Capital Ups and Downs: Week 18
by J.P. on Feb 6, 2012 11:00 AM EST
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PrintOur weekly look at individual Washington Capitals' ups and downs:
| Goalies | Trend | Notes |
| Michal Neuvirth |  |
Thirty-four saves on 37 shots against is fine (well, actually, that's not true - Dale Hunter's Capitals are just 2-11-1 when allowing three goals in a game), but the 88-footer Neuvirth allowed early in the second period in Sunrise followed up by a leaky power-play goal a period later were saves this team needs right now... and didn't get in Neuvirth's one appearance of the week. |
| Tomas Vokoun |  |
Vokoun's week show just how much the Caps are leaning on their goaltenders right now - a 2.31 goals against average and .922 save percentage was good enough for just one win in three starts. Vokoun was good (and at times great), but he's going to have to be great (and at times perfect) for this team to have success. |
| Defensemen | ||
| Karl Alzner | |
Alzner played big minutes and played them well for the week, on the ice for just one goal-against in 86:08 of ice time (including a perfect 8:50 of penalty-killing) and posting a plus-three rating. He'll learn from the mistake he made on the Brad Marchand goal on Sunday, but had a good week overall. |
| John Carlson | |
After a brutal night in Tampa (on for all four Bolts goals), Carlson rebounded with a big goal against the Panthers (the only Caps goal for which he was on all week) and good efforts in Montreal and against the B's, two games for which he was reunited with frequent partner Alzner. With any luck, a corner's been turned. |
| John Erskine | |
Plus-one against the Lightning, but spent the rest of the week watching in civies, perhaps pondering his 22-game point-less streak (or why he's sitting out with three plus-one's in his last four games). |
| Mike Green |  |
Really encouraging news on the Green front - he's been skating and sounds very upbeat about his recovery. There's still no target date for his return... but it sounds imminent. |
| Roman Hamrlik | |
Terrible in Tampa, better the rest of the week, with 14 blocked shots along the way. And while it's by no means all on him, the Caps only got one assist from a defenseman all week (Alzner), which tells you a lot about how the offense is (and isn't) producing right now. |
| Dmitry Orlov | |
Tough week for the rookie, who had some hard luck in Florida (playing pretty well but being on the ice for four goals, including getting walked around on the game-winner in Tampa) and over the weekend (a broken nose in Montreal and a subsequent puck to the face against the B's). But he's hitting and playing within himself, and his development is certainly one of the season's bright spots. |
| Tom Poti | |
The Caps are 141-67-33 all-time with Poti in the lineup... so let's just blame this year's struggles on him. |
| Jeff Schultz | |
Actually played, and three-straight games, no less. And, to paraphrase the coach, as long as he doesn't screw up, he can keep playing. What a vote of confidence. |
| Dennis Wideman | |
Scored the eventual game-winner in Montreal with a lob-wedge from the point, but that was the lone highlight in a week that featured defensive gaffes (most notably against the Bruins) and got the most ice time for an 0-for-9 power play. |
| Forwards | ||
| Keith Aucoin |
|
Recalled to provide some offensive spark... but got just one minute of power-play time (with the second unit) and fourth-line duty at even-strength in two games. It's hard to imagine him having much impact under those conditions, and minimal impact is exactly what he had. |
| Nicklas Backstrom | |
As encouraging as the news on Green is, it's more discouraging on Backstrom... given that there's no news at all. By the way, despite not playing a single game in over a month, Backstrom still leads the team in scoring. |
| Jay Beagle | |
Scratched four-straight games, Beagle will get back in the lineup... as soon as someone figures out what he can bring to the table that someone else in the lineup isn't already doing better. |
| Troy Brouwer | |
Scored in Tampa and alternated plus- and minus-games all week. With ten shots on goal in the week's middle two games, he was providing plenty of bang on the team's hardest-working line (alongside Brooks Laich and Matt Hendricks), but it didn't translate into results on the scoreboard. |
| Jason Chimera | |
No Caps forward was on the ice for as many goals-against as the half-dozen for which Chimera was on (Carlson also was on for six), and that was only offset by one Caps tally. With only one goal and a minus-9 rating in his last 19 games, that hot start is nothing but a distant memory at this point. |
| Cody Eakin |  |
Played very sparingly in Florida before being sent back to Hershey (with just one goal and one assist in his last 14 NHL games), which is probably best for his development at this point. |
| Jeff Halpern | |
Halpern spent most of the week centering Chimera, and struggled similarly, on the ice for five goals-against and nary a one for (and he even had a sub-par week in the dot, winning just 49% of his draws). Halpern hasn't scored since December 13, a span of 23 games. |
| Matt Hendricks |  |
A pair of goals (his first since late December) and a ton of energy (15 hits in Florida, a fight against Boston) made it a great week for Hendricks. But with all due respect to the Caps' sparkplug, when he's getting 16-plus minutes a night (as he did for the first three games of the week), it's probably an indication that things have gone sideways. Things have gone sideways. |
| Marcus Johansson | |
A lucky goal broke-up Tim Thomas's shutout bid on Sunday and kept Johansson from a point-less week (despite most of it spent centering one or two Alexes), which was merely lipstick on a pig-ugly quartet of games that featured a 29% win percentage in the faceoff circle (12-for-41), poor shot/pass decisions and moments of complete cluelessness in the defensive zone. |
| Mike Knuble | |
A minus-five week on that Halpern-Chimera line and a 26-game goal-less streak are signs of a player who's nearing the end of the line, is misutilized and/or is in desperate need of a change of scenery. |
| Brooks Laich | |
Had a three-game point-streak coming out of the All-Star break, was playing the best hockey of any Caps skater (including being on the ice for six of the nine goals the team scored for the week), and then... (potential) disaster struck, as he left Sunday's game with an apparent leg injury. But he deserves a green arrow for the week - we'll wait 'til next week to give him the ol' Band-Aid. |
| Alex Ovechkin | |
Returned from suspension as a non-factor against Montreal and looked much better against Boston, but failed to get on the scoresheet. Ovechkin has just six points in his last 11 games (half of which came in his last game pre-suspension), which isn't even in the same area code as "good enough;" it's time for the Caps' leader to lead. |
| Mathieu Perreault | |
Potted a goal against the Lightning in the week's first game and a helper against the Bruins in the last, but inexplicably was dropped down in the lineup against the team against whom he'd had a hat trick just a dozen days earlier. Huh. |
| Joel Rechlicz |
|
Noted pugilist was signed Monday, played in two games, got six shifts and 4:26 of ice time. Total. Without a fight. Seriously? |
| Alexander Semin | |
As the only Young Gun in the lineup for three games, Semin stepped up with... no goals and one assist. He had a goal and an assist in Montreal, and does have 19 points in his last 21 games... but not many of them have been particularly memorable (to wit, not one of his 13 goals on the season has been a game-winner). |
| Joel Ward | |
Small minutes, small impact... big salary. But hey, he had a helper on Sunday, his second point in five games. |
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Best Poti comment yet? Best Poti comment yet.
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by Bald Pollack on Feb 6, 2012 11:08 AM EST reply actions 1 recs
I had a green arrow for Alzner, then knocked him down when I peeped some of the underlying numbers for the week – the Caps had just 37% of the games’ SOGs at ES with Alzner on the ice (and he had a brutal 37.9 Fenwick $), but his goalies stopped 97.9% of the shots against and the Caps scored on 14.3% of their shots-for. Puck luck!
Not so lucky? Chimera, Knuble and Halpern, all of whom sucked and didn’t get bailed out by their goalies.
Also, Laich was far and away the Caps’ best player last week – hopefully he keeps that going. (Orlov was very good but unlucky as well… but the injury gods just grazed him.)
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I think you could also make the case for Neuvirth and Carlson being even, if we are talking about scoring adjustments.
Please, call me F&B.
I had them even initially, but was convinced to change them by a sharp-tongued attorney.
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Wait, someone got an up arrow?
Oh, right, they did win a game.
"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."
@kcarrera
Dmitry Orlov is one of the first few players on the ice at KCI. Looks ok after taking a puck to the face in 2 straight games.
You perhaps knew me better as "Your Nation's Capital." Same great commentary, now with 100% more transparency!
That Backstrom has missed a month-plus and still leads the team in scoring is staggering. How’d he build such a lead without bringing 8, 28 and/or 6 along with him? How has 8 not caught him with 11 more games played? Unreal.
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Has D-Wides’ production suffered? Maybe Nicky was setting Dennis up for most of the goals.
You perhaps knew me better as "Your Nation's Capital." Same great commentary, now with 100% more transparency!
Eh, he’s been fine. I guess it’s more a “WTF, Alexes?” And Semin’s been more productive with Nick out, overall (.71 points/game vs. .59).
So really… WTF, Cap’n?
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At least we don’t have to wonder if Nick’s production was being carried by AO and thus whether the team is paying AO twice…
Please, call me F&B.
by Rob Parker on Feb 6, 2012 11:36 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs
I’d put on both coaches this year playing “juggle the lines” moving Nicky up and down the top two lines, with just about every winger moving up and down as well.
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Neil posed the question the other week of “would the Caps have been better off drafting Malkin instead of Ovechkin.” Anyone like to revisit that notion? That idea was once laughable, but at this point I don’t see how you can pick Ovie in that battle. Malkin plays center and doesn’t seem to have aged 10 years in the last two.
Already a Stanley Cup to his name, a Conn Smythe and leads the league in points now. The knee doesn’t seem to be bothering him.
Malkin’s Stanley Cup team was way deeper and better (much as that pains me to say) than any team Ovechkin has had.
Malkin barely showed up for the first two rounds of the playoffs when he won the Conn Smythe.
Needs at least a full season of play before I declare the knee “fine.” He had tons of problems with it in the fall. Look around the League: guys with knee injuries almost always continue to struggle with more knee injuries, either in the same knee or the other knee. Marco Sturm and Brendan Morrison say hello.
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Those guys area also old, though. You could look at Markov but you could also blame the Habs for rushing him.
13 months ago Crosby was going to run away with the scoring lead and set ever record ever, even non-NHL records. Things change quickly. Malkin is hot right now, but like you said, it takes more than half a season to say his knee is fine.
Please, call me F&B.
Markov was absolutely rushed. I’ve never heard of anyone returning that quickly from an ACL reconstruction. Sure enough, disaster.
I’m not sure sure it’s age as the mileage when it comes to knees. Throw in a surgery and you’ve just upped the mileage considerably. It’s a joint that does a great job of being “almost good as new.”
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I’m not ready to call it a mistake, given the tumult here in DC.
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I’m still fine with the pick. So they take Malkin and then Kessel instead of Backstrom. The problems are still the problems, and the big years weren’t as big. It was the right call.
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by J.P. on Feb 6, 2012 1:08 PM EST up reply actions 2 recs
Because Malkin didn’t come over until a year after Ovi, the likelihood is that the Caps would have landed in the 2nd draft position. At that point, Staal and Toews would have been available as well. I’m not sure they would have chosen Kessel.
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Fair point, though who knows how the ping-pong ball would’ve bounced. I assumed they would have the same draft slot (obviously not a given) and would be looking for a wing, since they’d just taken their franchise center (rather than the other way around, as they ended up drafting them).
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But you never can have two many centers! Just ask Pittsburgh. That didn’t stop Pitt from drafting Crosby the year after drafting Malkin not to mention the fact that they drafted Staal.
If the best available player is a center, you do NOT do NOT take a winger instead. You can always convert a center into a winger but the reverse is harder.
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I’ve been thinking of that question an awful lot lately. Here’s my preliminary analysis of what might have happened if the Caps had chosen Malkin. In that scenario, the assumption is that the Pens would have chosen Ovi.
2005-2006 season — the assumption is that Ovi had come over that year but Malkin had not. We are also assuming that Crosby would still join the Pens that year as well. With that in mind, the Caps would likely finish 5 games worse than their actual finish and the Pens about 5 games better. With that in mind, the Caps would have likely had the second pick in the 2006 draft as opposed to the pick they got. Assuming that the St. Louis Blues would still get the first pick and still choose Erik Johnson, the Caps would have the choice of either Jonathan Toews, Jordan Staal, or Nick Backstrom or would they have moved “down” in the draft. If all three of those guys had been available, which one would the Caps had chosen? Would they had still chosen NB or would they had opted for Toews or Staal instead? The Pens would have not finished in the bottom 5, with Ovi & Crosby so no Staal for them. But suppose for purposes of this exercise, the Caps still opted for Backstrom.
There would have been quite a bit of hype about the Pens two prized rookies, Crosby and Ovi and evidence that the Pens had finally turned the corner.
2006-2007 — We’ re assuming Malkin comes over and joins Caps. We’re also assuming Semin had played in Russia during 2005-2006 but was coming back this time too. Caps still miss playoffs. Pens make playoffs this time (as in real life). Still, there’s some hope for the Caps. Semin’s greatly increased productivity since his pre-lockout year is attributed to having a true center on his line; i.e. Malkin.
2007-2008 — Pens make it to Cup finals with Ovi and Crosby. There is much hoopla about the fact that Ovi carried the Pens when Crosby was out with high ankle sprain. Caps look much better and either make the playoffs or come close And there’s hope since some of the other young players are maturing as well. Backstrom comes over and is considered to be a pretty good 2nd center. (The attendance is better but not what it would have been had Ovi been drafted instead.)
2008-2009 — Caps get off to great start, win divisiion, make playoffs and advance to Round 2 and play Guess who — the Pens. (I’m not picking a winner since it’s too hard to be objective enough.) Malkin and Semin both get off the terrific starts but then Semin gets hurt. Ovi and Crosby have great years.
2009-2010 — Good year for Caps overall where they still win division and make playoffs. Malkin is not having that great a year, so Backstrom becomes 1C, and Malkin as 2C. They never do the Flash center experiment and so the top line wingers are Semin, Laich, Knuble, and Flash, with Fehr in the mix at times. Pens make playoffs as well, winning division. (The question is…. how would the Olympic events affect everyone?) The Caps might have had a better chance in the playoffs vs Montreal with another good center besides NB when his shoulder was hurt. Or would both the Pens and Caps have gotten Halak’ed that year anyhow.
2010-2011 — Ovi not having as good of a year. Crosby has concussion. Other injury issues for Pens who still make playoffs but are dumped in Round 1. Malkin gets injured and season ends prematurely. Since the Caps weren’t trying the Flash at center experiment, they keep him around as a winger.
2011-2012 — With Crosby still not back and Ovi having a subpar year, there’s much consternation for the Pens who are still in the playoff picture. Caps leading the SE only because Malkin is carrying them, given the absence of so many other people.
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The Over/Under line on guys who deserve 7+ in their Rink Wrap-ups is what, 4?
"Money talks. I listen."
Hmm… Backstrom, Orlov… maybe Wideman… possibly Brouwer… who am I missing?
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He’d better get back there in a hurry…
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Aucoin
I’ll argue for a plus for Aucoin. He is the only player on the team to have a combined positive Corsi for the two games this weekend. That from a callup. And his Corsi Rel of 30 leads the team. Only 2 games, but still he is driving play big time…as a call up, that’s a plus in my book. It’s way more than Johansson is doing. He hasn’t scored yet but he’s been quite good.
Unrelated – is it just me or is Perreault getting much better at holding the puck along the boards when challenged? I think he might actually be turning into a legit NHL center. His Corsi Rel is among tops on the team, I’ve been impressed lately.
Finally, I almost cried when Laich went down yesterday. That is almost as big a blow as Backstrom in terms of tougness to replace.
Sometimes you win, sometimes you loose, sometimes it rains.
I’d stop short of saying Aucoin is “driving play big time” base on ten events.
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The fourth line doesn’t do a half bad job generating a good shot differential, between guys like Halpern, Perreault, and I’m guessing Aucoin who aren’t too bad when you can get them soft matchups.
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by red army line on Feb 6, 2012 1:47 PM EST up reply actions
Would you say that a 4th liner who played two games and saw 7 Corsi events go in his favor and 3 against is “driving play big time”?
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Fair enough
I didn’t look to see it was only 10 events so shame on me there. I guess it’s better to say he’s off to a strong start. But, I think he’s earned more games given the lack of production at center.
Sometimes you win, sometimes you loose, sometimes it rains.
No, not at all. I meant that in soft minutes, there are guys I credit with driving whatever shot differential happens before Aucoin, and although I can see Aucoin driving play, it would have to be in supremely sheltered minutes, which I’m sure is what Hunter has tried to do.
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by red army line on Feb 6, 2012 3:20 PM EST up reply actions
Help me out
What am I missing here? On Sunday his Corsi line was Saved 9/1, missed 2/4, blocked 3/6. Then Saturday it was saved 5/3, missed 0/2, blocked 0/1. So Sunday was 10 saved, 6 missed, 9 blocked – isn’t that 25 Corsi events just in that game? What is the definition of “Corsi event”?
Not saying this changes the point that the sample size is tiny, I just don’t understand the term you used in light of the stat sheet I saw.
Sometimes you win, sometimes you loose, sometimes it rains.
typo – so I thought it would be 25 Corsi events Sunday and then another 11 on Saturday.
Sometimes you win, sometimes you loose, sometimes it rains.
Sorry, I was looking at just the blocked shots column. You’re right – 36 Corsi events. Still a very small sample, but my bad on how small.
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Just making sure I understand how to read it. You’re right, still tiny sample. And BTN tells us he has played the weakest competition known to man. I overstated his impact but he’s done very well w/ the chance he’s been given. Probably not enough for a plus on your sheet but I wanted some kudos for the guy.
Sometimes you win, sometimes you loose, sometimes it rains.
That’s fair. And frankly, I’m puzzled by his limited usage… but it’s not the first time and won’t be the last.
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Is this still Aucoin being discussed? It was noticeable to me how little he played yesterday, until Laich left the game due to injury. Also, on at least one PP, there were something like 17.4 or 14.7 seconds remaining on a PP when he got some of his PP time.
I’m puzzled by a lot of guys’ limited use. I don’t get why Eakin is in Hershey but Knuble and Johansson play every game. I love Knuble, one of my favorite players, but he has been lousy this year. Play the best 12. Not impressed with DH so far. But, that’s another topic, huh?
Sometimes you win, sometimes you loose, sometimes it rains.
So, I’ve been noticing the steadily increasing negativity on the site (generally factual stuff about the team’s decline) so I decided to take a look at the last few weeks. The ups and downs are both opinion and stat driven so I thought I’d look at how the team has been doing since Backstrom was injured (5 weeks).
Using: Up Arrow(+1), Even(0), and Down Arrow(-1)….
The team as a whole is -2.
John Carlson leads the team with a -4.
Tomas Vokoun leads the team at the other end of the spectrum with +3
9 players are negatives (Neuvi, RAH JC , Ersk, Chimer, Halpern, Knub, Laich, Ovi, Ward)
8 Players are positive (Tvo, Hamr, Dima, D-Wides, Beags, Brouwer, Eakin, Hendy, )
Semin has the honor of being the most consistent, with 5 straight Even ratings(Schultz too all things considered he doesn’t count).
*Eakin played had ratings 3 of the 5 weeks. Aucoin, Riker, Poti, and Green haven’t been included due to short tenure or injury. When a player received a different rating that week it was abstained (like Ovi’s suspension week)
Bruce Boudreau when asked about Brooks Laich's return to the lineup, he said: "He just adds another dimension to our team. If it was puzzle, he just fits that thing. He completes us."
Brooks Laich completing everything from teams to tires and everything in between.
Maybe we should stop expecting so much from Carlson…
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And considering today’s noon number, perhaps we are expecting too much of Laich.
Bruce Boudreau when asked about Brooks Laich's return to the lineup, he said: "He just adds another dimension to our team. If it was puzzle, he just fits that thing. He completes us."
Brooks Laich completing everything from teams to tires and everything in between.
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