Series Discussion: Round 2 (Caps vs Penguins) 2016 Playoffs (Pens fans, read note in OP) - Part II

[spiny norman]

Please continue the discussion.


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[Dobe*]

they had wardo last season and blew a 3 games to 1 lead. before that it was wardo's double minor high sticking penalty in the last 30 seconds of a game that killed them. its not wardo. its not the individual players. its the franchise

Before they didn't have Oshie/Williams/etc. This time it's Wardo. Wardo + everyone else on the roster right now (minus say Winnik/Richards) gives them 3 lines of top 9 players (~ish counting Chimera) and is a playoff monster. This way they have Richards in the top 9 and he throws off a lot of the pressure they can put on the Pens. With Wardo it's 2-2 or maybe even 3-1. These were all 1 goal losses remember.

Also had they scooped up Daley they'd have had it. Or hell any solid PMD. Good defensive puckmovement is like having a 6th man on the ice. Their inability to move the puck from the backend absolutely dooms them.

 

[Brian23]

Before they didn't have Oshie/Williams/etc. This time it's Wardo. Wardo + everyone else on the roster right now (minus say Winnik/Richards) gives them 3 lines of top 9 players (~ish counting Chimera) and is a playoff monster. This way they have Richards in the top 9 and he throws off a lot of the pressure they can put on the Pens. With Wardo it's 2-2 or maybe even 3-1. These were all 1 goal losses remember.

At the very least, he goes for the dirty goals. Why they haven't stuck Wilson's big ass in front of the net yet I'll never know.

 

[Holtbyisms]

Clearly some of the core needs to be moved cause they ain't cutting it.

 

[ALLCAPSALLTHETIME]

The Garbage Can Curse is still in effect. Just get it over with and apologize as an organization. Ted can do it.

 

[artilector]

Before they didn't have Oshie/Williams/etc. This time it's Wardo. Wardo + everyone else on the roster right now (minus say Winnik/Richards) gives them 3 lines of top 9 players (~ish counting Chimera) and is a playoff monster. This way they have Richards in the top 9 and he throws off a lot of the pressure they can put on the Pens. With Wardo it's 2-2 or maybe even 3-1. These were all 1 goal losses remember.

Leave him be, or he'll start quoting Scripture next.

 

[BobbyCarpenter]

Haven't the Pens been blowing 3-1 series leads lately? Maybe the Caps turn it around here. Sometimes all it takes is a fluke goal to get some momentum going. Then that momentum builds into something much bigger.

 

[Holtbyisms]

At the very least, he goes for the dirty goals. Why they haven't stuck Wilson's big ass in front of the net yet I'll never know.

I can't remember the last hit wilson threw?

 

[Ovechado]

Trading Backstrom will do us wonders. It's time to move on from him.

 

[tycoonheart]

Clearly some of the core needs to be moved cause they ain't cutting it.

They core at this point is Ovi and Nicky. Who else?

 

[peterthegreat12]

If they lose this series ,Caps are going to have to look pretty closely at this line-up.

Call me crazy (you will), at what point do you sell some of these core players off for high value while you still can?

 

[Efactor]

You have to have heart to win in the playoffs and it is clear this core doesn't have it. It's been a decade. The definition of insanity is to keep doing the same thing and expect different results.

It may be time to move on from at least Backstrom.

 

[Backstrom #19]

It's pretty obvious the franchise is cursed. I've always believed it from day one. That's what happens when you make a mockery of the Stanley Cup. The hockey God's have been pissed since 1974.

“Well that was pretty good, to be honest,†Labre said. “I mean, let’s face it, that was one of the longest seasons of my life. And that game, I’m not saying it made the whole year. But there were a few guys — who was it? Tommy Williams had gotten this little trashcan out of the dressing room, and he had a bunch of guys sign it. Him and a couple other guys [brought it out] in the Oakland rink, and were skating around with it. They called it the Stanley Can.â€

Like, an on-ice, Stanley Cup-esque celebration?

“Yeah, that’s what they did,†Labre laughed.

Link.

 

[WanderingCapsFan]

41 years...............like clockwork. I can set my watch by it. Amazingly, it still hurts.

I'll still be rooting for a comeback from 3-1 down, but I have no optimism.

Why can every team in the league pass the puck better than the Caps?

 

[Bananas]

**** everything and everybody except you guys. You guys make this insufferable team worth following...

 

[mrwarden]

Hard to imagine a hockey trade where we get fair value for Backstrom. Drouin plus plus? Trading him for anything other than a current star kills the rest of Ovie's prime and there are no unhappy stars needing a move that I can think of.

 

[ALLCAPSALLTHETIME]

It's pretty obvious the franchise is cursed. I've always believed it from day one. That's what happens when you make a mockery of the Stanley Cup. The hockey God's have been pissed since 1974.



Link.

I believe in the Garbage Can Curse. Literally nothing else makes sense.

 

[Capitlols]

They should hire Boudreau for the lolz

 

[Tweedsuitcase]

I'm not saying the Penguins aren't better than us, and I'm not saying they weren't great down the stretch. But have they looked "great" or unbeatable in any of these games? The Rangers were trash, and our Caps seem like a bunch of gutless pukes.
If they could bear down or elevate their game at all we'd take care of them. It's just maddening.

 

[mdurbin1234]

well lets just make sure we keep making minimalist game day threads. We wouldn't want any bad luck, would we??

Can't believe after ALL this franchise has been through, people resort to THAT as some sort of original good luck charm, when in reality about 20% of hf boards does the same - and none of them win it all! LOL.

Weird thing to rant about, but has always annoyed me.

 

[SpinningEdge]

Caps have no injuries at all to their offensive players - yet Caps have 21 goals in 10 games. Only player out is Orpik.

3rd line D is costing team games - but Pitt is scoring their third goal to win games. The third line this Caps team has is going to give up goals like Schmidt/Weber have given up.

The issue is scoring. 2 goals/game isn't going to get it done. Caps past 3 or 4 playoffs now all avg like exactly 2 goals/game. This year is no exception. They need to get to 3 goals to win a game. Considering they've done that only 3 times times this entire postseason (Caps have scored 2 or less in 7 of the 10 playoff games this year), I just don't see it. We either have to play perfect defensively (which isn't happening with the personnel), or Caps need to score to win games.

I just don't see it happening this year guys. This was the game the Caps really needed to win. If they couldn't win tonight/score at least 3 goals with Pitts most important player out - and their entire top pairing D out - It's a death sentence.

 

[Raikkonen]

Well, if it's 2 years window, GMBM needs to fix what was wrong this time.

He'll hardly replace Trotz. Maybe they should think about new assistants. I mean, who knows offense and can teach guys some ways to score? Maybe Adam Oates?

2nd line. OK, now you can't change that personnel. Those are the core players for the future (Kuz and Bura). One has to hope they will learn from it and some new coaching style will be applied to them to help these kids.

Williams? Well. Last year of contract, let him play 3RW. Radulov can't be worse for sure.

Chimera is done. Winnik is great guy for what he's doing. Even Richards is looking at least OK. I bet they should try Vrana (due to low salary) in bottom-6. So try to tune the 3rd and 4th lines and go at it again.

Defense? Orpik >> youngsters.

Orlov may go. No PK, no PP for him. Will ask for 3M or smth like that. Just get competent experienced Dman for that LD position. He's not helping.

If Ovi wasn't 30 already we could wait for Orlov to develop. But it's time for the last ALL IN in 2017. Bowey should be better stylistically. Faster, right handed, from Kelowna, much cheaper. That's it.

Schmidt should stay for another year at least.


PS: I don't see how trading Backstrom or Ovechkin will help. I don't think their play is poor. Opponent is paid to defend against them, and they're still our best line. It's not on them squarely.

 

[WcRoenick97]

"Unfortunately, that has been the Caps’ response to playoff losses since Biblical times, when they blew a two-game lead to the Pharisees."

 

[artilector]

Clearly some of the core needs to be moved cause they ain't cutting it.

I don't think so. There's nobody really questionable left. Backstrom... hard to find alternatives, and at his cap hit he's still at least a decent 2C. Ovi has brought it -- and moving him is almost a separate discussion, since it's the nuclear option.
Carlson, Alzner & Holtby are fine.
Kuz & Bura are still young and cheap, good luck finding a deal that makes you better.
Mojo, ok, but he somehow actually produced points these playoffs.

I would focus on making the team faster, more energetic. "Fast grit". Chimera (fast only in spurts), Williams, Richards, Winnik, etc -- try to replace with options with better legs.

Oshie & Beagle are also not fast enough, but you can make the argument that they make up for it with work-rate. (Williams looked like he could do it, too, but... I dunno).

Wilson... would like to keep somehow, but he also does not quite measure up (yet).

Could listen for some amazing deal on Backstrom/Kuz/Bura, but I think it would take a miracle to get back equivalent value.

 

[Capitlols]

Hard to imagine a hockey trade where we get fair value for Backstrom. Drouin plus plus? Trading him for anything other than a current star kills the rest of Ovie's prime and there are no unhappy stars needing a move that I can think of.

Well they can trade him for a young piece with years of control and go hard for someone like Stamkos.