Post-Game Talk: Caps/Habs Preseason Game 2 -- 730pm

[Acallabeth]

Yeah, Shaw really acted like a piece of crap. A hit from behind in the 2nd preseason game, then he fights the smallest opponent on the roster, can't even beat him, but acts like he's just knocked some monster out. This should be punished in the preseason.

 

[Ajax1995]

Personally I find it amusing how much importance and thus as a result how much hand wringing goes on over completely meaningless preseason games around here.

 

[strungout]

Personally I find it amusing how much importance and thus as a result how much hand wringing goes on over completely meaningless preseason games around here.

Cant agree more.

 

[Hivemind]

Personally I find it amusing how much importance and thus as a result how much hand wringing goes on over completely meaningless preseason games around here.

For me it's frustration that none of the bubble forwards have stepped up. There's a forward spot up for grabs, and quite possibly a top six forward spot at that, but nobody has looked good enough to fit the part so far.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

This just in...this is the place for hardcore fans...that's why the handwringing, no matter how misplaced this early. I find it somewhat amusing at people getting spun up.


I was more annoyed with Locker and Joe repeatedly fumbling on Radulov vs RaDOOlov and Bowey vs Bow-ey...


Who...btw....I thought Bowey looked solid early, but my attention waned as the game went on....

 

[ovikovy817]

S o a b, that's what we say about guys like Shaw??

 

[g00n]

I got nothing and liked it

 

[Langway]

Personally I find it amusing how much importance and thus as a result how much hand wringing goes on over completely meaningless preseason games around here.

I doubt the coaching staff agrees they're meaningless. It's about evaluation more than end result but it's been a couple of undisciplined, sloppy and fairly flat pre-season games. That's to be expected to an extent given the talent drop-off but it gets glaringly underlined given a weak farm system and what seems like limited skill development from top to bottom. There's general sluggishness and rust but this is a team that has a track record of playing slower, sloppier and more uneven than could be avoided.

I'm still not sure the coaching staff understands the link between better outlets and neutral zone play leading to more time/space and dictating the terms of play. It's been a couple of reactionary type efforts and I wouldn't think that's the type of club they want to be. At least early on they don't seem to doing anything different when it comes to increasing pace. It's bound to improve with more NHLers playing but their approach still seems to lack a progressive understanding of where the game is headed.

 

[g00n]

I doubt the coaching staff agrees they're meaningless. It's about evaluation more than end result but it's been a couple of undisciplined, sloppy and fairly flat pre-season games. That's to be expected to an extent given the talent drop-off but it gets glaringly underlined given a weak farm system and what seems like limited skill development from top to bottom. There's general sluggishness and rust but this is a team that has a track record of playing slower, sloppier and more uneven than could be avoided.

I'm still not sure the coaching staff understands the link between better outlets and neutral zone play leading to more time/space and dictating the terms of play. It's been a couple of reactionary type efforts and I wouldn't think that's the type of club they want to be. At least early on they don't seem to doing anything different when it comes to increasing pace. It's bound to improve with more NHLers playing but their approach still seems to lack a progressive understanding of where the game is headed.

There were 4-5 regular players on the 20 man roster. I don't think they qualify as "this team". They're not really even a team. That was a collection of a few job applicants and guys who know they're stuck in the same spot.

Yeah, the real team had issues last year but this game isn't a reason to seriously start the usual lamentations about system, pace, crispness, etc etc etc. It was clearly a throwaway obligation for all but a few people.

 

[txpd]

For me it's frustration that none of the bubble forwards have stepped up. There's a forward spot up for grabs, and quite possibly a top six forward spot at that, but nobody has looked good enough to fit the part so far.

I guess I don't see stepping up as a single game elimination thing. Galiev's stat line looked pretty good in the first game. He didn't play in the second game. Sanford didn't play in the first game.

I don't see the need to get judgemental after 1 game.

Edit: and yea, that team last night bares no resemblance to the actual team.

 

[Ajax1995]

There were 4-5 regular players on the 20 man roster. I don't think they qualify as "this team". They're not really even a team. That was a collection of a few job applicants and guys who know they're stuck in the same spot.

Yeah, the real team had issues last year but this game isn't a reason to seriously start the usual lamentations about system, pace, crispness, etc etc etc. It was clearly a throwaway obligation for all but a few people.

Plus they just started camp 5 days ago so had what 2 days of camp before the first preseason game and then followed that up with another game the next day?

So very few actual Caps, as you pointed out, who frankly are just stretching their legs at this point, and a couple days of camp what was everyone really expecting?

 

[RandyHolt]

Stretching legs.... shouldn't they be implementing new and improved systems that will let us compete like a real playoff team? Our breakout and overall team passing, was an embarrassment for a presidents team.

I guess camp is basically a write off anyway, with the coach not there for close to all of it. The stars of the team, barely there themselves.

Maybe camp is about getting in shape, and that maybe one guy trying to earn a spot.

 

[trick9]

Yesterday it was Brooks Orpik, and tonight it was Taylor Chorney who looked like an 18-year old rookie in the line-up. It's early but that's not an encouraging sight. Madison Bowey has looked pretty good which is a good sign, they'll need more competition for spots #6-7 on D.

 

[Hivemind]

I guess I don't see stepping up as a single game elimination thing. Galiev's stat line looked pretty good in the first game. He didn't play in the second game. Sanford didn't play in the first game.

I don't see the need to get judgemental after 1 game.

Most seasons there's a guy who does well enough in the pre-season to force his way onto the roster, or very close to it. Think Matt Hendricks, Connor Carrick, Liam O'Brien, Tom Wilson, Chandler Stephenson, etc. This year there's even an open roster spot up for a forward to grab. Depending on how serious they are about Williams on the third line, that open roster spot could even be in the top six. The coaching and management spent half the off-season pumping the tires of Boyd, Vrana, Barber, and Sanford. Yet, thusfar, nobody has looked like a strong candidate to grab that spot. That even applies back into the rookie tournament as well.

This isn't saying doom and gloom for the entire season. This isn't saying doom and gloom for the entire pre-season, even. But there's nothing wrong with expressing frustration that none of the young forwards are stepping up and firmly seizing an NHL role. Everyone hopes that changes in the coming weeks, but that doesn't mean these past couple games haven't been disappointing.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

Who were the 9 who failed the fitness test? I either missed it when they were talking about it on tv or they didn't say.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

Yesterday it was Brooks Orpik, and tonight it was Taylor Chorney who looked like an 18-year old rookie in the line-up. It's early but that's not an encouraging sight. Madison Bowey has looked pretty good which is a good sign, they'll need more competition for spots #6-7 on D.

Chorney....sigh....where's that Dale Hunter Bad, so bad gif at when I need it?

 

[Langway]

Who were the 9 who failed the fitness test? I either missed it when they were talking about it on tv or they didn't say.

Orpik, Connolly, Vrana, Siegenthaler, Pilon, Thomas, Pitt, Margonari & Monardo.

While it's super early it's not like Carolina or Montreal iced many more NHLers themselves. They both had NHL goaltenders at least and Faulk/Radulov are better than anyone Washington had dressed thus far but it's more the sluggishness than the end result that's disappointing. Aside from Beagle there hasn't been a forward that's consistently created much due to hustle or pace. Considering the bluelines they've been going up against it's an even more disappointing showing early on from those roster bubble forwards. Montreal's second-best defenseman last night was...Pateryn? Has anyone heard of all of the four other defensemen they dressed?

 

[RandyHolt]

I saw him too. We can call him Chasin' Chorney

 

[txpd]

Most seasons there's a guy who does well enough in the pre-season to force his way onto the roster, or very close to it. Think Matt Hendricks, Connor Carrick, Liam O'Brien, Tom Wilson, Chandler Stephenson, etc. This year there's even an open roster spot up for a forward to grab. Depending on how serious they are about Williams on the third line, that open roster spot could even be in the top six..

In each of those situations the player that won a spot did it with the accumulation of impressive games over a full preseason. In each of these cases the player in question wasn't scoring every game.

The only top 9 winger slot on a healthy roster that could be available is in the unlikely hood that the team wants to keep Tom Wilson on the 4th line so a surprise rookie can jump into the top 6.

Galiev, Connolly and Sanford are battle for one spot in the lineup and the two spare spots.

 

[Hivemind]

txpd, did you watch the game? This isn't about scoring or not. This about the completely lackluster performance of all that are in contention for roster spots (which is more than just the 3 you listed). I agree it's about the accumulation of games, but virtually every bubble forward has done poorly so far in the two pre-season games and the three rookie games before that (for those that participated in that tournament).

 

[twabby]

Good thing the Capitals signed an established middle 6 winger for cheap during free agency instead of relying on inexperienced players to fill that role.

 

[trick9]

This stinks of the same attitude they had this January when they were rolling and stopped giving 100% effort because they were so much ahead of the other teams in the standings. Now it's just players seemingly thinking they don't need to give 100% effort because Trotz is absent. Some rookies are trying but just aren't good enough to play at this level (atleast yet).

 

[txpd]

txpd, did you watch the game? This isn't about scoring or not. This about the completely lackluster performance of all that are in contention roster spots (which is more than just the 3 you listed). I agree it's about the accumulation of games, but virtually every bubble forward has done poorly so far in the two pre-season games and the three rookie games before that (for those that participated in that tournament).

No. Didn't watch the game. Its blacked out here. I catch a few shifts the next day on NHLN replay. I have not seen the rookie games. I am not sweating it yet.

Meanwhile. Connolly isn't what I would call an established middle 6 forward. I would describe him as a failed top round draft pick that has never established and his fighting for his career. He could easily be cut.

And....it would stink if this was mostly NHL players and have a shot at the NHL roster players. Its not. None of the Caps best players are playing one top 6 defenseman in each game. No NHL goalie. The only regular 1pp player has played one game and scored a goal. The head coach is not even there. If it really does stink, then its good to know that 90% of these players are not projected to be on the NHL roster. Right?

 

[twabby]

Meanwhile. Connolly isn't what I would call an established middle 6 forward. I would describe him as a failed top round draft pick that has never established and his fighting for his career. He could easily be cut.

Agreed, which is exactly the point I was making. The Capitals failed to address a roster hole in the offseason and so far, none of the unproven players have done much if anything to justify the lack of a move.

 

[txpd]

Agreed, which is exactly the point I was making. The Capitals failed to address a roster hole in the offseason and so far, none of the unproven players have done much if anything to justify the lack of a move.

They don't have a roster hole. They had one and filled it with Eller. The hole you are talking about is the Wilson spot which you disagree with the Capitals plans going forward. I saw enough of the first game to see that Wilson had an A on his sweater. They are not going to replace him in the top 9 without him getting a full shot