Post-Game Talk: Preseason Game #86: Caps @ Blooj | 4/19/18 | 7:30pm EST

[Ridley Simon]

You mean a hungry guy like Jakob Vrana?

The only way this makes an ounce of sense is if Trotz understands that the Blue Jackets are a top heavy team and he's planning on using the Backstrom line to shut down the Panarin-PLD-Atkinson line. If that's the case I can see what he's doing. The 3rd line was terrific and maybe giving Vrana more favorable matchups (3rd pairing and 3rd/4th liners) will allow him to shine. If it's a reward for Stephenson and a demotion for Vrana then it's garbage.

Ding ding ding, we have a winner!!

 

[txpd]

No, come on. Let the Trotz apologists spin and spin until they can't explain the nonsensical line-changes.

Who is spinning? Who's apologizing? ha

 

[bur and 666 others]

Hopefully the trend continues tonight.

 

[HunterSThompson]

While this is true, if the knock against Vrana is that he's a defensive liability, I'm not sure how taking him off a line with our two best defensive forwards makes much sense.

If it places him against weaker competition in less high stress scenarios, it does. Especially if the thought is that Beagle and Chiasson aren't too far behind Backstrom and Oshie in terms of defensive play.

 

[HunterSThompson]

It looks like Hartman grabs his stick and closes his legs to get away with holding the stick, then when Andrighetto predictably begins to try and rip it out he acts aghast that he's getting hit in the nuts. No dog in this fight, but Hartman seems like he's trying to pull a saavy vet move by holding Andrighetto's stick and then trying to draw a penalty after he tries to rip his stick back. This is like when guys "accidentally" get others sticks wrapped up in their jerseys as they try to skate away.

Looked to me like Andrighetto got him before Hartman grabbed on.

 

[Skrudland2Lomakin]

I'll admit with how tight last game was I was somewhat grateful that we didn't drop Gersich into the lineup, last game was on that I most certainly appreciated the safe pick of Chiasson.

That all said, IF we advance I really would like to see Gersich in game 1 or 2 versus the Penguins, speed would be even more essential in that series.

 

[ovikovy817]

I'll admit with how tight last game was I was somewhat grateful that we didn't drop Gersich into the lineup, last game was on that I most certainly appreciated the safe pick of Chiasson.

That all said, IF we advance I really would like to see Gersich in game 1 or 2 versus the Penguins, speed would be even more essential in that series.

You really want to see a rookie with 20 minutes of nhl hockey under his belt who only has speed and nothing else playing against Pittsburgh?

 

[hockeykicker]

 

[hockeykicker]

Who is spinning? Who's apologizing? ha

Its more fun to just criticise apparently. Its obvious trotz is fighting for his job so hes panicking and trying everything

I at least can admit that trotz makes mistakes and have said that before. Some people can't praise trotz no matter what he does

Trotz tries to put a scoring forward with speed on another line and they mad. Vrana plays on second line and they mad there's no scoring on bottom lines

 

[Melkor]

They just have to stop Panarin. That is all. All that team is Panarin. Its as closer to Mcdavid/Oilers' disbalanced team as you can get except Bus has a good 1st D pairing. Bob is solved, they shouldnt care about him. Barring Holts lets in awful softies the rest of the series, Caps got this..

 

[StrikingDistance]

They just have to stop Panarin. That is all. All that team is Panarin. Its as closer to Mcdavid/Oilers' disbalanced team as you can get except Bus has a good 1st D pairing. Bob is solved, they shouldnt care about him. Barring Holts lets in awful softies the rest of the series, Caps got this..

From your keyboard to the referee's ears.

 

[Skrudland2Lomakin]

You really want to see a rookie with 20 minutes of nhl hockey under his belt who only has speed and nothing else playing against Pittsburgh?

Well this part is unclear, but we only have Barry and co. to thank for that.


But yes, a game 1 or game 2 is a time to play with the lineups, IF we get to Pitt we are not going to beat them by playing a safe lineup like what we have. To compete with Pitt we'll need to embrace our wild card style and inject speed into every single line. If after 2 games you're down 0-2 you can go to your boring lineup which would never have saved you to begin with.

 

[Sam Spade]

They just have to stop Panarin. That is all. All that team is Panarin. Its as closer to Mcdavid/Oilers' disbalanced team as you can get except Bus has a good 1st D pairing. Bob is solved, they shouldnt care about him. Barring Holts lets in awful softies the rest of the series, Caps got this..

Yeah and Bobrovsky and Werenski and Jones.

 

[Revelation]

Yeah and Bobrovsky and Werenski and Jones.

Bobrovsky has been ok but far from stealing anything, they've had no trouble putting up goals on him. His GAA is what over 3?

Werenski might as well be wearing a caps jersey the way he's been playing.

Their forwards aside from Panarin are Burakovsky/Beagle tier

 

[Sam Spade]

Bobrovsky has been ok but far from stealing anything, they've had no trouble putting up goals on him. His GAA is what over 3?

Werenski might as well be wearing a caps jersey the way he's been playing.

Their forwards aside from Panarin are Burakovsky/Beagle tier

Agree their forwards have been nothing special but I would still trade any one of our dmen for Werenski and/or Jones.

 

[Melkor]

Yeah and Bobrovsky and Werenski and Jones.

They just have to stop Panarin. That is all. All that team is Panarin. Its as closer to Mcdavid/Oilers' disbalanced team as you can get except Bus has a good 1st D pairing. Bob is solved, they shouldnt care about him. Barring Holts lets in awful softies the rest of the series, Caps got this..

 

[Raikkonen]

OMG, this Vrana talk. f*** it.

The captain and other leaders of Caps team should make a statement and win the f***ing game tonight without the help of rookie Czech. I like Vrana, but the team lives and dies by the play of the core.

 

[RandyHolt]

If this game.... should I....

Should?

 

[shtorm2005]

I hope for a win tonight. Hope it's not OT again. I had shaking hands last OT.

 

[RandyHolt]

I hope for a win tonight. Hope it's not OT again. I had shaking hands last OT.

Every single OT breakout by CBus had me on tilt. By OT2 I chilled out a little bit. It was very much like that Boston series to me.

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

Bold prediction: A hungry Kuznetsov scores 2 goals and 2 assists, Holtby shuts the door and keeps the Jackets down to 1 or 2 goals to even the series.

 

[shtorm2005]

Bold prediction: A hungry Kuznetsov scores 2 goals and 2 assists, Holtby shuts the door and keeps the Jackets down to 1 or 2 goals to even the series.

I think we only can win if Holtby will shut the door because 2 goals from Kuzy it's not enough to win )

 

[twabby]

OMG, this Vrana talk. **** it.

The captain and other leaders of Caps team should make a statement and win the ****ing game tonight without the help of rookie Czech. I like Vrana, but the team lives and dies by the play of the core.

While you are right about the core needing to step up, the coach should be making optimal decisions to push the percentages in their favor even if they are slight. Especially against talented and deep teams like PIT and TB the Capitals can’t afford to shoot themselves in the foot with roster decisions that reduce their odds of winning.

 

[Brian23]

OMG, this Vrana talk. **** it.

The captain and other leaders of Caps team should make a statement and win the ****ing game tonight without the help of rookie Czech. I like Vrana, but the team lives and dies by the play of the core.

Good teams go all the way off of stellar performances from ELC players. We sit ours, even when they're better then many others on the team.

 

[maacoshark]

Who didn't see that one coming

What's wrong with rewarding Stephenson?