Thursday Caps Clips: Claw'd

Actually… it might be a bit of narrative.

In regular season games in which he’s had three days or fewer off between starts, Neuvy’s 31-13-6/.256/.912.

When he’s had four or more days off, he’s 12-11-1/2.71/.908, and if we eliminate first starts of the season (there goes the 182-day break he had before his first start this year!), that number drops to 10-9-1/2.70/.908.

There’s a difference there, but not as big as one might expect (and I can slice and dice the splits if you’d like me to look at different ones). Plus, there’s the whole chicken-or-egg of “when he’s playing well, he gets more starts and when he gets more starts, he plays well” going on.

But yes. Rhythym method.

If the problem is rhythm, and playing a bit more is the answer, is this another point in questioning Hunters player management? We have Shultz stapled to the bench, the odd Rechlicz call up where he sees practically no ice, etc..

Agreed. I don’t think I’d swap 85 for 20, but, if I’m bringing up 36 and 54, I might find a spot for 20 for a few games to see if there’s lightning in a bottle.

I hope he proves me right…

How is Hunter’s system not conducive to board play and forechecking? Forechecking is inapplicable because you have to have the puck in the offensive zone, but board play should be important in a coin flip contest.

Dump and retreat?

Is this where someone makes the joke that it sure is offensive?

The team seemed to have it’s moments last night, but I hate it when I start yelling, “SHOOT!” at the television. Or expletives.

This is the biggest mystery in the world to me.

I don’t even know what his system is, how can I hate on it?

Thing is, I don’t really know what Hunter’s system is, offensively speaking.

eh, Sasha Grey could be a great distractor!

My optimism would return is Sasha Grey was called up for the Caps and become the second Capital and third NHL-er to wear 69.

Well if the team didn’t blow before…

I would think risk of injury would be too high since she’d probably be adverse to wearing a visor.

They would probably dominate more opponents.

Good backchecker, not afraid of defensive zone starts, willing to stick her nose in high traffic areas and willing to block shots with her face. Perfect.

This team has a big enough problem with sloppy exits as it as.

despise.

It’s not just officiating. Games are tighter checking and mistakes are magnified.

This year I vote we let Dima make slap shots at it.

Does Neuvy really deserve it though? He hasn’t looked great.

I’d rather let TV play if he feels ready to go.

Of course. But coming out of a long break, I’m sure Vokoun could’ve played last night (in front of family and friends, no less).

Personally, I’d have been a little miffed if he’d have started Neuvy in the more winnable game right out of the break. I’d have started Vokoun in both.

To B), sitting him and putting in Erskine just makes the D look even more glacial than it is. He’s going to have to punch his way out of it in the near term.

For me it comes down to why you look like doodoo as much as that you look like doodoo. I’ve always seen a healthy scratch as “get with the fucking program.” Not just punishment for not playing well. If you aren’t good enough to help the team win, then you don’t play, that’s easy. But considering even this sophomore slump Carlson is better than most of the alternatives you can’t make the argument that he doesn’t give the team a better chance at winning.

So if his bonehead plays have been addressed over and again by the coaching staff but he still makes them, you sit him. If you think his effort isn’t there. You sit him. I don’t think it’s an effort thing, so that’s out. I could buy “you just aren’t focused because you keep passing the puck up the middle to the other team” but I don’t presume to know what goes on in team meetings so I won’t formulate my suggestions based on an assumption that Carlson’s mistakes are because he’s just not focusing or that Hunter has already gone over this stuff with him ad nauseum. Maybe Hunter is playing favorites, maybe Hunter is trying to let Carlson play his way out of this slump, and maybe Hunter doesn’t feel like he’s hammered on Carlson’s mistakes enough in practice to the point where Carlson needs to wear a suit for a game.

I’m obviously not happy with how Carlson has played, but sophomore slumps happen. I’m sure guys have been benched for them, and I’m sure guys have played straight through them. I just have more patience in this case than other people. When the coach is saying “I’ve tried everything I know to try and don’t know how to get through to him” then you have to start healthy scratching, IMO.

That’s definitely another consideration. Everyone has to determine how much benefit of the doubt a coach gets. In a lot of situations (knowing how to coach to the modern NHL) I give Hunter less benefit of the doubt, but in terms of John Carlson I think Hunter gets more benefit of the doubt.

Because it’s worked so well thus far?

must be nice to have that option. I’m looking at some of these teams and going “Yeah, I wouldn’t play the back-up, either!” Detroit…..paging Detroit.

They are only 3 points out. I know they have one game-out-of-hand (or whatever the opposite of game-in-hand is) and a few teams between them, but it’s not out of the realm of possibility.

I guess it really depends on when they expect Green and Backstrom to be back.

In theory, they could be big buyers at deadline time. But they’d be putting all bets on the new additions to get them into the playoffs. Depending on how big they go – it means either Green or Backstrom (or both) wouldn’t be available until they get to the playoffs, if they make it.

It’s a question if they still think they have a chance to make a run or if they regroup for next year.

I think they are buyers no matter what. How much will depend on how much of the future assets they are willing to give up. Ted doesn’t want to lose any more of the enthusiasm of the fanbase or the additional revenue from playoff games. If they go big and it doesn’t work at least he can say he tried.

The prospect is both very exciting and incredibly disturbing – considering the high hopes at the beginning of the year.

That seems a pretty big assumption. I find it more likely that it’s the player who doesn’t feel he’s well enough to give it a go yet. Based on this team’s past dealings with injured players, my guess is if Nick said, “Hey, I’m feeling pretty good,” they’d have him out there ASAP.

I think I’d rather have COL’s pick in 2013 than a low Boston 2 pick in 2012.