Capital Ups and Downs: Week 21
by J.P. on Mar 8, 2010 11:00 AM EST
in Capital Ups and Downs
221 comments
Our weekly look at individual Washington Capitals' ups and downs:
| Goalies | Trend | Notes |
| Jose Theodore |  |
Theodore was 2-0-2/4.27/.881 leading up to the Olympic break, but got back on track this week with a 2-0-0/0.50/.981 mark that featured a road win and a home shutout. He's now 12-0-2/2.38 GAA/.929 since January 13 and if the playoffs started tomorrow, he would have to be Bruce Boudreau's Game 1 starter. |
| Semyon Varlamov |  |
In his last two starts - his only NHL appearances since December 7 - Varly has given up ten goals, the most he's allowed in any two-game stretch of his young career. Another few outings like these, and the team might have to make the call to Hershey for the guy who is 4-0-0/1.68/.952 in his last six NHL games. |
| Defensemen | ||
| John Carlson |  |
With ten NHL games now under his belt (and thus a year towards free agency burned), Carlson would appear to be in D.C. to stay. He had his good moments and his not-so-good moments this week. In other words, he's a rookie. |
| Joe Corvo | |
Notched his first point as a Cap on Saturday night, but don't be surprised to see his scoring rate drop off the table in D.C. - he averaged 4:38 of power-play time in Carolina, but just 2:27 of extra-man time in his first two games in Washington. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but something to keep in mind. |
| John Erskine | |
Erskine played on Wednesday in Buffalo, but with the arrival of Corvo and Carlson has been relegated to the seventh defenseman role, which is where he should be. |
| Mike Green | |
Green notched the game-winner against the Sabres and added a couple of assists the following night against Tampa. None of the three points, however, came on the power-play, a unit that has struggled out of the break to the tune of 0-for-8 in five-on-four situations. |
| Milan Jurcina |  |
Welcome back, Juice - see you in April. |
| Shaone Morrisonn | |
Plus-five with 11 hits and five blocked shots for the week, but had one of the worst turnovers in the history of earth on Saturday night. |
| Tom Poti | |
Partnered with Corvo, expect Poti to continue to get big minutes in tough situations. |
| Jeff Schultz | |
Two helpers in Buffalo, plus-two against Tampa, Schultz now has a career-high in points (with 19) and the sixth-most productive (point-wise) season of any Caps blueliner not named Mike Green since the lockout. |
| Tyler Sloan | |
Eighth on the depth chart with Jurcina on the shelf, it's hard to envision Sloan getting many more minutes the rest of the way. |
| Forwards | ||
| Nicklas Backstrom | |
One heroic penalty killing shift can't overcome a one-assist week. Don't be afraid to shoot, Nicky. |
| Eric Belanger | |
Brought to D.C. to be the third-line center, has already found himself bumped up to the second line and responded with a goal, his first since January 23. |
| Matt Bradley | |
Scratched on Wednesday, struggled a bit on Saturday and hasn't scored a goal since January 19. Suddenly those career highs that seemed certain to be broken may be a stretch, as playing time dwindles. |
| Jason Chimera | |
One goal and a plus-three rating upon returning from a lower-body injury will work. |
| Eric Fehr | |
Scored the first goal in each of the last two games (and was initially credited with the game's first tally in Buffalo as well) and continues to produce in limited ice time while bumping his plus/minus up to plus-17. |
| Tomas Fleischmann | |
Flash had beautiful assists on a pair of game-winning goals this week (Green's in Buffalo and Fehr's against the Rangers), but won only two of his ten faceoffs on Saturday after being shifted back to center for the game. Can he stick in the middle with such struggles? |
| Boyd Gordon | |
A length-of-the-ice bank-shot empty netter on Wednesday was followed up with a strong game Thursday (one assist, 86% faceoff win percentage)... and a healthy scratch Saturday that was most certainly not merit-based. Such is life with 15 NHL forwards on the roster. |
| Mike Knuble | |
Scored twice on Thursday and now leads the League in shooting percentage. |
| Brooks Laich | |
Two goals and three assists away from tying career highs and, at plus-11, seems likely to be on the right side of zero in that metric for the first time in his career. |
| Quintin Laing | |
Pushed further down the depth chart by this week's acquisitions, Q's job remains similar - work hard at practice and shame others into following suit. |
| Brendan Morrison | |
A couple of poor efforts had BMo watching Saturday night's game from the press box. Apparently that two-week vacation didn't help as much as we'd hoped. |
| Alex Ovechkin | |
Ovechkin has now gone 381:35 of Caps' game time (i.e. six-plus games) without a goal, but with as many shots on Saturday night (seven) as he had in his previous two games combined, seems to be on the verge of busting through. When he does, watch out. |
| Alexander Semin | |
Like his higher-profile countryman, Semin seems to be picking up where he left off in the Olympics... which is not a good thing. |
| David Steckel | |
Steckel will need to score four goals and add five helpers to equal his 2008-09 numbers, something we'd all have likely wagered heavily on him being able to do back in October. |
| Scott Walker | |
Score two goals in your debut, flash a toothless smile, become an instant fan favorite. |
2 recs |
221 comments
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Looks like you want to make Corvo earn his money. It seems to me he has been a positive addition but you don’t just get to a + for earning approval for the trade, I suppose.
erskine has scored...now i can die in peace
I think he’d had to have put up a couple of true assists to get a +, or maybe a goal.
However, if he keeps the puck out of the net and keeps making crisp passes out of our own end he’ll be a + soon enough. I don’t really think we need the offense out of him so much as having someone who can competently play defense and keep the puck from just being simply cleared from our own end.
I agree with the rating. Still, I felt that he had a good week and I’m looking more for defense than offense out of him. I thought he was a solid and half the reason the new guys are a plus for me is that there hasn’t been as traumatic an adjustment as there was during the preCaptain post Clarkie days. Of course, a lot of that has to do with homecooking versus west coast brutality.
erskine has scored...now i can die in peace
Keep in mind that the idea is for an “-” to represent guys for whom the performance matches expectations. We expect Corvo to come in, put up a point here and there and be a solid defensive addition. Had he come in and scored 3 goals in his first two games or had a wildly spectacular couple of shifts, maybe he gets the green arrow.
At least that’s my understanding of the whole thing…
Like I said I agree with the rating and it just shows how appropriately high expectations have gotten for the Caps. A 3 game winning streak is not a world beating performance. We expect better defense against the Sabres and Rags. We are appropriately disappointed with the defense against Tampa. It’s a testament to how “the plan” has ever increasing expectations and players have demands and expectations that go along with it.
erskine has scored...now i can die in peace
Agreed. It’s kind of amazing how we’ve gone from just being happy with a win, to being unhappy with a loss, to being unhappy with an unsatisfactory win. And it stems from how the team reacts to the wins and losses, which is even more promising.
There own expectations seem to be governed by how well they play defensively regardless. If they play well defensively they’re content to know that they will eventually be able to score. They left a couple of goals on the table against the Rags but they aren’t bothered by that. It’s all about responsible hockey and Corvo seems to have gotten the message that my gig is to impersonate the responsible defender that people had a jones for rather than the Greenlite52 people think I am.
erskine has scored...now i can die in peace
3 wins in a row and only 6 guys trending up. I highly approve of both the presumed expectations and of this week’s ratings.
"You ever use smelling salts, every time you type a bad blog?" Brooks Laich
They really were “team” wins – a couple of standouts (most notably Jose), but most of the other folks simply doing their jobs.
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
agree, and what’s wonderful is guys just doing their jobs = 3 wins
Every time Nicky scores a goal, an angel gets its wings.
by SeattleCapsFan on Mar 8, 2010 2:31 PM EST up reply actions
“Philly how my ass taste?”
My ability to post is only surpassed by my ability to pinch pennies.
by jordanDC on Mar 8, 2010 11:15 AM EST up reply actions 2 recs
Knubs’ fans in Philly – which is pretty much all of the Flyers’ fanbase, are melting down a little about his success here. They miss him dearly. Heh.
Now helping to keep an eye on all things Gr8 at Alex Ovetjkin.
I laugh a little every time I think of how badly Philly managed their cap that they had to let Knuble go.
Kung-fu Rink Rabbit
The Blood Cult of Matt Bradley. Tune in Wednesday when Japers Rink offers their first burnt offering to Matt Bradley to give him an endless supply of the blood for his strident ways.
As I understand it, Holmgren could have signed Knuble but chose not to. The halo glowing ‘round Chris Pronger’s silhouette was a little blinding.
Now helping to keep an eye on all things Gr8 at Alex Ovetjkin.
it’s an NBA thing. You wouldn’t understand.
by bilspacecadet on Mar 8, 2010 12:54 PM EST up reply actions
Finger issues this season?
"First Lady, I'm sorry I pimp slapped you into that china cabinet."
by Bald Pollack on Mar 8, 2010 11:16 AM EST up reply actions
No, that’s the Leafs.
"You ever use smelling salts, every time you type a bad blog?" Brooks Laich
by CP2Devil on Mar 8, 2010 11:17 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs
Well played.
"First Lady, I'm sorry I pimp slapped you into that china cabinet."
by Bald Pollack on Mar 8, 2010 11:34 AM EST up reply actions
now if only knuble could convert a friggin’ free throw penalty shot! THERE’S NO ONE PLAYING DEFENSE!
by Natty Bumppo on Mar 8, 2010 11:20 AM EST up reply actions
Walker
Fan favorite for some maybe… I have a tough time giving guys passes for stuff like:
http://nhl.fanhouse.com/2009/05/12/scott-walker-explains-why-he-punched-aaron-ward-in-the-face/
He’s gone next year… do I have to like him? Cause I don’t.
by Bushwood Bushwhacker on Mar 8, 2010 11:16 AM EST reply actions
My hatred for Aaron Ward trumped my dislike of that situation.
Do we have to dislike Walker because the league didn’t have the balls to suspend him?
Yea, a lot of people hate Ward like you and didn’t seem to care that Walker sniped him like that. I had no opinion of either of them so it felt like an auto suspension. And considering it should have literally been an automatic suspension by the rule book… I still can’t figure out why it wasn’t.
by Bushwood Bushwhacker on Mar 8, 2010 11:26 AM EST up reply actions
I still can’t figure out why it wasn’t.
I refer you to this.
"You ever use smelling salts, every time you type a bad blog?" Brooks Laich
Hahaha… always good for a laugh.
by Bushwood Bushwhacker on Mar 8, 2010 11:42 AM EST up reply actions
Here’s your first post Olympic Magic Number update.
Scary things a-foot.
SE Magic Number: 3.5 (- 5 on the “week”). ATL still holds with TBL 1 point behind.
EC Magic Number: 10.5 (- 4.5). PITT now holds, with NJ and BUF 1 point and 2 games behind.
Frightening that we may have the SE locked up by the end of the week.
yeah, Nate twittered at the start of the homestand that if the Caps win out their homestand, that they win the division if Atlanta does no better than 2-2-1. Kinda shocking.
Kung-fu Rink Rabbit
The Blood Cult of Matt Bradley. Tune in Wednesday when Japers Rink offers their first burnt offering to Matt Bradley to give him an endless supply of the blood for his strident ways.
We should know by Friday. Could be earlier depending on what ATL and TB does, but it’s looking like Friday may be the division clinching game. ATL has to take every point this week to push it to the weekend. If they OTL or lose a game, it goes to TB, which we would clinch on Friday by winning out.
I was wondering if the caps could get caught looking past the last two home games as they prepare for Chicago, but I see that the Carolina game will be Trade Deadline Reunion Day, and surely Tampa Bay will also have their full attention. Plus the new game of Healthy Scratch Bingo is keeping the focus nice-n-sharp.
Now helping to keep an eye on all things Gr8 at Alex Ovetjkin.
The bigger concern should be, with the division locked up with @15 left to play, where do the guys get the motivation to keep it up and go into the playoffs hot?
their motivation is to play well, or spend significant time with their new best buddy, Tyler “The Press Box is My Abode” Sloan.
Kung-fu Rink Rabbit
The Blood Cult of Matt Bradley. Tune in Wednesday when Japers Rink offers their first burnt offering to Matt Bradley to give him an endless supply of the blood for his strident ways.
by RedBirdie on Mar 8, 2010 12:40 PM EST up reply actions 2 recs
President's trophy
Is that motivation?
I know the trophy means nothing to them as players, but as a fan I think it would be a nice addition to the trophy case. The long term goal is Stanley, but this would be sweet would it not?
I don’t think a younger team can afford to play the ‘coasting’ game. So I think they should be going for the President’s Trophy.
Russian Machine very rarely breaks. Oh and f**k Brooks Orpik.
I think it does – if you win the President’s Trophy, you have home ice for as long as you’re in the playoffs, and that includes the finals. Plus, it’s never been done by this franchise before. Therefore, that’s enough reason to go for it.
No Alex, no ratings. Know Alex, know ratings.
If I were the Caps, I’d really want the President’s Trophy, and here’s why:
They have sucked with a tight seal when traveling to the West Coast this year. Given that there’s a decent chance that the Western Conference champion could be one of:
San Jose,
LA,
Phoenix, or
Vancouver
I think that having home-ice is a HUGE advantage.
There's a fine line between arrogance and ignorance and only I manage to erase that line.
by D'ohboy on Mar 8, 2010 1:07 PM EST up reply actions 2 recs
Question
When was the last time a Pres trophy winner has gone on to win Lord Stanley?
Guessing I would say Detroit. But that’s a guess.
here’s a list of the President Trophy winners. it’s only been awarded since 1985 (which I didn’t realize).
teams that won the Presidents’ Trophy and Stanley Cup:
2007-2008 Red Wings
2001-2002 Red Wings
2000-2001 Avalanche
1998-1999 Stars
1993-1994 Rangers
1988-1989 Flames
1986-1987 Oilers
Kung-fu Rink Rabbit
The Blood Cult of Matt Bradley. Tune in Wednesday when Japers Rink offers their first burnt offering to Matt Bradley to give him an endless supply of the blood for his strident ways.
We’re getting off topic and the hall monitor is going to yell at us. ;-)
Btw you don’t honestly think LA, Phoenix or Vancouver is winning the West do you? Van has an outside chance, but they choke. LA, Phoenix are not going anywhere though.
And your point is still well taken. Home ice over SJ or CHI would be huge.
Russian Machine very rarely breaks. Oh and f**k Brooks Orpik.
If 4/8 teams in the WC are from the west coast, then the probability exists. Given that two of the other teams will be Chicago and Detroit – would you want to play 4/7 in either the United Center or Joe Louis?
There's a fine line between arrogance and ignorance and only I manage to erase that line.
Rec it like it’s hot.
The Caps have indeed been sucktacular on the Coast this year, for whichever reason. AO in particular has been invisible in those games, and if Fate and Bobby Lou get us the VAN card, we’ve got five players with really sour memories and a rabid Canadian media to deal with.
The friendly confines, and all that.
Having said that, the Pens won two Game Sevens in Other People’s Buildings last year. Including ours.
So it can be done w/o home-ice.
Now helping to keep an eye on all things Gr8 at Alex Ovetjkin.
More President’s Trophy discussion:
http://www.japersrink.com/2010/2/25/1325928/hoping-for-against-the-presidents
http://www.japersrink.com/2009/12/16/1203940/debunking-the-presidents-trophy
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
wow! that’s twice today I have been asked to take my conversation elsewhere.
Sorry o great one behind the curtain!
No, I’m not asking you to take it elsewhere – merely providing more info on the topic.
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
It’s called the President’s Trophy.
The entire team has come out at one time or another to say how important the crowd at the Phonebooth is to team success. We’ve been called the 7th man on the ice many times. Home ice advantage throughout the playoffs would be very important to this team.
I need a snappy signature...
I’ll say again – it’s certainly better than not having it, but (our) history has shown that is really not going to be what gets it done for us.
Russian Machine very rarely breaks. Oh and f**k Brooks Orpik.
Nevertheless, with the Caps’ home record (no slump this year so far, unlike last year, too) and with teams like CHI and VAN having great home records as well, I think that extra home game will be very helpful.
CИДHИЙ KPOCБИЙ: АЛEKCAHДP OBEЧKИH, OH CEЙЧAC TBOЙ ПAПA
by red army line on Mar 8, 2010 3:18 PM EST up reply actions
and of course, I can’t make Friday’s game :( really, why does no one consult me and the hockey schedule when deciding the meeting schedule?
Kung-fu Rink Rabbit
The Blood Cult of Matt Bradley. Tune in Wednesday when Japers Rink offers their first burnt offering to Matt Bradley to give him an endless supply of the blood for his strident ways.
I’m still looking for tickets to Friday if you’re selling…
Every time Nicky scores a goal, an angel gets its wings.
by SeattleCapsFan on Mar 8, 2010 2:39 PM EST up reply actions
sorry, my dad is gladly going in my place :(
I have three tickets for Boston on April 5 up for sale on the Rink Rat exchange, though.
Kung-fu Rink Rabbit
The Blood Cult of Matt Bradley. Tune in Wednesday when Japers Rink offers their first burnt offering to Matt Bradley to give him an endless supply of the blood for his strident ways.
would love a BOS-WSH game, but unfortunately spring break doesn’t last that long!
Every time Nicky scores a goal, an angel gets its wings.
by SeattleCapsFan on Mar 8, 2010 2:53 PM EST up reply actions
Get on ticket exchange, or come find me outside of Sec. 408 if you’re at the game tonight – I’ve got 2 tix for Fri’s game and I can’t go.
There's a fine line between arrogance and ignorance and only I manage to erase that line.
guess that rules out another cluster/F&B/natty/d’ohboy meet-up. oh well, first impressions are the best anyway…..
Are you going Friday? I’m on the fence about the game. . . That might push me over, though.
There's a fine line between arrogance and ignorance and only I manage to erase that line.
and I meant that as in: I might have to actually go to the game now.
There's a fine line between arrogance and ignorance and only I manage to erase that line.
Word. Natty, you’re bringing ponchos for all of us this time, right?
by Cluster on Mar 8, 2010 3:50 PM EST up reply actions 3 recs
I’m on Ticket Exchange with a WTB note I posted about a week ago. I can meet you outside 408 tonight though, to discuss, if you’re interested.
Every time Nicky scores a goal, an angel gets its wings.
by SeattleCapsFan on Mar 8, 2010 3:03 PM EST up reply actions
Cool. It would be nice to meet a fellow Seattleite. :)
I’ll be chilling outside 408 in a white Ovechkin jersey. I’m 5’8 with light brown hair. You can’t miss me. ;)
There's a fine line between arrogance and ignorance and only I manage to erase that line.
sounds good, I’ll stop by…I’ve got long brown hair wearing a spanking new Backstrom jersey…see ya then!
Every time Nicky scores a goal, an angel gets its wings.
by SeattleCapsFan on Mar 8, 2010 3:15 PM EST up reply actions
I don’t think Semin’s been that bad this past week. He’s looked very good on PK and decent on offense.
Even atheists believe in Matt Wieters
it wouldn’t be a capital ups and downs without one.
by Natty Bumppo on Mar 8, 2010 11:25 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs
Of course not, that’s why there is a comment section.
I thought Semin looked good on Saturday, terrible on wed and thurs. Down arrow summarized his week pretty well vs. the expectations.
Semin’s job is to score. If he’s not scoring consistently he’s got to get a down arrow. What’s the longest stretch he’s gone with out PIMs this year? He seems to be doing a much better job staying out of the box.
erskine has scored...now i can die in peace
Yes, but also some of his harshest criticism on this blog is that he needs to be more responsible and play better defensively. This, I think he has done since returning from the Olympics. He has played better here than there, which was an abomination all the way around.
BB said in the post-game presser Sat. that they had had meetings and gone over video about playing more defensively and not taking so many chances to get in the mindset for play-off hockey. Toward that end, Semin did well. And he had NO giveaways Thurs. night when he had the 4 takeaways (you had asked). So, I think some credit is due for doing what the coach asked and doing it pretty well. I am pleased he is back on PK more because he is good at it.
He has not scored, but he is shooting. The SOG doesn’t account for all attempts (misses or blocks), but as someone noted here once, he may miss more than others because he’s aiming for the top corner. Hopefully, the scoring will get back soon, if not tonight. Tonight seems it might be a good opportunity for our scoring slumpers to get on the scoresheet and feel some win.
The flip side though is there have been some times when his offensive play between the blue lines has been perplexing. He seems tentative. Again, I don’t think Semin has been horrible. He’s been okay and below expectations offensively. I agree with the down arrow and am not bummed with his play. My prediction is that the Alexes will break out on Sunday after a decent week where they have maybe 3 points each beforehand with like a 1,0,2 breakdown for the three games.
erskine has scored...now i can die in peace
I have had the feeling since Saturday that this game is going to be a 6-2 or so blowout by the Capitals. The top 2 lines have been invisible for too long now.
Stars have traveled a bunch and their goalies suck, too.
My ability to post is only surpassed by my ability to pinch pennies.
By that logic Theo sucks too? Turco and Theo have the identical save percentage.
"You ever use smelling salts, every time you type a bad blog?" Brooks Laich
3 less than Theo while playing in 8 more games for a team with significantly less talent than the Caps. He has a slightly better GAA. He also has four shutouts to Theo’s one. Stars aren’t even a playoff squad talent wise right now.
He’s certainly been feast or famine numbers wise this year, but that has a lot to do with the team playing in front of him.
"You ever use smelling salts, every time you type a bad blog?" Brooks Laich
zing!
Every time Nicky scores a goal, an angel gets its wings.
by SeattleCapsFan on Mar 8, 2010 2:40 PM EST up reply actions
It was a nice one, for what it’s worth.
Not much, I know.
My ability to post is only surpassed by my ability to pinch pennies.
a nice one that has a high probability of being picked off and resulting in an odd man break the other way. thankfully he made it against the rags and not pens. semin should see the blue line and think "no drop passes…no cross ice passes…
Just trying to capture the spirit of the thing...
by dcsportsfan1 on Mar 8, 2010 12:40 PM EST up reply actions
I’d rather him try it, since its those types of risks that makes this team successful and fun to watch.
My ability to post is only surpassed by my ability to pinch pennies.
by jordanDC on Mar 8, 2010 1:38 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
Gorgeous pass on that play, btw.
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
Dumb Idea of the Week
Why not leave Flash at center with Semin and Laich—they worked so well together during the winning streak, but just let Laich take all the faceoffs? It’s as if you go into every faceoff thinking Flash is already kicked out—why wouldn’t this work?
Isn’t this basically saying you’re having Laich center Flash and Semin?
erskine has scored...now i can die in peace
Not really—they’ll have different responsibilities once the puck is moving back and forth. But same deal as if the normal center gets tossed out, except that’s how they can start. IIRC even though Zetterberg takes the draws, Datsyuk sometimes plays “center”
CИДHИЙ KPOCБИЙ: АЛEKCAHДP OBEЧKИH, OH CEЙЧAC TBOЙ ПAПA
by red army line on Mar 8, 2010 12:22 PM EST up reply actions
That’s a pretty decent idea. Without directly comparing Laich to someone like Datsyuk, the difference in defensive skill between Laich and Flash is comparable to that of Datsyuk and Zetterberg.
It’s not a pretty solution, but it keeps a line together that had been clicking like a card in bicycle spokes.
I suggested that the other night as well. Question is, does laichs play make the other two more productive or less?
by The Jade Donkey on Mar 8, 2010 2:31 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
1. Laich is only marginally better at FOs than Flash
2. Flash-Laich-Semin was a GA machine
3. Flash and Fehr play very well together. That 3rd line for the moment is clicking, even with Flash at C.
1. Laich is only marginally better at FOs than Flash
Every little bit helps.
2. Flash-Laich-Semin was a GA machine
I have no numbers to argue this point, but the caps did win a whole bunch a games in a row there with that configuration.
3. Flash and Fehr play very well together. That 3rd line for the moment is clicking, even with Flash at C.
Then let’s get Fedorov back to center those two….. (that’s a joke, people—work with me)
what’s wrong with giving belanger an extended opportunity to see if he can center Laich and Semin? He’ll be responsible and he’ll win draws. Half the battle with that line is whether Semin can maintain focus and stay hot. Does anyone think that ice quality is bothering Semin at all? G’Town game on Saturday may have made things choppy for Semin’s ballet artistry.
erskine has scored...now i can die in peace
Not a damn thing. The crazy idea was from pre-trade-deadline, just decided to post now.
by bilspacecadet on Mar 8, 2010 11:51 AM EST up reply actions
The assault vehicle community is PISSED
Two games for Brads, 11ish mins TOI per game, +1 and my brother gets a down arrow? And the team won both games? Matt Bradley = 4th liner, I think expectations should be set accordingly!
Russian Machine very rarely breaks. Oh and f**k Brooks Orpik.
…And me with my brand new Fleischmann jersey out and ready to go for tonight? Dammit.
I need a snappy signature...
Not really on-topic – should be in the Clips post (where it actually already is).
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
ironic
considering this is the most un-hockey related post in the thread of 77 so far.
by Bushwood Bushwhacker on Mar 8, 2010 12:37 PM EST up reply actions
As a refresher for those of you not paying any attention, Clips posts are for discussion of any hockey-related topics, while the comments substantive posts – like this one – are to remain on the topic of the post. Thanks.
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
Sorry, JP, I thought Flash’s status for tonight might at least partially be related to his performance this past week, the other part the logjam at the door.
That’s fair – I was probably to quick to say “take it elsewhere.” No worries.
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
Carlson
Could one of you CBA whiz-kids explain whether the magic number for Carlson’s contract kicking in was 10 games or 10+ games?
J.P., you seem to think it’s right at 10 games – I was under the impression that it was upon the 11th game.
They’re going to feel really, really stupid when he comes up for a multi-million dollar contract a whole year earlier. Isn’t this the whole reason we have guys like Erskine and Sloan? What possible justification can there be to dole out multi-year contracts to marginal NHL players if not to have them take that 12 minute/night #6 defenseman slot??? Alternatively, couldn’t this be a good time to exploit the fact that Alzner can be sent back and forth to Hershey more or less at will?
If Carlson’s contract has indeed kicked in, that’s just epically bad asset management and, to me, an incident far more unsettling than the team’s bungling of the Bourque situation this summer. This isn’t quite on par with the Cam Barker, Troy Brouwer, Ben Eager, Kris Versteeg SNAFU, but it’s pretty stupid nonetheless.
There's a fine line between arrogance and ignorance and only I manage to erase that line.
by D'ohboy on Mar 8, 2010 12:40 PM EST reply actions 2 recs
Not to directly answer your question, but I think the Caps have made a decision that Carlson is going to stay up permanently for the rest of the season and the playoffs. In other words, he is a top six defenseman now and his being here gives them their best chance to win. If that’s really their belief and they think that John gives them a better chance to win a Cup than Sloan, then I can’t fault them for the decision. If it’s just a bad management decision, well that’s something else.
I think it has to do with him maturing up enough to have a shot at the bottom pairing. I think in some alternate universe with the Caps having a healthy Juice, you keep Carlsson down. However, be things as they are, you give the kid a nod and see what he can do for you.
I doubt people will be saying it’s stupid if he’s playing every night en route to a Stanley Cup victory this season. The numbers suggest that he’s a top six right now, and BB and McPhee are committed to winning the cup this year. Also, Carlson has been When all is said and done, Carlson will have about 30 games under his belt at the NHL level this season, so it’s not like this isn’t helping his development.
Ugh, terrible editing. Point is, this isn’t a “wasted” year. It’s not like he’s going to play 12 games and sit on the bench the rest of the way.
If that’s the case, why didn’t they have him up here earlier when we were giving a regular sweater to both Erskine and Sloan? Why give Sloan a two-year contract extension?
If he’d have been up here the whole year, I get it. And if he plays in the top-4 through the playoffs, I won’t complain. But if he ends up petering out like Alzner last year and we’ve just burned a year of his club control so that he can play for the Bears in the playoffs, which is certainly a possibility particularly once Juice is healthy, it will look pretty dumb in hindsight.
There's a fine line between arrogance and ignorance and only I manage to erase that line.
by D'ohboy on Mar 8, 2010 1:35 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
I think the Sloan deal was done merely as insurance. Alzner could still use some time in the AHL, while Carlson was nowhere near a guarantee for this year. I have to think GMGM made that deal just in case. Was it a bit higher than I would have liked and would I have preferred 1 year to 2? Yes. But the deal has to work for both sides and they obviously saw enough in Sloan that they liked – as of this summer – to give him that deal.
As for why they weren’t up here more often, I’m guessing part of that was salary cap-related, when Nyles was still an issue. The other part was probably a hope that this current crew could be enough and we wouldn’t have to waste that year of control. Injuries, lackluster play, etc. changed that plan.
All in my oh-so-humble opinion, of course.
If that’s the case, why didn’t they have him up here earlier when we were giving a regular sweater to both Erskine and Sloan?
It’s quite possible that they expected to get a guy at the deadline who would push Carlson down the depth chart to the point they wouldn’t need to use him and burn that year. When that didn’t happen, he got the call.
Why give Sloan a two-year contract extension?
For that question, I have no answer.
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by J.P. on Mar 8, 2010 1:39 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
It’s quite possible that they expected to get a guy at the deadline who would push Carlson down the depth chart to the point they wouldn’t need to use him and burn that year. When that didn’t happen, he got the call.
Isn’t that guy Joe Corvo? I mean, we may have all been salivating over Hamhuis, but it’s pretty clear that even Corvo is a step ahead of Carlson at this point. If we’ve got Corvo and Carlson still isn’t pushed down the depth chart, I don’t really see how it happens unless we picked up both Hamhuis AND Corvo (or some such high-end combo).
The only possible argument I can see is that the organization was surprised by just how quickly Carlson developed. Still, I find that hard to believe when the consensus out of the last two training camps was that Carlson was the most “NHL-ready” of the Caps’ non-roster defensemen.
There's a fine line between arrogance and ignorance and only I manage to erase that line.
Corvo definitely. Perhaps there was another guy on the radar as well. Perhaps they thought they could upgrade without moving Pothier (who was ahead of Carlson as well).
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Just a thought, but could it have been that they were hoping to send a lefty to CAR for Corvo (Morrisonn, Erskine, or Sloan) thereby having all of Green, Corvo, and Pothier as righties ahead of Carlson?
I think part of can be attributed to the Caps essentially having a spot locked up in the playoffs. If this were baseball, Carlson could be like a September callup, where you get him some seasoning in the bigs and you don’t have to worry as much about losses. It could also be that they figured that there wasn’t anything more Carlson could learn or do at the AHL level, so it was just his time to come up. He is still very young, so I’d imagine they didn’t want him up here too soon and stunt his development.
because hindsight’s 20/20?
Seriously, I’m sure that would have been the smart thing to do if they knew (a) Sloan would tail off, (b) Erskine would be Erskine, and © Carlson was going to get better and better and win the juniors by himself.
But they didn’t. It happens.
by bilspacecadet on Mar 8, 2010 1:39 PM EST up reply actions
But if you’ve been around here and followed this issue, you’d know that people here (myself included) have been making similar arguments since essentially the beginning of the year. I can’t count the number of times that myself or any number of people on here bitched when Erskine and Sloan were getting regular (and suck-tastic) playing time while better options toiled away in the minors. It’s been a running theme.
There's a fine line between arrogance and ignorance and only I manage to erase that line.
Just because I agree with you doesn’t mean they did.
Although I think I like Sloan better than you. Erskine, I’d be thrilled to never see again, split infinitive notwithstanding.
by bilspacecadet on Mar 8, 2010 1:57 PM EST up reply actions
Sloan is an (expensive) insurance policy. He ought to be right where he has been lately.
And I am all in favor if splitting infinitives. After all, we split the nominative all the freeking time, so why not the infinitive?
"You want to start being part of the Rink? Fine, but more’s expected of you than John/Jane Cap Fan. Carry the cause of informed discussion to the unwashed masses and don’t crap in the yards of other SBN sites if you decide to go over there. They’re passionate about their teams too, no need to troll elsewhere and/or be a sore winner." --BP
A week where 19,28,8 and 9 all get down arrows and the team still wins them all is a good week, yes?
Playoff hockey, we’re doin it right! But hopefully not too early.
by FFSEnough on Mar 8, 2010 12:44 PM EST reply actions 1 recs
I’ll let someone else answer the CBA-specific portion of this question (not that it matters – he’s here and playing tonight), but I’ll repond to this:
What possible justification can there be to dole out multi-year contracts to marginal NHL players if not to have them take that 12 minute/night #6 defenseman slot???
They obviously believe that playing John Carlson every night in the playoffs gives them their best chance of winning, but that is only the case if he plays the rest of the season here getting acclimated to the NHL, his team, etc. Obviously the team believes that his marginal value over Erskine or Sloan for this season’s playoffs is worth a year of controlling him, contract-wise.
Personally, I’ve taken the team to task numerous times this year for not icing their best possible lineup due to cap concerns – this would appear to be doing the opposite of that, and I’m okay with it.
As for Alzner, yeah – this sure does tell you a lot about how the franchise values him, no?
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Partially I think his right handed shot gives him a couple of extra points, but, yeah, you could kinda feel it in the last few months that he had nosed ahead of KK.
Weird. But also exciting when you can watch, in a just a few months, a guy making “the leap.”
by bilspacecadet on Mar 8, 2010 12:50 PM EST up reply actions
What a reply fail by me. Sorry, D’oh.
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The big issue for me is: how much is he playing?
If he’s up and playing 17+ minutes per/night, then I’m more ok with it. If he’s playing less than 15, then I think it’s a really stupid idea.
To me, this is kinda like having $10k in a 20-year CD with a big early-withdrawal penalty. In year 10, you face a personal liquidity crisis and can barely make mortgage payments, but you suck it up and hock some of your personal belongings, because you really want to avoid that penalty. Then, in year 18, you decide to pull your money out anyway in order to buy a Jet-Ski.
WTF???
I’m on the record as being very high on Carlson, and if they had kept him up here the whole year, particularly when we were giving Erskine AND Sloan a jersey on a regular basis, I’d accept burning a year of his team control. To do it at the end of the year just seems gratuitous and silly to me.
I’m really beginning to wonder what the organization thinks of Alzner, and what aspects of his game that he needs to work on in particular. I think Carlson’s skating makes him a better fit for Boudreau’s system but. . .
There's a fine line between arrogance and ignorance and only I manage to erase that line.
17+ vs. 15 seems pretty arbitrary to me when the point is putting the team on the ice that gives you the best chance to win.
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by J.P. on Mar 8, 2010 12:58 PM EST up reply actions 2 recs
15 vs 17+ may seem arbitrary, but it’s actually not. At 17+ you have to be out there for some special teams and you’re occasionally getting matched up against the other team’s top players. You can play less than 15 minutes/night and never see the ice against anybody decent except by accident or mistake.
Carlson could play against guys like Jody Shelley and Artem Anisimov in the AHL – if he’s really going to “acclimate” he’s got to be challenged by playing against guys like Gaborik, et. al. I suppose now’s as good a time as any to do that, given the 12-point standings cushion.
There's a fine line between arrogance and ignorance and only I manage to erase that line.
I can buy that, but to me the minutes – in whatever situation they may come – don’t matter nearly as much as that the Caps play every game of the playoffs with the best possible combination of 20 players the organization can dress. If Carlson in the third pairing makes the Caps a better team than if Erskine or Sloan is there, that’s all I need to know. I’d absolutely crush the organization if they played a lesser player in the playoffs for the sake of saving a few bucks three years down the road.
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I’d absolutely crush the organization if they played a lesser player in the playoffs (emphasis added)
I totally agree, if this were the playoffs. . . but it’s not. This is the tail end of a season in which the Caps have a top-3 seed essentially nailed down.
There's a fine line between arrogance and ignorance and only I manage to erase that line.
Right, but I don’t think that a rookie can jump into the lineup at the start of the playoffs and be as effective as if he had the last 20 games of the regular season, hence why he’s here now.
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At the risk of pulling this conversation into Nylanderian circuitousness, then I’d say, “why not call him up with 10 games left in the regular season?”
Anyhow, I hope JC74 scores an OT game winner at some point in the playoffs and I am drunk enough to have killed the brain cells responsible for remembering about his contract status and I scream like a lunatic unreservedly.
There's a fine line between arrogance and ignorance and only I manage to erase that line.
At the risk of pulling this conversation into Nylanderian circuitousness, then I’d say, "why not call him up with 10 games left in the regular season?"
Obviously smarter hockey folks than I believe that the additional games played will be valuable enough to JC’s development and team chemistry as to be worth it.
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I don’t think I understand your problem with this. Do you think he’d get better experience in Hershey?
Russian Machine very rarely breaks. Oh and f**k Brooks Orpik.
I think that losing a year of club control will come back to haunt us in the future, since I think that Carlson is the Thor Vikingstad of young NHL defensemen and will get paid as such.
Given that, I don’t see the point in giving him “scrap” minutes at the NHL level to “prepare him for the playoffs.” If he’s up here playing on the second pairing and killing penalties and occasionally getting some PP time – then I accept it. If he’s only out against other teams’ bottom-six forwards and skating less than 15 mins a night, I think his development would be no better off than if he were skating 20+ minutes a night down in Hershey. He’d still be developing, and we’d save a year of having him under contract.
There's a fine line between arrogance and ignorance and only I manage to erase that line.
The thing is, when it’s said and done he’ll probably have played 25 games this year, which is more than a quarter of a season. That’s not like he is playing 11 games, that’s pretty valuable experience.
I think BB is letting him get a taste here and there, in big situations. The caps roll 6 d pretty well, they rarely, if ever, hunker down to 4 D. To me the contract thing is not a make or break. This is what you want from your prize prospects.
Russian Machine very rarely breaks. Oh and f**k Brooks Orpik.
we dont lose club control earlier, he just rolls off his rookie contract a year earlier. he will still be an RFA. if i’ve got it right, that would be at the end of 2012 as he has played 10 games so far. i’m all for planning ahead, but at some point we have to think of the now.
in 2012, greenies contract comes up and he’s an RFA as well. assuming backs gets signed long term, thats only three current NHL guys currently signed for the 2012-13 season. 8, 19 and….39. lots of caps space to manage until then.
Just trying to capture the spirit of the thing...
I think the organization is telling Alzner he needs to bulk up. He’s obviously very close to breaking into the NHL but he’s not big enough yet. 6’3 with a very generous 206 — he’s going to need to be more like 210, or 215.
i think carlson up here is less about alzner and more about carlson plus the current log jam on d. i thought karl was very good when he first came up, but struggled in the middle. in addition to bulking up, he needs to be more consistent. he’ll be up with the big club for good next year, i believe. you wonder with sloan in the press box, whether he isnt a good candidate for waivers. not like we need his depth at wing anymore. bring up karl as your 7/8 dman…
Just trying to capture the spirit of the thing...
Alzner’s skating isn’t an NHL liability. His strength is. When he doesn’t make the play clean on the puck immediately he gets in trouble. He’s not strong enough to shrug forecheckers off yet. Or maybe they don’t think he’s that good. I dunno, but that’s how I see it. Right now Alzner is a better skater than Shamo, Juice, Erskine, Schultz. Carlson is a better skater (skating forwards at least) but I’m not sure that’s the salient factor here.
Killer_Carlson and Steckel Me Elmo are like brothers to me. And when I say brothers I don't mean like actual brothers. I mean it like how black people use it, which is more meaningful, I think.
by Fehr and Balanced on Mar 8, 2010 5:35 PM EST up reply actions
They obviously believe that playing John Carlson every night in the playoffs gives them their best chance of winning, but that is only the case if he plays the rest of the season here getting acclimated to the NHL, his team, etc.
Except that nothing has changed since mid-January. He could have had an extra 20 games of NHL experience. Can’t change it now, but it’s sure frustrating. As for Alzner, it’s definitely not a good sign for him but I’m gonig to hold out hope that Carlson gets the nod earlier because he’s physically more mature and stronger at this point so he battles NHL players better than Alzner does. This is obviously going to be a huge off-season for Alzner.
Killer_Carlson and Steckel Me Elmo are like brothers to me. And when I say brothers I don't mean like actual brothers. I mean it like how black people use it, which is more meaningful, I think.
by Fehr and Balanced on Mar 8, 2010 5:32 PM EST up reply actions
First day of a new job is always madness – have not been able to read any comments yet. So, first hits while I eat a quick lunch and before reading comments —
- Is it ten games or 11 that Carlson has to play? I get the impression from Tarik’s tweets that as of tonight, it’s not going to matter and that Carlson is being given his shot to stick with the big club. Ah well, GMGM has said that if they think a guy is ready, they’re going to give him his shot. Guess we’ll see how it pans out.
- Gotta be doing something right if the team wins out for the week and all the top guys are either downs or flats. Let’s hope Alex breaks out soon.
No Alex, no ratings. Know Alex, know ratings.
CBA 10.2 Section a
…a Player aged 18 or 19 earns a year of professional experience by playing ten (10) or more NHL Games in a given NHL Season, and a Player aged 20 or older (or who turns 20 between September 16 and December 31 of the year in which he signs his first SPC) earns a year of professional experience by playing ten (10) or more Professional Games under an SPC in a given League Year.
Translation: Carlson has earned a year of service by playing 10 or more games. It’s not really that big of a deal. The rule is basically there for the slower developing players, to give them more time to grow.
Russian Machine very rarely breaks. Oh and f**k Brooks Orpik.
Precisely. Carlson is here until the Caps stop playing (which hopefully won’t be until June). What I don’t want them to do is play him in more than 15 of the remaining 17 regular season games. If he goes over 25 games this year, he loses his eligibilty for Rookie of the Year next season.
Sounds like Erskine has at least 2 games coming then. ;-)
Russian Machine very rarely breaks. Oh and f**k Brooks Orpik.
There may well be a game or two where we might need his brawn more than Johnny’s brains. ;-)
Now helping to keep an eye on all things Gr8 at Alex Ovetjkin.
Corvo and Chimera
With the addition of Corvo and Chimera, the Caps now have two of the prettiest skating strides in the league. Watching the two of them skate is a gift. I loved watching Feds skate during his time here, but it was partly depressing, because his stride was still pretty, but there was no “jump” behind it.
There's a fine line between arrogance and ignorance and only I manage to erase that line.
didn’t matter. I went to practice early one day just so I could watch him do some easy warm up laps with only a couple of other guys on the ice. I could have watched it all day.
what’s your take on Green? I always think he looks so effortless and smooth
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Green is, but I think Corvo has a “prettier” stride. Green’s a little knock-kneed.
There's a fine line between arrogance and ignorance and only I manage to erase that line.
I’ll make sure to watch tonight. I’ve never noticed the knocked knees, but not something I’ve been looking for, either.
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I have to say, I’ve always thought Poti was a very underrated skater – I think he’s kind of pretty to watch skate backwards.
But agreed that Corvo’s a great skater. Very smooth. Feds and, dare I say it, Nylander, were two of the best, though.
Nylander has amazing footspeed. I don’t know if it carries him along as fast as other skaters, but his feet just go in a blur.
My ability to post is only surpassed by my ability to pinch pennies.
by jordanDC on Mar 8, 2010 1:54 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
I loved to watch Nylander skate with the puck. . . in warmups. Otherwise. . .
There's a fine line between arrogance and ignorance and only I manage to erase that line.
Yes, absolutely. His ability to handle the puck was amazing – during practice, warmups, etc ;)
During training camp I used to watch him out there, long after the others had gone in, doing puckhandling drills with a special weighted stick. Pretty incredible to watch – none better in my mind. I remember 3(?) years ago Nyles spent about 30 minutes teaching Grant McNeill of all people how to do the different puckhandling drills. It’s probably one of my favorite Nylander moments, it was very cute to watch.
That stick was a monstrosity. He had to have at least a dozen pucks taped to it.
My ability to post is only surpassed by my ability to pinch pennies.
Stickhandling at Kettler courtesy A. Ovechkin.
Now helping to keep an eye on all things Gr8 at Alex Ovetjkin.
Ovie used to do this thing in game warm-ups, where he’d set up 4 pucks, spaced out, and then start stickhandling another puck between them, weaving in and out as fast as he could. Wouldn’t surprise me if he learned that from playing with Datsuyk. Haven’t seen him do that in a while, though.
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It’s a Russian thing; Kovalev does it a bunch also, though I dunno about lately.
"First Lady, I'm sorry I pimp slapped you into that china cabinet."
Poti’s one of those guys I can always pick out on the ice because he wears his shin pads so high, giving the illusion of some seriously skinny chicken legs! and he’s terribly duck-toed. but you’re right, very smooth going backwards, and sideways, too.
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Meh. His stride is consistently too long for me. A long stride is good for efficiency, but it’s bad for quick movements. The best skaters can transition from short and choppy to long and efficient depending on the situation. Chimera, for example, seems to be pretty good at this, at least going forward.
There's a fine line between arrogance and ignorance and only I manage to erase that line.
The thing I admire most about Chimera’s skating is the very, very, very short interval of time between standing still and full throttle.
Poti is so awkward (knock-kneedism rears its ugly head again) when he stands still and digs at the puck, that I can’t get past it.
"You want to start being part of the Rink? Fine, but more’s expected of you than John/Jane Cap Fan. Carry the cause of informed discussion to the unwashed masses and don’t crap in the yards of other SBN sites if you decide to go over there. They’re passionate about their teams too, no need to troll elsewhere and/or be a sore winner." --BP
this lower legs are all sorts of funky. the knees, the ankles, the feet. but it works, because I’ve never seen anyone cover so much ice skating sideways. it’s bizarre.
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Mike Green also looks like he has chicken legs. I seriously wonder how his legs support his body on the ice.
CИДHИЙ KPOCБИЙ: АЛEKCAHДP OBEЧKИH, OH CEЙЧAC TBOЙ ПAПA
by red army line on Mar 8, 2010 3:27 PM EST up reply actions
I don’t know that it’s knock-need but He does skate a little more upright than you’d expect from such a great skater. Agree about Chimera and Corvo, I love to watch those guys open it up.
Killer_Carlson and Steckel Me Elmo are like brothers to me. And when I say brothers I don't mean like actual brothers. I mean it like how black people use it, which is more meaningful, I think.
by Fehr and Balanced on Mar 8, 2010 5:40 PM EST up reply actions
I can get on board with all of the grades here. It’s been a pretty ho-hum run of games, so I in particular agree with the large number of “even” marks.
Boring comment, I know; but after JP noted in the Clips thread that he was expecting to get abused in the comments here, I thought I’d add a vote of support.
"You want to start being part of the Rink? Fine, but more’s expected of you than John/Jane Cap Fan. Carry the cause of informed discussion to the unwashed masses and don’t crap in the yards of other SBN sites if you decide to go over there. They’re passionate about their teams too, no need to troll elsewhere and/or be a sore winner." --BP
Heh. Thanks for the love, FD.
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Agreed. One really solid effort (Buffalo) followed by two mediocre games.
However, I’d give Schultzy an up arrow after his performance. Maybe our expectations are just that much higher now, but I thought he had an outstanding week amid the mediocrity on the rest of the blue line.
There's a fine line between arrogance and ignorance and only I manage to erase that line.
I’m not sure that I’d go as far as to label them “mediocre” – mostly because I’m viewing them as transitional games, with tons of adjustments and new lines/D-pairings. I thought there were lots of good moments mixed in with the slightly scary ones. But I’m probably just nit-picking here :P
Of course, the fact that Jose was able to carry the burden while all of that happened is great, hence the unanimous up arrow for Monsieur Theodore.
I really can’t see coughing up a two-goal lead in the 3rd at home to an inferior opponent, or getting out-shot and out-chanced by an offensively limited team whose best player was hobbled by a leg injury as anything other than mediocre.
At the “meta” level, I’ll give them a pass for the reasons you note, but looking at the games themselves – they had stink lines all over them.
There's a fine line between arrogance and ignorance and only I manage to erase that line.
Yeah, I suppose the Tampa Bay game was kind of icky (that’s the technical term).
I think I’m just choosing to look at it at the “meta” level, as you put it. Probably glossing over some things but I thought they played better as a team than they had in the pre-break losing streak – and corrected a lot of the mistakes, as well.
And BUF has been in the process of laying a huge egg for the last 10-12 games, so I take the solid performance there with a small grain of salt.
Tampa was lackadaisical, or so I take from the recaps.
Rangers were just being jerks, trying to play for a tie, so it’s hard to do anything when a team turtles like they did.
"You want to start being part of the Rink? Fine, but more’s expected of you than John/Jane Cap Fan. Carry the cause of informed discussion to the unwashed masses and don’t crap in the yards of other SBN sites if you decide to go over there. They’re passionate about their teams too, no need to troll elsewhere and/or be a sore winner." --BP
Any time you beat a playoff-bound team in their own barn by more than a goal, that’s a solid effort.
There's a fine line between arrogance and ignorance and only I manage to erase that line.
I generally agree with you, and note that it’s a “small” grain of salt.
I think Buffalo had played the night before, though, which is a factor in the salt intake as well.
As you note above, they’re all better than the three losses prior to the Olympics.
"You want to start being part of the Rink? Fine, but more’s expected of you than John/Jane Cap Fan. Carry the cause of informed discussion to the unwashed masses and don’t crap in the yards of other SBN sites if you decide to go over there. They’re passionate about their teams too, no need to troll elsewhere and/or be a sore winner." --BP
They’re pretty accurate. All 3 wins weren’t too pretty and were shouldered by Theo. The team should expect vastly more and not have to count on people like Fehr or Walker playing over their potential.
Agree on Walker, but do we think a few goals from Fehr constitutes him playing over his potential? If anything, we need him to score on a fairly regular basis and he absolutely has the ability. Secondary scoring is going to be huge in the playoffs.
A few goals in one week, I would say so. If he scored in 2/3 of games the rest of the way, we’d be VERY happy.
Sometimes, you really just want to hit a b**ch.
by dinasaur on Mar 8, 2010 3:20 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
Secondary scoring is huge, which is why I love seeing Fehr start to step up. I’d say if he’d scored once this week that’d be expected, twice plus an assist is IMO exceeding expectations (although a part of me wonders if our expectations are too low for him, I could see him really starting to make a place for himself on the scoreboard…I just love how he plays when he’s on).
Every time Nicky scores a goal, an angel gets its wings.
by SeattleCapsFan on Mar 8, 2010 3:26 PM EST up reply actions
To borrow a term from a former local favorite, Fehr’s swagger was phenomenal. He was making good shots, playing good defense and in general was part of a few great shifts that were on his shoulders.
I don’t think we should expect that out of him, however. The guy is “just” a 3rd line winger. Who happens to be well on his way to a 20 goal, 40 point season.
The fact that he produces so huge with so little ice time makes him a regular Oscar Zeta Acosta on ice though.
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Southeast Standings
| GP | W | L | OTL | PT | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Washington
|
82 | 54 | 15 | 13 | 121 |
|
Atlanta
|
82 | 35 | 34 | 13 | 83 |
|
Carolina
|
82 | 35 | 37 | 10 | 80 |
|
Tampa Bay
|
82 | 34 | 36 | 12 | 80 |
|
Florida
|
82 | 32 | 37 | 13 | 77 |
(updated 4.12.2010 at 9:21 AM EDT)
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- Trending Topics: Odd arbitration decisions; more NHLers Tweeting
- Ovechkin wins fifth Kharlamov Trophy, talks Talbot
- Puck Headlines: Witt hits waivers; Kovalchuk grievance details set
- Jersey Fouls: Sharks get creatively awful; hockey movie pass/fail
- White, Flames agree to one-year deal; Bruins sign Wheeler
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