Wednesday Caps Clips: Capitals @ Predators Game Day

Where can I get one?

My centers kind of blow.

Ryan Getzlaf
Jarret Stoll
Rich Peverley
Brian Boyle
Nathan Gerbe (bn)
Mike Santorelli(bn)

I don’t know if Johansson will replace any of those without a stellar second season but I’m in trouble if my second best center had only 43 points. Stupid auto draft…

To be honest, the only one of those categories in which MoJo is likely to be any good is assists. Throw in PIMs and you’d have a hard time coming up with a league in which Johansson would be less valuable.

win. I can’t even attempt to top this.

Now that made me laugh. Well done.

Ville Leino…an anagram for “El Evil Lion.”

Yeah, he wishes.

And having a second D that could pass the puck can only help. Whether it’s moving the puck up ice or getting the puck to Green when he has time and space, it should help the overall offense.

Schultz could be good for Greenie’s offense from the standpoint that Green can feel free to rush the puck knowing that he’s got a defensive partner to cover up. Similar to Carlson w/ Alzner.

C’mon. There has to be a place for “Ravens One on One” and tape-delayed UEFA matches.

Speaking of GA and Nashville’s local region, did I hear correctly that more Preds games will be on in Atlanta this season than the Thrashers ever had televised in a season?

yeah watching a choppy stream on a 14" screen or watching in HD on 60" screen…

It’s amazing the to me that the games aren’t televised. There are 2 games on NHL network every night and the Caps have to be one of the more marketable teams out there. at least Sunday night’s game is going to be on it.

Obviously Neil can answer that, but if that was the methodology, how would you account for shifts that don’t start with a faceoff?

In Laich’s case, it probably isn’t hard to figure out. Here are his top-five ES line combos in each of the last two years:

10.63% EV 90 JOHANSSON,MARCUS – 21 LAICH,BROOKS – 28 SEMIN,ALEXANDER
7.04% EV 21 LAICH,BROOKS – 85 PERREAULT,MATHIEU – 28 SEMIN,ALEXANDER
6.47% EV 14 FLEISCHMANN,TOMAS – 21 LAICH,BROOKS – 28 SEMIN,ALEXANDER
5.58% EV 90 JOHANSSON,MARCUS – 22 KNUBLE,MICHAEL – 21 LAICH,BROOKS
5.22% EV 14 FLEISCHMANN,TOMAS – 22 KNUBLE,MICHAEL – 21 LAICH,BROOKS

23.58% EV 14 FLEISCHMANN,TOMAS – 21 LAICH,BROOKS – 28 SEMIN,ALEXANDER
12.85% EV 21 LAICH,BROOKS – 9 MORRISON,BRENDAN – 28 SEMIN,ALEXANDER
12.53% EV 22 KNUBLE,MICHAEL – 21 LAICH,BROOKS – 9 MORRISON,BRENDAN
6.45% EV 16 FEHR,ERIC – 21 LAICH,BROOKS – 9 MORRISON,BRENDAN
6.43% EV 19 BACKSTROM,NICKLAS – 21 LAICH,BROOKS – 28 SEMIN,ALEXANDER

The only ones of those I’d even question whether Laich was C or W was the ones with Fleischmann… which of course was a lot last year. Shrug.

How was the split by C/W defined?

If he was listed as C on the PxP data, it was counted. I am not sure how they differentiate. It may be at the time of faceoff, but I would have to look. I am not sure.

And the disconnect here probably centers around the role of the center (high in the zone) versus the winger (puck-retrieval and winning battles along the boards, things at which Laich is pretty adept).

The drop-off is steep, though, but my hunch is that it’s explicable by linemates and zone starts, as I noted above. I could be wrong, though, and he might just be a shitty center.

But, to use a dancing analogy, is it because he leads (from center) or follows (complementing play from the wing)?

bear watching

Something to consider. Over the past four years Laich scored 33 of 85 goals on the power play and 68 of 197 total points with the man advantage. His drop in scoring is almost entirely explained away by a drop in power play goals scored. He isn’t getting those points be being a “delivery guy,” he’s getting them by going to the “bakery.”

That he can play center is something that contributes to his value as a versatile player. It isn’t the same as saying he should be a center, especially on one of the two top lines. He can quite literally play any of the top nine positions amoung the 1st/2nd/3rd lines, and I suspect at one time or another he is going to this season, if only for a game or two. And he will not be much of, if any of, a liability at any of them. It’s just that there are better contributors as some of those positions. Depending on who is not, and who is not, he’ll split time between 2L/2R (depending on where they play Semin on the second line) and 3C, where his offensive contributions aren’t as critical. In any case, I’d be watching to see if his power play production bounces back. That was the bread and butter (the bakery thing again) that got him to being a 20-goal scorer.

Played a ton for the Skipjacks, though, IIRC.

I enjoyed the wild, shirtless lyrics of Mark Ferner when they were combined with the competent drumming of Don Brewer and the bong-rattling bass of Mel Schacher.

That’ll take some getting used to.

Pix of Wild home and away lids with new front numbers:

http://twitter.com/#!/styleswild/status/118886474979622912

Terrific revenue producing move by the NHL as fans purchase helmets rocking the number of their fave.

Hey, they wanna be like the NFL. Today, numbering front and back on helmets, tomorrow, sweet TV contract for a gazillion bucks.

Omaha Ak-Sar-Ben Knights?

Nacho specialist?

MP has looked stronger this year, it’s a crap or get off the pot season for him, so I think he should get a chance to crap.

Point man on the PP!

/ducks

(And two of his three points came with Sid and Fedotenko, one at ES, the other on the PP.)

Served.

Nope. He’d be overage. He’s eligible for the AHL now.

Ha, nice.

He needs his own Blingee.

Vokoun for $1.5 mil!

Wait, EA doesn’t let me do that…

Will this be filmed by Stephen Spielbergo?

Weird that a guy who’s been in the game as long as Tallon would go this route. Interesting, too.

I think it’s clean in that it doesn’t automatically impact fines or suspensions. I think it’s right to consider past incidents when evaluating suspensions. AO doesn’t have a long history, so if there are 18 months or more between bad hits I imagine they will still treat them as rare events and he won’t get the book thrown at him. But if Matt Cooke goes 18 months without a suspension, do you think they should just wipe the slate clean and say “well he elbowed a guy in the face, but he hasn’t done it for 18 months so he’s basically a first time offender. 1 game.”?

Cataracts are mysteries, can happen at any age though it tends to be for when you get older.

Using steroid eye drops or injections for other conditions (for example: glaucoma, retinal vein occlusions) can cause cataracts. I also heard of someone using steroids for asthma (so either inhaled or oral) that got cataracts at a young age (less than 30), although that is probably pretty rare. I think there are some other medications that are related to steroids can also cause this issue. Poti was using steroid eye drops for allergy issues after his eye injury. Perhaps Arnott has had some eye injury or condition.

Knee bone connected to the eye bone.

Yeehaw.

One thing to note is this interview is not new, it’s probably a month old. They talked with Ovechkin in Russia before he left for the season. I know I read it when it first came out although of course a real person translating it is many times more valuable than google translate version.