Capital Ups and Downs: Week 8
by J.P. on Nov 30, 2010 11:00 AM EST
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Our weekly look at individual Washington Capitals' ups and downs:
| Goalies | Trend | Notes |
| Braden Holtby |  |
Gutted out a tough loss in Jersey in which he had his moments - good and bad - before being returned to Hershey. And lest his 2-2-0/3.84/.845 line get you down, note that Olaf Kolzig started out his NHL career 0-5-0/4.31/.852 and, more recently, Michal Neuvirth was 2-2-0/3.01/.887. |
| Michal Neuvirth |  |
Healthy enough to back up Varly for the last three games of the week after being unable to go Monday night, the Caps now have the luxury of giving Neuvy some well-deserved rest. |
| Semyon Varlamov |  |
After returning from his rehab assignment in Hershey on Monday, Varly went 3-0-0/1.30/.948, beating the 'Canes twice and shutting out the Bolts. Yeah, it's on. |
| Defensemen | ||
| Karl Alzner | |
When a guy like Alzner stands out, it's usually because he's done something wrong. He didn't stand out much this week. |
| John Carlson | |
Scored the game-winner (read: first goal) against Tampa and was only on the ice for two goals against all week as he continues to improve in his own end. Carlson now leads the Caps' blueliners in GAON/60 and +/-ON/60 at five-aside. |
| John Erskine | |
Scored and fought against the Lightning and has the best GAON/60 at 4-on-5 of the team's regular rearguards. |
| Brian Fahey | |
Notched his first NHL point (and shots on goal) against the Bolts before being sent back to Hershey. Better have good tires on your car, Brian - they'll be getting a lot of wear this year. |
| Mike Green | |
Eased back into the lineup against Carolina.... Just kidding: Green played 21 even-strength minutes and another couple on each of the special teams, even though he's clearly at somewhat less than 100%. |
| Tom Poti | |
For the first time this season, Poti has played three games in a row. And while he was on the ice for twice as many Caps goals as opposition tallies (four to two), his inability to tie up Eric Staal at the end of regulation on Sunday was this week's lasting memory of the veteran blueliner. |
| Jeff Schultz | |
For a second-consecutive week, no Cap was on the ice for more goals against this week than Sarge, who was on for four of the eight goals surrendered (not including the penalty shot marker in Jersey). On the other hand, throw out that blowout in Newark and Schultz was on the ice for just one goal (the Staal game-tying score Sunday), killed off 11:13 of opponents' power-play time, and blocked 15 shots over the last three games of the week. We're giving him an up arrow. |
| Tyler Sloan |  |
We won't kick a man while he's down. Get well soon, T-Slo. |
| Forwards | ||
| Nicklas Backstrom | |
With two goals and three assists over the three Southeast Division games this week, Backstrom helped ignite the team's post-Jersey rebound, and wasn't on the ice for a goal against this week (including the Devils game) until Sunday, while being on for seven Caps lamp-lighters. |
| Matt Bradley | |
Fought in Carolina. Bled in Carolina. Did what Matt Bradley does all week. |
| Jason Chimera | |
Four games, no points, one hit, four shots on goal. Not much "there" there this week for Chimmer. |
| Eric Fehr | |
Had a nice assist on MoJo's goal on Sunday, but with just two goals in his last 21 games, seems destined for a healthy scratch sooner rather than later, as he also now has the worst plus/minus on the team. |
| Tomas Fleischmann | |
Flash hasn't scored in his last 11 games and is minus-three over that span, earning him a healthy scratch against Tampa. It's time to move him back to the wing full-time. Or, better yet, just move him. |
| Boyd Gordon | |
Still looking for his first goal on the season, Gordon found a couple of minus-one's this week, as well as a scratch... and the team's first regulation loss of the campaign with him in the lineup. |
| Matt Hendricks | |
What's not to love about Matt Hendricks? Well, since you asked, the fact that he's been a minus in four of his last seven games, has the second-worst GAON/60 at 5-on-5 of the team's forwards and is the team's worst penalty-killing forward. |
| Marcus Johansson | |
Johansson had his first NHL assist and multi-point game on Friday and followed it up with a goal on Sunday. He was plus-three for the week, and, most impressively, was not on the ice for a single goal against in 47:44 of ice time (including 4:04 shorthanded). In fact, in 15:49 of penalty-killing time on the season, MoJo has yet to be on the ice for a goal against. |
| D.J. King | |
Scratch, scratch, scratch, scratch. |
| Mike Knuble | |
Played the second half of the week but didn't get a point and registered only two shots on goal. Now that his running mates of a year ago are hot again, perhaps it's time to let them help Knuble get going. |
| Brooks Laich | |
Scored the game-winner in Carolina and looked great on the top line against Tampa... before being bumped back to play with Knuble and Fleischmann for Sunday's game. |
| Alex Ovechkin | |
Kovalchucklegate seemed to have lit a fire under the captain, who responded with six assists and a plus-four rating over the next three games while firing 18 shots on goal (only one of which came in the 6-0 rout of the Bolts). Ovechkin was on the ice for eight of the 11 goals the Caps scored this week and only one opposition tally. Oh, and the goals? They'll come. Soon. |
| Alexander Semin | |
Another hat trick, another four-goal week. Ho-hum. Alex Semin is, at present, unstoppable. |
| David Steckel | |
Stecks won 72.3% of his 47 faceoffs this week... but all we remember is one of the losses. Such is life as a one-trick pony when that trick fails. |
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Another hat trick, another four-goal week. Ho-hum. Alex Semin is, at present,unstoppablenot on the ice at Kettler for practice today.
Maintenance day?
You perhaps knew me better as "Your Nation's Capital." Same great commentary, now with 100% more transparency!
Ugh, if they trade him, well, I’ll have a new fav team.
What doesnt kill you makes you stronger.
by BetterOffWith28 on Nov 30, 2010 12:02 PM EST up reply actions
Even if a trade makes the Caps better?
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What’s your ideal trade for Semin right now? Not player, just type of talent/prospects/picks they bring in for him.
Many a night from yonder ivied casement, ere I went to rest,
Did I look on great Orion sloping slowly to the West.
Right now? I’d have to have my doors blown off, and it would have to be something that made the team immediately better – not just prospects/picks. I can’t really imagine any such trade scenario, to be honest.
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The way Semin ’s been playing, I cannt think of anyone but Stamkos. or perhaps a elite/good center/wing pair.
What doesnt kill you makes you stronger.
by BetterOffWith28 on Nov 30, 2010 4:53 PM EST up reply actions
I read some suggestions earlier that they wouldn’t want to see Semin traded for anyone — except Doughty.
But agree with not trading Semin unless we get someone really elite in return. Of course, I’m a big Semin fan.
Rocking the Red for the Caps since 1975. Rocking the Red on additional fronts as well.
I alluded to this in Sunday’s GDT, but damn it would be awesome if Marcus became this team’s equivalent to what Bengt Gustafsson was to the Caps teams of the 80s. Great skater, could play both ways, underrated. Some of my favourite Caps of the past are Swedes who could PK — Bengt, Ulf Dahlen, Calle Jo etc.
I poured spot remover on my dog. Now he's gone.
Then you’ll be Rather Marcus!
You perhaps knew me better as "Your Nation's Capital." Same great commentary, now with 100% more transparency!
Rather Mackan would sound rather silly.
I poured spot remover on my dog. Now he's gone.
by Rather Bengt on Nov 30, 2010 11:29 AM EST up reply actions
and on the odd goal Schultz was on the ice for (the Staal game-tying goal), he had his man – Jussi Jokinen — tied up.
If you've read this far...seek help.
JP can you explain why you’re ok throwing out that NJ game when talking about Schultz? I love the guy, but I thought you were quite generous with that up arrow.
Love the comment about Alzner…that’s why I love him (Schultz too, he’s the same kind of player). And I didn’t realize Hendricks had such an awful week. Ouch.
Don't worry about getting to your point, I'm going to live forever.
by SeattleCapsFan on Nov 30, 2010 11:34 AM EST reply actions
I tried to put the NJ game in the perspective of a lousy team effort, which will happen from time-to-time – I didn’t ding anyone individually too bad for that game (other than Holtby, and even there I think my note tempered that down arrow). Even with a bad game there, though, Schultz had three outstanding efforts that followed it, and 75% “very good” games is good enough for an up arrow in my book.
As for Hendricks, some of those numbers are season-long, obviously, so it’s not that his last week was particularly atrocious, but some of the numbers are starting to add up.
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In fairness to Hendricks, the guy is almost exclusively a checking line forward. I don’t expect their GA/TOI to be great. The PK GA/TOI is disappointing, and a bit surprising actually.
by Charlie Foxtrot on Nov 30, 2010 11:46 AM EST up reply actions
In fairness to Hendricks, the guy is almost exclusively a checking line forward. I don’t expect their GA/TOI to be great.
I agree, to a certain extent, and fully expect that his +/-ON/60 won’t be great. But second-worst is second-worst. Hey, someone has to be, right?
I’ll also add that the Hendricks numbers overall were a bit surprising and disappointing – I’d thought he’d been better.
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I thought his numbers would be better just based on my impressions watching the games. I feel like most of the time I see him make a play it’s followed by me saying “I love that guy!”. Huh.
Don't worry about getting to your point, I'm going to live forever.
by SeattleCapsFan on Nov 30, 2010 11:57 AM EST up reply actions
His Corsi% has gone 20% (brutal) against CAR, 59% against TBL, and 50% against CAR again. Add in the previous game against NJD and Hendricks drops to 46% Corsi and 39% Fenwick. On the season, his Corsi Rel is about -4 (just below Flash, but above Fehr, Marjo, Erskine, and Poti), his raw Corsi about 1.5, and his competition and teammates both poor.
I love him too, but he’s still only a 4th liner, maybe serviceable on the third.
My blog and Twitter, featuring coverage of the most unpredictable team in the NHL and where we defend Mike Green, Alex Ovechkin, and Alexander Semin until the bitter end. That is to say, when someone tries to call BS on the Corsi numbers.
If you don't know how to use Timeonice, read this.
"Numbers don't lie, they just don't agree with you"--George E. Ays
by red army line on Nov 30, 2010 12:04 PM EST up reply actions
I love him too, but he’s still only a 4th liner, maybe serviceable on the third.
I don’t think anyone fancies him as more than that. But even in that role, he’s had a hard week.
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Oh I never once thought to myself “I love that guy….I wish he was playing on the second line”. Good lord no.
Don't worry about getting to your point, I'm going to live forever.
by SeattleCapsFan on Nov 30, 2010 12:14 PM EST up reply actions
Yeah…that was more to put the numbers in context of expectation, I guess. If he’s break even in Corsi and penalties and not crapping the bed in scoring chances I think I’ll be happy.
My blog and Twitter, featuring coverage of the most unpredictable team in the NHL and where we defend Mike Green, Alex Ovechkin, and Alexander Semin until the bitter end. That is to say, when someone tries to call BS on the Corsi numbers.
If you don't know how to use Timeonice, read this.
"Numbers don't lie, they just don't agree with you"--George E. Ays
by red army line on Nov 30, 2010 1:20 PM EST up reply actions
I was disappointed with Hendricks at the end of the CAR game. Just before the faceoff that led to Staal’s tying goal AO dove to knock the puck away, and it went towards Hendricks but he was leaving the zone too early so the puck was behind him. CAR kept the puck in, got a faceoff and the rest is history.
Release the Mackan!
by Killer_Carlson on Nov 30, 2010 2:40 PM EST up reply actions
The Jersey game was particularly difficult for Holtby because they literally had nobody else to take his net. They had called up varly ahead of schedule from Hershey, but his skates didn’t arrive, and Neuvy was suited up as the backup but far too injured to consider playing him. So Braden got experience the full sixty minutes of suck.
You perhaps knew me better as "Your Nation's Capital." Same great commentary, now with 100% more transparency!
Yep. And he gutted it out. He was the pitcher who got stuck out there taking one for the team because the bullpen was spent. That said, he wasn’t particularly good, at times, either.
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Holtby’s bad game against Jersey reminded me of a bad game Neuvy had two years ago soon after his callup from Hershey. Neuvy was called up with Brent Johnson was injured since Varly was injured at that time, too. So, one day, Theo was sick. Hence, Neuvy got the start but was not sharp at all but had to stay in the entire game, even when getting shelled. (I think the other team scored every which way that day: ES goal, PP goal, shortie, and a penalty shot.)
By coincidence, Neuvy was sharp in his initial two outings during that callup and then had a period of struggle, including that bad game, before being returned to Hershey (where he was the Calder Cup winning goalie).
Rocking the Red for the Caps since 1975. Rocking the Red on additional fronts as well.
Winning 72% of faceoffs in a week is pretty f’ing amazing and I think worthy of an up arrow for Stecks. He also seemed to have a little more jump offensively (emphasize a little). Sure, he lost the last one against Carolina, but if Pots ties up Staals stick for a second we wouldn’t have cared.
Just trying to capture the spirit of the thing...
He can’t win them all so you can’t fault him entirely on the Carolina GTG but that is what Steckel is supposed to do – go out and destroy in the circle. If he wants an up arrow, he’s going to have to put the biscuit in the basket.
Many a night from yonder ivied casement, ere I went to rest,
Did I look on great Orion sloping slowly to the West.
my biggest problem was with how cleanly he lost that face-off. brutal.
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If the criteria for an up arrow is to exceed expectations, then I think winning almost 3/4 of your draws would count. Certainly scoring a goal would help too, but thats not his main function on this team.
Just trying to capture the spirit of the thing...
by dcsportsfan1 on Nov 30, 2010 12:25 PM EST up reply actions
Flash hasn’t scored in his last 11 games and is minus-three over that span, earning him a healthy scratch against Tampa. It’s time to move him back to the wing full-time. Or, better yet, just move him.
How ’bout that?
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by J.P. on Nov 30, 2010 12:46 PM EST reply actions 8 recs
your magic 8 ball is scarily accurate.
Pledge Drive 2010-2011: SO KIDS CAN!! Help build a playground
JP: Up arrow.
My blog and Twitter, featuring coverage of the most unpredictable team in the NHL and where we defend Mike Green, Alex Ovechkin, and Alexander Semin until the bitter end. That is to say, when someone tries to call BS on the Corsi numbers.
If you don't know how to use Timeonice, read this.
"Numbers don't lie, they just don't agree with you"--George E. Ays
by red army line on Nov 30, 2010 1:21 PM EST up reply actions
J.Prophet.
Six Beers Too Many fantasy team: It's Neu-virth Than Usual
"I wake up in the middle night frustrated because we lost out in the first round and I want to see our players hoist the Stanley Cup." -Brooks Laich
by CapitalCentre on Nov 30, 2010 1:58 PM EST up reply actions
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