Out of Town - Washington Capitals Stanley Cup Champions! Edition

[Ezpz]

Decimate means destroy by 10%. I think they pentacontimated the team.

 

[Toene]

It's never about Eller alone making us contender. It's never about Radulov alone making us contender. It's never about Subban alone us making us contender. It's never about Markov alone making us contender. It's never about Sergachev alone making us a contender. It's never about DSP alone making us contender etc....it's about ALL those guys together making us a better team. And it's all about the admission that this management can't evaluate ****. Prefering worst players to better. Prefering to NOT use a guy on C when they should. It's about changing plans every year as if that was a plan. It's about drafting better and with the right strategy so that we can be better. So it's about all that. But TODAY, Eller ALONE is a freakin great example of what is wrong with this team.

Excellent post.

 

[Redux91]

Ovi passing the Cup to Backstrom and those two taking the lap together with the Cup will be one of those moments played forever. Beautiful moment.

LOL Ovie wouldnt let go of the cup! I LOVED IT

 

[groovejuice]

Decimate means destroy by 10%. I think they pentacontimated the team.

That's the original meaning, which is hardly ever used. The modern denotation is to destroy by a significant amount.

 

[LyricalLyricist]

I feel like DSP should thank his 3 other teams. He needed a wake up call.

This isn’t some holier than this attitude. Personally I need a kick in the ass sometimes because I get complacent.

I think DSP riding a high in NJ then getting bought out a year later was a wake up call.

 

[LyricalLyricist]

Caps fan here.. he's right... everytime we played the pens and they scored, Lolzner would be swimming somewhere around the crease out of the play. He was a great defenseman, but at some point around 2013 it just went downhill for him.

Those guys never last.

We’ve seen them, komisarek, gorges, Lucic, etc.

Guys relying on physicality and using their body over talent. Catches up quick.

 

[Lebowski]

I feel like DSP should thank his 3 other teams. He needed a wake up call.

This isn’t some holier than this attitude. Personally I need a kick in the ass sometimes because I get complacent.

I think DSP riding a high in NJ then getting bought out a year later was a wake up call.

He is what he is at this point, which is a bottom 6 plug that can score every now and then.

I didn't feel like we missed out on anything when we let him go even though it was good entertainment value to see him go in New Jersey.

The issue, as is often the case with Bergevin, was making a move for the sake of it. Matteau was worthless, and we moved an actual roster player for him, apparently just because. My guess is that Bergevin was trying to purge the locker-room of some of the growing dissident voices against management. From PK to Eller to DSP to Beaulieu.

 

[LyricalLyricist]

He is what he is at this point, which is a bottom 6 plug that can score every now and then.

I didn't feel like we missed out on anything when we let him go even though it was good entertainment value to see him go in New Jersey.

The issue, as is often the case with Bergevin, was making a move for the sake of it. Matteau was worthless, and we moved an actual roster player for him, apparently just because. My guess is that Bergevin was trying to purge the locker-room of some of the growing dissident voices against management. From PK to Eller to DSP to Beaulieu.

Maybe.

I honestly don’t know if it was a contract thing. Like they didn’t plan to keep DSP so got anything for him or if they wanted a two-way contract back.

I really don’t remember specifics apart from DSP being unimpressive.

 

[Redux91]

We'd be regretting it either way because either way we'd have still been a bottom-feeder this season. Do you really think that if we hadn't dealt Eller we'd be sitting here today saying "It sucks that we missed the playoffs but at least we've still got Eller"?

This isnt the point.

SquidX said it the best last night

Bergevin once said "there are players that get you TO the playoffs and players that get you THROUGH the playoffs" ... uhh Lars is the Latter, its quite incredible Bergevin could say something so profoundly right but actually NOT follow his own advice.. or even worse, tried to follow his advice but is just not good enough at his job to make the right choices on players...

No shit Lars cant carry us to the playoffs...but get to the playoffs...and you can see just what Lars brings to the table when the chips are down.. Super Proud of him

A lot of us knew about Beastmode Lars in the playoffs from back when.. the guy just has "it" when the post season comes around, he just gets it, im really not surprised by his performance to be quite honest, im surprised we have a management in place that couldnt see what we saw as fans..

 

[OldCraig71]

Not going to lie, my eyes leaked a little when I saw this. Lars Eller was outstanding for Washington in these playoffs in every way possible. Who was on the ice when the Caps were trying to preserve a lead in the dying minutes? Who stepped up when injuries hit his team? Who is in the right place as player? The guy holding the cup above my words is that player!! To see him win is vindication for many of us that hate the Bergevin and Therrien era as habs fans, Eller was traded from here to protect little DD, what a joke!! Bravo Lars, you deserve it!!! @Team_Spirit I also remember that clip of DD asking papa if he could go on the ice lol, what a bunch of clowns have run the habs into the ground.

 

[SirClintonPortis]

For a 3C in name, 18 points in 24 games is a pretty elite playoff performance. Especially since Kuznetsov had 32 in 24 games and Backstrom 23 points in 20 games.

A 3C that can temporarily step up into the 2C role and still produce while mostly away from the main scorers of the team is a money player who is not easily replaceable. The Caps used to have a major issue with the 3C spot. Hell, they were using Mike Richards the year before Eller, and Richards was a washed up warm body. Unlike Nick Bonino, Eller was not playing with a Phil Kessel level of scorer.
Eller played on a level equal to that of Dave Bolland or Mike Richards during the first Kings Cup.

 

[Bryson]

I feel like DSP should thank his 3 other teams. He needed a wake up call.

This isn’t some holier than this attitude. Personally I need a kick in the ass sometimes because I get complacent.

I think DSP riding a high in NJ then getting bought out a year later was a wake up call.

DSP did score 5 for Anahiem in the playoffs though. Whether he declined or not I don't know but WSH did get production out of DSP as a 4th liner which is more than the Habs got out of Matteau. Like Sorinth mentioned previously, DSP did score a couple of goals for the habs on the top line and then was demoted for no reason. He went on a tear when he was traded to NJ. He scored 12 points in 46 games with MTL, 13 points in 18 games with NJD. Maybe he did need a kick in the rear and that's fine. Doesn't change the fact that Bergevin doesn't make trades that make the team better, he just trades away players that he doesn't like and all of his trades have led to downgrades. It's not a co-incidence that the habs are where they are in the standings.

 

[M.C.G. 31]

Weakest? I would disagree but I also don't remember much about their squads 20 years ago. I believe they have a lot of underrated players though: Niskanen, Orlov, Eller (maybe not on this board but across the league), etc. Can you imagine if Backstrom wasn't playing with a broken hand/wrist? He could barely lift the Cup. I thought Orpik was done last year and that he would soon be dead weight on the that team but he was surprisingly good. I would probably take him over Alzner

Their weakest of the Ovi-Backstrom era when the Caps became good is what I meant.

They’ve had teams that included Semin and Green at one point, a real good Alzner, a young Carlson playing behind Green, highly productive depth with Fleischmann, Knuble, Laich, last year they added Shattenkirk. This past summer the rumblings were that their Cup window “probably” closed because they had a cap crunch without winning the Cup in the previous decade.

On paper I don’t think anyone can say they would have taken these Caps over previous years’ Caps... yet they got through Pittsburgh and they finally did it.

 

[Lebowski]

For a 3C in name, 18 points in 24 games is a pretty elite playoff performance. Especially since Kuznetsov had 32 in 24 games and Backstrom 23 points in 20 games.

A 3C that can temporarily step up into the 2C role and still produce while mostly away from the main scorers of the team is a money player who is not easily replaceable. The Caps used to have a major issue with the 3C spot. Hell, they were using Mike Richards the year before Eller, and Richards was a washed up warm body. Unlike Nick Bonino, Eller was not playing with a Phil Kessel level of scorer.
Eller played on a level equal to that of Dave Bolland or Mike Richards during the first Kings Cup.

Eller does well with skill on his wings. He really picked up the slack when Kuz and Backstrom each went down because it gave him some very good wingers to play with.

It was more of the same in Montréal. He was great with A. Kost and the Gallys, but that kind of talent didn't come by often on his wings.

 

[SirClintonPortis]

This Caps cup goes all the way back to our upset of them in 2009-2010. Halak's value would have never been so great without that playoffs. Eller would never have landed in Montreal, and probably would have been a Blues player for his prime since he did fit their mold of a big, skilled player. Blues wouldn't have had a monkey brain GM give a solid player like that away for a bag of picks and covet Andrew Shaw like a rookie fantasy player.

Basically, we stole the thunder from a Caps Cup run 8 years ago to repay them favor now. Halak crushed your dreams then, but we'll give you the player we reeled in for him as compensation to fix your center depth so you can get the Cup.

And I've stated my personal hatred of the Capitals. Grew up a fan, burned my fan bridges because the Habs earned my respect during that playoff upset. And now, the Caps make me hate them even more by winning the Cup, with the "reward" obtained by Halak's performance during that same playoffs.

Bergevin deserves every inch of blame for making the Caps a Cup champion. A 3C with 18 points in 24 games, scores a game-winner to defeat Columbus, has a THREE POINT night when KUZNETSOV WAS OUT, and scores the GAME-WINNER to clinch the Cup? Those players are actually quite rare. Probably Dave Bolland would be a comparable given how he crushed Vancouver fans' hopes everytime Chicago and Vancouver met.

 

[BLONG7]

Eller does well with skill on his wings. He really picked up the slack when Kuz and Backstrom each went down because it gave him some very good wingers to play with.

It was more of the same in Montréal. He was great with A. Kost and the Gallys, but that kind of talent didn't come by often on his wings.

Mon petite Davide, needed the coddling instead of doing what was right.

 

[justafan22]

How are these clowns still in charge? Subban in the final last year, Eller winning the cup this year.

Lars Eller feels he's 'in the right place' with Capitals - Sportsnet.ca

 

[SirClintonPortis]

Eller does well with skill on his wings. He really picked up the slack when Kuz and Backstrom each went down because it gave him some very good wingers to play with.

It was more of the same in Montréal. He was great with A. Kost and the Gallys, but that kind of talent didn't come by often on his wings.

It's abosolutely disgusting how people are writing off Eller. This is the SECOND good playoffs he had. The first was with us when he had Bourque as his wing and scored 13 in 17 on the third line. We don't go deep that year with a worse center. This performance shows that his "normal" is a productive playoffs, not an unproductive one.

 

[SirClintonPortis]

Their weakest of the Ovi-Backstrom era when the Caps became good is what I meant.

They’ve had teams that included Semin and Green at one point, a real good Alzner, a young Carlson playing behind Green, highly productive depth with Fleischmann, Knuble, Laich, last year they added Shattenkirk. This past summer the rumblings were that their Cup window “probably” closed because they had a cap crunch without winning the Cup in the previous decade.

On paper I don’t think anyone can say they would have taken these Caps over previous years’ Caps... yet they got through Pittsburgh and they finally did it.

When they had Semin, their center depth was an issue through and through. Laich was overrated because of the unusual amount of skill on that team buoying up his production. They were rolling through guys at 2C like old Fedorov, Brendan Morrison, Marcus Johansson, Mike Ribeiro, before Kuznetsov finally was a regular. And even Kuznetsov was not immune to fans raging because he didn't do anything in his first couple playoffs.
Kuznetsov fixed their 2C problem. WE fixed their 3C problem by giving them Eller.

 

[LyricalLyricist]

DSP did score 5 for Anahiem in the playoffs though. Whether he declined or not I don't know but WSH did get production out of DSP as a 4th liner which is more than the Habs got out of Matteau. Like Sorinth mentioned previously, DSP did score a couple of goals for the habs on the top line and then was demoted for no reason. He went on a tear when he was traded to NJ. He scored 12 points in 46 games with MTL, 13 points in 18 games with NJD. Maybe he did need a kick in the rear and that's fine. Doesn't change the fact that Bergevin doesn't make trades that make the team better, he just trades away players that he doesn't like and all of his trades have led to downgrades. It's not a co-incidence that the habs are where they are in the standings.

I think they may not have kept them. We've seen better guys go unqualified.

That being said, no it doesn't change move of MB. Just saying about DSP the player. He's on a high, great tying goal.

 

[SirClintonPortis]

Letting DSP go wasn't necessarily a bad move. He's a journeyman depth player who just landed in the right place at the right time. Yes, he can score goals from a depth role, but at the same time, he's not like a gold mine of offense. Good to complete a team, but not someone to marry your cap space to.

 

[waffledave]

We'd be regretting it either way because either way we'd have still been a bottom-feeder this season. Do you really think that if we hadn't dealt Eller we'd be sitting here today saying "It sucks that we missed the playoffs but at least we've still got Eller"?

Nope. But better than being upset because we missed the postseason AND we no longer have a guy who just had a monstrous playoffs.

 

[Runner77]

#youdowinwithrussians
#tankingworks

...yep, that ought to do it.

#1stRoundersMakeRoster

How about this? How many first rounders are key contributors with the Caps's team?

Does it say something about their scouting? I think it says we need to poach a couple of their scouts. Plenty of placeholders on the Habs, who can easily be shown the door.

 

[SirClintonPortis]

Say what you want about dsp and eller. If alzner is still playing minutes for the caps they don't get here. Bergevin is a ****ing idiot

Someone would need to replace the 3 point night when Kuznetsov had to leave the game, the Cup game winner, and the double OT Columbus game-winner.

Alzner being the pylon he is, probably would have broken the Caps run in the Pittsburgh series. They have the forwards to torch guys like him. He's basically the opposing team's sixth player. Brian Boyle didn't hug him for no reason, after all...

 

[Laurentide]

Nope. But better than being upset because we missed the postseason AND we no longer have a guy who just had a monstrous playoffs.

Eller had a "monstrous" playoffs for us in 2014 and we ended up with sweet fanny adam to show for it. If the day comes when the Habs are ever able to amass the kind of top-end talent that the Capitals have, then we can go looking for a deal on an Eller or a DSP just like they did.