Speculation: Acq./Rost. Bldg./Cap/Lines etc. Part LXVI (Win Harder, Boys)

[Ovechkins Wodka]

Shattenkirk?

Maybe Vlasic, if for some reason the Sharks wanted to hit the reset button.

Maybe Chara but don't see Boston moving him

 

[895]

Chara is a shell of his former self.

Shattenkirk is not superior to Carlson enough (if at all?) to justify the assets to get him.

Vlasic would be great but I don't think the Sharks can sell without owning their first pick.

Realistically speaking the best options on the market are Byfuglien and Hamhuis. Both of them have significant flaws.


Off the wall offseason idea: Shea Weber. Weber's in decline and his contract is going to look terrible in a few years so I can see Nashville moving him now while he has value. The Preds have so much depth on D they can lose Weber and Jones and still have a great defense with Josi, Ekholm and Ellis.

 

[PB12]

What i want to see is a great defenseman and a low 3rd line-high 4th line wing. Someone who can slip in if someone is struggling.

 

[NobodyBeatsTheWiz]

Shattenkirk?

Maybe Vlasic, if for some reason the Sharks wanted to hit the reset button.

Meh. Neither excites me. I want an all-situations 30 minute type of guy.

Otherwise, just build the depth.

 

[Hivemind]

Meh. Neither excites me. I want an all-situations 30 minute type of guy.

Vlasic is an all-situations 30 minute type of guy. He's a better version of Karl Alzner that doesn't look out of place on the powerplay (and his scoring in general has spiked this year). Even defensively he's superior. Alzner can handle touch match-ups, but largely treads water in them (both with Carlson and Niskanen as his partner). Vlasic takes actually comes out as a positive player getting those same shutdown and defensive zone match-ups.

He's also not available. I'd put money that he's the last player the Sharks would move if they go full rebuild.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

Why are we talking about hits totals like it's 1993?

Forget hits. Orpik is a physical defenseman who stands players up at the blueline and clears the crease. His job is not to generate offense so his possession stats are not going to be good. The players and coaches have talked about how much of a hard worker and leader he is. He has obviously been a big part of the rejuvenation of this team following the Oates debacle and GMGM's unwillingness to stock the blueline with top tier DEFENSIVE players.

It's beyond comprehension that any Caps fan is questioning this timeline, or the value of that kind of player, when this prototypical top pair stay at home d-man has been so obviously missing from the roster since the Cup finals team.

Last year the consensus was he was WORTH EVERY PENNY. If Orpik is healthy he's the clear #1D and a team leader to boot.

Very well said!

 

[Ovechkins Wodka]

I can't remember the last time the caps had a game in a middle of a snow storm, do you think we could move the game time?

 

[NobodyBeatsTheWiz]

Vlasic is an all-situations 30 minute type of guy. He's a better version of Karl Alzner that doesn't look out of place on the powerplay (and his scoring in general has spiked this year). Even defensively he's superior. Alzner can handle touch match-ups, but largely treads water in them (both with Carlson and Niskanen as his partner). Vlasic takes actually comes out as a positive player getting those same shutdown and defensive zone match-ups.

He's also not available. I'd put money that he's the last player the Sharks would move if they go full rebuild.

He's really not. Never scored double digit goals or 40+ points. If that guy is on your PP, you don't have good PP personnel.

 

[ChibiPooky]

Nate Schmidt is a top pairing defenseman. Alzner and Niskanen have been taking the shutdown minutes, while Schmidt and Carlson were taking the other tough minutes.

If the Caps acquire another defenseman and Orpik comes back, I'd bet on Orlov to be the scratch. His game is very risky for a playoff mentality.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

I can't remember the last time the caps had a game in a middle of a snow storm, do you think we could move the game time?

I believe the last was a Pens game....

 

[Ovechkins Wodka]

Nate Schmidt is a top pairing defenseman. Alzner and Niskanen have been taking the shutdown minutes, while Schmidt and Carlson were taking the other tough minutes.

If the Caps acquire another defenseman and Orpik comes back, I'd bet on Orlov to be the scratch. His game is very risky for a playoff mentality.

Wow
I have Orlov as our 4/5 when every one is healthy he has a huge shot and can hit, and is still getting better

Carlson
Niskanen
Alzner
Orlov
Oripk (seeing what he has left in the tank, could be way higher)
Schmidt

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

I believe the last was a Pens game....

Last year against Buffalo, Verizon Center was empty, there was like 5000 fans at most

 

[Hivemind]

I don't know how anyone could have Orlov above Schmidt on their depth chart. Schmidt has proven himself a legitimate top 4 player, while Orlov is the same high risk/high reward player he's always been. This team is a favorite in just about any match-up in the east. No reason to play a high variance player like Orlov if you have a superior alternative. Schmidt is simply a better player at this point. You could even make a case for Chorney above Orlov.

He's really not. Never scored double digit goals or 40+ points. If that guy is on your PP, you don't have good PP personnel.

Vlasic only started seeing significant PP time last season. The Sharks have the 6th ranked PP in the league so far this season, the 6th ranked PP in the league last season, and are 5th with those two seasons aggregated together. The season before that (when Vlasic was getting <1:00/game on the PP), they were 19th.

This year, where Vlasic is getting, by far, the most PP time of his career, his numbers have skyrocketed. With only 41GP, he's already topped his career high in points, and is two away from his goals. He's on pace for 13G and 46P. Now that he's finally being awarded a real chance on the Sharks PP (a tough proposition on a team that's had Burns and Boyle for so long), he's shining.

He's one of the best 20 defensemen in the league, and he's only 28. He'd instantly become our new #1 defenseman (yes, better than Carlson). You're crazy if you wouldn't get excited at the concept of Vlasic on this team.

 

[Carlzner]

I believe the last was a Pens game....

That was an incredible game.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

Last year against Buffalo, Verizon Center was empty, there was like 5000 fans at most

I was thinking big storm....

 

[PucksInDeep]

I don't know how anyone could have Orlov above Schmidt on their depth chart. Schmidt has proven himself a legitimate top 4 player, while Orlov is the same high risk/high reward player he's always been. This team is a favorite in just about any match-up in the east. No reason to play a high variance player like Orlov if you have a superior alternative. Schmidt is simply a better player at this point. You could even make a case for Chorney above Orlov.

Vlasic only started seeing significant PP time last season. The Sharks have the 6th ranked PP in the league so far this season, the 6th ranked PP in the league last season, and are 5th with those two seasons aggregated together. The season before that (when Vlasic was getting <1:00/game on the PP), they were 19th.

This year, where Vlasic is getting, by far, the most PP time of his career, his numbers have skyrocketed. With only 41GP, he's already topped his career high in points, and is two away from his goals. He's on pace for 13G and 46P. Now that he's finally being awarded a real chance on the Sharks PP (a tough proposition on a team that's had Burns and Boyle for so long), he's shining.

He's one of the best 20 defensemen in the league, and he's only 28. He'd instantly become our new #1 defenseman (yes, better than Carlson). You're crazy if you wouldn't get excited at the concept of Vlasic on this team.

I agree with Schmidt - I think he might be the eventual Orpik replacement in the top-4. Good with the puck, great skater - both very important for the "modern" NHL defenseman. He's a keeper.

Vlasic would be an incredible addition for the Caps. I'm not a fan of trading for Buff but if we're already using a bunch of assets for that I'd rather just give the Sharks whatever they want for Vlasic. I'm just not sure you could get away without trading roster players (Burakovsky?) which would turn me off. But it wouldn't hurt to ask San Jose what it would take.

Vlasic would give the Caps the best defense in the NHL. I'm not big on going "all in" but I could get behind a Vlasic trade

 

[Todos a la Calle]

No way San Jose trades Vlasic. Would be awesome, but not happening.

 

[ALLCAPSALLTHETIME]

I can't remember the last time the caps had a game in a middle of a snow storm, do you think we could move the game time?

Snowvechkin?

 

[RandyHolt]

I want to see Schmidt play in a playoff game before I anoint him a legit T4. Can he handle facing the Isles 4th line for 7 games with top 4 minutes?

He has top 4 potential but is not there yet as I count chickens. How many games has he been a top 4, 25? I suspect it's easy playing defense for us right now. Our division looks soft. Holtby is playing lights out, and our offense hasn't looked better in 5 years, if not more.

Never forget, plus fiddy

 

[txpd]

Wow
I have Orlov as our 4/5 when every one is healthy he has a huge shot and can hit, and is still getting better

Carlson
Niskanen
Alzner
Orlov
Oripk (seeing what he has left in the tank, could be way higher)
Schmidt

yea...Orpik back in the lineup and a new top 4 d acquired, Orlov is the guy taking the scratch. You might have him above Orpik and Schmidt, but Trotz clearly does not.

 

[Blades of Steel]

is our division that soft or are the Caps that good? you know other teams are constantly looking up the standings and scratching their heads, gotta be effecting their game on a nightly basis, even if it's just a thought in the back of their minds that they're no where near the same level.

 

[hb12xchamps]

My wildcard pick for a potential #1 defenseman would be Victor Hedman. Highly highly doubtful he's traded, especially with an entire season before he hits UFA. But the Stamkos and Drouin situations create a lot of potential for shake-up in Tampa. Depending on what assets are moving in and out, and how much money Tampa allocates, there's an outside chance (~5%) that the cards fall right for Tampa to deal Hedman. The price would obviously be really steep.

Hedman would be awesome. I would easily overpay for him (1st + Orpik for salary reasons + Bowey + whatever else) but no way it happens. If they absolutely had to move him I think they would ship him out West.

 

[Turd Ferguson]

That was an incredible game.

I was there. Was suppose to see the practice the day before but we couldn't get to it because of the storm.

 

[Chokingdogs]

No one is afraid of Brooks Orpik, where do you come up with this? It's a media-driven narrative that has no basis in fact.

players dont like playing against him. he annoys, irks, pisses off, hurts, generally makes life unpleasant for opposing players.

when that happens the opposing players start worrying more about brooks orpik than they do making a good pass, clearing attempt, or shot, which plays right into the caps hands.

its science.

 

[trick9]

is our division that soft or are the Caps that good? you know other teams are constantly looking up the standings and scratching their heads, gotta be effecting their game on a nightly basis, even if it's just a thought in the back of their minds that they're no where near the same level.

Yes it is.

I think Caps caught them by surprise abit. Nobody considered us that tough team but it was within a year or two that they added Wilson, (Brouwer, Fehr and Ward then too, now Oshie and Williams), Orpik and Niskanen (not huge but still far more physical than Carrick/Hillen). Penguins got to the conversation of softest team in the NHL when they lost 2 of those and were unable to replace them. It was rather quick change of identity back then.