What's Next for Washington?

[Fatty McLardy]

new coach, new gm, still same results. Its time to focus on blowing up that core. Get what you can for backstrom, ovi, and holtby.

yep, i think one of them gets traded if they lose this series, i'm leaning towards Backstrom.

 

[VoluntaryDom]

Carlson sucks and Orpik played more than Shattenkirk.

Yikes orpik

Carlson isn’t great defensively but “sucks” is a bit much. Below average sure. But it’s not like they don’t have any two way forwards. Backstrom Eller and Beagle are all fine defensively at the center spot

 

[Regal]

Well, I wouldn't give up on the series after 2 OT games, but even if they lose, the team still has 2 number 1 centers and the best goalscorer in the league. You don't blow that up in hopes that you get players as good in the future. The team has honestly never been as good as their regular season record. The defense has been better in recent years, but has never been great, and their forward depth has fluctuated. Keep trying to improve the defense, and hope that guys like Burakovsky and Vrana can figure it out. The Penguins toiled for a few years after their first cup until they added Kessel and found the right depth players and coach. I don't think an Ovechkin-Backstrom-Kuznetsov led team is destined to fail. They just need the right pieces around them. The only thing that might make sense would be if something like a Johansen for Jones type trade comes about for Kuznetsov, maybe you consider it to bolster the defense and change the team's strengths. But that was a pretty rare win, and you're more likely to end up with a Hall for Larsson type deal.

 

[General Disarray]

I'd try a 1 for 1 swap like how Nashville managed to trade Weber for a similar level D. Backstrom should definitely be the one on the way out.

 

[Machinehead]

Yikes orpik

Carlson isn’t great defensively but “sucks” is a bit much. Below average sure. But it’s not like they don’t have any two way forwards. Backstrom Eller and Beagle are all fine defensively at the center spot

He's an asset but he needs to be with a partner who's great defensively, not Orpik's fly infested corpse.

And I would never take him at the money he's going to make. The Caps could get two players all-around more effective for the same price.

 

[VoluntaryDom]

He's an asset but he needs to be with a partner who's great defensively, not Orpik's fly infested corpse.

And I would never take him at the money he's going to make. The Caps could get two players all-around more effective for the same price.

I agree Carlson is about to get overpaid. But hey rather that than Lucic or Eriksson

 

[Foppberg]

yep, i think one of them gets traded if they lose this series, i'm leaning towards Backstrom.

That would be absolutely horrible unless they got a Duchene type return.

 

[Regal]

He's an asset but he needs to be with a partner who's great defensively, not Orpik's fly infested corpse.

And I would never take him at the money he's going to make. The Caps could get two players all-around more effective for the same price.

The problem is finding those types of players though, which is why GMs usually end up extending players like Carlson.

In hindsight it might have been better for them to make a play with Vegas before the expansion draft to offer Carlson on name value for a pick and the agreement to not take Schmidt.

 

[CBJWerenski8]

Last I checked it takes 4 games to lose a series. So what's next for them is Game 3. They've outplayed Columbus most of the series, gotten most of the calls, and should/could have won both games as they were up by 2 goals multiple times. This could easily be 2-0 Washington. This story hasn't been written yet.

 

[Lukin1978]

Game 3 is my guess

 

[Dr John Carlson]

Just please don't trade Ovechkin. They sure as hell aren't going to be winning the Cup anytime soon, so they may as well keep Ovechkin so that the regular season remains enjoyable.

 

[maacoshark]

Maybe they should try icing a decent defense for the first time god damn ever.

Actually they were the top defensive team in the league last year. Big drop off this season. A lot of rookies in the lineup didn't help.

 

[maacoshark]

Carlson sucks and Orpik played more than Shattenkirk.

Carlson is only good in one zone. He actually is what Karlsson and Shattenkirk get accused of being.

Carlson isnt bad defensively. He is better than both Karlsson and Shattenkirk in the defensive zone. Especially Shattenkirk, what a bum. Caps problem is they dont have a shutdown dman and they had to dress some rookies.

 

[Machinehead]

Actually they were the top defensive team in the league last year. Big drop off this season. A lot of rookies in the lineup didn't help.

As in, they gave up the fewest goals?

Carlson isnt bad defensively. He is better than both Karlsson and Shattenkirk in the defensive zone. Especially Shattenkirk, what a bum. Caps problem is they dont have a shutdown dman and they had to dress some rookies.

Carlson couldn't find the defensive zone on a map. He makes Shattenkirk look like Hampus Lindholm.

 

[Robert]

What's next?

At least two more games, very likely more.

4 more max.... I'd bet on 2...

 

[maacoshark]

As in, they gave up the fewest goals?



Carlson couldn't find the defensive zone on a map. He makes Shattenkirk look like Hampus Lindholm.

Trust me I watch every Caps game and Shattenkirk was a total disaster when he was here. If Carlson is so bad defensively why has he always been paired against top lines and why has he always killed penalties. He is a solid dman

 

[Robert]

Last I checked it takes 4 games to lose a series. So what's next for them is Game 3. They've outplayed Columbus most of the series, gotten most of the calls, and should/could have won both games as they were up by 2 goals multiple times. This could easily be 2-0 Washington. This story hasn't been written yet.

Huh??? Columbus has dominated Washington with the exception of a few periods... Winning two games on the road overtime or not is not easy... You sell your team short dude...

 

[Filthy Dangles]

Trust me I watch every Caps game and Shattenkirk was a total disaster when he was here. If Carlson is so bad defensively why has he always been paired against top lines and why has he always killed penalties. He is a solid dman

Corsi.

 

[Machinehead]

Trust me I watch every Caps game and Shattenkirk was a total disaster when he was here. If Carlson is so bad defensively why has he always been paired against top lines and why has he always killed penalties. He is a solid dman

I don't know why coaches decide to put him out against top lines, but he sucks at it.

For every 53 shot attempts the Caps allow, they allow nearly 59 when Carlson is on the ice. For every 1.8 goals, they allow 2.24 with Carlson on the ice. Good defensive players don't give up significantly more shots and goals than their teammates. It's a concept as old as hockey itself.

It's not like Carlson plays out west, I've seen him play more than most of the current Rangers.

 

[maacoshark]

I don't know why coaches decide to put him out against top lines, but he sucks at it.

For every 53 shot attempts the Caps allow, they allow nearly 59 when Carlson is on the ice. For every 1.8 goals, they allow 2.24 with Carlson on the ice. Good defensive players don't give up significantly more shots and goals than their teammates. It's a concept as old as hockey itself.

It's not like Carlson plays out west, I've seen him play more than most of the current Rangers.

You guys and your fricken stats.Can you not read. I already stated that he matches up against top players. So of course they will give up more shots. He also kills penalties. These stats you posted are a joke. Its not likev a 3rd pairing dman that doesnt kill penalties and plays against bottom 6 forwards.
Everyone here throws out stats and they think they know something. The best way to judge a player ius to watch him play.

 

[Machinehead]

You guys and your fricken stats.Can you not read. I already stated that he matches up against top players. So of course they will give up more shots. He also kills penalties. These stats you posted are a joke. Its not likev a 3rd pairing dman that doesnt kill penalties and plays against bottom 6 forwards.
Everyone here throws out stats and they think they know something. The best way to judge a player ius to watch him play.

First of all, you don't just get murdered because you face top lines. That's not how it works.

Also, he doesn't. Niskanen faces way, way, way harder competition. Carlson faces below average competition. You "watch" so I figured you would know something like that, but I guess not.

 

[maacoshark]

Huh??? Columbus has dominated Washington with the exception of a few periods... Winning two games on the road overtime or not is not easy... You sell your team short dude...

Actually game 1 was pretty even. I'd say the Caps had a slight edge in play. Game 2 the Caps pretty much dominated the entire game. A couple bad penalties in both games and some mediocre goaltending. Starting Grubauer may have been a mistake.

 

[CBJWerenski8]

Huh??? Columbus has dominated Washington with the exception of a few periods... Winning two games on the road overtime or not is not easy... You sell your team short dude...

The Jackets have only dominated in both 2nd periods and OT of game 1. 3 periods of the 8.

I'm not selling them short. They're up 2-0. They're not going to sweep Washington though.

 

[NoName]

This gets asked every year. Assuming they lose this series and yet again do nothing in the playoffs, do the Capitals blow it up? Or do they tweak the core and try a different coach?

As long as OV jerseys continue to be top sellers it is hard to imagine moving him, especially since that massive contract of his would diminish the return (it isn’t as egregious as some, but it does hurt his value given his age) unless the Caps are willing to retain salary.

My bet is the switch around some of the complementary parts in the off-season and then play ok enough next year to make the playoffs where they get eliminated early... again.

The tanks are probably still at least one more year out.

 

[tntkid]

This series is not over yet and they could easily push it it six or seven games.

They had bad luck in past years always running into Pittsburgh and losing those series.