GDT: 151013 Sharks @ Capitals 4pm CSNCA

[Juxtaposer]

Just my two cents, but I think Burns has been on another planet defensively than he was last year. Perhaps he really did need a year to adjust back to being a defenseman.

 

[weastern bias]

lol eye m uh h8r

 

[Quid Pro Clowe]

http://www.sbnation.com/nhl/2015/10...ra-capitals-sharks-bench-joe-thornton-penalty

Chimera is a punk. Always has been.

 

[Gene Parmesan]

Just my two cents, but I think Burns has been on another planet defensively than he was last year. Perhaps he really did need a year to adjust back to being a defenseman.

Looks that way to me.

 

[do0glas]

Lol. 3v1 has no right move. Caps messed it up long before burns went to the ice. If one of the forwards would've slid in late maybe burns stays upright.

What should he have done there?

 

[hohosaregood]

Lol. 3v1 has no right move. Caps messed it up long before burns went to the ice. If one of the forwards would've slid in late maybe burns stays upright.

What should he have done there?

Hang out in the middle playing with his stick like his name was Joe Thornton

 

[Pinkfloyd]

Lol. 3v1 has no right move. Caps messed it up long before burns went to the ice. If one of the forwards would've slid in late maybe burns stays upright.

What should he have done there?

He took the best bet in that situation, plain and simple. He covers as much ice to cover passing lanes as he can and forced the puck-carrier to make a decision. If the puck carrier decides to delay to let Burns slide by, one he's going to have to make a pretty damn good play to avoid the poke check, and two he's going to have back-checkers in a decent position by the time he's ready to make a play.

 

[dwood16]

LOL, but honestly, we were told when they hired DeBoer by Devils fans and other hockey pundits here that his forechecking system especially can be exhaustive as the season goes on.

The one big thing I've noticed through 3 games is how well the players as a whole have executed DeBoer's system (forecheck, backcheck and neutral zone play). It will be interesting to see how they will they execute the system in February/March (i.e., the dog days of the season).

It's really early, but anyone see a parallel to the beginning of 08-09 (TMac's first season)? That team really executed TMac's puck possession style too, and won a ton of games and looked great doing it. Not sure if that parallel is a good thing or not though.

I'm a bit worried about the fatigue factor too. They've only played 3 games so far with plenty of rest in between but they already looked gassed today. Chalk it up to the first east coast game this year probably, but it's something to look out for.

And yeah, I thought of TMac's first year too, but I think that was less intentional and more that he couldn't fully implement his system so the players could play more freely at the time. It was also incredibly top heavy with no depth which is the complete opposite of what it is now. Maybe it's a similar effect now due to the fresh face behind the bench but I'll try and stay positive until proven otherwise.

The fatigue worry s a good point especially considering the team we root for. I hope that the coach can account for this by rolling the 4 lines more evenly in minutes which he seems to want to do. Plus, maybe just resting the stars every now and then with scratches. There are certainly enough guys that step in and play. Plus guys who can move into the top 6 on occasion. I think it's a good way to keep the guys in the AHL interested too. Bring guys up fairly frequently to fill in.

 

[stator]

Honestly, that 3-on-1 doesn't occur if Burns isn't horribly positioned

If we are going to be talking about being horribly positioned, we should first talk about the other defenseman missing on that play.

 

[dwood16]

Just my two cents, but I think Burns has been on another planet defensively than he was last year. Perhaps he really did need a year to adjust back to being a defenseman.

I agree. I was the one saying he is a wreck defensively in all the off-season threads too. In my defense, he was awful last season. Not sure you can go from awful to stellar from one season to the next but he has so far. AND if anyone can do something that weird, it's Burns.

 

[hockeyball]

Hey, maybe we'll win a Vezina and a Norris this year, we've never won either, so why not both at once

I'm joking, relax!

 

[do0glas]

We've had fatigue issues every season with tmac. Cycle play is just as hard if not harder over 82 games.

 

[weastern bias]

I should rephrase:

Burns didn't create the 3-on-1, yes I realize, I meant he created the "highlight play" by being out of position

If he's actually covering the slot there's a much more effective, if much less spectacular, standing stick play to be made

 

[NathanCouture]

We've had fatigue issues every season with tmac. Cycle play is just as hard if not harder over 82 games.

What's more draining, running the cycle or getting hemmed your own zone and playing D all the time? Both can tire you over an 82 game season, but one has the benefit of generating scoring opportunities which is fun at least.

 

[Pinkfloyd]

I should rephrase:

Burns didn't create the 3-on-1, yes I realize, I meant he created the "highlight play" by being out of position

If he's actually covering the slot there's a much more effective, if much less spectacular, standing stick play to be made

And opening the cross-ice pass in the process. If he's standing, he's leaving one of the two guys off the puck an easy passing lane.

 

[Timos Death Stare]

This standing up or down debate reminds me of Ron Wilson's insistence that players keep two hands on their sticks in the D zone.

 

[vilpertti]

Honestly, that 3-on-1 doesn't occur if Burns isn't horribly positioned

He then drops to the ice with a blind sweeping poke check that happens to find the puck and send it the other way

You've never supposed to drop to the ice in the D zone as a D man, it removes you from the play*; and if that check misses Jones is all alone with 3 Caps players storming in

Everyone is getting excited about the result, but it was an ugly, sloppy, poorly executed defensive play by Burns that he barely escaped; more often than not we will get scored on in that situation

I've wanted to hold off on my assessments of players until they've played at least, like, 5 games, but so far Burns has been the same dumpster fire he was last year

Paul Martin, however, is basically the two best defensemen on the team

* To be fair, Burns was already removed from the play, so maybe the rules are a little malleable here

lol.

What was the right play, on a 3 on 1, by these "rules" of defending?

 

[Reefer]

Great play. Lol at a 3v1 and that being a bad play. If you are defending a 3v1 and you alone stop it (despite any stupidity by other team) its a great play. Reaching to talk trash about Burns D.

Jones looks average at best. The kings were smart to get rid of him and get a stud in Lucic.

Oh its only 3 games?

 

[Bowie22]

welp

 

[Led Zappa]

First test of the new season

 

[hohosaregood]

So Hertl gonna be the 2C, Tierney is 3C, and Smith is 4C. Silver lining I guess :/

 

[rangerssharks414]

I dozed off right before the third period started. It was nice waking up to another shutout.