Capital Ups and Downs: Week 20
by J.P. on Feb 21, 2011 11:00 AM EST
in Capitals Ups and Downs
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Our weekly look at individual Washington Capitals' ups and downs:
| Goalies | Trend | Notes |
| Michal Neuvirth |  |
Surrendered three goals in each of three appearances this past week (two starts and a 40-minute relief stint). But he wasn't quite as bad as his 3.40 goals against average and .844 save percentage might imply, and the team certainly owes him a couple of bailouts, one of which he cashed in against the Ducks. |
| Semyon Varlamov |  |
Rebounded from getting yanked after just twenty minutes in Anaheim (and three goals allowed on just nine shots against) with a strong performance in Buffalo to pick up his second win in nine decisions since January 8. |
| Defensemen | ||
| Karl Alzner | |
Had his first career three-point game (and had a plus-three rating) against the Ducks, but was on the ice for three power-play goals-against this week on a penalty kill that has hit a bit of a bump in the road, going just 5-for-9 and allowing a goal in each of the week's four games. |
| John Carlson | |
Like Alzner, Carlson was on the ice for a trio of opposing power-play tallies (and another three at even-strength), but was also on the ice for a whopping nine of the Caps' 13 goals for the week, meaning that he was on for 15 of the 26 goals scored in Caps games this week. Yeah, he's getting a lot of ice time with Mike Green out, leading the team in minutes in all four games this week (and racking up a plus-four rating along the way). |
| John Erskine | |
Now in his fifth season in Washington, Erskine surpassed his single-season Caps high for games played in Anaheim, and, fittingly, commemorated the occasion by fighting Andy Sutton after the Ducks blueliner boarded Matt Hendricks. |
| Mike Green |  |
The Caps are taking it slow with Green, which makes sense of course, but seeing how the team struggles to move the puck out of its own zone and up ice with the two-time Norris finalist out of the lineup makes you wonder if they might not be looking for another puck-mover before the deadline. |
| Scott Hannan | |
Picked up his second point as a Cap in the Wednesday night scorefest, and was on the ice for six goals against this week (including screening Varlamov on the Buffalo goal on Sunday), but he's providing plenty of what this team needs... off the ice. |
| Tom Poti | |
Poti is going to set a career low for games played in a season, and he'll almost certainly set a career low for points in a season, failing to reach the numbers he bottomed-out at two seasons ago in both metrics. So, in sum, he's had his two worst seasons in the NHL in the past three years... and the Caps have him locked up for two more. |
| Jeff Schultz | |
As the cliche goes, you can't score if you don't shoot... and Sarge hasn't registered a shot on goal in seven games, as he's still looking for his first goal of the campaign (Alex Ovechkin has more goals this season than Double Nickel has shots on goal). More importantly, Schultz's minus-1's in California give him 19 games this season in which he's been a minus-1 or worse, already eight more than he had in all of 2009-10. |
| Tyler Sloan | |
Hasn't registered a shot on goal since November 19 (nine games), a plus since November 17 (ten games), or a point since November 14 (eleven games). |
| Forwards | ||
| Nicklas Backstrom | |
Scored a nice goal in San Jose to give the Caps a chance late, and had a couple of helpers in Anaheim, but didn't get on the scoresheet in Phoenix or Buffalo and won just 35.9% of his faceoffs in the last two games. |
| Matt Bradley | |
Lit the lamp for the first time since December 18 (breaking an eight-game drought) on Monday night, but had an otherwise quiet week. |
| Jason Chimera | |
Picked up a cheapie secondary assist on Sunday, breaking a six-game scoreless spell over which he was a minus-six. Also has failed to register a hit in his last five games, and deserves some blame for the team's recent third-period woes: he's been on the ice for six of the nine third-period markers the team has allowed over the last six games. |
| Eric Fehr | |
The three-to-four week estimate given when he was placed on IR on January 15... a wee bit optimistic, no? |
| Boyd Gordon | |
Surprisingly, there are two forwards in the League who have taken more shots on goal than Gordon and also dented the twine just once. Taking it one step further, since 2003-04, only Shawn Thornton has had more shots on goal and fewer goals than Gordon (and hey, look who clocks in at number nine on the list). |
| Matt Hendricks |  |
Some guys talk the talk on effort; Matt Hendricks delivers it every single night. He had three assists on the week, but his biggest helper - the third-period penalty he drew on Sunday - didn't make it onto most stat sheets. |
| Marcus Johansson | |
Settling in as the second-line center (for now), MoJo scored in the week's first and last games and added an assist in between. Perhaps more encouraging were the two three-shot games and the 54% win rate in the dot over the four games. |
| D.J. King | |
Didn't get a sweater last week and has played fewer minutes on the season than more than a half-dozen of his teammates skated in the last four games. |
| Mike Knuble | |
Scored in Anaheim (who didn't?), and averaged three shots on goal per game last week, but hasn't had an assist since January 8 (a span of 18 games). This is the swan song, it would seem. |
| Brooks Laich | |
Had a goal and an assist against the Ducks and an assist in Phoenix, but has gone 34 games without a power-play goal (or point) and has just four extra-man tallies on the year, after scoring a dozen a season ago. |
| Alex Ovechkin | |
Back-to-back multi-point games for only the second time since November, 22 shots on goal, a dozen hits, a pair of goals in his last three games... it's beginning to look a lot like Ovechmas. |
| Mathieu Perreault | |
It's tempting to give Perreault an up arrow on the strength of his two-point Sunday afternoon, but that would ignore his previous three point-less games of the week, a span over which he was minus-four and not on the ice for a single goal-for. |
| Alexander Semin | |
Sensational against the Ducks, notching his fourth hat-trick of the season, and good enough to tack on helpers in the two games on either side of that one. On the week, Semin was on the ice for seven of the Caps' 13 goals and only on for one opposition tally, was a plus-six, and hasn't committed a single minor penalty since returning from injury. Good Sasha. |
| David Steckel | |
Broke a 19-game goal-less drought in Anaheim one game after snapping a 10-game assist-less streak in Phoenix, and won 59% of his draws for the week. |
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“It’s beginning to look a lot like Ovechmas. Gooooallls are everywhere.”
~~~ R0cK D@ R3D ~~~
"I was pretty excited that Bruce made me captain and it's something I enjoyed. My record speaks for itself. I'm 1-0. I just went out there and did what I do: get the game winner." - Matt Bradley
by Chaz-Capapalooza on Feb 21, 2011 11:31 AM EST reply actions 1 recs
Down arrow for Backstrom.
Ryan Miller or not, I expect him to bury at least one of those prime opportunities on our first PP in Buffalo.
Not to mention the 4 minute double minor in Phoenix last Monday with three minutes left in the game and trailing by one. I expect more from Nicky, even in a down season.
That’s fair. He was borderline, and I gave him the benefit of the doubt, I guess.
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
What are the odds that there’s something physically wrong with Nik? That’s the only explanation I can come up with for his inability to consistently win puck battles, something he was so good at last year. His faceoff percentage tells me that maybe there’s a wrist or shoulder problem we’re not hearing about.
Wonder if the shoulder ever really healed from the Montreal series. Yet another thing that quietly turned the tide over those final 3 games.
Everything ends badly...otherwise it wouldn't end.
by Davethecapsfan on Feb 21, 2011 3:23 PM EST up reply actions
MarJo on faceoffs
Is it me, or does he seem to be accepting that he isn’t all that great and just totally cheating in the faceoff circle? Every time I take note of it, it looks like he is setting up cockeyed more like Crosby and taking advantage of his speed/finesse rather than his strength to win faceoffs.
Am I mad, that I should cherish that which bears but bitter fruit?
I will pluck it from my bosom, tho' my heart be at the root.
I can see that, but at the moment, he should be relying on his speed and finesse because that is his advantage in the dot. Give him an off-season of conditioning and practice, and we’ll likely see more use of pure strength and the feet.
In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king.
So where is Hendricks’ extension?
"It's always good to have vikings."
"The Caps fan doesn't say, 'is the glass half full' or 'is the glass half empty'. He wonders when the glass is going to spill."
They had to re-sign more important contributors like Erskine and Poti first.
Seriously though, I wonder if they’re waiting to re-sign a bunch of role-playing guys (after their questionable Poti re-signing and the less terrible but still questionable Erskine one) to see if they need to blow up this team if it tanks in the first round of the playoffs.
"And then they’ll look at guys in my situation, that could play three good games in a row and have one bad shift, and they’ll say, ‘Well, that’s why he’s been in the minor leagues his whole career.'" --Matt Hendricks
I think Poti is done for, it sounds like he has a pretty severe concussion the way he’s been out. I like Erskine’s re-signing since he’s been a decent 7D, but maybe not at that price. Totally “in a vacuum” talk, though.
Hendricks being re-signed isn’t too important, but I like him as a 4th liner. He’s got enough offensive mojo and more importantly knows his role. A guy his size that gets into a fight a game as well as work the dirty areas you shouldn’t let get away from you.
Am I mad, that I should cherish that which bears but bitter fruit?
I will pluck it from my bosom, tho' my heart be at the root.
Yeah, should’ve made clear my beef is not w/ Erskine being on this team. I’m fine w/ him as 7D as well. Cost was a bit much is all.
"And then they’ll look at guys in my situation, that could play three good games in a row and have one bad shift, and they’ll say, ‘Well, that’s why he’s been in the minor leagues his whole career.'" --Matt Hendricks
Poti is out with a groin injury. There was some talk recently of him visiting a specialist for it in Vancouver.
Don’t we have a specialist who could import modern medicine miracles from Florida?
Proud member of the Popsicle Division of the Cupcake Conference.
And by “Mickey,” they mean “playing drunk half the time.”
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
Hence the “Mickey”.
Rice is great if you're really hungry and want to eat two thousand of something.
by Rather Bengt on Feb 21, 2011 3:29 PM EST up reply actions
He hasn’t been here long enough to get one of GMGM’s “I’m actually a pretty bad GM, so here’s a loyal soldier bonus” contracts.
I have planned my grand attacks; I will stand behind their backs. With my brand new battle-axe, they will taste my wrath. They will hear me say as the pavement whirls, "I hate California girls."
by Steckel Me Elmo on Feb 21, 2011 1:28 PM EST up reply actions
Is Matt Hendricks the best deal in the league or what? Plays his ass off every single shift, has as many points as Chimera (including two more GWG for $1.3 mn less) and takes care of business in defense of his teammates.
Keep saying it, but I hope the Caps re-sign him. Bet he’d take 2 years @ $800k plus or minus a bit.
Hendricks plays like Laich talks. F-ing right!
"And then they’ll look at guys in my situation, that could play three good games in a row and have one bad shift, and they’ll say, ‘Well, that’s why he’s been in the minor leagues his whole career.'" --Matt Hendricks
Guarantee you I could find over a dozen other deals that I like better than Hendricks’. (This is not to say I dislike that deal).
I have planned my grand attacks; I will stand behind their backs. With my brand new battle-axe, they will taste my wrath. They will hear me say as the pavement whirls, "I hate California girls."
by Steckel Me Elmo on Feb 21, 2011 1:29 PM EST up reply actions
So bad D and goaltending this week, but good forward play. That’s so last year.
Ah, beer. The cause of and the solution to all of life’s problems. - Homer Simpson
Kurtis Foster
if we’re looking for a puck mover do you think he would be a good target? I don’t know what the time-table is for Poti’s return but Foster’s cap hit isn’t high at all and he could help boost this powerplay a bit. I’ve always been high on him for his offensive upside.
"My Sports Blog":http://myfriendcorey.wordpress.com
No. He’s got a cannon from the point, but he’s not really a puck mover.
I have planned my grand attacks; I will stand behind their backs. With my brand new battle-axe, they will taste my wrath. They will hear me say as the pavement whirls, "I hate California girls."
by Steckel Me Elmo on Feb 21, 2011 6:04 PM EST up reply actions
I can’t remember where he is now, but I do remember he was a great bargain for TBL last season, but the fans of his new team are pretty disappointed this season.
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"Numbers don't lie, they just don't agree with you"--George E. Ays
If I reference a lot of stats, just assume I haven't seen anything to contradict or invalidate them.
by red army line on Feb 21, 2011 9:53 PM EST up reply actions
Edmonton Oilers
and yeah, he isn’t having a good season compared to last year (3 goals, 8 assists). I just thought the idea was worth throwing around. After I think about it, the Oilers might not trade him since Ryan Whitney’s out for the season. Him and Tom Gilbert are the only offense they have from the blue line. I think Vandermeer’s the only defenseman they would move and he’s not really what we’re looking for.
"My Sports Blog":http://myfriendcorey.wordpress.com
by MyFriendCorey on Feb 22, 2011 1:10 AM EST up reply actions
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