Ding ding ding. Can’t make guys smarter. This is exactly the issue, IMO. Caps fans generally liked him, but his time was up.
We got a better return than we’d hoped for, so we wish him well.
Confirmed with Link: Burakovsky to Colorado for COL 2nd and ARIZ 3rd (both 2020) and Scott Kosmachuk
- Thread starter hockeykicker
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Ding ding ding. Can’t make guys smarter. This is exactly the issue, IMO. Caps fans generally liked him, but his time was up.
We got a better return than we’d hoped for, so we wish him well.
Your last sentence is exactly his problem. He thinks slow then underperforms which affects his confidence and then he does even worse. He has been open about his mental toughness struggles and how he regularly sees a sports psychiatrist. He is also the weakest guy for his size that I can remember watching at this level. He looks like Bambi in the corners and regularly gets tossed around and loses the puck. Don’t expect him to win a bunch of board battles or be strong in the cycle game — he is most effective going north south and getting his shot off while in transition.
Burakovsky possesses elite raw talent. His size, skating, stickhandling, shooting... it’s all there for him to become a regular 30G scorer. He has moments of brilliance and spans of 4-5 games in a row where you think he’s turned the corner... and then it’s 25-30 games of invisibility and you wonder how a guy that talented can be so irrelevant for so long.
It sucks giving up on him because he has a talent profile that is rare but he never could turn the corner here. Maybe he will in Colorado. I hope he does because he’s by all accounts a great guy and he helped deliver some of the best moments in Caps history but I wouldn’t hold your breath. I think a good start is critical for him. If he gets fed top 6 minutes and PP time and the production isn’t there it’s not going to be pretty.
RandyHolt
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I think Dre' meeting expectations in Colorado will come down to one thing.... does your PP feature left shots, and who is in front of him.
That is where over thinking goes out the window, for anyone with a great shot can shoot when they just stand there, and wait for the puck.
I will stick to my guns, if he gets solid PP time, he will pot 20. And then if he gains confidence from more consistently scoring goals, he can better overcome any mental blocks holding him back... the classic: a very talented yet inconsistent scoring forward.
It's not just PP time though, he needs to be used as a scorer, not a checker, as he was here for much of time. Used a checker 1 because we had better forwards, but 2, to learn defense.
That is where over thinking goes out the window, for anyone with a great shot can shoot when they just stand there, and wait for the puck.
I will stick to my guns, if he gets solid PP time, he will pot 20. And then if he gains confidence from more consistently scoring goals, he can better overcome any mental blocks holding him back... the classic: a very talented yet inconsistent scoring forward.
It's not just PP time though, he needs to be used as a scorer, not a checker, as he was here for much of time. Used a checker 1 because we had better forwards, but 2, to learn defense.
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trick9
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I wouldn't be shocked if he breaks out playing with a guy like MacKinnon. He's a streaky player who has gone even ~10-15 games stretches of PPG play but when he gets down on himself he's just a frustrating player to watch and goes missing for very long stretches. That being said playing with MacKinnon you can get a lot of chances and if he catches fire and manages to stay consistent he could pot even 25, 30 goals playing with elite players. Complimentary player who can dominate even playing in your bottom-6 but the results rarely show in the scoreboard even then because doesn't use his elite weapon (his shot) very well. Guy like Sakic could teach him a thing or two about his release so that his shots wouldn't be so easy to block.
g00n
Retired Global Mod
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Standing and waiting to shoot can give you too much time to think. Can cause the yips, especially in a guy with head problems.
He played with a boatload of talented, elite players in DC and tended to perform better on the lower lines in comparison.
RandyHolt
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Good post. I think finding complimentary linemates is a bigger factor than usually gets discussed. Sticks on boards, add a center, filter by scorer or checker and viola - lines. Oops not so fast. They rarely work, and there are close to 10K different combos to try.
The old school line building formula of shooter, passer, and board guy, has been kind of replaced by defensively strong great skater, defensively strong great skater, defensively strong great skater....
So much of developing hockey players now, focuses on learning defensive systems. It was refreshing to hear Gretzky bash it, and it's killing a lot of the entertainment of the game. Center ice turnover one after another doesn't fill the seats.
Its just not much fun for a 10 year old to be focused on his left wing lock duties, versus trying to score and developing his offensive awareness and skills, as everyone generations before were allowed to do. I point to huge goalies and their pads stifling scoring quite often, but teaching defense vs offense to kids is a factor as well.
RandyHolt
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Has he really ever had consistent complimentary players? Before Kuz, 2C was a black hole. Even with Kuz, faceoffs are optional, and Bura + Kuz is a fine formula for.... one flaky buttery soft biscuit line. He certainly was never going to be our top line LW and pair up with Nick. Playing 1RW with Ovi, we have seen for a long time most everyone defer to Ovi anyways... not good for a young scorer trying to find his place. Ovi's RW needs to do dirty work.
So it's not really a surprise that he found friends on the bottom 6, as they are more apt to do the needed dirty work, and let him focus on being the shooter.
Maybe he tried to embrace his defensive roles too much to appease Barry..... there is definitely a trade off in sacrificing scoring to play D, at least until the D is dominant and creates counters.
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Northern Avs Fan
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Thanks for the analysis everyone. Good luck in the upcoming season.
ALLCAPSALLTHETIME
Great Dane! Love that Eller feller.
He scored exactly two big goals for the Caps in the playoffs and he did it in the same game. To quote Andre himself on the ice after the Tampa game seven, "It's about ****in' time!".
He also had a really awesome assist in the Final (that was also assisted by Luca Sbisa).
He scored 9 goals in 56 playoff games while avg. over 12 minutes. He was very bad, and often healthy scratched, in the playoffs.
He did score some big goals for the Caps in the playoffs.
Assisted on the SCFGWG.
Good enough. Thanks Andre.
RandyHolt
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He did score some big goals for the Caps in the playoffs.
Assisted on the SCFGWG.
Good enough. Thanks Andre.
He served his time here admirably. He had struggles, but kept his cool never had ill will to any coaches despite Barry being kind of a hardass on young flighty scorers that despise defense.
Yep, folks forget about our teams greatest 2nd assist ever. I am still grateful they didn't blow the whistle.
His goals in Tampa were key. Sure Ovi with the early goal was HUGE. But a 1 goal lead 1 minute in is never enough for us fans, and Dre' added literally years to Caps fans collective lives, with his next 2 goals. For prolonging my life ~ 15 minutes, grazzi.
tenken00
Oh it's going down in Chinatown
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RandyHolt
Keep truckin'
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hockeykicker
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Richard88
John 3:16
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If Burakovsky gets 40-45 points this season Colorado would be very happy with him.
CapitalsCupReality
It’s Go Time!!
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milehigh11
Registered User
Off to a great start. Just scored his 9th goal in tonight's game.
Edit. 10th goal
Edit. 10th goal
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Good for him. Seems like a good dude. He had flashes in DC but never put it all together. Great wrister. Very good skater. Seems like a better fit in Colorado.
CapitalsCupReality
It’s Go Time!!
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Hivemind
We're Touched
francaisvolantsparis
Registered User
Marshall
A ribbon reflector
Super-classy when a fan of another team insists on providing unasked-for updates on a player traded to their team, as if it is some sad attempt to continuously prove their team 'won' a trade.
I have the internet, too. I can look his stats up myself.
I have the internet, too. I can look his stats up myself.
I never understand the need to check up on guys that are gone, especially when the moved player is in the other conference. Don't care if you do it, but just wouldn't do it myself.
I'll tell you what I am checking on, 2020 prospects coming in around 45-60. Hoping we can get a steal.
I'll tell you what I am checking on, 2020 prospects coming in around 45-60. Hoping we can get a steal.
CapitalsCupReality
It’s Go Time!!
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Yeah for sure and then only if he is not getting 5.5 - 6 mil per on his next contract.
CaptainAmerica
OV >>>>>> Crosby
Always liked Bura and was mad we traded it him, but I guess it could be worse. Like trading away Filip Forsberg for Martin Erat
