Speculation: Acq./Rost. Bldg./Cap/Lines etc. Part LXXV (Dog Days - Woof!) Galiev waived

[RandyHolt]

Why would you downgrade PP1?

I presume you think I meant a permanent until the end of time change - Nick demoted forever, and it couldn't be undone on the next PP. That giving Kuz some PP1 time without a doubt would cripple it.

The way I saw it, PP1 did NOTHING for our team in the final month of the regular season. Maybe 2 months. Meanwhile, our 2nd line was mired in a slump that gets blamed for our playoff failures.

Our great PP1 couldn't save us in the playoffs, even though it dominated. So what good was it keeping Kuz far far away from it in our coast to the finish line, when the team failed once again.

I think it was dumb to let Kuz get into a slump and do nothing about it until down 3-1 in a playoff series. He didn't earn a promotion to our top line, but there he was. You must have been livid.

 

[twabby]

My view is that Kuzy stinks on the halfwall on the power play. he is less than half the player Backstrom is in that spot. This season pp1 is at least getting some chances. pp2 can barely get zone time and that is largely because Kuzy loses the puck or turns it over.

Not sure playing on pp1 would have shaken the funk anymore than playing with Ov has gotten him off to a flying start

Backstrom is certainly a better option, but Kuznetsov was 10th in the entire NHL in points/60 on the PP last year. Hard to say Kuzy stinks given his PP production and given that it's usually with lesser players (Chimera, Williams, and Niskanen vs. Johansson, Oshie, and Carlson last season). He's in a funk but unless you really believe his skills have just vanished he doesn't stink.

 

[RandyHolt]

My view is that Kuzy stinks on the halfwall on the power play. he is less than half the player Backstrom is in that spot. This season pp1 is at least getting some chances. pp2 can barely get zone time and that is largely because Kuzy loses the puck or turns it over.

Not sure playing on pp1 would have shaken the funk anymore than playing with Ov has gotten him off to a flying start

Not sure is right, but I am 100% sure no one will know unless it was tried. Hockey becomes very mental for players after skating thousands of KM and shooting thousands of pucks. Sometimes even a garbage goal can turn things around. I saw little risk in trying something different to get him going before the playoffs started. The RS was a laugher as we tried to win games in the 3rd period alone.

In the end, Barry's static approach failed. Don't blame me, as I suggest things he could have tried to do long before his easily predictable desperation move in game 5. Which actually worked, as at least it got Williams going. Barry was just weeks, if not a month late to the party.

Kuz is LESS than half the player on the half wall? I think you underestimate him. If he stinks, let me remind you the guy you support not having him on pp1 in a laugher, actually has him on the HW on pp2.

 

[txpd]

Not sure is right, but I am 100% sure no one will know unless it was tried..

It was tried. Backstrom played 75 games last season. 7 games has Kuzy on pp1.

 

[txpd]

Backstrom is certainly a better option, but Kuznetsov was 10th in the entire NHL in points/60 on the PP last year. Hard to say Kuzy stinks given his PP production and given that it's usually with lesser players (Chimera, Williams, and Niskanen vs. Johansson, Oshie, and Carlson last season). He's in a funk but unless you really believe his skills have just vanished he doesn't stink.

The eye test. I know. Its not stats tied. If you want to blame Chimera for poor passes and zone keeps when Kuzy loses the puck, ok. Its your right. Williams scored nearly as many goals last season as Oshie. Is he really an inferior player more than marginally? Isnt Ov the primary shooter on pp2 as well?

As for his funk. He has 1 flukey goal in going on 40 games. Based on what Ive seen this season, in the playoffs and the end of last season, he is not playing the same game that he was when he was racking up points.

Its a results oriented business. He needs to start scoring. He needs to start creating some Ov scoring sooner than later or he will be back with Burt.

 

[RandyHolt]

Lets watch PP2Kuzy and see if he looks like Flash on the boards on the PP versus Montreal.

I am still pissed Bruce inserted fav Flash on PP1. It was hard to watch. I think Laich got demoted, who was a force in front all year IIRC. Exactly what was needed to screen Halak.

 

[Tweedsuitcase]

I'm sure this has been discussed already and I missed it, and maybe it's just because I've been watching hockey so long, but I just realized there are NO Canadians in our top 6. If Sanford is in - only one in our top 9.
I always associated Caps with our Russians, but never realized this little "quirk" before.
Maybe it's common nowadays, but just struck me.

 

[txpd]

I'm sure this has been discussed already and I missed it, and maybe it's just because I've been watching hockey so long, but I just realized there are NO Canadians in our top 6. If Sanford is in - only one in our top 9.
I always associated Caps with our Russians, but never realized this little "quirk" before.
Maybe it's common nowadays, but just struck me.

Carlson, Orpik, Niskanen, and Schmidt are American. Orlov is Russian. Alzner is the only Canadian on defense and Grubauer is German

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

I'm sure this has been discussed already and I missed it, and maybe it's just because I've been watching hockey so long, but I just realized there are NO Canadians in our top 6. If Sanford is in - only one in our top 9.
I always associated Caps with our Russians, but never realized this little "quirk" before.
Maybe it's common nowadays, but just struck me.

Forgot this guy from Cobourg, Ontario?

 

[Barry Amsterdam]

I'm sure this has been discussed already and I missed it, and maybe it's just because I've been watching hockey so long, but I just realized there are NO Canadians in our top 6. If Sanford is in - only one in our top 9.
I always associated Caps with our Russians, but never realized this little "quirk" before.
Maybe it's common nowadays, but just struck me.

Well you got Connolly Williams Wilson Beagle Winnik as Canadian forwards.
Sanford is American by the way

 

[Tweedsuitcase]

I meant if Sanford (USA) is in vs Connolly (CAN) , then that leaves Williams as the sole Northerner in the top 9.

 

[Tweedsuitcase]

Williams is on line 3, right?

 

[Barry Amsterdam]

I meant if Sanford (USA) is in vs Connolly (CAN) , then that leaves Williams as the sole Northerner in the top 9.

Ah gotcha

 

[Raikkonen]

Eurotrash can't win.

It's always something (c)

 

[Tweedsuitcase]

Ah gotcha

Yeah, I could've worded that better

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

Williams is on line 3, right?

Yeah, but he spent all of last year in the top 6 and he'll move back in the top 6 at some point this year. His numbers are those of a top 6 player too.

 

[txpd]

Forgot this guy from Cobourg, Ontario?

Williams is not in the top 6 right now. When Sanford is in Williams is the only Canadian in the top 9 forwards

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

What are your thoughts on Vanek? Potential trade deadline target for us?

 

[SpinningEdge]

Kuzy had the third most ES points in the NHL last year... and he's had a bad 30 or so game stretch and people are already ******** on him like he lost it? Literally, in the past 85 games only Crosby and Kane have more ES points than him. He's a GOOD player and will be fine.

Relllaxxxxxxxx

 

[txpd]

Kuzy had the third most ES points in the NHL last year... and he's had a bad 30 or so game stretch and people are already ******** on him like he lost it? Literally, in the past 85 games only Crosby and Kane have more ES points than him. He's a GOOD player and will be fine.

Relllaxxxxxxxx

Lets be clear. Kuzy had 1 goal in his last 35 games and that was a gift off a bad bounce off a glass standtion. He has had 6 assists in his last 27 games.

35 games is nearly half a season. Are you sure that its no big deal at all?

edit: the one lucky goal was on the pp. 3 of the 6 assists were on the pp. so after all those even strength points he has 3 esp in 35 games. did you know it was that ugly?

 

[MrGone]

Does Dmitry Orlov force Wilson off the protected list?

 

[Raikkonen]

Does Dmitry Orlov force Wilson off the protected list?

Well. We need to protect Ovi, Backy, Kuzy, Bura... and then it's all goes into question.

The consensus here was 7F+3D but now it's hard to find 7F we really need more than anything. Oshie is expensive, Williams is UFA, Johansson... many here think he isn't the cup winning winger and he's expensive a bit.

Wilson scoring zilch and being paid 2M isn't that nice too. What's left? Beagle, Eller?

I bet they think Mojo > Wilson anyway.

I'd say it's Mojo vs Orlov here. If Orlov plays like that for the whole season and playoffs... He's easily better. He's under team control for 2 more seasons while Johansson is under same circumstances but older and more expensive. Is there any untapped potential in Mojo?

The bonuses are that Orlov and Oshie are without contracts and there should be a way to contact McPhee and make a deal


PS: Small sample size but Tre Kronor line looks wonderful.

 

[trick9]

Lets be clear. Kuzy had 1 goal in his last 35 games and that was a gift off a bad bounce off a glass standtion. He has had 6 assists in his last 27 games.

35 games is nearly half a season. Are you sure that its no big deal at all?

edit: the one lucky goal was on the pp. 3 of the 6 assists were on the pp. so after all those even strength points he has 3 esp in 35 games. did you know it was that ugly?

So... what is the solution?

Bench him?

Trade him? I'm sure that with that ~3 million of cap space we can replace him with a similar talent.

Besides counting lucky points while excluding 'unlucky' plays that don't result in point seems entirely fair.

 

[txpd]

Does Dmitry Orlov force Wilson off the protected list?

I think that if the Caps went to protecting 4 d they can only protect 4 f. So, Orlov would force three forwards off the protected list

 

[txpd]

So... what is the solution?

Bench him?

Trade him? I'm sure that with that ~3 million of cap space we can replace him with a similar talent.

Besides counting lucky points while excluding 'unlucky' plays that don't result in point seems entirely fair.

The only solution is to hope and wait. My point was that this is more than a funk or a cold streak. Its a lot longer than that and watching him play, I would suggest that he is feeling it.

And...my point was that other than a fluke goal he doesn't have any in 35 games. Are you saying he is just snakebit?