Post-Game Talk: caps sharks/election

[twabby]

I wasn't suggesting flipping Alzner and Orlov was necessarily a permanent solution. I'm saying try it out and see what you have with those new pairings.

The only two defensemen I'd for sure keep protected in the draft right now are Carlson and Niskanen. At this point, I think there is a very interesting debate between keeping Alzner or Orlov as the third protected defenseman and some of that uncertainty revolves around Alzner's and Orlov's next contracts. If you put a gun to my head I keep Alzner for now due to a proven track record versus Orlov's inconsistency, but stability only goes so far. You need players who can drive possession and tilt the ice and if Orlov can prove that he can clean up his mistakes (which he has done a nice job of so far this season) he makes a very strong case for being protected over Alzner because his contract situation is likely to be more favorable to Washington as a RFA vs. Alzner as a UFA and also because he is a few years younger.

 

[Stewie G]

Its a joke Stewie. I know you like taking shots at me, but you have to appreciate sarcasm. I post in the GDT's. I haven't noticed. Do you?

I don't comment since I watch the games on DVR. I thought it would be a little odd if my comments were about an hour behind everyone else at the beginning and then slowly caught up as the game went along. I might try it though.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

Late comments are probably more welcome than pointles drive by shots....

Go Caps!

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

Where's the love for Orpik? Give credit where it's due. Dude has rebounded nicely.

 

[Langway]

Where's the love for Orpik? Give credit where it's due. Dude has rebounded nicely.

I wouldn't mind giving him more TOI. He's probably earned it. While they want to keep guys fresh, that can hold for both Orpik and Alzner at this point. I'd like to see 44/2, 27/74 and 9/88 with 2, 74 and the third pair playing aggressive. They need the production and Orlov on the second pair is suboptimal. He wanted more of an opportunity, yes, but by sacrificing productivity in the process he's not as valuable. Maybe that also gets Carlson on track and Niskanen less bogged down.

 

[Hivemind]

I'm eager to shuffle up the defense pairings in one way or another, but I'm also reserving a decent amount of skepticism for both 3rd pairing defenders until they show they can repeat those results in more difficult assignments. Given the lack of results from the current top 4, I'm all for giving 44 and 88 a chance to prove themselves against tougher competition, though.

 

[Revelation]

Alzner and Niskanen are a shut down pair. Not a top pair. Alzner got burned by the deflection that he played pretty well from the replays I saw.

Carlson is a true #1 but is apparently slowed by an injury right now. I would let that play out.

Meanwhile Orlov is getting pp time and not doing anything with it and his es scoring has been almost nil. He really needs to step it up.

We don't have the luxury of having a shutdown pair when those pieces could be reconfigured into a top pair. If Carlson heals Carlzner could be more offensively oriented while still being top tier defensively. We need to take our best shot at a Hedman-Stralman/Keith-Seabrook/Muzzin-Doughty/Maatta-Letang dynamic and Carlzner is a much better combo for that to potentially take off than Alzner-Niskanen. I'm willing to bet Orlov-Niskanen and Orpik-Schmidt could handle their minutes.

If we had someone like Suter or Lindholm to play with Carlson Alzner-Niskanen staying together would be the best course of action but we don't. Orlov is a Daley/Demers/Kulikov type player at this point. He has a higher upside but right now he needs to be on the 2nd pairing playing in the conditions that suit him best to provide maximum impact and develop best

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

Where's the love for Orpik? Give credit where it's due. Dude has rebounded nicely.

Orpik's been much better than I expected. He's getting closer to his 2014-2015 level. He was really solid with us in the first year of his contract, let's hope he can continue on his path to regain this level. A solid Orpik improves significantly our chances in the playoffs by giving us a legit top 4.

Waiting for Carlson and Kuzy to regain their level now, and we'll be fine.

 

[Dream Big]

(mod)

Something happened after the start of the All star break. Did he get nicked and is nursing something that resolves on it's own over time?

There is something that changed then. The organization must know and since they are good people they'll be able to help him whatever it is.

Or are we all imagining things and the opposition is just checking him harder. After all he is an All Star.