Speculation: Acq/ Rost. Bldg./ Cap Part XXVI

[CapitalsCupReality]

It may be an exercise in futility, we wouldn't really know unless it was tried. If there's anything the coaching staff can do to potentially get more out of the current roster it should be attempted IMO.

I also think given his history of bringing in "complementary" players capped off with the Erat debacle understandably leaves us with little faith that GMGM has the foresight to know who a good complementary player would be to put on the top line or the ability to acquire him without significantly impacting our current roster.

It seems like the organization is complacent and happy with the team's current makeup and level of play anyway so I'm not expecting anything to change. They're winning right now so I'm glad for that.

I'm just saying it's been tried plenty in the past. If they tried it for 5 games and nothing got better, then what, latch onto some other thing to second guess Oates over?

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

So don't bother trying to make the current team better 5v5 because in your opinion they aren't good enough as a whole anyway? I'm sorry but that is absurd reasoning.

Ovechkin and Backstrom are not anywhere remotely close to as effective 5v5 as they should be. If you think they are more likely to simply play their way out of it together then fine but I disagree.

I find it interesting that you have issues with my overall low expectations for the team in general and thus being fine with where they currently are standings wise yet you clearly have very low expectations for Ovechkin, Backstrom, and the team 5v5. How can you expect them to be a good team overall if they are so poor 5v5?

I don't have low expectations, I have realistic ones. You seem to think more line tinkering, the kind that's been done plenty of times in the past is the answer, I don't, not with the options on the roster they could currently be paired with.

 

[Ajax1995]

I don't have low expectations, I have realistic ones. You seem to think more line tinkering, the kind that's been done plenty of times in the past is the answer, I don't, not with the options on the roster they could currently be paired with.

So in your opinion this is as effective as Ovechkin and Backstrom can possibly be 5v5 given the current makeup of the roster?

If so I can't agree. This team is very similar to last year's version with respect to the makeup of the roster IMO and last year those two were each roughly 41% more effective offensively 5v5 than they have been so far this season. If they were putting up points 5v5 at the same rate as last season they would be tied for 17th and 23rd in 5v5 production. I would be perfectly fine with that. 83rd and 97th? not so much...

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

So in your opinion this is as effective as Ovechkin and Backstrom can possibly be 5v5 given the current makeup of the roster?

If so I can't agree. This team is very similar to last year's version with respect to the makeup of the roster IMO and last year those two were each roughly 41% more effective offensively 5v5 than they have been so far this season. If they were putting up points 5v5 at the same rate as last season they would be tied for 17th and 23rd in 5v5 production. I would be perfectly fine with that. 83rd and 97th? not so much...

I could see an uptick in performance from time to time, but they're not suddenly turning into a dominant board cycling/puck possession line, certainly not with Mojo. If both guys are struggling and the rest of the team struggles too, how is plugging in more wrong fit linemates going to improve things? Is putting Ovechkin with our best 5v5 LW and our best 5v5 C going to improve his production? Is putting Backstrom with our 2nd/3rd best 5v5 wingers going to improve his production?

What are we looking at line wise as you're suggesting?

 

[Ajax1995]

I could see an uptick in performance from time to time, but they're not suddenly turning into a dominant board cycling/puck possession line, certainly not with Mojo. If both guys are struggling and the rest of the team struggles too, how is plugging in more wrong fit linemates going to improve things? Is putting Ovechkin with our best 5v5 LW and our best 5v5 C going to improve his production? Is putting Backstrom with our 2nd/3rd best 5v5 wingers going to improve his production?

What are we looking at line wise as you're suggesting?

I'm thinking something unbelievably crazy so hold onto your hat here, maybe just swap Grabovski and Backstrom and see what happens? I'll say it again, how much worse could it get given that Backstrom and Ovechkin are currently the 83rd and 97th most productive 5v5 guys in the league right now...?

 

[dillyboy93]

Looks like George is looking at someone....

Roger Millions ‏@RogMillions 2m
Interesting Capitals GM George McPhee in attendance for #Flames #Canucks game. Wash in Buffalo...so he's watching someone in this game.

 

[Langway]

@RogMillions: McPhee and Burke sitting together in #Flames private box tonight. Chatting I suppose...

McPhee will leave for Calgary. Gretzky takes over as Caps GM.

 

[Raikkonen]

@RogMillions: McPhee and Burke sitting together in #Flames private box tonight. Chatting I suppose...

McPhee will leave for Calgary. Gretzky takes over as Caps GM.

Burke found a way to steal #1 from Edmonton Rookies dynasty?

 

[g00n]

I'm guessing Neuvirth to Calgary as the centerpiece and then some other possible throw-ins depending on negotiations. Calgary is well out of a playoff spot at the moment and has jack squat for goaltending. Ramo and Berra both barely over .900 with 11 wins between the two of them. Neuvirth could step right in and start, or at least get a chance to.

So who would come back in that trade?

 

[Hivemind]

Burke and McPhee are both involved with USA Hockey. Olympic announcements coming up soon. I'm betting it's just the Olympic roster.

 

[g00n]

Burke and McPhee are both involved with USA Hockey. Olympic announcements coming up soon. I'm betting it's just the Olympic roster.

booooo! we want a trade!

 

[KevinM]

I'm guessing Neuvirth to Calgary as the centerpiece and then some other possible throw-ins depending on negotiations. Calgary is well out of a playoff spot at the moment and has jack squat for goaltending. Ramo and Berra both barely over .900 with 11 wins between the two of them. Neuvirth could step right in and start, or at least get a chance to.

So who would come back in that trade?

They might be more interested in Grubauer than Neuvy.

 

[Raikkonen]

They might be more interested in Grubauer than Neuvy.

Even a blind squirrel should protect the nut (PG).

 

[Robert Theodorson]

Burke and McPhee are both involved with USA Hockey. Olympic announcements coming up soon. I'm betting it's just the Olympic roster.

McPhee is involved in USA Hockey? Damn, I was hoping for Gold this year.

 

[tmljeh19*]

Please don't get your hopes up over any sort of trade. His spending spree back firing turned him off to making any improvements in free agency. After his big trade for Erat now blowing up in his face he's never going to make another one.

 

[g00n]

They might be more interested in Grubauer than Neuvy.

THEY might be, but GMGM would be a fool to go that route. Grubaeur is cheaper and has been playing very well. Neuvirth is pretty known to us by now and is more expensive, and has said he wants out if he can't be the starter. Since the Caps are saying Holtby is still the #1, Neuvy is the odd man out as a healthy scratch and trade-bait.

 

[Sun God Nika]

whos your starting tender for tomorrow?

 

[Hivemind]

To further diffuse the trade speculation, Graham McPhee plays for Shattuck-St. Mary's, who's playing a tournament in Calgary this week.

whos your starting tender for tomorrow?

Grubauer started tonight, so most likely Holtby.

 

[Capitlols]

Pierre LeBrun ‏@Real_ESPNLeBrun
Michal Neuvirth's agent Patrik Stefan says he's hoping for a change of scenery out of Washington for his client. A fresh start...

Joke franchise.

 

[Langway]

Got to get out of the ol' gulag.

 

[SkinsFan09]

I'm not OK with them sucking at 5 on 5, but I'm OK with two players who are having a great year and have historically shown they're great together, staying together.

Great so let's use the past to justify their ineffectiveness.

 

[SkinsFan09]

See: last season.

Capitals didn't exactly do very well before Ovechkin and Backstrom were put together again.

That was then. Right now, the top line cannot continue to be 90-19-8.

 

[Hivemind]

Pierre LeBrun ‏@Real_ESPNLeBrun
Michal Neuvirth's agent Patrik Stefan says he's hoping for a change of scenery out of Washington for his client. A fresh start...

Joke franchise.

I don't think the franchise is the joke here.

 

[BrettXNA*]

That was then. Right now, the top line cannot continue to be 90-19-8.

The top line (and team as a whole) was so much better when they had Kozlov/Knuble with Ovechkin/Backstrom. Someone to lug the puck into the zone while Ovechkin and Backstrom got in position and then get close enough to the goaltender so that if they farted it would part his hair.

 

[Halpysback*]

When they dominate the rest of the time and are producing at an elite level, yes I'm ok with keeping them together. The answer IMO is not to keep juggling lines in failure but to instead get them the right winger to replace Mojo.

But by all means keep doing the line shuffle garbage. That's worked for the Caps so well in the past as shown by all the Cups.

You're right, there's no way you could put together 3 middling players, say a Jason Chimera, Mikhail Grabovski, and Joel Ward and have a good even strength line

Just curious, what is that "rest of the time" that they dominate at? The time that's NOT at even strength? Seems super relevant when we're talking about even strength. Since we're skipping all logic and going straight to non-sequiturs does them dominating at NHL '14 count as well?

They already have the right winger for that line but apparently trying him is "line shuffle garbage". If they get another winger, play him out of position, then give him a couple games there and he does not click, will that be "line shuffle garbage" as well?