Post-Game Talk: Rangers at Capitals 8:00 Day 1 of clinching berth possibility

Looked like on the OT goal, Kuzy did the opposite of what he did Monday night. Monday he comes in toward Hank, gives a little feint/open up likes he's going to shoot wide side or pass cross crease and then beats him short side. Last night he comes in and gives a little feint to Hank's near post side, and then rips it by him far side. That's a Hall of Fame goalie - especially his mental game - whose head Kuzy is in

 

He didnt do much in the defensive zone. It seemed that line spent most of the time in the offensive zone.

 

Except Hank didnt play Monday night.

 

Got me. Well he was watching probably!

 

I doubt it but is Kempny and or Jerabek ready

 

Are the caps... dare i say it? ..

actually heating up at the RIGHT TIME?

knock on ****ing wood.

 

I think the main question with Gersich is if he's suited for either a scoring line or their typical fourth line? You can much more easily get away with managing him on the fourth line we'll see if they actually alter that line (and the very severe defensive usage they tend to get) in order to fit him in. His forechecking ability and energy/hustle are needed but it's also going to be difficult to slot in without fundamentally changing the way the bottom six has been used unless he is on a scoring-line but even then we don't know how much he can handle (or produce). The other thing is whether Stephenson & Gersich offer enough trust in order to potentially minimize the TOI of Vrana/Connolly should they not be going to their liking. That's how I'd put it together anyway but we'll see.

Apparently Boyd will be recalled for the final two or three games so add him into the mix (though, again, as much as they like him it seems pretty odd to actually run with him and/or Gersich mainly because you don't really know how much TOI they can handle). Both show some real limitations when it comes to strength.

 

His salary actually takes less of their cap % than Backstrom's deal at the time.

Besides before signing that long-term deal, he took a short-term bridge deal. The difference in numbers through their non-ELC contracts are not that different. Kuznetsov makes 68.4m dollars through years 2015-2025. Nicklas Backstrom makes 67m dollars through years 2010-2020.

 

The Caps essentially have locked up 1st minus a really bad collapse. That said, I'd like to see the Caps experiment these last few games with a bottom 6, and specifically a 4th line, that might actually be able to play hockey. I'd much rather have some wheels back there that are relentless on the forecheck and can use their speed to pressure the defense than heavy bodies for the sake of heavy bodies. Just to see what it would look like, I'd like to see:

Ovechkin-Kuznetsov-Wilson
Burakovsky-Backstrom-Oshie
Stephenson-Eller-Vrana
Gersich-Beagle-Connolly

 

I hate how our roster is seemingly locked the second the Playoffs start. I get it that most teams do that but this team sure as he'll shouldn't because (apart from Wilson last season) it's been a decade of bottom-6 drawing blanks when the Playoffs begin. Not to mention on defense they have Brooks Orpik whose stupidity can single-handedly turn the series to other teams favor, and yet he's automatic starter unless he gets suspended for being a moron.

 

I definitely understand the Orpik hate and I too jump on the bandwagon from time to time. However, he's not a bad option for the 3rd pairing and is certainly reliable. The problem everyone has with him is his contract and that's not his fault. That's entirely on GMBM... I agree paying $5M+ to a 3rd pairing defender is moronic and yet we've been doing it since we signed him as a free agent *cries into shoulder*. I don't think anyone outside the Caps organization(maybe not even some within) thought he was higher than 5th or 6th on our depth chart at the time. I'm still flabbergasted at the salary and term GMBM gave this aging defender. If we flame out again it's entirely his fault for mismanaging the Salary Cap from day 1. Offering anything more than $4M annually was extremely short sighted IMO. Honestly he deserved the exact same contract he got from PIT back in 2008. It's not like he lit the world on fire in those 6 years and that's when he was young...

 

This might be heresy around here, but I think Orpik has been real solid the past dozen games or so. He did a few things yesterday with the puck that made me double take and make sure it was him.

 

I know what he is, but he still has good stretches at times and at times goes through really bad stretches. Those bad stretches are the ones where he is struggling and is constantly forcing the hits. He has always lined up hits even if it meant being caught way out of position but that went way over the top year ago against the Penguins who constantly got odd-man chances thanks to their speed when Orpik drove himself way out of the play. Even then Barry Trotz is content on giving away multiple odd-man rushes and keeping him in the line-up even if he is struggling and then he benches one of our few producing wingers constantly for turning the puck over at the offensive zone once.

 

That could work, although Connolly hasn't been a noticeable forechecker very often. I like your third line but I might go DSP over Connolly just because he's the better forechecker and that's mostly what that line would turn into.

I'm sure it's still a very fluid situation. That's the way Trotz seems to be operating and if they're desperate I'm sure they'll change it up. What stands out to me is just how little Trotz trusts Vrana & Connolly. These are two of their top eight ES scorers and yet I'm not sure either can be written into the lineup in pen at this point. They've been protected somewhat but Gersich and Boyd wouldn't be? It doesn't make much sense other than trying to send a message to them and make sure they're on their game all-around and playing with more tenacity. A couple of relatively inexperienced players may be able to provide some energy on adrenaline but the overall effectiveness of that is a bit questionable. They need to be doing more to get 13/10 on their game or else I'm not sure how they can piece together depth in a way that's productive and doesn't lead to the top six being overtaxed. It's equally as strange just how fluid the bottom six is at the moment when they probably should have found more stability by Game 77.

 

I like DSP's game but he's just so limited offensively. Connolly is one of few guys on this team that can turn a poor scoring chance into a goal with his shot. His release is terrific and he doesn't need a perfect situation to get it off. With DSP you're essentially "tapping out" in terms of wanting that line to contribute offensively.

You are describing my biggest issue with Trotz and that is come playoff time he coaches scared. He puts in guys he feels are "safe" as opposed to icing the best players. We've seen it a bunch of times during his tenure here and I imagine we'll unfortunately see it again this year.

 

Yeah he had a center drive at one point and actually stick handled a bit. It was kind of a nice move. I was like wait, what?

That said, he scares the crap out of me when he's on the ice. It is approaching pavlonian proportions.

 

It's sports. Never as good as you think, never as bad either.

 

I think you've nailed it with the comment above. The fact Vrana is a healthy scratch, again, this late in the season is very worrying. The fact that DSP or Chiasson ever get a roster spot over Vrana is atrocious. I don't care if he's not suited for the 4th line assignments. That's how he'll learn and grow! You don't have to be 6'3" and 200lbs to be a good defensive skater, Barry...

 

Gersich showed some electricity and some speed and savvy forecheck. He was creating chances. Great drive to the net - he showed more guts in 1 game than Vrana has in two years. Great first game.

Don't worry though, Trotz will crush his spirit soon enough.

 

I don't think I trust Connolly to be productive unless he's on Eller's line.

 

I do not know what DSP brings to the table.

 

It's when he receives the puck at the blue line is when I get all itchy. It doesn't happen, but I'm always envisioning him fumbling a pass or shot there. At least he does get a shot off even if it's 5 feet wide of the net . When is the last time a Brook's Orpik shot was deflected as a goal or a rebound goal? I can't think of one, LOL.

 

DSP has more NHL games in his career and is 200lbs+ is all I got for ya, LOL. He's a fine depth forward and I liked the signing at the time for that reason. However, it seems Trotz likes his work in practice? I'm as lost as you are *shrugs*.

 

Amen.

Also, from RMNB this morning:

>>

• Shane Gersich was the fifth Capitals rookie this season to make their NHL debut. Gersich was quite possibly the best Caps player on the ice, finishing the night with the best five-on-five shot attempt percentage (68.2 percent) among the forwards.

 

Yeah. I'd just tell Connolly to forecheck like he means it or else DSP is in instead.

This is what makes the Boyd stuff all the more surprising, though. It's going against type...but not toward anything particularly coherent. I get that he likes his hustle but it's still a pretty limited package. It kind of indicates that where they may be headed is toward overloading the top six with minutes and then just piecing together the rest almost as an afterthought. Shortening the bench up front in the playoffs has been a repeated tendency with Trotz in the playoffs and I suspect that's where this is all likely to end up when it's rather avoidable if he can just manage to push the right buttons.