Post-Game Talk: The Defending Champs vs the last team coached by Bruce Boudreau

[AlexBrovechkin8]

I didn't avoid giving my take. I said I didn't know. My initial thought was that he was beat up from the playoff run and was slow in recovering. I then thought that Orlov was getting used up so regularly in one on one situations that Niskanen was trying to do to much. They have both looked better recently to me.

Yes, this is a place where we can discuss even pie in the sky. Which means I can both post that its not going to happen, and it won't, and I can ask you who you give Niskanen's minutes to when he sits and if you care that they end up the 2nd seed as a result.

I gave you my answer on Niskanen’s minutes twice so I don’t feel the need to do it again but I care less about getting the 2nd seed than I do about trying to fix Niskanen.

 

[AlexBrovechkin8]

Well over the last 12 hours apparently Niskanen is no longer an NHL'er and Orlov is barely a step above
That's what I'm mostly referring to

While they've both had issues they'd be Top 4 on most every team but NSH
We've got 7 good D-men despite being in the bottom half of GA (I blame most of that on forwards not playing team D and the PK); we'll see how things tighten up between now and the playoffs
I think or GA will go down and PK% will rise (didn't we just finally get back to 80%?)

Am I in the Twilight Zone where Niskanen and Orlov had one bad game and people turned on them? Such a weird comment to make. Niskanen has been terrible all year. The eye test and the fancy stats both say so. Orlov has also been bad. This is not something new over the past 12 hours so stop painting a “panic button sky is falling” picture when there isn’t one. Niskanen and Orlov and their poor play have been atop the discussion list the entire season.

 

[VaCaps Fan]

Didn’t even feel like watching this last night because it’s one of those “meh” games.

 

[Calicaps]

I'd be in favor of resting Nisky a game or two. He's looked tired all season to me. I know a lot of folks here are saying he's lost a step/in decline and so on, but I am not ready to draw that conclusion yet. All of these guys have played more hockey in the past 12 months than ever in their lives, and some have just not bounced back as well as others. We'll see what happens when the real season starts.

 

[traparatus]

Didn’t even feel like watching this last night because it’s one of those “meh” games.

'One of those meh games' is the appropriate description for every single game in Minnesota Wild's history.

 

[txpd]

I gave you my answer on Niskanen’s minutes twice so I don’t feel the need to do it again but I care less about getting the 2nd seed than I do about trying to fix Niskanen.

You assume that rest will fix what you think is wrong with Niskanen.

 

[kicksavedave]

Well over the last 12 hours apparently Niskanen is no longer an NHL'er and Orlov is barely a step above
That's what I'm mostly referring to

While they've both had issues they'd be Top 4 on most every team but NSH
We've got 7 good D-men despite being in the bottom half of GA (I blame most of that on forwards not playing team D and the PK); we'll see how things tighten up between now and the playoffs
I think or GA will go down and PK% will rise (didn't we just finally get back to 80%?)

The PK was doing fantastic, lock down style, until TB blew threw us like ex lax through a goose. I think they were about 1 for 28 over the previous 8 or 10 games but TB went 4-7 in two games vs us. 1/4 and then 3/3

Just checked. Caps PK 78% in Jan, 82% in Feb, and 85% in March but that includes TB 4/7. Without TB Games Caps were 96% in March. Only 1 PPG allowed.

 

[Calicaps]

The PK was doing fantastic, lock down style, until TB blew threw us like ex lax through a goose. I think they were about 1 for 28 over the previous 8 or 10 games but TB went 4-7 in two games vs us. 1/4 and then 3/3

Just checked. Caps PK 78% in Jan, 82% in Feb, and 85% in March but that includes TB 4/7. Without TB Games Caps were 96% in March. Only 1 PPG allowed.

Tampa was 0/4 on the PP in the first game. They adjusted to the Caps PK and killed it in the second meeting. We will see if the Caps adjust in response.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

I was agreeing with you

Lol ok...

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

I gave you my answer on Niskanen’s minutes twice so I don’t feel the need to do it again but I care less about getting the 2nd seed than I do about trying to fix Niskanen.

What about fixing his partner? Is it an age thing? Seems to be a lot of hyper focus on 2.

He’d still be the 2nd D I’d like to have on the ice for us at a critical juncture of a game.

 

[AlexBrovechkin8]

You assume that rest will fix what you think is wrong with Niskanen.

I don't assume anything but I think it's worth a shot. It seems more likely to me that he's banged up than it does that he forgot how to play hockey.

 

[AlexBrovechkin8]

What about fixing his partner? Is it an age thing? Seems to be a lot of hyper focus on 2.

He’d still be the 2nd D I’d like to have on the ice for us at a critical juncture of a game.

Orlov has shown more signs of life to me recently than Niskanen. And Orlov's struggles seem to be more mental which you hope he just played through. Niskanen looks physically different to me. He is noticeably slower and struggles changing direction which is in part why he gets walked.

 

[txpd]

I don't assume anything but I think it's worth a shot. It seems more likely to me that he's banged up than it does that he forgot how to play hockey.

He's been off all season to one extent or another worse earlier than more recently. If its physical that has lingered all season, then its damage and not banged up and its not going to go away with a week off.

But I am on the outside and don't know boo. Reirden knows the real story and I will have to go with his call.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

Orlov has shown more signs of life to me recently than Niskanen. And Orlov's struggles seem to be more mental which you hope he just played through. Niskanen looks physically different to me. He is noticeably slower and struggles changing direction which is in part why he gets walked.

I’m not seeing it with Orlov.

 

[kicksavedave]

Tampa was 0/4 on the PP in the first game. They adjusted to the Caps PK and killed it in the second meeting. We will see if the Caps adjust in response.

Yep I misread the box score.

 

[txpd]

I have decided that the Warroad avatar wasn't going well. Gonna scratch and try a new one

 

[txpd]

I’m not seeing it with Orlov.

I think they both have had issues this season. I suspect they have effected each other. Ive seen them both improve. I have still have seen Orlov get used up one on one way more often than Niskanen.

 

[Raikkonen]

I have decided that the Warroad avatar wasn't going well. Gonna scratch and try a new one

Looks like Wilson doing Kuzy's celebration

 

[maacoshark]

You assume that rest will fix what you think is wrong with Niskanen.

What do you think will fix him? I'm not sure he can be fixed. We might have to accept that his better days are behind him.

 

[maacoshark]

I think they both have had issues this season. I suspect they have effected each other. Ive seen them both improve. I have still have seen Orlov get used up one on one way more often than Niskanen.

Agreed Orlov is getting beat one on one more often. Niskanen is getting beat in transition more often. Both have played poorly this season.

 

[txpd]

I don't think Niskanen is injured. I think he may be used up. There's a difference. It might be he is adjusting his game to his new reality. It might be that Orlov has messed him up. What is clear is that he is getting his ice time. The team appears again to be on its game and Niskanen is carrying his role.

 

[Langway]

It might be that Orlov has messed him up.

If anything, the limited WOWY data suggests that at least from a shot/shot attempt standpoint it's been the opposite. Granted, Orlov mostly has played with Carlson and Niskanen with Kempny when they were split up but Niskanen has put up worse shot/attempt rates when away from Orlov. It's largely why they've been kept together in the hopes that both just figure it out. They've both been bad and roughly IMO equally deserve blame for their seasons.

Niskanen has seemed increasingly passive and I still wonder if his hand injury isn't the reason why. This JR piece pretty well sums up the possibility that he may be shot as a strong possession defenseman and the timing seemingly coincides with that injury. He also blocked a Laine shot a couple weeks back with his hand and I'm sure has amassed a lot of wear and tear he's playing through. I don't think this is an Alzner level type situation just yet or that Jensen is altogether capable of replacing him for less than half the price. He could bounce back with some changes but of the two I'd probably bet on Orlov. He has shown some flashes of at least more engaged and effective attacking play in some of their more important games lately but the hiccups remain. Niskanen is still playing a fairly effective 22 minutes a night but also been found wanting recently in some of their biggest tests.

 

[txpd]

If anything, the limited WOWY data suggests that at least from a shot/shot attempt standpoint it's been the opposite. Granted, Orlov mostly has played with Carlson and Niskanen with Kempny when they were split up but Niskanen has put up worse shot/attempt rates when away from Orlov. It's largely why they've been kept together in the hopes that both just figure it out. They've both been bad and roughly IMO equally deserve blame for their seasons.

Niskanen has seemed increasingly passive and I still wonder if his hand injury isn't the reason why. This JR piece pretty well sums up the possibility that he may be shot as a strong possession defenseman and the timing seemingly coincides with that injury. He also blocked a Laine shot a couple weeks back with his hand and I'm sure has amassed a lot of wear and tear he's playing through. I don't think this is an Alzner level type situation just yet or that Jensen is altogether capable of replacing him for less than half the price. He could bounce back with some changes but of the two I'd probably bet on Orlov. He has shown some flashes of at least more engaged and effective attacking play in some of their more important games lately but the hiccups remain. Niskanen is still playing a fairly effective 22 minutes a night but also been found wanting recently in some of their biggest tests.

Frankly I have a hard time with that. Not the part of about the hand injury and the wear and tear, I can believe that he is worn out past the point of returning to his level of game. He is a puck moving defenseman who's game was altered to be a modern primary defensive defenseman. Niskanen became Alzner. That would shorten his shelf life.

What I struggling with is that Orlov seems totally unreliable on his own. Free puck decisions whether to chase or retreat. One on one defensive situations. One on one board battles. Not sure how those things show up in analytics.

Still the Caps are going to win or lose with Niskanen as the 2nd highest minutes player on the d and with the 4d missing an injury. Sounds like they are cooked.

If they don't it will be because Niskanen has spent all he has left.