Post-Game Talk: Sens @ Caps, 7PM

[g00n]

I'm not so sure I buy that. In 10 years has there ever been one bad word spoken about Ovie by anyone associated with the team? Former players (like Brouwer) ripped other guys on the team (like Semin) on their way out so you figure by now there would have been at least some negative musings about Ovie from former teammates, coaches, or management, but I'm not really aware of anything.

Not parting shots, no. But as the ship was sinking they all started to call out the stars or "country club" atmosphere. A lot of it comes from post-game comments rather than post-firing tirades. Hanlon regretted not making Ovie more defensively responsible by way of PKing. Ovie was benched by BB and Ovie responded poorly to that. There was often talk about the players not doing what they were supposed to do, especially from Oates. Some talked about culture and made indirect references to lazy stars or players not taking things seriously enough. They all began pointing fingers toward the end.

I imagine a nice severance package then stops all such complaints.

 

[Lindemann]

Trotz is never wrong in own his eyes

And that’s why he will be gone sooner rather than later

How do you expect our team to lead themselves if their own coach is a terrible example of a leader?

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

It's what I do, m8. I read people all day. People tell a lot more about what they think and mean with inflection, body language, implication, omission, and so forth than the actual text of what they say.

Doesn't mean you're right. Anyway...Trotz may want to blame some players, but being honest about Ovy and his lack of chemistry issues in his career doesn't feel like an attack today, to me.

 

[twabby]

I still look back to his comments in the offseason downplaying and basically laughing at the notion that the players take their postseason failures to heart. It shows a huge disconnect between him and the players.

I’m not the biggest proponent of intangibles as many of you know, but that seems like a fundamentally broken relationship.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

I'm not so sure I buy that. In 10 years has there ever been one bad word spoken about Ovie by anyone associated with the team? Former players (like Brouwer) ripped other guys on the team (like Semin) on their way out so you figure by now there would have been at least some negative musings about Ovie from former teammates, coaches, or management, but I'm not really aware of anything.

I've seen comments like "on the ice, Ovy is all in".....does that mean off the ice he's not? Time will tell.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

I still look back to his comments in the offseason downplaying and basically laughing at the notion that the players take their postseason failures to heart. It shows a huge disconnect between him and the players.

I’m not the biggest proponent of intangibles as many of you know, but that seems like a fundamentally broken relationship.

Where are those comments? I've seen ones where he talks about postseason hangovers...which would lead me to believe he DOES believe that players take the losses to heart. Seems like a direct conflict.

 

[brachyrynchos]

Trotz is correct in saying what he said. I don't agree with much else that he says, but on this, he's right. Ovechkin is so set in his ways, that by now, he is what he is. He does not lead by example, he doesn't make sacrifices for the team, he doesn't give 100%. You want a 'hot take'? Last month at practice, when Trotz had his stopwatch out with Ovechkin skating in the neutral zone, it was to prove how much slower he is skating back to our own end, than skating into the offensive end. This is the problem when you make someone the face of the franchise, the captain, the focal point of the team that isn't capable of success, and isn't held accountable for failure. He's a great goal scorer, just not a leader.

 

[um]

Trotz is correct in saying what he said. I don't agree with much else that he says, but on this, he's right. Ovechkin is so set in his ways, that by now, he is what he is. He does not lead by example, he doesn't make sacrifices for the team, he doesn't give 100%. You want a 'hot take'? Last month at practice, when Trotz had his stopwatch out with Ovechkin skating in the neutral zone, it was to prove how much slower he is skating back to our own end, than skating into the offensive end. This is the problem when you make someone the face of the franchise, the captain, the focal point of the team that isn't capable of success, and isn't held accountable for failure. He's a great goal scorer, just not a leader.

Trotz didn't say any of that... what are you smoking.

 

[brachyrynchos]

Trotz is correct in saying what he said. I don't agree with much else that he says, but on this, he's right. Ovechkin is so set in his ways, that by now, he is what he is. He does not lead by example, he doesn't make sacrifices for the team, he doesn't give 100%. You want a 'hot take'? Last month at practice, when Trotz had his stopwatch out with Ovechkin skating in the neutral zone, it was to prove how much slower he is skating back to our own end, than skating into the offensive end. This is the problem when you make someone the face of the franchise, the captain, the focal point of the team that isn't capable of success, and isn't held accountable for failure. He's a great goal scorer, just not a leader.

Afghan kush.

 

[AtNightWeFly]

This is a team! Instead of aiming at one player what's his excuse for the rest of the team sucking?
Everyone looks like shit. Are they all difficult to work with? What about the Preds? Were all of them difficult too? They got better when they got a coach that's not from the Cretaceous Period.



This game will be super uncomfortable. I'll be watching of course.

 

[trick9]

Seems like the countdown has started.

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

This is a team! Instead of aiming at one player what's his excuse for the rest of the team sucking?
Everyone looks like ****. Are they all difficult to work with? What about the Preds? Were all of them difficult too? They got better when they got a coach that's not from the Cretaceous Period.



This game will be super uncomfortable. I'll be watching of course.

I don't agree with everything you said but your way of saying things makes me laugh. Cretaceous Period

 

[Dr John Carlson]

I'd love to be able to pick Justin Williams' brain regarding his time in Washington. He's been on enough Cup-quality teams that I feel he, more than anyone, would be the most honest about what goes on in this team's locker room.

 

[maacoshark]

Trotz on Ovi: "Alex Ovechkin is a difficult player to play with."

Strong words from the coach.

What does he mean by that?

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

What does he mean by that?

Read the RMNB article, it has the full quote:

Barry Trotz: Alex Ovechkin is 'a difficult player to play with'

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

I'd love to be able to pick Justin Williams' brain regarding his time in Washington. He's been on enough Cup-quality teams that I feel he, more than anyone, would be the most honest about what goes on in this team's locker room.

Things have changed a lot since Williams' departure. I'm not sure if his view of the team is still relevant.

 

[Dr John Carlson]

Things have changed a lot since Williams' departure. I'm not sure if his view of the team is still relevant.

He was on the team when his view was most relevant (when they were actual Cup contenders).

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

He was on the team when his view was most relevant (when they were actual Cup contenders).

Sure, but he isn't here now that the team is falling apart. The mood of a .500 team is probably a lot different than the mood of a President's Trophy winning team. How would he know about the team's current state?

 

[maacoshark]

Things have changed a lot since Williams' departure. I'm not sure if his view of the team is still relevant.

Read the RMNB article, it has the full quote:

Barry Trotz: Alex Ovechkin is 'a difficult player to play with'

I think people looking too much into the quote made by Trotz. He isn't throwing Ovi under the bus at all. He is stating a fact. Just saying its hard for players to get chemistry with him. Having said that, then why isn't he reuniting him with Backstrom since those 2 did have a lot if chemistry. Might help both players get out of slumps.

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

I think people looking too much into the quote made by Trotz. He isn't throwing Ovi under the bus at all. He is stating a fact. Just saying its hard for players to get chemistry with him. Having said that, then why isn't he reuniting him with Backstrom since those 2 did have a lot if chemistry. Might help both players get out of slumps.

You said it yourself. He doesn't want to reunite them and he refuses to justify why he won't do it. "Because I feel like it." isn't a proper answer. A few days later, he explains how Ovi is a difficult player to play with. There is something behind these quotes.

 

[Dr John Carlson]

Sure, but he isn't here now that the team is falling apart. The mood of a .500 team is probably a lot different than the mood of a President's Trophy winning team. How would he know about the team's current state?

What I mean is that I don't really care that much about knowing why they suck right now, since it's not that hard to see why: a lot of their best players are past their prime and they don't have any depth to make up for that fact.

I want to know why they suck when it matters most.

 

[g00n]

What do people think "throwing under the bus" means? It doesn't mean "lying". It can be telling the truth. The things we say are not always wise or without ulterior motive simply because they're true.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

I'd love to be able to pick Justin Williams' brain regarding his time in Washington. He's been on enough Cup-quality teams that I feel he, more than anyone, would be the most honest about what goes on in this team's locker room.

Yep me too....

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

What do people think "throwing under the bus" means? It doesn't mean "lying". It can be telling the truth. The things we say are not always wise or without ulterior motive simply because they're true.

And telling the truth isn’t always throwing someone under the bus, sometimes it’s just being honest.

 

[g00n]

And telling the truth isn’t always throwing someone under the bus, sometimes it’s just being honest.

IMO responding to questions about a struggling team by calling players difficult, discussing their playing history including international tournaments, and saying they're hard to find chemistry with is a pretty negative thing to say. IMO that's throwing a guy under the bus. Even if he deserves the criticism, as a coach you're offering up your player instead of taking responsibility as the leader. And given that the player in question is the Captain, it's almost like leader-on-leader violence lol.

Great leaders take ownership even when someone under them screws up. They don't undermine the trust and confidence of their charges by publicly criticizing them ...unless that leader is SO respected as a warrior in the trenches that he can do so and still retain that respect, AND he's almost 100% certain that's the only way to get the job done.