GDT: Sabres @ Capitals 7:00

[Halpysback*]

while that's funny, I don't think there is a lack of skill in the caps top 2 lines. not something that putting Kuznetsov there is going to fix without creating another problem.

which of 8-19-90-65 do you think is lacking in skill and needs to be removed?

Their top 2 lines have only 4 players? I think we may have a bigger problem on our hands

 

[Holtbyisms]

Their top 2 lines have only 4 players? I think we may have a bigger problem on our hands

 

[g00n]

that's what you see. I think if Trotz after watching the game and watching the game video saw that, there would be a lineup change. I am guessing he doesn't see it like you do.

My observations are my own. Trotz's are his. Neither of us have access to them.

But numbers-wise, Brouwer has 116 goals and 106 assists in 468 career games. He's about to turn 30. He's not going to find another gear. His peak was last year, imo.

 

[BackToTheBasics]

how did the caps score? they shot the puck at the net and it hit something and changed directions and went in. its why you shoot the puck at the net whenever you get a decent chance. they had more than enough shots for that to happen more than once. it didn't. buffalo got one of those things to happen in half the shots. that was the difference in the game.

that and Johansson didn't score on the breakaway

Alex Prewitt
‏@alex_prewitt
Trotz: "We threw enough pucks, but we need to be hungry around the net."

Trotz knows. I guess you agree that we didn't have enough traffic now.

 

[Halpysback*]

If we can pretend Brouwer does intangibly North American things then why not pretend that Beagle is Doug Gilmore and Holtby is Patrick Roy? Then we can follow it up by pretending the team coasts its way to a cup every year. Yay imaginationland!

 

[AlexBrovechkin8]

I have a weird feeling we see a trade soon.

 

[Coldplay619]

Ovi-Nicky-Wilson
Mojo-Bura-Kuz
Laich-Beagle-Ward
Chimera-Fehr-Brouwer

A **** sandwich is still a **** sandwich.

 

[Holtbyisms]

If we can pretend Brouwer does intangibly North American things then why not pretend that Beagle is Doug Gilmore and Holtby is Patrick Roy? Then we can follow it up by pretending the team coasts its way to a cup every year. Yay imaginationland!

Did you miss the part where Jay Beagle was the Star Track player of the night? He's got 4 points in 6 games.

 

[Holtbyisms]

I have a weird feeling we see a trade soon.

I hope it includes one (or all) of Chimera, Brouwer, Ward, Beagle and Laich.

Too bad Green took a crap tonight now we can't move him to upgrade the forwards. We have to hope and pray Orlov get's healthy soon or Jack the Glassman Hillen will be killing Schmidts corsi. lol

 

[BackToTheBasics]

Did you miss the part where Jay Beagle was the Star Track player of the night? He's got 4 points in 6 games.

Nice new avatar.

Correction: Beagle has 4 points in his last 7 games. Unacceptable.

 

[Capathetic]

Loved what Laich said about Ribiero on the radio this past week. "He couldn't lift the bar that holds the weights but mentally he can be one of the best along with his shiftiness"

Not every player on this team needs to be a grinder. Looking at you here Brouwer. Earn your top six spot with some goals...or even just not giving it away.

 

[KevinM]

Well watching Edmonton has me feeling better about our night

 

[Holtbyisms]

Ovi-Nicky-Wilson
Mojo-Bura-Kuz
Laich-Beagle-Ward
Chimera-Fehr-Brouwer

A **** sandwich is still a **** sandwich.

8-19-43
90-65-92
25-16-42
67-46-21

83 in the pressbox.

 

[g00n]

Ovechkin-Datsyuk-Kovalchuk
Mogilny-Fedorov-Bure
Kuznetsov-Yashin-Kovalev
Larianov-Zhamnov-Kozlov

Happy?

 

[Halpysback*]

Ovechkin-Datsyuk-Kovalchuk
Mogilny-Fedorov-Bure
Kuznetsov-Yashin-Kovalev
Larianov-Zhamnov-Kozlov

Happy?

Needs more Laich, Brouwer and Beagle grit or that roster doesn't win a single game.

Also Kuznetsov is a 4C. What the hell is he doing on 3LW

 

[Coldplay619]

Ovechkin-Datsyuk-Kovalchuk
Mogilny-Fedorov-Bure
Kuznetsov-Yashin-Kovalev
Larianov-Zhamnov-Kozlov

Happy?

Realistically I'd prefer

Ovi-Nicky-Wilson
Mojo-Vermette-Kuz
Laich-Bura-Wardo
Chimmer-Latta/Beags-Brouwer

We still need a 2C so bad.

Too many tweeners on this team.

 

[Holtbyisms]

Nice new avatar.

Correction: Beagle has 4 points in his last 7 games. Unacceptable.

Thanks, it felt appropriate after all my rage. True I forgot he was unfathomably held pointless tonight!

Loved what Laich said about Ribiero on the radio this past week. "He couldn't lift the bar that holds the weights but mentally he can be one of the best along with his shiftiness"

Not every player on this team needs to be a grinder. Looking at you here Brouwer. Earn your top six spot with some goals...or even just not giving it away.

Totally agree.

 

[bur and 666 others]

Personally I do think there's enough talent on team to score more than what we have.

I'm questioning the system at this point. We are almost 20 games into the season and we have lost in this fashion many many times. Trotz needs to look into other ways to creating some legitimate scoring chances.

I believe this system is only way to win in this league. With small rink, extremely skilled defense and goalies there is no much space, so to get any tiny chance, you need to work hard, like real hard. Nobody will seat back and admire your skill, they will make you earn any tiny inches, but it seems Caps aren't willing to earn them. Even our energy guys think they are skilled players in big rinks. As Trotz put it, they are trying to draw Picasso when their hands are tied.

Or be Detroit or Islanders and open up the space with speed which we can't do either since we don't have enough personnel for that.

 

[Holtbyisms]

Ovechkin-Datsyuk-Kovalchuk
Mogilny-Fedorov-Bure
Kuznetsov-Yashin-Kovalev
Larianov-Zhamnov-Kozlov

Happy?

No because Kuznetsov would still be in a unnatural position for him.

 

[tycoonheart]

I believe this system is only way to win in this league. With small rink, extremely skilled defense and goalies there is no much space, so to get any tiny chance, you need to work hard, like real hard. Nobody will seat back and admire your skill, they will make you earn any tiny inches, but it seems Caps aren't willing to earn them. Even our energy guys think they are skilled players in big rinks. As Trotz put it, they are trying to draw Picasso when their hands are tied.

Or be Detroit or Islanders and open up the space with speed which we can't do either since we don't have enough personnel for that.

I agree that its the way to win in the playoffs. Its essentially how LA plays.

I have no idea what the solution is other than trade a crap load of players or doing a complete new rebuild.

 

[g00n]

No because Kuznetsov would still be in a unnatural position for him.

lol I did that to see if anyone would notice and complain

LOOK AT THAT LINEUP WOULD YOU EVEN CARE! LLOOOOOL

 

[Holtbyisms]

lol I did that to see if anyone would notice and complain

LOOK AT THAT LINEUP WOULD YOU EVEN CARE! LLOOOOOL

Of course! If there's something to complain about it's going to happen. But yeah that lineup would never win with Trotz because there just simply isn't enough ice on the 4th line for all those guys to play.

 

[bur and 666 others]

I agree that its the way to win in the playoffs. Its essentially how LA plays.

I have no idea what the solution is other than trade a crap load of players or doing a complete new rebuild.

i don't know, probably don't panic. they do right things now and then, just need that on more consistent basis. now our opposition score on us easily, we need to be also tough to play against. it seems last few games Alzner and Carlson allowed the opposition to hang around our net, that will be fixed with time (i hope), other D was ok. so i except the D will get better with time, so the G. As for F, the message is sent what kind of F Trotz wants by giving Beagle, Ward and Chimmer more time. Hopefully they learn that too, at least Ovie is trying. Though Brouwer is frustrating to watch, he needs to be in front of the net. Really hope that Kuz will learn that too, now he plays very soft and perimeter hockey, he's constantly knocked out from the puck. Looks timid, avoiding contact and not battling for the puck. No confidence for creative play either. But he has a good coach, so hopefully he will learn

I think the idea is to learn the fundamentals and execute them perfecto, so after we will have a good team which will play the right way with some creativity since we have some skill on the team.

 

[Mickstix]

That was the epitomy of the Caps right there.. 40+ shots and only drew 1 PP in the process.. That tells you how "dangerous" the shots/chances really were.. They make every 2nd string goalie in the league look like he's challenging for the Vezina..

Just pathetic offensively once again.. What's that, 7 goals in 5 games? I think Trotz better get a grip on the system or the trade wire, cause these guys aren't getting the message that it takes screens and hard net presence to score goals.. (And what's with getting the equalizer only to send out the cycle line right after? It's no wonder they have no killer instinct.. Is Trotz scared they might wins some games or get a multi goal lead and ruin his system?)

And is anyone else tired of seeing Carlson standing there with his thumb up his ass on just about every goal?

The ****ing Sabres.. At home no less.. lol

 

[Dream Big]

What I didn't say is that Caps forwards need to be more defensively responsible. There's a difference between singling out an individual player for poor defense and saying an entire group needs to be better. Just because the Caps, as a team, have limited shots against doesn't mean that Kuznetsov is good in his own zone or that he deserves more ice time.

You also completely ignored the fact that your offensive viewings of him are suffering from confirmation bias.

You know there is a reason I read these posts?

"confirmation bias"

I never know there was an actual name for this.

So I learned something new. Not a total waste of time.

Thanks Hivemind or should I call you Borg?