Post-Game Talk: MTL @ Caps 7pm / 10-7-17 / Home Opener

Status
Not open for further replies.

Revelation

Registered User
Aug 15, 2016
5,298
2,963
Could be all their offseason losses were a blessing in disguise. Johansson, Shattenkirk, Winnik and Alzner were deadweight for how much icetime they got to create very little, Williams was creative but at this point Vrana could be a lateral upgrade with his youthful hustle. Schmidt was the only one who really hurt to lose and Ness kind of plays a similar game. Now there's a smaller concentration of stars but they truly know they have to be the guys and will play accordingly.
 

Alexander the Gr8

Registered User
May 2, 2013
31,593
12,652
Toronto
Could be all their offseason losses were a blessing in disguise. Johansson, Shattenkirk, Winnik and Alzner were deadweight for how much icetime they got to create very little, Williams was creative but at this point Vrana could be a lateral upgrade with his youthful hustle. Schmidt was the only one who really hurt to lose and Ness kind of plays a similar game. Now there's a smaller concentration of stars but they truly know they have to be the guys and will play accordingly.

You're selling Johansson and Williams short. They combined for 48 goals together.
 

Holtbyisms

Matt Irwin is a legit talent
Jul 1, 2012
6,914
3,572
Bedford, PA
What a night, fellas. Ovie's 4th goals and Walker's first goal. That was fun. Nice surprise from the caps. though still think ovie is covering major holes in this team so far. can't wait when bowey and djoos in the lineup.

Like a top 10 greatest of all time is supposed to do?

No concerns so far except third pairing D. Let the hate flow through you NHL. Ovi being Ovi and everyone else will catch on to the downhill rolling ball of offense.
 

Revelation

Registered User
Aug 15, 2016
5,298
2,963
You're selling Johansson and Williams short. They combined for 48 goals together.

Maybe so but Mojo especially had a ton of ice time and a ton of puck possession and just did vanilla skilled utility player things with it (tex's favorite middling PP zone entry) instead of a clutch star caliber plays resulting in a goal. Williams was a little more crafty but still not amazing last year, far cry from his Conn Smythe form. Now you have Ovechkin and Kuznetsov knowing they're the guys and there's no vanilla depth to bail them out and boom. Hopefully Vrana starts converting because he's been making some pretty clutch passes already.

Last year pretty much every time I watched the 2nd line I saw Kuzy drag 2 uninspiring yet competent 2nd liners behind him who cashed in on easy plays but didn't make the high end ones happen. It was like having Fleischmann and Knuble from years past as wingers.
 
Last edited:

Sam Spade

Registered User
May 4, 2009
27,484
16,207
Maryland
Could be all their offseason losses were a blessing in disguise. Johansson, Shattenkirk, Winnik and Alzner were deadweight for how much icetime they got to create very little, Williams was creative but at this point Vrana could be a lateral upgrade with his youthful hustle. Schmidt was the only one who really hurt to lose and Ness kind of plays a similar game. Now there's a smaller concentration of stars but they truly know they have to be the guys and will play accordingly.

This is what I've been saying all summer. Biggest one was Marge getting dealt. The Caps had too many "Marges" already they needed to get rid of one for Kuznetzov's development alone.

Disagree about Ness though, you know who plays a similar game to Schmidt, Christian Djoos.

Williams is the only I wanted back.
 

ovikovy817

Registered User
May 23, 2015
6,173
3,768
Belgium
Was watching the replay with different feeds. DSP knew right away that it was Walker's goal, watch his reaction.
 

txpd

Registered User
Jan 25, 2003
69,649
14,131
New Bern, NC
Could be all their offseason losses were a blessing in disguise. Johansson, Shattenkirk, Winnik and Alzner were deadweight for how much icetime they got to create very little, Williams was creative but at this point Vrana could be a lateral upgrade with his youthful hustle. Schmidt was the only one who really hurt to lose and Ness kind of plays a similar game. Now there's a smaller concentration of stars but they truly know they have to be the guys and will play accordingly.

In a word. No. When the games count, you honestly believe that Vrana is going to have as much poise and clutch and leadership as Williams? Smith-Pelly is as solid as Winnik? Chorney and Ness/Djoos are not competitive with Orpik/Schmidt. Not close.

I can buy that Vrana is an improvement over Sanford. Not Williams or Johansson. Sorry. Yes, Shattenkirk was dead weight. He was awful. But But while I love Orpik, do you really think he is a better 2LD than Alzner?

Btw. Might be we have season the high point of the season.
 

Ridley Simon

Registered User
Feb 27, 2002
18,123
9,065
Marin County — SF Bay Area, CA
It's a fun start. But yeah, way too soon to be writing about how they are versus last year.

MaJo would have been a huge adder to the 3rd line w Eller. Expensive, but important. Alzner on the bottom pair w Djoos or Bowey would have been really huge.

It is what it is. Ovechkin won't score 150 goals, but at least he's looking the part, more than anything.

If Backstrom can indeed carry a line -- which he needs to do -- then they will be fine offensively. Holtby is Holtby. They should win a lot of home games, and play .500 ish on the road. Looks like a recipe for a 100pt season and perhaps home ice.

1st line and 4th lines are great. Just need to find some chemistry/wingers for Backstrom and Eller, and that may take some time.
 

g00n

Retired Global Mod
Nov 22, 2007
30,430
14,290


Was with Bauer the past few years


This is interesting because even if they hadn't gone in I noted Ovie's shots looking much more controlled and he seems more confident in his ability to just let it rip without trying to get too close or deke too much. He seems like prime Ovechkin
 

Kranix

Deranged Homer
Jun 27, 2012
18,121
16,151
Has anyone here seen a mention somewhere about who was the last player before Ovechkin to score seven goals over first two games of the season?
Cy Denneny did back to back hat tricks to start a season in 1917. I'm not sure about 7 goals.
 

Alexander the Gr8

Registered User
May 2, 2013
31,593
12,652
Toronto
Maybe so but Mojo especially had a ton of ice time and a ton of puck possession and just did vanilla skilled utility player things with it (tex's favorite middling PP zone entry) instead of a clutch star caliber plays resulting in a goal. Williams was a little more crafty but still not amazing last year, far cry from his Conn Smythe form. Now you have Ovechkin and Kuznetsov knowing they're the guys and there's no vanilla depth to bail them out and boom. Hopefully Vrana starts converting because he's been making some pretty clutch passes already.

Last year pretty much every time I watched the 2nd line I saw Kuzy drag 2 uninspiring yet competent 2nd liners behind him who cashed in on easy plays but didn't make the high end ones happen. It was like having Fleischmann and Knuble from years past as wingers.

Again, did you watch the same Johansson and Williams as me?

They did stuff like that:


Never heard anyone call Justin Williams a vanilla player. Keep in mind that Williams and Johansson were about the only two players willing to go to the net last year, aside from Oshie.
 

twabby

Registered User
Mar 9, 2010
13,622
14,439
I propose all Nathan Walker goals need to have a gif like this in the gdt:

(Edit: I guess there are embedded gif size limitations?)
 

txpd

Registered User
Jan 25, 2003
69,649
14,131
New Bern, NC
Again, did you watch the same Johansson and Williams as me?

They did stuff like that:


Never heard anyone call Justin Williams a vanilla player. Keep in mind that Williams and Johansson were about the only two players willing to go to the net last year, aside from Oshie.

JDub was supposed to push the Caps over the choker hump with leadership and clutch play. He failed. They lost....again....twice. Other than that, he overperformed. Vanilla? JDub?
 

Alexander the Gr8

Registered User
May 2, 2013
31,593
12,652
Toronto
JDub was supposed to push the Caps over the choker hump with leadership and clutch play. He failed. They lost....again....twice. Other than that, he overperformed. Vanilla? JDub?

It's easy to put all the blame on him. He produced exactly like we expected him to. His career PPG average is 0.63, and his playoff PPG with the Caps is 0.64.

JDub is not a vanilla player, far from it. He hustles and battles for the puck more than a lot of his former Caps teammates.
 

txpd

Registered User
Jan 25, 2003
69,649
14,131
New Bern, NC
It's easy to put all the blame on him. He produced exactly like we expected him to. His career PPG average is 0.63, and his playoff PPG with the Caps is 0.64.

JDub is not a vanilla player, far from it. He hustles and battles for the puck more than a lot of his former Caps teammates.

Oh, I am not putting any of the blame on him. I wish he were still here. He was clutch v the Pens two years ago when they were in trouble. He was big last playoffs. A team with the best record in the league, the best goalie in the league(arguably), and JDub. If JDub couldn't bring them a cup, how do they win?

I think maybe some people forget why they got him and how much better he had been for the Caps than he had been his last 5 or 6 years before the Caps. I will miss 90 too, but Williams was like having Knuble.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Eazy for Kuzy

Hivemind

We're Touched
Oct 8, 2010
37,007
13,424
Philadelphia
That if the point is to answer something that was not asked, your answer is perfect.
huh.gif
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Ad

Upcoming events

Ad

Ad

-->