GDT: Sabres @ Capitals 7:00

txpd

Registered User
Jan 25, 2003
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New Bern, NC
Brouwer scored a lot more when he was paired with Rebeiro. No Ribeiro and no goals. :(

Laich is right about Rebeiro's shiftiness. He was one of our best # 2 c's.

didn't brouwer score 25 last season while ribeiro was in phoenix? he has 5 now. 20 goal pace. do you expect more?
 

txpd

Registered User
Jan 25, 2003
69,649
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New Bern, NC
You don't have to be a Knuble or Avery standing in front of the goaltender waiting to create a deflection to provide presence/traffic around the net, force/funnel play that direction and GO to the high scoring areas looking for rebounds. ANY player can do that.

Trotz:



Screens and rebounds both. The Caps have been a team where everyone, even the "grinders" try to play a cycle game for a bit and then maybe get some kind of drive-by shot off. Few guys want to go to the net and crash hard, or fight for rebounds. The forwards don't all have to park it there, but they should almost always end up there.

And it seems to me Trotz's system will not work without that kind of funneling of effort and presence toward the net. Ovechkin, Backstrom, Mojo, Kuz, Bura...all those guys are perfectly capable of getting close and hawking rebounds or passes. But instead everyone wants a one-timer or a clear lane to skate to the high slot. Those aren't bad, but your offense is one-dimensional and the goalie can front you pretty easily if that's all you do.

I think this would all be better if the caps best goal scorer were scoring like he should be. when he is cold everything else seems to get magnified
 

Capathetic

Registered User
May 26, 2011
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I think this would all be better if the caps best goal scorer were scoring like he should be. when he is cold everything else seems to get magnified

That and the secondary scoring really has dried up.

Green-hurt now but hadn't hit the net in some time. Niskanen got a great look at the end of the game on a sauce pass Green prob scores on though.
Burakovsky- young and we knew he would hit a wall at some point. Still love his future but ATM production isn't there.
Brouwer-not enough power plays of late for him to pad his goal stats. TB also has a habit of picking up his play late in the season.
Mojo-he's a pass first player trying to force it by a goalie right now. However looking good all around.

The Caps are relying on some very young skill guys to produce in a defensive system while being under a microscope for their defense.


I like the lineup. However they need a veteran scorer who doesn't need to get his goals standing in front on the power play while teams are afraid of Ovechkin. Fehr shows game breaking ability but something in his game limits his ice time to the staff.

Make a decent trade or unleash Kuznetsov.
 

g00n

Retired Global Mod
Nov 22, 2007
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I'm not panicking and I'm being serious, I think Ward would flourish on the second line a lot more than Brouwer has. He's a better player all-around, a monster along the boards and won't kill the cycle, he's a good role player that knows his place on whatever line he plays on, and his shot is every bit as good if not better than Brouwer's. Haven't seen anything in Brouwer's play to indicate that he's untouchable in that 2RW slot and if it doesn't work just put the old lines back together. Low-risk, medium-reward move if you ask me.

It was a joke. I guess you've never seen/read Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy.
 

g00n

Retired Global Mod
Nov 22, 2007
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14,291
didn't brouwer score 25 last season while ribeiro was in phoenix? he has 5 now. 20 goal pace. do you expect more?



Half of Ovie's goals, half of Brouwer's goals, 6 of Mojo's paltry 8 goals, and 2/3 of Backstrom's assists were on the PP last year. This is a team that relies on the power play goals for its stars.

Brouwer is not the guy to turn that around. And his "20 goal pace" is almost entirely the product of one good stat week at the beginning of November.
 

txpd

Registered User
Jan 25, 2003
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New Bern, NC
I'm not sure when management will realize that we are a one line team and will continue to live & die by them.

on the face of it that doesn't appear to be accurate. the caps leading goal scorer is Ov with 9 on one line. Johansson is tied for second with 8 on another line. Ward is tied for 2nd on a 3rd line. most teams struggle when their primary scoring is struggling.

In the past 16 games Ov had 4 goals in just 3 games. Johansson has 7 goals in 6 of those 16 games.
 

Holtbyisms

Matt Irwin is a legit talent
Jul 1, 2012
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Bedford, PA
Make a decent trade or unleash Kuznetsov.

This. I mean it's clear were lacking something offensively... You have a offensive dynamo playing 4th line center. Move him up and see if he injects a little life into the offense. Worst thing that happens is he's terrible and can move back down and continue whatever this ridiculous learning is. It's basically a risk free possible upgrade to your top 6.
 

DanTHEMan71

Registered User
Feb 23, 2010
437
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I knew this would be the problem long before the season even started.

We haven't had consistent secondary scoring since we let Semin walk. And by consistent I mean having someone other than OV that is fully expected to score 25-30 goals.

Brouwer, Ward, and Mojo are all guys that aren't really expected to consistently put up 25-30 goals a year. Kuz isn't there yet either.

We've kept bleeding out our offensive depth every year since the Montreal series. We've ditched all our veteran secondary scorers for grinders and developing youngsters. OV can't carry this team like he used to. We need the other fwd lines to be dangerous too, and with the current lineup they aren't.

Seriously, all we had to do in the summer is use our compliance buy-out on Laich and then sign Vrbata or some other LEGITIMATE scorer for $5M. We could've done that AND still signed Nisky and Orpik.

But once again, management seems to not care about wasting another year of OV/Backstrom by making them carry the team with no secondary support.

And it's not even funny that Laich is injured again. It's a sick joke that we kept him. Nice guy tho.
 

Chukcha

Registered User
Aug 24, 2011
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mongolian steppes
Just have watched the game. This *****ing quality of ice surface kills us. It looks like a clear sabotage act from Verizon owners and employees. What the hell doesn't allow them to make better ice? It's laughable but better for our fast and skilled team to play on the road because there is everywhere better ice surface than in Verizon. Pathetic four home wins due to that. Absolutely outrageous.
 

Hivemind

We're Touched
Oct 8, 2010
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Multipurpose arena (there was even a basketball game in the afternoon at VC) in a humid area. Not a recipe for good ice. MSG, Wells Fargo, etc. also have bad ice for the same reasons.
 

Capathetic

Registered User
May 26, 2011
3,338
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This. I mean it's clear were lacking something offensively... You have a offensive dynamo playing 4th line center. Move him up and see if he injects a little life into the offense. Worst thing that happens is he's terrible and can move back down and continue whatever this ridiculous learning is. It's basically a risk free possible upgrade to your top 6.

The lack of power plays is certainly helping but IMO they would've scored more than one with EK in the top six last night.
 

Raikkonen

Dumb guy
Aug 19, 2009
10,715
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Glad you had a good time. I recall being that age in my OWN arena (U.S. air) and a Penguin tailgater trying to rip my Bondra Jersey off after a game and my father getting into it with them in the parking lot... Thankful we've taken our home ice back since those days and have become a fairly classy place to go.

Went to the Pens-Flyers playoff game in 2012 in Caps gear. Someone offered my friend to waste me for sandwich :P
 

Devil Dancer

Registered User
Jan 21, 2006
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I'm not why Kuztnetsov is getting shafted. I mean it took a long time to get hime over here, let's not try and entice him to go back.

GMGM talked him up a lot, but that doesn't mean the current management team loves him. :dunno:

In Kuzy I see a guy who's pretty weak on the puck and who makes questionable decisions, but he also creates offense out of thin air. Put I'd try him at 1RW or 2RW for at least a game or two.

He looks kind of like Majo under Oates.
 

CapsJunkie

Beaglchuck scores
May 3, 2014
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You realize Orlov is on LTIR, right? :laugh:
Yes. But wasn't he cleared to practice with the team way back at season opener? And pictures with other Russian players make me believe that he has been traveling with the team. I could be wrong, but that's usually what you do with a player that's ready to go but don't have the cap space to play him. Just don't trust Trotz right now after Kuzzy and Radulov
 

Hivemind

We're Touched
Oct 8, 2010
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Yes. But wasn't he cleared to practice with the team way back at season opener? And pictures with other Russian players make me believe that he has been traveling with the team. I could be wrong, but that's usually what you do with a player that's ready to go but don't have the cap space to play him. Just don't trust Trotz right now after Kuzzy and Radulov

He's rehabbing his wrist. He can practice since there isn't really any risk of further injury, but he's still working on the strength and range of motion.
 

Atlas

Registered User
Sep 7, 2004
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I have to say that the Caps are giving an honest effort game after game. I have to go back to the Kelly Miller/Mark Tinordi days or earlier to find a Caps team that played so consistently hard and did what they were supposed to do.

Our problem is just that we lack talent, especially at forward.

Wilson is not demonstrating any skill with the puck (but that line might work anyway because he crushes guys). Majo is back to his mediocre ways. Brouwer isn't a top 6 winger. The 3rd line has no O to speak of.

I actually think Kuznetzov is going to figure things out soon—he has tremendous skill but he needs good linemates to open up some ice for him. If he keeps working and keeps a good attitude I think he's going to be a star player. Fehr at wing on the 4th line is perfect.

So, we need to add a skilled winger and another center in the near term. Maybe Kuzy is the C. Who is the best available winger out there? Who could we get for Green, Brouwer and a middlin' prospect?
 

Dream Big

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Jun 10, 2005
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didn't brouwer score 25 last season while ribeiro was in phoenix? he has 5 now. 20 goal pace. do you expect more?

Brouwer had 12 even strength goals in 47 games the season Ribeiro was here. Last season he had 13 even strength goals in 82 games.

Ribs had 36 assists in 48 games that year.

Just saying.
 

Dream Big

Registered User
Jun 10, 2005
5,337
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Axis Mundi
I have to say that the Caps are giving an honest effort game after game. I have to go back to the Kelly Miller/Mark Tinordi days or earlier to find a Caps team that played so consistently hard and did what they were supposed to do.

Our problem is just that we lack talent, especially at forward.

Wilson is not demonstrating any skill with the puck (but that line might work anyway because he crushes guys). Majo is back to his mediocre ways. Brouwer isn't a top 6 winger. The 3rd line has no O to speak of.

I actually think Kuznetzov is going to figure things out soon—he has tremendous skill but he needs good linemates to open up some ice for him. If he keeps working and keeps a good attitude I think he's going to be a star player. Fehr at wing on the 4th line is perfect.

So, we need to add a skilled winger and another center in the near term. Maybe Kuzy is the C. Who is the best available winger out there? Who could we get for Green, Brouwer and a middlin' prospect?

For winger I'd like someone like Marian Hossa but that's not going to happen. I keep going back to Evander Kane but don't know if he comes with issues.

Centre has me stumped. I'm sure the scouting staff are on it.
 

txpd

Registered User
Jan 25, 2003
69,649
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New Bern, NC
I like the lineup. However they need a veteran scorer who doesn't need to get his goals standing in front on the power play while teams are afraid of Ovechkin. Fehr shows game breaking ability but something in his game limits his ice time to the staff.

Make a decent trade or unleash Kuznetsov.

If you listen to Trotz what they need is a player consistently going to the front of the net and wanting and willing to do the work to get those second and third chance shots. after 44 shots on goal and 1 goal, I would tend to agree with that. the caps weren't short on snipe v buffalo. they were short on rebound scoring.

Kuz ain't that guy. Brining back Matty P or Semin ain't that guy. brouwer and ward are that guy and need to step up. I can give Wilson time to grow up before saying he's not getting the job done. Isn't Ovechkin big enough to fight in tight for rebounds and loose pucks when the team is desperate?

this takes me back to asking about their leading scorer. when the caps need a goal. when they are desperate for a goal. are we really going to bash chimera or brouwer for not scoring it when they have the best goal scorer of his generation and he's not scoring?
 

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