GDT: Washington Capitals @ Calgary Flames, 19:00 MT (SN360)

[OvermanKingGainer]

Washington on a back to back after shellacking a bottom-feeder Edmonton team last night. Hopefully the Flames decide to play a more entertaining game than the tight-checking snooze-fests we've been playing this year that end up being decided by our sleepwalking special teams.

Expected lines:

Gaudreau-Monahan-Ferland
Tkachuk-Backlund-Frolik
Glass-Stajan-Brouwer
Bennett-Jankowski-Versteeg

Giordano-Hamilton
Brodie-Hamonic
Kulak-Stone

Smith


Ovechkin*-Kuznetsov* and Vrana (another 2014 draft scoring winger playing with stars that HF would tell you is better than Bennett)
Backstrom with TJ Oshie and somebody else
Lars Eller and some guy named Juice and somebody else
Alex Chiasson and some other 4th liners

A blue line that doesn't have Karl "overrated" Alzner anymore

Grubauer

*Honestly those two can beat us by themselves. We should learn from how they handled Kuznetov's development into a superstar and do this with Sam Bennett instead of being silly.

Click to read more...

 

[BigRangy]

The return of Chiasson?

Hopefully I can make it through the video tribute

 

[Johnny Hoxville]

Think Chiasson will get a video tribute?

 

[Mobiandi]

Can't wait to be chasing the game all night after the Caps put 2 up on us in the first 5 minutes

 

[OvermanKingGainer]

Hopefully I can make it through the video tribute

Do Flames fans really want to see a montage of Alex Chiasson going offside while Gaudreau is about to make something amazing happen?

 

[ThatHighGuy]

Hoping Brouwer gets 20+ minutes tonight

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

Used to be depressing to click into these GDTs to see GG refusing to put together competent lineups. Now it's more exciting, because you know his continued incompetence means he's closer and closer to getting fired.

Anybody else ever wonder if his irrational preference for garbage veterans has anything to do with him being insecure about being a younger coach?

 

[OvermanKingGainer]

Anybody else ever wonder if his irrational preference for garbage veterans has anything to do with him being insecure about being a younger coach?

IMO it's a combination of things:

- He simply doesn't familiarize himself with the roster's skillset. For instance he seems to think Jankowski is an offensive player who needs to be reminded to play defensively, when that's like, the opposite of what Jankowski is. He was surprised how good Backlund was when he got here, when us fans knew from day one how good Backlund is. Etc.

- Gulutzan has a preference for "winning puck battles" over "winning races".

- Coaches always irrationally favour veterans over youth

- Gulutzan being a players' coach has built an attachment to older guys like Stajan, Bartkowski, Versteeg, etc that he doesn't really have the fortitude to override until they screw up royally. Which, thanks to our goaltending, hasn't happened. He can scratch kids like Kulak because they're "easy" targets. They've never established themselves long enough to be complaining.

- He can't scratch Brouwer because we're probably trying to move him without giving up an important asset like Mangiapane, Kylington, or Jankowski

- He's implementing the same philosophies that Vancouver was with youth while he was there. They handled Horvat similarly with Vrbata so he thinks Bennett should be able to make it through that, except we're a much deeper team and it's costing Bennett opportunities more than it did Horvat on a bad Vancouver team. It's eerie, how much our prospect usage and line distribution resemble them, actually. The Sbisa / Bartkowski parallel is another one.

Overall, it's my opinion that Gulutzan's hand should be forced by cleaning out the trash and making the team one of the youngest in the league. That's on management.

 

[Mobiandi]

Might be the last Janko sighting for a while

 

[Ace Rimmer]

Do Flames fans really want to see a montage of Alex Chiasson going offside while Gaudreau is about to make something amazing happen?

I can't speak for everyone, but... YES!

It would be horrifyingly appropriate given Halloween and all.

 

[Bosnian Beast]

Who is playing for Washington tonight? All I saw was Ovechkin, Kuznetsov and Chiasson. The rest of what I assume was the lineup looked like a mess of words.

 

[Fig]

I saw snow today...

 

[Mr Snrub]

 

[Pirate King Luffy]

 

[JPeeper]

Washington hasn't even looked like their powerhouse regular season self this year, but I have a feeling the Flames will get absolutely dismantled tonight by them.

I have no confidence in the Flames scoring a goal, let alone 2, and I am fairly confident Ovy will get at least 1 if not 2 on the PP so good night sweet Flames.

Flames are only 5-6, but it honestly feels like we're 2-9 with how we've played. Smith is the only reason we're not with Arizona at the bottom of the league. Fire Gulutzan before it's too late and the season is lost.

 

[Johnny Hoxville]

Bennett is gonna get a hatty tonight, book it.

 

[MonyontheMoney]

Sorry OKG. My phone got stolen...

 

[Bounces R Way]

Went to the Red Rally yesterday to get some autographs. Watched the Flames practice and they honestly looked like a peewee team. Still couldn't complete a pass, dicked around the entire time, and generally looked like they couldn't be f***ed to practice with any sort of intensity. That's not how you improve and definitely shouldn't be how you prepare after losing a Friday home game to Kari Lehtonen. Some of that could be chalked up to the awkwardness of the fans being there but it was still discouraging. During their "work" on special teams time I actually wanted to boo them.

Hope I'm wrong and the team comes out focused and on the same page. Top pairing will need to be good tonight, Hamilton especially needs to make better decisions with the puck. Gully needs to institute a 3 pass or less policy in the O zone, no need to wait for something perfect to open up, throw it in the slot and then dig for a rebound. The way NHL teams collapse in front of their net these days you're just not going to get all that many prime perimeter chances. They badly need to simplify their game and start outworking teams like they did the last half of last season.

 

[Bladerunner]

Washington hasn't even looked like their powerhouse regular season self this year, but I have a feeling the Flames will get absolutely dismantled tonight by them.

I have no confidence in the Flames scoring a goal, let alone 2, and I am fairly confident Ovy will get at least 1 if not 2 on the PP so good night sweet Flames.

Flames are only 5-6, but it honestly feels like we're 2-9 with how we've played. Smith is the only reason we're not with Arizona at the bottom of the league. Fire Gulutzan before it's too late and the season is lost.

They're not as deep as last or previous seasons. Best dman is out, a top 6 F is out,... NB19 getting over some bug.

Given all that I'll be fine w/ 1pt tonite and happy with a W in reg or OT.

 

[AlexBrovechkin8]

Caps lines from last night:

Ovechkin-Kuznetsov-Smith-Pelly
Vrana-Backstrom-Oshie
Stephenson-Eller-Wilson
Peluso-Beagle-Chiasson

I imagine Walker will swap in for Peluso tonight given Peluso played 4 minutes and had 2 minors during that time.

 

[Johnny Hoxville]

Caps lines from last night:

Ovechkin-Kuznetsov-Smith-Pelly
Vrana-Backstrom-Oshie
Stephenson-Eller-Wilson
Peluso-Beagle-Chiasson

I imagine Walker will swap in for Peluso tonight given Peluso played 4 minutes and had 2 minors during that time.

How has DSP been? Always had a soft spot for him.

 

[SmellOfVictory]

We should learn from how they handled Kuznetov's development into a superstar and do this with Sam Bennett

Go back in time and have Bennett play in easier leagues for four years post-draft?

 

[Dr John Carlson]

How has DSP been? Always had a soft spot for him.

He's at least better than Chiasson.

 

[trv]

Go Flames!! I'm optimistic!

Until I'm not

 

[Tofveve]

Go Flames!! I'm optimistic!

Until I'm not

Me too.

Though I'm more often than not in "endless dog days of rebuild gloom" for the last few weeks.

Go Flams!