GDT: Sabres @ Capitals 7:00

[g00n]

Has he? He has 4 goals in his last 10 games. Ovechkin has 3.
Frankly, the issue in the top 6 is Burakovsky. He as 1 goal in the last 16 games. might be time to give Kuz that role

Stat abuse alert.

Mojo has gone completely cold in his last 5 games. Ovie has 3 goals and 2 GWG in his last 6 games. You extended your sample size back 10 games to include Mojo's hot spell and more of Ovechkin's cold spell. Which is more recent?

That entire 2nd line has gone cold. The 3rd hasn't been much better. Hell, they're all struggling.

Let's not polish this turd too much.

 

[txpd]

Stat abuse alert.

Mojo has gone completely cold in his last 5 games. Ovie has 3 goals and 2 GWG in his last 6 games. You extended your sample size back 10 games to include Mojo's hot spell and more of Ovechkin's cold spell. Which is more recent?

That entire 2nd line has gone cold. The 3rd hasn't been much better. Hell, they're all struggling.

Let's not polish this turd too much.

what are you seeing that I am not? in the past 6 games ovechkin has 3 goals and 4 points. in the same 6 games Johansson has 2 goals and 3 points.

is the difference in cold and not cold one goal? it was an awesome highlight reel goal, but you may have missed that the other 2 ovechkin goals were in a 4-2 win over Columbus where the other 2 goals were scored by Johansson

 

[g00n]

what are you seeing that I am not? in the past 6 games ovechkin has 3 goals and 4 points. in the same 6 games Johansson has 2 goals and 3 points.

is the difference in cold and not cold one goal? it was an awesome highlight reel goal, but you may have missed that the other 2 ovechkin goals were in a 4-2 win over Columbus where the other 2 goals were scored by Johansson

I already said they're all struggling. Some are struggling more than others. It's complete ******** to try and argue that Mojo hasn't gone cold by ignoring the last 5 games and including older stats that don't show the recent trend. At least Ovechkin has a more recent goal and has looked good at times on that top line. I haven't seen the same fire from Mojo that was there earlier when he was hot.

 

[txpd]

that's fine. I thought 90 put a number of good chances at the net vs buffalo but as I recall you said that didn't count. so...lets say he doesn't count and his assist on the one goal they scored doesn't count either.

ov has the one goal in the last 5 games. that's all. this started, iirc, because I said the caps needed more scoring from ovechkin.

lets put kuz in mojo's spot and see it if things get better. I am ok with that. I see that maybe 92 is gonna get a healthy scratch perhaps. lets scratch 90 instead and see if 92 can pick the team up.

 

[Raikkonen]

Even some more scratches shouldn't force Kuz to bolt to the KHL. He should understand by now that there isn't another factor in this situation other than his own decision.

So he either fights through it and becomes an NHL regular player (top-6 one) or not. The rest just doesn't matter.

His weaknesses are objective. His potential is too.

But first I want to see him healthy for a season.

 

[SDBondra]

Yeah, never been a big scifi guy

This is unimportant. You must read those books.

To add substance to the "net front presence" conversation, we basically need Tom Wilson or Joel Ward on every line right now. Our other "power forwards" either don't work hard enough in front of the net or just don't know how to properly screen/deflect pucks. Even Ward and Wilson are only average at this but they're the best we've got. Brouwer, Laich, and our rotating 4th line have all been really disappointing in this regard. We could use some Keith Jones/Steve Konowalchuk/Mike Knuble right now.

 

[txpd]

if there is a physical guy on each line there is no room for Kuz on the 1st or 2nd line

 

[KevinM]

Ovechkin is a physical guy

 

[RaindanceMaggie]

Just try Kuzzy on the top line. I'm willing to bet that Ovechkin will have more room and more scoring opportunities at 5on5 if you put Kuznetsov there.

 

[Capitlols]

Just try Kuzzy on the top line. I'm willing to bet that Ovechkin will have more room and more scoring opportunities at 5on5 if you put Kuznetsov there.

Ovechkin has had more room and scoring opportunities with Wilson, just not finishing.

 

[CapsJunkie]

Just try Kuzzy on the top line. I'm willing to bet that Ovechkin will have more room and more scoring opportunities at 5on5 if you put Kuznetsov there.

I agree

 

[MrGone]

There is no room in the top six to develop three rookies. Kuz is the odd man out for now. He has to get stronger if he is going to take Brouwer off the second line.

In a perfect world Mike Green will get traded for a young center prospect. Someone that can step in as a long term 3C and Kuz can play his wing. Cody Eakin would have been perfect.

 

[Ajax1995]

In a perfect world Mike Green will get traded for a young center prospect. Someone that can step in as a long term 3C and Kuz can play his wing. Cody Eakin would have been perfect.

I don't believe they are playing Kuznetsov at center because they feel they need to develop another skilled center organizationally and he is their best bet, I think they are doing this because they genuinely feel center will be his best position in the NHL.

IMO if they still had Eakin this would change nothing about how Kuznetsov was being used.

 

[Mickstix]

If Johannson can be an NHL top 6 winger, so can Kuznetsov.. Possessing the puck along the boards is the issue with Kuz being a wing, no? Well, he already possesses the puck much better then Mojo, along the boards and anywhere else on the ice..

We have Latta and Laich/Fehr/Beagle who can fill 3rd and 4th line C roles.. We really need "coach" to get his head out his ass and find a spot for Kuzy on the top 2 lines.. If we were scoring goals that would be one thing, but benching 2 of our better skills players for more grinders like O'Brien/Laich/Beagle just doesn't instill confidence in me..

I've been on the Trotz knows best bandwagon to this point, but the more I see the more I wonder if it wasn't a lack of scoring talent that made Nashville all D and no O..

 

[Devil Dancer]

If Johannson can be an NHL top 6 winger, so can Kuznetsov.. Possessing the puck along the boards is the issue with Kuz being a wing, no? Well, he already possesses the puck much better then Mojo, along the boards and anywhere else on the ice..

That's just blatantly wrong. Majo has made big strides in his board game, and is winning more board battles than he's losing these days. He's using his body to shield the puck much more than he used to, and it's been effective. It looks like he's learned something from 19, who also shields the puck well without playing a bruising game.

Kuzya, meanwhile, coughs up pucks fairly easily at this point in his development.

I'm dumbfounded that someone could prefer Kuzya's board game to Majo's right now. That's an indefensible position.

 

[Blades of Steel]

someone else start up a GDT for todays game