GDT: Caps and Oilers

[HTFN]

Just downloaded and looked at the stats. What a game!



Probably already posted but nice to see the top 6 centers at the top of the chart.

fehervary spends a few games away from Carlson, goes "ohhhhh, that's what that's like?" and takes off

 

[ovikovy817]

It was a good night for the Caps.
Not even surprised that they have won this one after losing to the worst team in the league.

 

[g00n]

So rebuild immediately, then?

 

[Peeri]

So rebuild immediately, then?

Still no depth, no 5vs5 scoring, no top talent outside of Ovechkin etc. Expecting PPG to carry us to the cup is a not reasonable and proven many times before. So yes, if you want to win, and rebuild on the fly if only goal is OV records.

 

[ChesterNimitz]

IMHO Matthews is still probably the better 2-way player, and definitely has a better shot.

But 97 is in another league in terms of speed and hands obviously. MacK compares better (than Matthews) to McDavid in those areas.

I watch a lot of EDM games here on the west coast, and McD is unlike anything we’ve seen.

I’ve been watching hockey for almost seventy years and McDavid is unlike anything I have ever seen. In the unlikely event that a better player than McDavid emerges, pray that he plays for your team.

 

[marcel snapshot]

Kuzy sure enjoyed all the open lanes and free ice the Oilers’ D provided. Hopefully, he gets some momentum from this. Game was an up and down the rink delight, completely bereft of neutral zone clogging. Fun hockey - what a concept

 

[tycoonheart]

So... Thoughts on keeping Gustaffson on PP1 even when JC returns? Dude was magical. Those passes were crisp.

 

[zappa4ever]

Still no depth, no 5vs5 scoring, no top talent outside of Ovechkin etc. Expecting PPG to carry us to the cup is a not reasonable and proven many times before. So yes, if you want to win, and rebuild on the fly if only goal is OV records.

I think they should get 2 Top-4 D types
And they need like 2 RW's

Wonder if they can get Orlov and Carlson to fill out the D
and Wilson and Oshie for RW?

they all know the system (except maybe Carlson )

 

[g00n]

Still no depth, no 5vs5 scoring, no top talent outside of Ovechkin etc. Expecting PPG to carry us to the cup is a not reasonable and proven many times before. So yes, if you want to win, and rebuild on the fly if only goal is OV records.

Everyone here expected them to get spanked by the Oilers, and they didn't. They won. And they looked really good doing it. They got those PPs because they played the right way and played well. They earned them. And then the much-maligned PP showed what it can do even with most of the unit out.

Backchecking and slot defense was improved but they're still giving up goals in that area too easily at times. For some reason the sides of the ice are always flipped on these:

Look at all those shots around the net and inside the dots from the Caps. That's a nice improvement vs the perimeter play of late.

 

[AlexBrovechkin8]

I’ve been watching hockey for almost seventy years and McDavid is unlike anything I have ever seen. In the unlikely event that better player than McDavid emerges, pray that he plays for your team.

Great username.

 

[Fred22406Capsfan]

So... Thoughts on keeping Gustaffson on PP1 even when JC returns? Dude was magical. Those passes were crisp.

Skeptical that they'll keep it because it was 'temporary'. Back to the tried and true

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

I’ve been watching hockey for almost seventy years and McDavid is unlike anything I have ever seen. In the unlikely event that better player than McDavid emerges, pray that he plays for your team.

McDavid just does all elite things at his crazy top end speed. Definitely a unicorn. I’m very interested to see how his game evolves when he eventually loses a step.

 

[ChesterNimitz]

McDavid just does all elite things at his crazy top end speed. Definitely a unicorn. I’m very interested to see how his game evolves when he eventually loses a step.

When he loses a step he will still be faster than anyone else.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

When he loses a step he will still be faster than anyone else.

We’ll see, it was meant figuratively.

 

[twabby]

Fun with sample sizes: I had mentioned about a week or so ago that Dylan Strome was a little bit of a disappointment to that point.

However he is now leading the team in on-ice chance differential at 5v5, his estimated individual impact on chance differential (as measured by RAPM) is only behind Mantha, and he’s been a great fit on the power play.

This is everything they could have asked for when they signed him this offseason.

 

[ChesterNimitz]

I’ve been watching hockey for almost seventy years and McDavid is unlike anything I have ever seen. In the unlikely event that a better player than McDavid emerges, pray that he plays for your team.

We’ll see, it was meant figuratively.

So was my feeble attempt at humor.

 

[Monsterrain]

I’ve been watching hockey for almost seventy years and McDavid is unlike anything I have ever seen. In the unlikely event that a better player than McDavid emerges, pray that he plays for your team.

Greatest player ever and hes what, 25?

 

[Langway]

One thing you can give this team is they won't fall apart and turn on one another. For all of their faults it's a great starting point in maintaining stability in the face of adversity. Gut check win here, helped again greatly by goaltending at key moments.

I thought Edmonton's forwards slacked for much of the game, believing they could will it out near the end. Seems familiar...

Either way lots to build off of, particularly if they can get more efforts like this out of 92/17. Easily the most productive game from their top two centers, even if much of it came on the PP.

 

[ChesterNimitz]

Greatest player ever and hes what, 25?

Greatness can be defined in many ways. Longevity is only one of the criteria. I didn't proffer that McDavid is the greatest player ever, only that I have never seen a player display a level of talent that is so superior to his competition that McDavid is now displaying. If he continues this dominance for the next five to seven years, then yes, I for one, will have no problem regarding him as the best of all time.

 

[um]

Nice to see Kuzy play like Kuzy.

 

[Neil Racki]

I watched some of the second ... feel asleep during the 3rd

Missed hell of a game it seems .. but at least i got to see all 60 of that 1-3 red wings game the other night

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

Greatness can be defined in many ways. Longevity is only one of the criteria. I didn't proffer that McDavid is the greatest player ever, only that I have never seen a player display a level of talent that is so superior to his competition that McDavid is now displaying. If he continues this dominance for the next five to seven years, then yes, I for one, will have no problem regarding him as the best of all time.

The true greats have the longevity. That matters…a lot.

I think Gretzky absolutely was in that same clear “tier above the rest” during his days at least until Mario hit his prime.

 

[RedRocking]

The true greats have the longevity. That matters…a lot.

I think Gretzky absolutely was in that same clear “tier above the rest” during his days at least until Mario hit his prime.

Let’s not forget McDavid has to actually win some Cups first! And he has another top 3ish guy in Drai, so no excuses really.

Their run and gun style works well in the West, especially with the current state of the Pacific. But that changes in the playoffs and against a lot of East teams in potential Finals. I wonder if he’ll need a coach to challenge him to be more impactful defensively (like BT did for Ovi).

In any event, he supposedly spent this off-season working on his shot, and he’s off to this scorching start. So he’s still developing and improving - which is terrifying, lol.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

Let’s not forget McDavid has to actually win some Cups first! And he has another top 3ish guy in Drai, so no excuses really.

Their run and gun style works well in the West, especially with the current state of the Pacific. But that changes in the playoffs and against a lot of East teams in potential Finals. I wonder if he’ll need a coach to challenge him to be more impactful defensively (like BT did for Ovi).

In any event, he supposedly spent this off-season working on his shot, and he’s off to this scorching start. So he’s still developing and improving - which is terrifying, lol.

I love it…..the greats can do that. As I recall we saw a similar off-season focus on shooting from Crosby and he exploded that next year.

 

[ChesterNimitz]

Great username.

My father served under that great man.