Speculation: Caps Hockey General Discussion (Coaching/FAs/Cap/Lines etc) -- 2017-18 Regular Season Edition

[IafrateOvie34]

7-0.

Then some .500 hockey then a very bad stretch that was the nail in the coffin for BB who'd lost the locker room and was benching/scratching stars, including Ovechkin. The losses were not even close. Most were 2 goal deficits or more.

A streak like that season will be the undoing for Trotz. That was a brutal losing streak.

 

[PatrikBerglund]

Bura is back to being invisible, after that breakout he had at the end of last season?

 

[Hivemind]

I wouldn't say Bura is invisible, he's just air mailing everything two feet wide of the net.

 

[txpd]

Two reasons. First, and most important, their are a lot of teams better in this league than the 98 team. I think there's a lot of teams now that'd have won that series without much issue.

Secondly, that was just a goalie getting hot. That has nothing to do with the Coach.

There were a lot of teams in the nhl in 98 that were better. Holtby cant get Kolzig hot? You don't think Ron Wilson maximized what assets he had? I think the keys right now are can Ov Backstrom Kuzy and Oshie keep it going and can Holtby be Vezina Holtby?

BTW...I must have missed the answer. Did Niskanen break something? Wrist, finger, hand?

 

[Calicaps]

BTW...I must have missed the answer. Did Niskanen break something? Wrist, finger, hand?

Yes, something like that, it seems.

 

[RandyHolt]

They have 4 players who are efficient every game.

Exactly. We need our top 4 to carry our team. Commiserate with their lofty salaries.

Although the support players in Pitt sure outperformed ours as well. From goalie up to their top line.

 

[bur and 666 others]

There is a thread on the trade&rumors board: "Jason Garrison to the Oilers -- what would it take?" Every time when i see it, I read it as "John Carlson". My heart stops... as i imagine that the Oilers are desperate for John Carlson and trade their unprotected first round pick to us in exchange and then they miss the playoffs and with their luck, their pick wins the lottery...

 

[Carlzner]

Muzzin for Burt?

 

[ovikovy817]

Exactly. We need our top 4 to carry our team. Commiserate with their lofty salaries.

Although the support players in Pitt sure outperformed ours as well. From goalie up to their top line.

In fact my post was a little bite sarcastic . We don't think about the same 4 "players" sorry
I was talking about those "players" who changes every game, don't have the same jersey as pit, but still efficient for Pit.

 

[g00n]

Bura scored 17 goals two years ago as a 19-20 year old. What the hell happened? His ice time is up by 2 and a half minutes per game but his production and play have been mediocre to bad.

Has he leveled off as a half point per game guy with a 20 goal ceiling? IMO he was expected to be more than that. I know he's only 22 and has about 230 games in the NHL, but he sure seems to be taking steps backward even though we've heard he's expected to break out, seeing a sports psychologist, etc.

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

Muzzin for Burt?

No way the Kings accept that.

 

[hockeykicker]

So what forward is coming up now that graovac is out for a while?

 

[Brian23]

Bura scored 17 goals two years ago as a 19-20 year old. What the hell happened? His ice time is up by 2 and a half minutes per game but his production and play have been mediocre to bad.

Has he leveled off as a half point per game guy with a 20 goal ceiling? IMO he was expected to be more than that. I know he's only 22 and has about 230 games in the NHL, but he sure seems to be taking steps backward even though we've heard he's expected to break out, seeing a sports psychologist, etc.

I still feel it's a coaching issue. Evertyime Dre's had adversity, they've never really done anything to work him through it. They've sat him down, told him to reset, and try again next time. So all he does is goes through these super hot and then super cold periods where the only way he know's how to get out of one is to sit down and reset.

To me, he's the exact same player that came up at 19. They've done nothing to develop him at all.

 

[ovikovy817]

So what forward is coming up now that graovac is out for a while?

I think nobody will come. Eller is only sick, not injured. He'll be ready for Detroit

 

[Langway]

To me, he's the exact same player that came up at 19. They've done nothing to develop him at all.

Other than defense and physical play, yeah, which is par for the course for all of their prospects. They've done nothing to help him evolve into a smarter attacking player. It also may be that as the league has trended more toward speed that his style is increasingly common but, yeah, he's also not given teams other things to think about aside from weak curl and drags and wild shots.

 

[hockeykicker]

From Elliot Friedman

6. It’s no secret Washington is looking for defencemen. Everyone talks Vegas, but the Capitals and Golden Knights couldn’t make a Philipp Grubauer trade to protect Nate Schmidt in the expansion draft, so I don’t know how easy it will be. Vegas’s preference is to move from the left side. Tuesday’s three scratches all shoot that way — Jason Garrison, Brayden McNabband Griffin Reinhart. Another lefty shot, Luca Sbisa, has four assists in six games.

 

[Ridley Simon]

From Elliot Friedman

As Hivemind said, McNabb would be a very solid adder. I have given up on the Schmidt back to DC dream. its over.

I think we could get McNabb for something inexpensive. 4th or higher draft choice or a player like Stephenson or Boyd. Waive Ness and have them retain 50%. Make Chorney the 7th D again.

McNabb could play with Orlov for the short term, and then battle is out w Djoos to be Carlson partner this year. Allow Orpik/Bowey to simply the 3rd pair. if Bowey can play up, then great problem to have

 

[Hivemind]

The Vegas fans on the trade board were not fond of Vegas retaining anything on McNabb. Makes it much harder to complete a deal that can work once Nisky is off LTIR.

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

The Vegas fans on the trade board were not fond of Vegas retaining anything on McNabb. Makes it much harder to complete a deal that can work once Nisky is off LTIR.

You trade for him and when Nisky comes back, you trade him back to Vegas for a lower price. It's profit for them and it helps us short term. If you can sell him back, then you just waive him.

 

[Hivemind]

Why would Vegas want him back? They're trying to reduce their defenseman count. Why would you waste assets on a player you want to waive?

Not to mention waiving it doesn't even fix the problem, as you can only bury the cost of an AHL max contract. He would still cost about $850K against the salary cap even if sent to the AHL.

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

Why would Vegas want him back? They're trying to reduce their defenseman count. Why would you waste assets on a player you want to waive?

Not to mention waiving it doesn't even fix the problem, as you can only bury the cost of an AHL max contract. He would still cost about $850K against the salary cap even if sent to the AHL.

Someone could claim him, he's free depth.

 

[Hivemind]

Trading assets for a player you intend to waive is ridiculous.

 

[AtNightWeFly]

Maybe Andre's lack of development is his own doings. I'd hate to blame the coaching staff for him missing the net constantly. He's playing with Backstrom and Oshie and cant even get going with them!

 

[BiPolar Caps]

From Elliot Friedman

Here's a little more on the issue.
https://www.prohockeyrumors.com/washington-capitals

 

[Hivemind]

Here's a little more on the issue.
https://www.prohockeyrumors.com/washington-capitals

I hate "articles" like that. They do nothing but cite Friedman's article and some obvious cap conclusions (that the Caps cannot fit Garrison under the salary cap), with no original reporting of their own.