Saturday Caps Clips: Too Soon, Summer
by EmilyB on May 7, 2011 10:23 AM EDT
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PrintYour savory Saturday brunch links:
- Japers' Rink Radio hits the interwaves today at 4pm Eastern. Alan May joins Pepper and Russell for a playoffs post-mortem and a look at the 2010-2011 season. [JRR]
- What can you say? Here's the ego... [Peerless]
- ...and Mister Tony brings the id. [SteinBog]
- Fingers, pointing:
- It was the coach! [Japers' Rink, Puck Update,The Ciskie Blog, E$PN (Hradek),
- It was the captain! [Puck Buddys]
- It was both! [We Love DC]
- It was a lack of heart... [WaPo (Wise)]
- ... or the presence of ... Mike Green . [CapsNewsNetwork]
- It was the coach! [Japers' Rink, Puck Update,The Ciskie Blog, E$PN (Hradek),
- Options:
- Brooks Laich, UFA. [DCEx (McNally), Puckhead]
- Semyon Varlamov, RFA. [PHT, CRtC]
- Brooks Laich, UFA. [DCEx (McNally), Puckhead]
- The Ovi has landed. In Bratislava, that is. [Sportbox.ru]
- He's already had his first practice, on the top line with Maxim Afinogenov and Constantine Gorovikovym. Sigh. [Sportbox.ru]
- Nicklas Backstrom's numbers were terrible this year. Or were they? [Hockey Prospectus]
- The envelopes please ... Rock the Red awards its post season hardware. [One, Two]
- Grading the playoffs. [CSN Washington (O'Halloran)]
- The gentlemen of RMNB talk Caps hockey with Bawlmer media. [Baltimore Sun]
- Chris Cooley has the Caps' back. [Hogs Haven]
- Dear Bruce. [Chirps from the Ledge]
- Prospect playoff update:
- Brett Flemming and the Mississauga St. Michael's Majors lost an odd and uncharacteristic game 6-5 in overtime to the Owen Sound Attack. When the dust settled, Brett's stats were 1-1-2, even, 0 PIM. He was on-ice for 7 of the eleven goals scored (four of his team's five, 3 of Owen Sound's, but not the game winner.) This was the second game in a back-to-back, and their series lead has been cut to 2-1.
- Cody Eakin and the Kootenay Ice also lost in overtime, 4-3, to the Portland Winterhawks. Cody went 0-2-2, plus-2, 2 PIM. After a week-plus layoff, the Ice were sloppy in the first, and allowed all three regulation goals-against. They regained their poise and shut down Portland in periods two and three. Cody had the primary assist on the GTG but the 'Hawks scored on their first shot in OT. Game Two is tonight.
- Finally, happy 31st birthday to Lawrence Nycholat, and happy 55th birthday to Tony Cassolato.
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Anybody have any insight into what the off-ice issues that Sky Kerstein talked about are? He was saying that there were many and they weren’t reported.
When was Kerstein talking about off-ice issues?
You perhaps knew me better as "Your Nation's Capital." Same great commentary, now with 100% more transparency!
Rough Quotes from his interview “Not listening to what he (Bruce) says…..need a disciplinarian, someone who won’t put up with a lot of the stuff that goes on with this team on and off the ice. Because there is a lot of stuff that goes on with this team off the ice that is not reported.”
Yup, if he knows facts he should report ‘em. Otherwise, he’s just a gossiper.
Ya think?
It’s all wrong, but it’s all right.
Agree, absolutely.
And I just started listening to the segment and they gloss right over the off ice issues to “hey, let’s talk about Ted’s blog”
You perhaps knew me better as "Your Nation's Capital." Same great commentary, now with 100% more transparency!
He’ll probably never be allowed to report on the Caps again if he goes into detail. I don’t blame him for wanting to keep his amazing job. Maybe we can just take his quotes for what they’re worth. And let’s not act like this is the first time stories like this have surfaced.
by Kolzilla on May 7, 2011 11:15 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
I’m sort of with you, but if you aren’t going to report I don’t see how hinting around it is alright. Either say it or don’t. This didn’t lend any more credence to rumors. I assume maybe he’s alluding to the partying and drinking but maybe there’s something else.
Sigh.
Reference Kerstein losing a reporting gig, consider the source and the employer. Do you think that 106.7 really gives a shit about this? A hack station with hack employees that does get some credit for spending time on the Caps, but rarely providing value-added.
Say what you will about the problems with 980, I would tell you that their decision to feature Alan May and Mike Vogel throughout the season was a good one that I hope they repeat next season.
The ice will show everything.
That is absolutely the vaguest piece of crap anyone could report. The only thing I can think of is the possibility of ill-timed partying. I know there were times when they were reported out late before an early game (they’d win, too) and it bothered me, but I actually hadn’t seen much of that lately.
Don’t try to figure Sasha out. Just ride the wave.
The producer of the 24/7 series said they cut out alot of footage of them partying during the losing streak as to not make them look too bad.
Again, it’s okay to have a life, even if you’re losing. Just don’t let it get in the way of the job. You (the “public” you) wanted them to stay home and cry in their beer? If the implication is that it affected their performance, be a mensch and say so.
Don’t try to figure Sasha out. Just ride the wave.
I dont have a problem with it personally as long as they work hard on the ice, but I guess the producer was saying the optics were bad.
My understanding was they cut out footage of Mike Green’s charity thing at the 9:30 club because MoJo and Carly were having underage beers. No biggie, sorry.
You perhaps knew me better as "Your Nation's Capital." Same great commentary, now with 100% more transparency!
Uh, yeah, that would have been a really bad optic. For the club more than the players, really. Everyone else knows, or assumes, they’re drinking. OTOH, I’m sure they could have gotten usable footage without the beers. But you have to make editorial decisions.
Don’t try to figure Sasha out. Just ride the wave.
The optics they gave a damn about was the story that was laid out: A beaten down team mired in a losing streak, overcoming and ending in victorious splendor. Any deviation would have cost them theme points.
"I remembered when he said that and I kind of looked at him during the warm up and told myself that I got to shut these guys out tonight." - Michal Neuvirth, 02.06.11.
The partying is pretty pervasive, IMO. I have lots of friends in the DC service industry and let’s just say the Caps represented themselves well at DC bars and clubs. Of course, I’m not going to pretend to report that in any official capacity, and I have no problem if anyone here reads this and writes it off as rumor. I’m just saying it’s my personal belief that these guys need to show more maturity with their drinking.
Sigh.
it’s my personal belief that these guys need to show more maturitywith their drinking.
This probably covers it. In some ways I think they’ve grown up, and in others, not so much.
Don’t try to figure Sasha out. Just ride the wave.
Mads Bødker!
1-0 Denmak over Germany only 17 seconds into their power play.
I love the Danish power play. They’ve been clicking throughout the tournament.
"In the depths of winter, I learned there was in me an invincible summer" ~Albert Camus
Re: Peerless’ article – superbly written, disagree with the premise. They don’t lose because “that’s what the Caps do.” They lose because they’re poorly coached and maybe don’t have the right mix of finesse and grit. They lose because they’re not as good as the other team, and I ain’t talking talent.
I’ve been a Rex Sox fan since I was four. I’ve learned that ghosts, goblins and curses don’t exist. This team’s ungodly disappointments don’t happen because Esa Tikkanen missed an empty net in 1998.
They happen because these current Caps have always brushed off the fine details of the game as unneccesary. Me? I don’t think that has anything to do with Rod Langway, Mike Gartner or Scott Stevens.
It has everything to do with who’s here now, and that’s something GMGM has control over.
by Kolzilla on May 7, 2011 11:11 AM EDT via mobile reply actions
Might you be taking it a little bit too literally?
Beards are the zenith of manliness. First, they are scratchy and unpleasant to womenfolk. Second, they look awesome. Third, if you have something tasty for lunch, you can enjoy the smell all the way until dinnertime. - RMNB
I took it literally and I agreed. No, I don’t believe in curses. Yes, I do believe that crushing hearts (of their own fans, not others) is what the Caps do. It’s a lot of luck that we ended up as Caps fans. Shitty, shitty luck.
[P]urely as a fan, making an emotional investment in the Caps looks more and more over time like a fool’s errand. There is no romance in being a fan of a lovable loser.
We have a long way to go before our team is as soul crushing as some others.
Beards are the zenith of manliness. First, they are scratchy and unpleasant to womenfolk. Second, they look awesome. Third, if you have something tasty for lunch, you can enjoy the smell all the way until dinnertime. - RMNB
That’s cold comfort. Among the NHL clubs, we are easily on the short list of most soul crushing. I guess you can cherry pick some from other sports, but I care about the Caps, not those other teams.
[P]urely as a fan, making an emotional investment in the Caps looks more and more over time like a fool’s errand. There is no romance in being a fan of a lovable loser.
I’m with you, but you could be a Brown’s fan. Maybe it’s worse that this team leads us on with promise and massive failure, but we could only have massive failure.
I don’t really believe in curses and know that the goal that LaFontaine scored doesn’t have any impact on today’s Caps, but I still have rituals that I do when they win, and change when the lose.
Beards are the zenith of manliness. First, they are scratchy and unpleasant to womenfolk. Second, they look awesome. Third, if you have something tasty for lunch, you can enjoy the smell all the way until dinnertime. - RMNB
I don’t believe in curses, I don’t think any of the 80s or 90s failures matter now, in terms of play on the ice. In terms of soul crushing after soul crushing, there is a cumulative effect. I do now, and will do so until that mythical day when we win a Cup, believe that whatever flaw this team has will undoubtedly be their downfall. I’ve been all too right, and even when I’m wrong, I’m right. Sometimes it’s a flaw I hadn’t even identified that serves as the downfall!
[P]urely as a fan, making an emotional investment in the Caps looks more and more over time like a fool’s errand. There is no romance in being a fan of a lovable loser.
I made a similar comment to a friend of mine. He’s relatively new to the Caps bandwagon and managed to keep a level of honest optimism throughout the year. When I was talking about inconsistent efforts and poor decision making, he was talking about results and things done well.
I’m pretty confident that the last two years have turned him into the same pessimistic shell of a person that I am when it comes to the Caps.
He won’t be able to fall back on all of the epic fails older fans have experienced but he is understanding where the seed (is it a mighty oak at this point?) of our misery is coming from.
Beards are the zenith of manliness. First, they are scratchy and unpleasant to womenfolk. Second, they look awesome. Third, if you have something tasty for lunch, you can enjoy the smell all the way until dinnertime. - RMNB
What other professional sports teams are as old as or older than this one and have never ever won a championship? (Not NHL teams; I’m aware of those.)
Lacking specific evidence to the contrary, I shall blame this on Chemmy and Two Line Pass.
by CapitalCentre on May 7, 2011 12:24 PM EDT up reply actions
There are a bunch right? You could be a Lions fan, or a Vikings fan. I’ll grant you that the way that the Caps fail is pretty unprecidented and something that I wear a bit like a badge of honor.
Beards are the zenith of manliness. First, they are scratchy and unpleasant to womenfolk. Second, they look awesome. Third, if you have something tasty for lunch, you can enjoy the smell all the way until dinnertime. - RMNB
Well, for people who don’t get hockey I liken it to being a Chicago Cubs fan. But even they have titles way back in their history. I just need a better analogue.
Lacking specific evidence to the contrary, I shall blame this on Chemmy and Two Line Pass.
by CapitalCentre on May 7, 2011 1:12 PM EDT up reply actions
The difficulty I had with this team is that it lacks a champion’s swagger (as opposed to many other Caps teams that just lacked talent). From the top on down, it was almost as if they were hedging their bets, preparing fans for a letdown. Results are a product of luck (overrated), injuries (who isn’t injured this time of year?), opponents (you think the Red Wings lose sleep over the prospect of playing the impenetrable 1-3-1). This was a team that did not make its own luck, did not impose itself on its opponent. It has more talent, perhaps, than any club in the NHL, but it did not have a champion’s arrogance. It is one thing to beat the Rangers, a team they could (and did) defeat on the basis of sheer superiority in talent. But they seemed to have lost the Tampa Bay series almost before it began, letting their opponent dictate style, pace, and even the mind game warfare terms.
But with this franchise, it’s always something.
If you've read this far...seek help.
by ThePeerless on May 7, 2011 1:02 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Do you think last year’s team could’ve developed a champion’s swagger if they had won that first round series in 5 or 6? Until the playoffs this year, I had the sense that a little playoff success and last year’s team could’ve dominated. Now, having watched the TB series I feel that probably wasn’t and isn’t true; dispatching the Rangers quickly didn’t give them any confidence for the TB series. It’s hard to know for sure, however.
"...what're you gonna do?"
by Rainbow, Kitty, Beer on May 7, 2011 1:17 PM EDT up reply actions
They would have had no motivation issues to play the Pens, methinks.
You perhaps knew me better as "Your Nation's Capital." Same great commentary, now with 100% more transparency!
In retrospect, the Pens would have been the best matchup and the Bolts the worst which maybe feeds into the narrative of curses.
Buffalo would have been the best matchup, IMO.
Lacking specific evidence to the contrary, I shall blame this on Chemmy and Two Line Pass.
by CapitalCentre on May 7, 2011 1:21 PM EDT up reply actions
It’s not a curse that you get the team you can’t get it up for rather than the team you can get it up for. It just means you’re not a very good team.
"...what're you gonna do?"
by Rainbow, Kitty, Beer on May 7, 2011 1:28 PM EDT up reply actions
Why? In retrospect the Pens would have forechecked us hard and controlled the puck and not beat themselves. We made silly mistakes with the puck against NYR and TBL. TBL made us pay. Do you think PIT would not have made us pay? Do you think we would have not been mentally fragile against PIT? I think either team would beat us. We may have won a game against PIT, but not a series. I’d rather lose to TBL.
[P]urely as a fan, making an emotional investment in the Caps looks more and more over time like a fool’s errand. There is no romance in being a fan of a lovable loser.
There’s an interesting point of reference over at RMNB – Andrew Gordon’s blog from last year’s Calder Cup finals. I find it difficult to believe that a kid with at that point 3 games of NHL experience could be so much more mature about it, but for example:
You obviously have to win four games to take the series, but many times a series is won long before the fourth game comes around. It comes down to breaking your opponents will, and outworking them mentally before they do the same to you. You have to make them believe they can’t beat you, and then their bodies will just come along for the ride. You have to make them want to quit. Make them see summer right around the corner. At that point, a team can be broken even though there is still hockey to be played.
I’ve said many times that I adore the kid, and I hope there’s a way he stays here and finds a spot on the roster, but I’m not betting on it.
Don’t try to figure Sasha out. Just ride the wave.
by gfcaps fan on May 7, 2011 1:34 PM EDT up reply actions 2 recs
He’s UFA this summer, and I think he’ll try to make it on another club.
You perhaps knew me better as "Your Nation's Capital." Same great commentary, now with 100% more transparency!
Hershey really missed him in the playoffs. Not that he could have saved their bacon by himself, but he’s been a pretty important cog there for the past couple of years.
Damn RMNB website seems to have gone down after I grabbed that gem, too. I wanted to re-read the rest of his blog. Poo.
Don’t try to figure Sasha out. Just ride the wave.
I agree. You could tell pretty much from the moment the Caps hit the ice in Game 4 they had none of that swagger and the result was a fait accompli.
One need only look at the Blackhawks 1st round series and the more recent DET victory last night to see an example of teams that might be down 0-3, but not out, and they sure as hell aren’t going away without a fight.
The Hawks might have lost the series, but they took the series to Game 7, and they played like they could win…against a more talented VAN team. Did DET look listless last night? Hell no. They still think they can come back and win against SJS and they’ll play like it. They might not win, but it won’t be for a lack of confidence and determination. Simply put, they aren’t going to lay down.
I never felt that way with the Caps against the Bolts. After the game 2 loss, the whole team just looked done.
No team has "swagger" when they are done 0-3 in a...
series. They can have “determination”—and better have it if they want to win a game, but that’s not the same as swagger. Winners have swagger. And swagger is also a function of team tradition and your history against specific teams—it all feeds into the confidence factor, individually and as a team. Tampa has won a Stanley Cup and had a lot of playoff success against Washington. I have have a feeling they were aware of that success coming into this series—and Washington’s players may have been aware of their lack of playoff success against tampa in the past. I suspect that Washington lost that first game, doubt began to creep into the Caps game, and the opposite happened to Tampa. That’s why first games are huge. Confidence is a fragile, sometimes fleeting thing in sports—and I think the Caps lost it after the 2nd period of game two. Combine lack of confidence with soft players and you get a sweep.
But with this franchise, it’s always something.
All too true. Do you think these years hurt more than the 90’s? I mean, at least those teams had lower expectations.
I do, but in the ‘90s I also lived in NY and didn’t have Center Ice for almost all of the decade (if not all) so the collapses weren’t always right in my face.
[P]urely as a fan, making an emotional investment in the Caps looks more and more over time like a fool’s errand. There is no romance in being a fan of a lovable loser.
I think it is all about expectations. In the 90s, the issue was inability (or seeming inability) to beat certain teams.
Expectations wise, look at the Cup finals run in 98 and the way the players celebrated winning the conference. That says a lot about what they were expected to do.
These past two years…so much potential, left exactly as that.
Yvan Eht Nioj!
Arrogance is an interesting word choice. I feel like this team had a champion’s arrogance without having earned any of it, and that’s been precisely the problem for several years.
It’s not fun being the team that thinks it deserves victory simply due to its talent level. The Caps are the spoiled eight-graders of the NHL.
I’m going to go get drunk now.
As for the player grades in the playoffs, I could not disagree more with the F for Marco Sturm. There’s more to forwards and hockey players than goal scoring, and while Sturm failed to light the lamp in all but game 4, he did a lot of the little things right. As has been discussed with many others here, I found he always played with hustle, which is more than could be said for many of the others.
"In the depths of winter, I learned there was in me an invincible summer" ~Albert Camus
by Madelle on May 7, 2011 11:14 AM EDT reply actions 5 recs
Yes. He was a pleasant surprise — good attitude, and generally good attention to detail, even if he wasn’t scoring much.
Lacking specific evidence to the contrary, I shall blame this on Chemmy and Two Line Pass.
by CapitalCentre on May 7, 2011 12:12 PM EDT up reply actions
While we’re on it, Semin was not a D (I’d give B).
"...what're you gonna do?"
by Rainbow, Kitty, Beer on May 7, 2011 1:20 PM EDT up reply actions
In general, I think that O’Halloran’s grades are more on the mark than not. Here are his grades and my reactions:
Nicklas Backstrom – F Maybe a bit too harsh. He was better than that in a few games although I do agree that the results weren’t there. My grade: D
Jason Arnott – C Agree basically with this grade. Looked better against the Rangers; much worse and slow against the Lightning. My grade: C-
Marcus Johansson – A While he exceeded my expectations, an “A” is too high given his play against the Lightning (several defensive miscues and he seemed a bit overwhelmed by the faster pace of the series). My grade: solid B/B+
Boyd Gordon – B While I think the grade is quite fair, I disagree that we “can’t ask for much more from a fourth-line center.” We need responsible D and energy out of the fourth line, AND a goal or two. With the exception of some decent cycling on offense, the fourth line never seemed to generate many scoring chances. My grade: B-
Alex Ovechkin – C First the good: 5-5-10 in nine games is decent scoring and he showed heart and energy. However, I was quite disappointed in his leadership and inconsistent play. Too many penalties, inconsistent defensive play, way too long shifts on occasion, and lapsed into stubborn, very selfish play (e.g., too many one on two, three, or four rushes; failure to dump the puck when warranted; little consistent effort to cycle). My grade: C
Alexander Semin – D I think that this is way too harsh. He was the second leading scorer and played well against the Rangers and decent in the first two Lightning games. Like most of the team, he lost heart and became disinterested after the second period of game three. That said, there are a number of tangible pluses that you can point to with respect to Semin’s play. For example, he was far more disciplined this postseason (much more responsible with his stick; fewer penalties; and more in tune with the game plan and less of a soloist [as opposed to Ovie]). Semin also was stronger on the boards, backckecked harder, and was more willing to go into high traffic areas. He still was disappointing overall in the Lightning series, but I don’t think a D grade is warranted. My grade: B-/C+
Jason Chimera – B I’m ok with this grade. Chimera is one of the few guys that exceeded my expectations.
Brooks Laich – C In general, a pretty fair grade; I’d personally go a bit higher: B-
Marco Sturm – F Disagree very strongly with this grade. If O’Halloran is going to use injury as a mitigating factor for Arnott, then a guy coming back from a serious knee injury gets a bit of a pass. In fact, other than his offensive play, he was one of the few Caps that you could really commend for his heart, energy, and strong defensive play. He was disciplined (other than the goalie interference call) and consistently played within the game plan. If we brought his back next year for around $2 million, I wouldn’t complain. I expect that his offensive numbers would improve with more time post-surgery. My grade: C
Mike Knuble – B The guy is a warrior: he earned a very solid B.
Eric Fehr – C Inconsistency is the hallmark of Fehr’s game; however, I can’t help to imagine what he could do with better health and a coach who wasn’t constantly throwing him under the bus. I think that the failure of Fehr to become a more consistent player is 3/4 due to injury and himself; 1/4 due to Bruce simply not being able to effectively coach him. My grade: B-/C+
Matt Bradley – B 0-0-0 in nine playoff games and I didn’t think that he forechecked as well as he has in previous playoffs. No the difference in the Lightning series, but I don’t see how anyone can give him a grade better than C/C+
Matt Hendricks – C See comments above for Bradly, but probably a bit worse. Personally, he seemed nervous and a bit unsure as to what he was supposed to do. Being an agitator in the post-season is very different than the regular season. My grade: D
Mike Green – C Stronger defensive effort this year, but much less offense than expected/needed. Where is the Mike Green that was a terror on the PP in past years? He still is a strong puck mover and an important cog in the team’s defense; however, his postseasons have been very disappointing. My grade: C
John Carlson – B I like Carlson’ game overall, but he was more inconsistent than warranted for a B grade. That said, he and Alzner are clearly the best pair in the Caps D corp. They need more playoff seasoning, but they are both headed it the right direction. My grade: B- bordering on C+
John Erskine – B Erskine played well against the Rangers and was exposed against the Lightning. That said, I think that his overall play was better than what I expected and, if his minutes are managed appropriately, is a good depth defenseman. My grade: B-/C+
Scott Hannan – B See comments for Erskine above. A heady, usually dependable D-man, but his foot speed was exposed during the Tampa series. The line change miscue in game two was a major clusterf**ck, and I think that there is a reason why so many weird deflection goals happen when he is on the ice, namely, he is a bit slow to the play and either not completely in position or prepared. My grade: B-/C+
Karl Alzner – C When he was good, he was very good; when he was bad, well, things went south in a hurry. A “C” grade still seems a bit harsh overall for his first complete postseason. I can’t really see giving him a grade much worse than Carlson’s. My grade: B-/C+
Jeff Schultz – C Pretty disappointing post-season for Schultz…I expected much steadier play, but he just didn’t seem prepared for the faster pace of post-season play. He also lacked confidence and this further slowed down his decision making, further compounding the lack of speed problem. My grade: C- bordering on D+
Sean Collins – Incomplete Did he even play in game 4?
Michal Neuvirth – B Great against the Rangers; with a few notable exception, generally good against the Lightning. My grade: B+/B
O’Halloran didn’t grade Boudreau so I’ll go ahead and simply say that I think that it is time for a change. Maybe I’ll write more about why in a later post, but my grade for Boudreau this postseason would be a D bordering on D-.
by avatarless on May 7, 2011 1:43 PM EDT up reply actions 3 recs
Did Alzner make any terrible miscues? If he did, they were in the games I skipped.
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by red army line on May 7, 2011 1:58 PM EDT up reply actions
I dispute anyone talking about giving Alzner a C. He was our best/most consistent D in the post-season. He’s not flashy so that always hurts him, but he also didn’t suffer from the Shultz glaring gaffes. Not sure what people see to give Alzner a C other than “swept.”
[P]urely as a fan, making an emotional investment in the Caps looks more and more over time like a fool’s errand. There is no romance in being a fan of a lovable loser.
It is hard to grade the players because they played one series where they were really good and one where they were really bad. How you rate the good and the bad is pretty subjective. I gave Alzner a B-/C+ on the whole and Schultz a C-/D+. Grades can be both absolute (compared to a standard) and relative (compared to other players). In general, I am a tough grader, so the relative rankings are probably more important. I don’t dispute that Alzner was our best D-man; he was very solid in the Rangers series, but I felt he was wearing down in the Lightning series (as was the whole team). Part of the problem was the injuries to the D-corp, but he did make some mistakes. He also was a -4, which also has to be taken into account. Schultz was clearly our worst d-man…he was a mess in the Lightning series and made glaring mistakes in the Rangers series. Rank ordering the D-corp as a whole, I’d have it:
Good to OK:
Alzner
OK by and large, but some major mistakes:
Green
Hannan
Carlson
Erskine
Not very good:
Schultz
Green probably benefits from not playing the entire Lightning series, otherwise he would probably be lower. Carlson is dragged down by his injury, although some of his play (e.g., Rangers game #4) was really inconsistent.
Don’t really dispute this final picture, but I’d quibble with the idea that
they played one series where they were really good and one where they were really bad.
I’m not so sure they were much worse against TB. They sure looked worse, but it’s hard to tell whether TB just had more weapons and better finishing than NY; there were a lot of pucks lying around in the NY series that they just didn’t have the talent to pound home, imo. Erskine, for instance, looked much worse against TB, but I don’t think he was playing any worse. I just think he wasn’t able to keep up with a team that was faster and moved the puck around a lot quicker. It’s tough to disentangle these things, however.
"...what're you gonna do?"
by Rainbow, Kitty, Beer on May 7, 2011 3:40 PM EDT up reply actions
Alzner doesn’t hit / Alzner doesn’t shoot, thus he gets a C
Imagine the shit we’d hear about Langway if he played now
All the king's horses and all the king's men
Couldn't put Humpty together again
Meh.
Striker Washington, Alexander Ovechkin, after the first training session in Bratislava in the national team Rosiii said he feels good, but on the next opponent for the qualifying round of the World Cup team of the Czech Republic will be adjusted later.
- How do you feel?
- I feel fine. While I do not want to sleep. Will be seen in the evening.
- Mood rose on arrival in the team?
- Sure. Long was the flight. Now we have once again come in the form below.
- How do you link with Maxim Afinogenov and Konstantin Gorovikovym?
- It’s okay. [So far I’m] happy with everything.
- Heavy was the series with Tampa?
- Heavy. Play is always difficult. But now I’m [on Team Russia].
- What do you think about the upcoming match against the Czechs?
- I do not think about it. So far I have to wake up.
- Bohemia – the world champions. They will be a special feeling?
- While I do not think about it – before the match even 24 hours. Closer to the case will be adjusted.
You perhaps knew me better as "Your Nation's Capital." Same great commentary, now with 100% more transparency!
I hope Russia bombs out.
"...what're you gonna do?"
by Rainbow, Kitty, Beer on May 7, 2011 1:21 PM EDT up reply actions
Yeah it would be pretty funny. I doubt many around here would be jumping for joy at the sight of Ovie shedding tears over a Russia victory.
fuck it, as long as it helps his psyche, right?
"The longer I delay myself getting to the real world, the better." - Mike Knuble
by Chaz-Capapalooza on May 7, 2011 11:51 PM EDT up reply actions
Eric Fehr, such a sweetie:
EricFehr16:
I was driving around this morning, great to see so many people with their #caps flags still out! Thanks again for all the support! #bestfans
And did anyone find Mike Green last night?
GreenLife52:
Find me I’ll buy you a beer… http://moby.to/mlce24
"I remembered when he said that and I kind of looked at him during the warm up and told myself that I got to shut these guys out tonight." - Michal Neuvirth, 02.06.11.
Cover Up?
Why no link here to the picture on DC Sports Bog of Mike Green out partying the night after the series ended? That picture should go viral amongst Caps fans, just so they can see exactly how much these guys care about winning…………………..
Some of the players got invited on someone’s really nice boat, and that pic was of Mike laughing hysterically at his housemate’s hysterically bad vocals of Wanted Dead or Alive. Personally, I was delighted that the players were still talking to each other. The last two games on the ice I wasn’t sure they even knew each other’s first names.
You perhaps knew me better as "Your Nation's Capital." Same great commentary, now with 100% more transparency!
by EmilyB on May 7, 2011 12:18 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Right. And after having a shitty time at your work, you would never go and toss back a few ones.
"I remembered when he said that and I kind of looked at him during the warm up and told myself that I got to shut these guys out tonight." - Michal Neuvirth, 02.06.11.
To me the issue is not them partying it up the day after the loss, it is their inability to understand (or care) how the partying looks to others. This is the same issue as Carlson standing on a bar boozing it up on his birthday night after a bad loss (although at least he got paid for that).
A significant percentage of Caps fans, though certainly not everyone, are going to think this is in poor taste. The Caps at issue either don’t realize this or don’t care.
I personally have much more problem with the partying during the season than after. People that are upset that they are drinking after they’ve been eliminated are a bit too sensitive for my taste. I’d be more mad about how they lost. That they drink after is just life. It’s the drinking before that contributed to the demise that I’m concerned about.
[P]urely as a fan, making an emotional investment in the Caps looks more and more over time like a fool’s errand. There is no romance in being a fan of a lovable loser.
Totally agree with this. Seriously, season’s over, I don’t care if they go out drinking NOW with their friends for weeks on end…..or spend the next 2 weeks drunk.
It’s what happens during the season that’s more importan.
Because athletes who party during the season don’t win anything.
"I remembered when he said that and I kind of looked at him during the warm up and told myself that I got to shut these guys out tonight." - Michal Neuvirth, 02.06.11.
Versteeg looks like a player with a Cup. Even after partying midseason, those players found a way to get it done. They brought the work ethic when the work ethic was required.
Caps players haven’t yet, and the reason for playoff flameout has nothing to do with parties.
by spokeinthebandwagon on May 7, 2011 4:31 PM EDT up reply actions
Might explain the weak third periods? Maybe it’s like adult league hockey with some bud lights on the bench.
Beards are the zenith of manliness. First, they are scratchy and unpleasant to womenfolk. Second, they look awesome. Third, if you have something tasty for lunch, you can enjoy the smell all the way until dinnertime. - RMNB
God forbid they go party on a boat, though. Because real workers never ever take vacations. They just try to get better at their jobs.
Tortorella: Can I get another question? I went in here in a pretty good mood today, too.
Larry Brooks: So did I.
Tortorella: Well, you obviously f***ed that up, didn't you?
Like old #32
Someday these guys will know what’s it’s like to crack a beer rink side after scoring an OT GWG in a game 7 of the playoffs.
Everything sounds smarter in Tikkanesse....
Hockey players out drinking and partying? I am shocked. Honestly, I have no issue with it at all. The season is over, no need to sit around and be depressed about it. Keep in mind this is also the time the team breaks up and heads back to where ever they happen to stay in the off season. A goodbye party of sorts I suppose. Heck, my team and I blew a big bid on a contract last year, blew it. If we had fans they would have said we choked. Ugly. Lets just say I am glad there were no cameras around that night when we all went out.
Shit day at work? Get fired? Yeah, you’re going to be drinking. They’re humans just like us. Hell, they’re hockey players, they’re going to drink whether they win or lose.
Don’t really see the issue. Do these same people get all butt-hurt when someone has an Irish wake, too?
All the king's horses and all the king's men
Couldn't put Humpty together again
I think the issue people have is the image. Laughing and joking and partying hard is not being somber and pissed off that you lost, and that is what (some) people expect. (some) people seem to expect that the players hit the gym right away after getting knocked out, to get ready for next year, which is, of course, totally unreasonable to expect.
I can see how partying it up right afterward sends the wrong image, but I also don’t particularly care, either.
All of that said, if I get fired and go out drinking, unless I hated that job I’m probably more “there’s a tear in my beer” drinkin, not fist-pumping drinking. Your mileage may vary…
Yvan Eht Nioj!
Why do you find this surprising or shocking? The team or groups of players regularly get together for a send-off after the last game of the season/playoffs. It’s a way to shake off defeat and say goodbyes before they scatter to their homes around the world. The previous two seasons they met at Georgetwon restaurants.
(Yes, I know about the avatar hounding - just pretend mine is invisible.)
Did Hershey ever announce what happened to Nycholat, other than an “upper body” injury? He was doing so great before getting injured, and was sorely missed on the blue line during the playoffs. Worry that due to his veteran status, he may not get another chance.
"I remembered when he said that and I kind of looked at him during the warm up and told myself that I got to shut these guys out tonight." - Michal Neuvirth, 02.06.11.
Not just you. (BTW, re: your avatar — are all these early playoff exits aging you?)
Lacking specific evidence to the contrary, I shall blame this on Chemmy and Two Line Pass.
by CapitalCentre on May 7, 2011 12:17 PM EDT up reply actions
No, this team needs more discipline, structure, and authority. Commissar Murphy is here to change the tone of the squad.
[P]urely as a fan, making an emotional investment in the Caps looks more and more over time like a fool’s errand. There is no romance in being a fan of a lovable loser.
Oh, OK then. If it works…
Lacking specific evidence to the contrary, I shall blame this on Chemmy and Two Line Pass.
by CapitalCentre on May 7, 2011 12:21 PM EDT up reply actions
We’ll see. Personally, I doubt it makes a difference. If they didn’t listen to “eat your damn onions” Murphy, they probably won’t listen to Commissar Murphy. It don’t mean butt, if it ain’t got that jut.
[P]urely as a fan, making an emotional investment in the Caps looks more and more over time like a fool’s errand. There is no romance in being a fan of a lovable loser.
by Rob Parker on May 7, 2011 12:22 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Of course. But it’s just as logical as slaughtering a goat, and a bit less messy.
Lacking specific evidence to the contrary, I shall blame this on Chemmy and Two Line Pass.
by CapitalCentre on May 7, 2011 12:25 PM EDT up reply actions
I actually wasn’t sure it was Poti. He looks awful.
Beards are the zenith of manliness. First, they are scratchy and unpleasant to womenfolk. Second, they look awesome. Third, if you have something tasty for lunch, you can enjoy the smell all the way until dinnertime. - RMNB
Denmark-Germany 4-3
Woo!
Denmark wins the shootout!
Mads Christensen (who is now 2 for 2 on the shootout in the tournament) and Mikkel Bødker (who completely undressed Endras in goal) convert.
"In the depths of winter, I learned there was in me an invincible summer" ~Albert Camus
Mikkel Bødker is named man of the match.
"In the depths of winter, I learned there was in me an invincible summer" ~Albert Camus
I think he’s going to be a solid player. Not sure bringing him up last year was the best thing, but I love his skillset.
[P]urely as a fan, making an emotional investment in the Caps looks more and more over time like a fool’s errand. There is no romance in being a fan of a lovable loser.
You are quite welcome. i just uploaded the video of Nichlas Hardt’s 3-4 goal against Russia, which is the play that injured Nabokov. I absolutely love the move Starkov pulls off to set it up.
"In the depths of winter, I learned there was in me an invincible summer" ~Albert Camus
Whoops. For the link :)
http://www.puckworlds.com/posts/list?type=FanShot
"In the depths of winter, I learned there was in me an invincible summer" ~Albert Camus
Flew to Tampa this morning for my mother-in-law’s memorial service. Eventful week. In the airport and along the road out were “Go Bolts” banners. Ugh! At least my youngest son wore a Caps t-shirt on the plane.
Are you not entertained?
Marcus isn’t going to worlds. He wanted to go and the Swedish hockey federation talked to him about it but in the end they decided that they have enough young players as it is.
He told a Swedish paper that his talks with BB and GMGM went really well. They both had nothing but praise for him. He is is going back home on Monday.
That’s really too bad. Maybe Tre Kronor are mad that Nicky won’t/can’t go. I hope Marcus has a fun summer.
You perhaps knew me better as "Your Nation's Capital." Same great commentary, now with 100% more transparency!
Maybe holding out for someone from DET? When is the deadline to complete the roster?
[P]urely as a fan, making an emotional investment in the Caps looks more and more over time like a fool’s errand. There is no romance in being a fan of a lovable loser.
Color me surprised that Varly wasn’t asked with Nabakov going down. Thought he played well for them last year.
"I remembered when he said that and I kind of looked at him during the warm up and told myself that I got to shut these guys out tonight." - Michal Neuvirth, 02.06.11.
Don’t try to figure out Russian Hockey’s decision-making. You could hurt yourself.
[P]urely as a fan, making an emotional investment in the Caps looks more and more over time like a fool’s errand. There is no romance in being a fan of a lovable loser.
Which one’s worse: Russian hockey’s decision making, or Campbell’s decision making?
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 May 7, 2011 2:41 PM EDT up reply actions
I doubt it, as you know Mårts have coached Marcus before and even named him captain. I think the relationship between Nicklas and Tre Kronor’s brass are just peachy. The Swedish media on the other hand is treating him like a traitor. And the Washington Capitals organization are making it really easy for them to that with the way they are sending out mixed signals.
On closing day GMGM said that Nicklas wasn’t injured (but he had lunch with Nicklas on the same day were he told him to stay home from worlds and rest his injured thumb). BB concurred but added that Nicklas don’t tell anyone when he is hurt. Nicklas said he wasn’t in pain and had no excuses.
A couple of hours later Nicklas tell the Swedish media that he isn’t allowed to play in worlds due to his thumb injury.
Later in the day Mike Vogel tweets that Nicklas re-injured his thumb in the Rangers series.
Talk about sending mixed signals. It’s almost so that you can’t blame the media for accusing Nicklas of lying. This organization is suppose to have a world class, award winning PR department. I’m by no means a PR expert but it sure feels like they dropped the ball on this one. Just one press release with some clarification would go a long way.
But I guess I shouldn’t be surprised that they don’t seem to care about the reputation of their 69 million dollar asset when they don’t seem all that interested in his physical well being either. But hey it’s only the hands and everyone knows that the hands isn’t that important for a playmaker anyway. And it’s not like he is under a long contract or anything either, so that’s good.
by Malin A on May 7, 2011 3:16 PM EDT up reply actions 8 recs
Malin bringing the info and the snark. I love it.
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 May 7, 2011 3:55 PM EDT up reply actions
I absolutely loathe the Swedish hockey media to the point where I long since stopped reading it. They are so full of themselves at times, they make Canada look humble. I cannot recollect the number of times I have read Swedish hockey media ridiculing the Norwegian or Danish hockey teams as being little children trying to play with the adults. Their apoplectic reaction to getting their behinds handed to them at the World Championship this year was absolutely priceless.
"In the depths of winter, I learned there was in me an invincible summer" ~Albert Camus
A small piece on Muller and the Caps.
There’s no real rumor that the Caps are interested, just simple speculation that it might be a good fit. I don’t know much about Muller, other than that he’s the next big thing. Anybody have a pulse on his style?
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."
I don’t know what his system would be, but he spent time playing in NJD and has been a Jacques Martin assistant, so draw your own conclusions. He seems to be more stoic and analytic behind the bench, and apparently has a well-reputed mind for his special teams scheming.
[P]urely as a fan, making an emotional investment in the Caps looks more and more over time like a fool’s errand. There is no romance in being a fan of a lovable loser.
He wasn’t on NJD when they were any good, or when Lemaire was there. I do think he spent some time on the Hitchcock DAL teams and the FLA team he was on was probably a trap team.
[P]urely as a fan, making an emotional investment in the Caps looks more and more over time like a fool’s errand. There is no romance in being a fan of a lovable loser.
Someone up in Montreal is doing very well, without a doubt, but whether it’s Muller or Martin is up in the air. Unbelievably massive gamble without an apparent upside. Montreal has never come across as particularly adaptable, just awesome at what they do.
All the king's horses and all the king's men
Couldn't put Humpty together again
What’s the gamble without an apparent upside? Muller? I disagree. At the very least, you have to acknowledge the possibility of some serious upside. Maybe he’s over-hyped, but maybe he’s not.
[P]urely as a fan, making an emotional investment in the Caps looks more and more over time like a fool’s errand. There is no romance in being a fan of a lovable loser.
It would take a pretty shitty coach for this team to miss the playoffs. If there is a break-in period for a new coach, where we find out if the hype is real, they might not win the East, they might not win the South East, but I don’t think they miss the playoffs. (Caveat, this is the Caps we are talking about here…that would certainly satisfy the “new ways to disappoint” trope.)
Yvan Eht Nioj!
I think that he could just be riding off of Martin’s coattails. I guess I should have used a word lighter than apparent, or just left it as a massive gamble. I think the guy is likely a bust, but, he could turn a team like Dallas around.
All the king's horses and all the king's men
Couldn't put Humpty together again
I don’t think Martin is special. I could see Muller driving the special teams to buoying Martin.
[P]urely as a fan, making an emotional investment in the Caps looks more and more over time like a fool’s errand. There is no romance in being a fan of a lovable loser.
Finland-Slovakia 2-1
Slovakia’s quest to take home the World Championship at home is at an end. They did not qualify for the quarter finals. The Slovak fans are devastated. They had a large cast of their aging veteran stars in Demitra, Satan, the Hossa brothers, Gaborik, Zednik and Halak. Ultimately, Halak especially ended up as a disappointment with weak goaltending the last 3 games or so, and the team has had trouble generating consistent offense.
You have to question whether Slovakia will keep Glen Hanlon on as coach now, or whether they will look elsewhere.
"In the depths of winter, I learned there was in me an invincible summer" ~Albert Camus
When did Hanlon start coaching Slovakia? I thought he had been with Belarus.
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 May 7, 2011 4:44 PM EDT up reply actions
GMGM on Varly (Read Between the Lines?)
"If he wants to go to the KHL, let him go," McPhee said. "This is the best league in the world and most players want to play here. I don’t pay any attention to that stuff with any of the European players. … If that’s what they do, then you’ve got the wrong guy."
"Some days I just sits and thinks. Some days I just sits and watches the Caps-I'm retired."
Bob Errey suggesting to hurt Andre-Bergeron
Watching NHL on the Fly and he just said something along the lines of “If I am TB and go into the corner if he plays, and elbow may come up…”
Pretty much confirms that players will go after another player’s injury. No shocker….just coming from Errey made me nauseous.
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