Speculation: Acq./Rost. Bldg./Cap/Lines etc. Part LXXI

[AlexBrovechkin8]

Most of this roster talk is for not without significant changes to tactics and strategy. The Penguins were able to enter our zone with speed (and often times with numbers as well) due to sharp breakouts, set plays in the neutral zone, and crisp execution. As soon as they got the puck they instantly looked to breakout and counter. The Lightning look to do the same thing. The goal by Sustr in G2 was a perfect example of how to create offense from defense. The Rangers did the same thing the past few years when they had the speed to do so.

The Caps were mostly content with dumping and chasing and hoping to create havoc and turnovers on the forecheck. They were content to throw pucks at the net and hope for a deflection. They seemingly had no other strategy for creating 5-on-5 offense. More so than roster changes, these deficiencies need to be addressed and corrected or we'll be subject to the SOS next spring.

 

[OV Rocks]

Long shot of ever happening but I think one of the best moves the Caps could do this off season would be to offer sheet Seth Jones. Young d-man who is already playing at an elite level. Would likely be in the $4-6 million range which would cost a 1st, 2nd, and 3rd depending on the specifics. Hurst Columbus just to have them match or lose a player in the division

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

I feel like the Caps really need a player like Radulov. He's like a more skilled Simmonds/Hornqvist, the opposite of Mojo really. Was the best player in Sotchi imo, gave his heart and soul. Dont know if he wants to come to America though. Any chance this could happen? Caps must go all in me thinks.

He is coming to the NHL, but something tells me he has already chosen his team. Trotz will never accept Rads anyway.

 

[RandyHolt]

The reason for this imo is defenses adjusted to the point play by the Caps and started taking it away more.

Our 5 on 5 offense relies on seemingly fruitless board play that frequently results in passing to the d-man as a release valve. From there it's a shot-dump or d-to-d pass.

Opponents anticipated this and either cut off the pass to the d-man or positioned themselves to block the shot. I saw this over and over in the playoffs, especially vs the Pens, and Trotz never adjusted. Reminded me of the MTL series in that regard.

Good obs on what the Pens/opponents were doing. Our Dmen were neutered, but I contend it was not just the opponents. I theorize our ES scoring by Dmen dried up around that famous blizzard when I think Barry implemented his playoff game plan. Long before opponents adjusted, Barry adjusted.

Continuing Orlov as my example. He was asked to not lead/join the rush after a good talking to, back in Feb/March. It was easy to see Barry wanted him to focus on defense. The problem was 3 fold.

• Orlov's defensive short comings had nothing to do with his offensive forays which generated ES goals. 15th in ES points is nothing to scoff at. The proverbial 4th forward leaving his partner facing waves of 2 on 1s - simply wasn't happening.
• Not letting Orlov have offensive freedoms killed his game, killed his confidence, and killed our ES scoring.
• Focusing on defense only, he like many young OD, need years to refine the defensive game. So he didn't really improve that much defensively, yet all his offensive contributions were gone. Pairings were panic shuffled, he was moved left and right, and nothing good came from any of it.

We were easy as pie to defend at the end. Our offense was PP or Bust, right into that fateful game 6.

None of our offensive Dmen were joining the rush since dumping to grind to victory, made that a dumb idea. His insistence on dumping let defenders all get into proper position, every time. Teams knew our cycle down low was inevitably going to go back to the now covered point man... our own slow play offense by design allowed that covering forward to always be in place.

It was remarkable how many odd mans Barry's playoff game plan allowed, yet created so few odd mans for ourselves. What worse a game plan is there? And he stuck with it through game 4 vs Pitt. It was a recipe for disaster, and pressured Holts for no good reason. Giving up the first goal was troubling to say the least, only overcome by super human individual efforts, that obviously could not be sustained.

Every aspect of coaching regressed this spring, PP aside. Lines sucked, game plan sucked, player management sucked, covering for Orpik out... it was a near complete failure and why I want Barry on a short leash, and a new offensive minded assistant in place and ready to take over if our offense remains sloppy as Joe come Christmas.

 

[RandyHolt]

weren't you suggesting that Trotz needed to pull the defense out of the offensive push to cut down on "the odd mans"??

Listening to MacLellan it was Orlov that pulled Orlov back. Not the coaching staff.

Nope, it was me complaining that Barry was an idiot having Dmen moving up when FACING the rush, to try to generate a turnover in center with a big hit. Meanwhile, our forwards were struggling to get back. Usually, it was Kuz. Our least polished C defensively.

Who for some reason, a brick wall many contend, at the same time, lost his ability to score. He had new responsibilities and lost confidence.

Orlov neutered himself heh, that's a disturbing image, and one that I don't believe. Even if I am wrong, a coach has to coach the players and get them through the tough times. Get back on your horse. Barry sat back when Green did the same thing after getting snubbed by Yzerman. Both were never the same here, and both are gone.

I hope there is a site that tracks odd mans for and against, by month or some other split. We were horrible the last 2 months of the season. We had to be the worst of all playoff teams.

 

[Dobe*]

He is coming to the NHL, but something tells me he has already chosen his team. Trotz will never accept Rads anyway.

If Trotz is the reason Radulov doesn't come here move Trotz out of the way

 

[Dobe*]

Offense has to come from the backend in the playoffs since the forwards are constantly draped over. It either comes from the rush (all thanks to D moving the puck up rapidly) or from set plays to the point where the defenseman has the time and space to do something other than hang on to the puck for dear life while getting pinned to the boards. Beyond that you can grind which is how teams lose in the first 2 rounds.

There's a reason the Kings won 2 cups with Voynov then fell of the cliff once he left. Chicago owes their success to Keith and Seabrook being exceptional OFDs and Campbell/Oduya and Hjarmalsson being at least as good as Niskanen as far as puck movement. Tampa, San Jose and St. Louis all having a stable of at the very least capable PMDs with each team having at least one elite one is not a coincidence.

 

[third man in]

Long shot of ever happening but I think one of the best moves the Caps could do this off season would be to offer sheet Seth Jones. Young d-man who is already playing at an elite level. Would likely be in the $4-6 million range which would cost a 1st, 2nd, and 3rd depending on the specifics. Hurst Columbus just to have them match or lose a player in the division

There is zero chance Cbus doesn't match that. They just traded their #1C for Jones. Only way they wouldn't match would be in the 4 1st range and that would be stupid on our end. Hell they are probably negotiating in the 6mil range at it is.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

GMBM on 106.7 now.

"Secondary scoring hurt us. Kuzy and Burt will get better"

"We need to improve our 3rd line. The bottom 6 PK improved, but we need some offense".

Loves Nisky's signing, loves Oshie as a player and teammate.

On Orpik, "played well in season after a tough injury, struggled a little bit in the playoffs. Both he and Williams were inconsistent in the playoffs".

"Gotta leave room for Orlov and Schmidt to get better. Orlov has a nice offensive upside. I would count on him developing into a top-4 guy maybe helping reduce the ice time load Orpik has".

"Unless something comes up, the plan is to tinker".


So, retool the 3rd line, adding speed and scoring and pray Orlov plays much better next year. I'm ready to concede we don't win next year either unless he does some mighty impressive "tinkering". The neutral hockey guy in me heard a tinge of delusion from GMBM, which scares the hell out of me.

 

[hockeykicker]

 

[Langway]

Yeah...just three years left on that Orpik contract. Even greater value to come if reducing his load is a priority.

He wants to improve the speed and quickness of the third line while probably letting Chimera go and I guess promoting Wilson so that he can develop into Ward. Good luck with that.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

Yeah...just three years left on that Orpik contract. Even greater value to come if reducing his load is a priority.

He wants to improve the speed and quickness of the third line while probably letting Chimera go and I guess promoting Wilson so that he can develop into Ward. Good luck with that.

Didn't make it sound like a negative, more like a positive that he wouldn't be worn down as much if Orlov could be trusted.

 

[Hivemind]

Buy out Orpik.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

Zero chance of a buyout. Orpik haters better hope for a rebound season and an expansion pickup. It's your only hope until the last year IMO.

 

[RandyHolt]

I can't help but shake the notion that BMac is eyeballing and will at least kick the tires on Backes. Make George proud.

Oshie can tell him how awesome the country club is. We have good relations with St Louis. And the B in BMac stands for big ba.... blockbusters. We need a guy that can help mitigate the next potential Kuziless performance. And that help has to be a top flight C.

Someone important or their line always struggles in the playoffs, so you need proper skill spread across 3 different lines all built to score. Gone are the days of skill skill checking energy.

Maybe we move a pick out for first dibs. I don't know how the cap room would work but if Pitt can land Pissel, we can land Backes. It's time to push all in.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

I'd love Backes, seems too pricey an option.


I'm now resigned to accepting/predicting the following tinkering moves...

Resign Chimera....his kid plays for the Little Caps, he's still got speed and can put the puck in the net at times... maybe get him to come back cheap and offer a no trade so he doesn't have to move his family and he retires a Cap.

Sign one 3rd liner, maybe 2 if Chimera goes down a line or leaves.

Extend Mojo 2 years if not longer.

Rinse/repeat....

 

[Hivemind]

In some magical world where Backes was willing to sign a 1-year deal, I would be all-in on Backes. But the reality is that this team already has one $6.7M center, and is about to have a second after the completion of next season. There's no way they can allocate the kind of cash and term it will require to land Backes on what would effectively be a 3C. Something like 5 years @ $5.5M is the low bar for Backes, and it's quite likely he breaks $6M as basically the second or third biggest prize on the market (after Stamkos, maybe after Okposo). I supported Grabovski at that price, but that was because 3 years of that was while Kuznetsov was cheap and unproven.

Basically, if they sign Backes, it would also require at least exploring the concept of Kuznetsov as a winger. Otherwise they're going to have a ridiculously expensive 3C with little to no powerplay time.

 

[txpd]

What would moving Kuznetsov to win for Backes at center do to find Backes pp time?
The Caps first unit plays 75% of most full lenth minor penalties. That wouldn't change and Backes would not be on that unit.

On the second unit 92 would be the half wall player as wing or a center and Backes might take Chimera's spot.

 

[Hivemind]

It's one thing to have an expensive player on your third line if you get significant production out of them via powerplay time. It's another to have that player on your 3rd line AND not get them regular poewrplay time.

David Backes is also a right shot. He'd be in contention with Oshie and Williams, not Chimera or Kuznetsov.

 

[Hivemind]

In terms of lower cost acquisitions, I wouldn't be opposed to Lee Stempniak. Journeyman scoring winger that could help fill the void left by Chimera, at least in a point production standpoint. Decently quick, shouldn't break the bank, and the bulk of his production comes at even strength. Kills penalties, too.

Obviously I wouldn't want Stempniak to the be the prized acquisition of the off-season, but he's a guy who could be a useful player and leave plenty of cap space available for other acquisitions.

 

[coyote]

here is another thing that doesn't make sense; put Richards on the third line and expect that line to score . I think he got 2 goals and 3 helpers in 39 games that doesn't tell me he would help anyone score. Talk about putting Burk and Chimera in a bad situation. If you put Richards with OV and Oshie they wouldn't produce either. Mike did real well on the PK and on the fourth line, I don't know what Trotz was trying to accomplish. Like Vogel said the third line did well most of the year but was never reunited in the playoffs

 

[txpd]

It's one thing to have an expensive player on your third line if you get significant production out of them via powerplay time. It's another to have that player on your 3rd line AND not get them regular poewrplay time.

David Backes is also a right shot. He'd be in contention with Oshie and Williams, not Chimera or Kuznetsov.

Yea, I am not sure where you get the pp time from. The Caps #2 ppg scorer was Oshie. Caps first unit plays most of a pp. Williams on the 2nd unit had 22 goals but only 3 in limited pp toi.

 

[txpd]

here is another thing that doesn't make sense; put Richards on the third line and expect that line to score . I think he got 2 goals and 3 helpers in 39 games that doesn't tell me he would help anyone score. Talk about putting Burk and Chimera in a bad situation. If you put Richards with OV and Oshie they wouldn't produce either. Mike did real well on the PK and on the fourth line, I don't know what Trotz was trying to accomplish. Like Vogel said the third line did well most of the year but was never reunited in the playoffs

I think the 3rd 4th line dynamic was not very cut and dried. Beagle played more than Richards. He played more than Richards at even strength. Burakovsky was mostly playing with Kuzy which was also a dry hole.

 

[Hivemind]

Yea, I am not sure where you get the pp time from. The Caps #2 ppg scorer was Oshie. Caps first unit plays most of a pp. Williams on the 2nd unit had 22 goals but only 3 in limited pp toi.

That's my point. Backes would see limited PP time here, at least until Williams and/or Oshie moves on. As a result, in order to justify his cost, they'd have to explore ways to get more even-strength production out of him. That's where you explore Kuznetsov on the wing in order for Backes to take the 2C spot. Otherwise you have a $5.5-6.5M checking center. Unlikely that this team is able to surround Backes with the type of talent he needs to be a highly productive scorer in limited 3rd line ice time without a powerplay role (even if they roll the top 3 lines fairly evenly). About 1/3 of Backes' production has typically come from the powerplay.

 

[AlexBrovechkin8]

GMBM on 106.7 now.

So, retool the 3rd line, adding speed and scoring and pray Orlov plays much better next year. I'm ready to concede we don't win next year either unless he does some mighty impressive "tinkering". The neutral hockey guy in me heard a tinge of delusion from GMBM, which scares the hell out of me.

I'm not sure they need to do much outside of tinkering. If Kuz/Bura produced even a little bit and the bottom 6 produced even a little bit then this year's team is in the ECF (at least). Adding some scoring depth and some speed should definitely be a priority, but what needs to be done has much more to do with style of play and cohesion in all three zones than adding talent to the roster. The talent is there. You don't run away with the President's Trophy and come in 2nd in both GF and GA, along with 5th in PP and 3rd in PK, if you don't have a lot of talent. Trotz needs to maximize the talent on the roster, which he hasn't done.