pretenders for a Cup title. While there's no doubt that Washington has the talent to come out of the East, the key question is whether or not two 22-year-old netminders have what it takes to win the franchise a championship. |
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This … is … the … year. Seriously. |
Click on logos for links to full power rankings (note: expect a fuller list next week, once the rankings machines start cranking)
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CBC, TSN, et. al. don’t have their first power rankings up yet (insofar as I can tell).
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
TSN is doing their previews in reverse order of power rankings, I think. I do vaguely remember some outlet from a while back posted power rankings with the Caps at #1, though.
by red army line on Oct 6, 2010 2:58 PM EDT up reply actions
Nice graphics pulls for the post/click thru.
A very misguided piece on Huffington Post recently called 30 Rock the most racist show on television thanks to Tracy Morgan’s wild, manic, madcap performance. Tonight illustrated why whoever wrote that piece is full of shit and should be punched in the face until he has a more nuanced grasp on comedy.
The Neuvy/Sabourin tandem is significantly less impressive than the rookie tandem. Oh well. How much longer are people holding out hopes for Varly?
Lockout talk makes me want to go out and choke an old lady - Elliotte Friedman
I’m beginning to think we’ve got the Russian version of Rick DiPietro. Great talent, fragile body. Let’s hope this last ailment is nothing more than minor but I seem to recall managment saying pretty much the ssame thing about his last injury that kept him out more than a month.
So… where would you rank the Caps heading into the season? Who’s better right now?
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
Without thinking about it, my gut could go for Vancouver and/or San Jose ahead of them. Or maybe I’ve read too many previews recently.
A very misguided piece on Huffington Post recently called 30 Rock the most racist show on television thanks to Tracy Morgan’s wild, manic, madcap performance. Tonight illustrated why whoever wrote that piece is full of shit and should be punched in the face until he has a more nuanced grasp on comedy.
Idk about above the caps but the competition is clearly Van, Det, Pit, LA. They are the hot teams and add in the caps they all have some heat riding them for deep playoff berths and successful seasons.
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.
Give me Pittsburgh, Chicago, and Vancouver above Washington. Detroit and Philadelphia should be hanging around as well.
by red army line on Oct 6, 2010 2:59 PM EDT up reply actions
Chicago? Chicago with Marty Turco in goal? Chicago that had to move all of their supporting players? Sorry, not seeing it.
Watching the O’s try to use strategy is like watching Mike Green trying to figure out the difference between "your" and "you’re"--Terpgrrl
Donation info for SAVES FOR KIDS 2010!! Make a difference.
I have a hard time seeing the defending Stanley Cup Champions below a team that crashed out in the first round. Regardless of whether Chicago lost a ton of supporting cast, the team still ices Toews, Kane, Sharp, Hossa, Keith, Seabrook, Campbell, Hjarmalsson, and a few others, which basically means their top-6 forwards and top-4 D remain intact. That’s 40 mins of TOI a night returning.
Turco I’m not convinced is a downgrade from Niemi.
by red army line on Oct 6, 2010 3:30 PM EDT up reply actions
Chicago lost too many players to be ranked above Washington, and Pittsburgh hasn’t made up enough ground to be up there. Vancouver, maybe.
Never underrate the power of the hissy-cow.
How many actual important players did Chicago lose? I count two—Byfuglien and Niemi. For most of the season Niemi performed at replacement level or thereabouts, and for most of the season Byfuglien wasn’t playing with Kane or Toews and was streaky. Neither should significantly impact the team they have. Versteeg might hurt a bit as well, but he was always a depth forward.
And there’s no doubt in my mind Pittsburgh right now is better than Washington. I guess at this point I’m thinking more playoff-oriented since no one has played a regular season game yet.
by red army line on Oct 6, 2010 4:09 PM EDT up reply actions
For Chicago – Byfuglien, Versteeg, Niemi, and Huet are the ones who most stand out. For right now, they are also without Campbell. Niemi and Huet can both be replaced, but they weren’t – or not very well. Byfuglien is hard to replace, as is Versteeg.
Washington is better than Pittsburgh. As good at goalie, significantly better at forward, not quite as good on defense. Pittsburgh really only has 2 good forwards who will be playing now – Crosby and Malkin. They got worse on wings and worse on the offensive side when it comes to dmen – although they did improve on the defensive side. They closed the gap, but not enough to be considered better.
Never underrate the power of the hissy-cow.
PIT, PHI, DET, SJS, VAN and a healthy CHI are supeior playoff teams though I could see the Caps out-performing any of them in the regular season.
Lockout talk makes me want to go out and choke an old lady - Elliotte Friedman
by Rob Parker on Oct 6, 2010 3:16 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
I guess that’s the question. Do power rankings rank who is best this week, or how they’ll do in potential playoff series?
Watching the O’s try to use strategy is like watching Mike Green trying to figure out the difference between "your" and "you’re"--Terpgrrl
Donation info for SAVES FOR KIDS 2010!! Make a difference.
Presumably they reflect which teams are currently playing the best hockey (and, by extension, higher ranked teams would more often than not beat lower ranked teams if they were to face each other at a neutral site at the time of the rankings).
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
that’s how I’ve always assumed they worked, but the discussion here, overall, seems to be skewing towards how teams would stack up in the playoffs. I was curious as to how people were coming up with their own rankings, and where the take exception to the rankings the media does.
Watching the O’s try to use strategy is like watching Mike Green trying to figure out the difference between "your" and "you’re"--Terpgrrl
Donation info for SAVES FOR KIDS 2010!! Make a difference.
Pit, Philly, SJS and VAN are probably better right now.
Philly has cap issues and some older guys, so any injury woes and they’ll have to scramble. Pitt has to incorporate new guys, hope Staal gets back and into some sort of skating shape without missing too much season, and hope that MAF rebounds to at least respectable form.
So they have some potential stumbling blocks, but they look pretty damned good on paper.
Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor?
Pittsburgh, Vancouver and, until they’re beaten, Chicago.
by b.orr4 on Oct 6, 2010 4:09 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Vancouver, Pittsburgh, Philly right now. I think the Kings surprise some folks out west and I don’t think the Wings and Sharks are quite done, but I see Pitt and PHI as the clear teams to beat in the East right now.
This is all pending injuries, the age cliff for Pronger and Timonen, Fleury’s performance, how Malkin adjusts to wing, and how well the Sedin twins are able to repeat their performances. If Ryan Kesler goes down with injury, all bets are off for that VAN team.
"Essentially, all models are wrong, but some are useful" George E.P. Box
by Knee high to a duck on Oct 6, 2010 6:00 PM EDT up reply actions
I forgot about the Staal injury. That’s going to hurt them badly while he’s out; I think Staal was better than a lot of folks realized last season.
"Essentially, all models are wrong, but some are useful" George E.P. Box
by Knee high to a duck on Oct 6, 2010 6:03 PM EDT up reply actions
Ummmm… I can understand not being #1 in the rankings, but they teams they put ahead of us?
Pittsburg? Vancouver? DETROIT? Seriously? Detroit?
Detroit is going to be better this year…they’re still loaded with talent and Howard is a year more experienced… They’re 2 years removed from a trip to the Finals and 3 removed from a Cup. No reason to believe they’re not a contender.
Washington Capitals 2009-10 = Quebec Nordiques 1994-95
--- D'ohboy
by MikeL-Pivonka on Oct 6, 2010 2:58 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Come friend, follow me to the Clips thread.
A very misguided piece on Huffington Post recently called 30 Rock the most racist show on television thanks to Tracy Morgan’s wild, manic, madcap performance. Tonight illustrated why whoever wrote that piece is full of shit and should be punched in the face until he has a more nuanced grasp on comedy.
by Bald Pollack on Oct 6, 2010 3:04 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
sorry – didn’t see it there…please forgive…I’ll wash your car.
He said the phone in his limo is busted...what is you...ignorant?
by NJNJ on Oct 6, 2010 3:08 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
I’m going to stick with the Caps at #1.
Watching the O’s try to use strategy is like watching Mike Green trying to figure out the difference between "your" and "you’re"--Terpgrrl
Donation info for SAVES FOR KIDS 2010!! Make a difference.
Caps are #1 in the regular season, yes...
but we all know what being #1 in the regular season means in the big picture.n I don’t think anyone wants a repeat of last year, winning the Presidents’ Trophy and then exiting the playoffs after only one round.
As much as I love this team, they still have to prove their worth when it matters, in the Stanley Cup playoffs. This year, anything less than making the EC Finals would be an epic fail. And I’m sure for some, anything less than winning the Stanely Cup would be an epic fail. I want the Caps’ power rankings at #1 when it matters, after finally winning the Cup.
Can anyone please explain what exactly is being ranked? What the hell is a power ranking anyway? I’ve never understood…
Atta dinnin stick a who!
Power = Resistance x Amperage x Amperage.
Our Caps didn’t look amped up on Sunday, hence the loss. The amped-ness of the team obviously has a huge impact on the team’s power, since it is squared in the formula.
Note the reduced impact of resistance. If you’re amped enough, you don’t need great defense to be a powerful team.
I am a hockey fan first, and a Caps fan second.
by iwearstripes on Oct 6, 2010 4:21 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Power rankings here it means one of my favorite threads are just around the corner! Up and Downs.
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.
Varlamov to IR
Probably baked into the power rankings already, but, uh…
There's no 'i' in "team". But there's a 'nap' in "champion".
I’m never a fan of these things, especially depending on the outlet. However, having the feature roll it all together to avoid inevitable mind-numbing comments, that’s a good thing :)
Refs allow play to continue....
by Truculence on Oct 6, 2010 11:32 PM EDT reply actions 3 recs
rec’d for the super-sweet avatar. You need to go troll on PPP with that thing.
Atta dinnin stick a who!
by Gould Old Days on Oct 7, 2010 1:29 AM EDT up reply actions
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