Speculation: Acq./Rost. Bldg./Cap/Lines etc. Part LXXVIII (It's Working! Let's Fix It.)

[Calicaps]

Previous: http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showthread.php?t=2162085

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[Jacoby4HOF66]

[collapse=342][/collapse]

Still the best goal I have ever seen live, on the TV, made me a believer. Been a great ride ever since.

 

[g00n]

You could throw just about any NHLer on the roster right now and they'd look good with the way the team as a whole is rolling. The issue is what happens when some of this momentum is lost, and when their competition finds ways to up the ante. Just because their roster looks great while the team is perfectly in sync doesn't mean they should disregard the possibility for further upgrades. Isn't complacency one of the exact gripes that many of us have with the perceived team culture? Why would you accept complacent management, either?

There's a difference between sitting on a clearly inferior team and hoping something clicks vs seeing a few years of roster building bearing the fruit as intended and showing restraint in messing with it. This could be the right group of guys who, again, just need to repeat what they're doing now come April-June. That's not complacency that's refusing to make a deal simply for the sake of tinkering or greed. A good GM will recognize the difference.

 

[Hivemind]

I don't think anyone was advocating for a move simply for the sake of a move. It was names like Vanek and Duchene being discussed. Significant upgrades.

 

[Bananas]

During this exact same stretch last year we were, you guessed it, 16-2-2. We got Webber and Winnik at the deadline...

How'd that turn out? This team playing lights out right now should absolutely not stop us from adding something significant at the deadline.

The two options, in my opinion, are to make a significant, bonafide addition at the deadline or stand pat.

I'd personally prefer that they go all-in and give this iteration of the Caps every opportunity to win the Cup. It's right there for the taking so go ****ing get it or die trying...

 

[um]

Last playoffs our bottom 9 cost us, you can say Kuzy just struggled so we don't need a fix there and the 4th is used primarily for defensive purposes anyways. But our third line is basically the same going from Chimera to Connolly (downgrade) and Richards to Eller (Upgrade). Can't do the same thing expecting different results.

 

[RandyHolt]

A better system can fix our bottom 6 faster than BMac can.

It wasn't just our B6. Our D cost us, scratching the pizza guy of the day, leaving a revolving door of inconsistency. Alzner hurt cost us. Orpik first injured, later a maniac, with Weber grade boneheaded plays. PK Chorney watching a guy walk down the slot for a goal. Coach cost us refusing to move Kuz until game 5. The system allowing a breakaway goal after a center ice faceoff after repeated odd mans the first 4 games. Holtby had a few goals he would like back. Willy getting reprimanded for scaring baby sheary seemed the end of our hitting. Daley as their #1 was not even hit. I could go on.

Our bottom 6 didn't score sure but folks only seem to care because Pitt used 3 scoring lines effectively. Their system beat us, not their talent. Their top talent was quiet that series.

 

[Portable Mink]

need another defender. gotta go for gold this season. all in.

 

[Ridley Simon]

I would have to say, after watching that Pens game, that I would welcome a Chorney upgrade. And I say that with an appreciation and affection for Chorney. Not a "hating" moment, at all.

But the forward and goalies are more than fine.

Another veteran mobile D would be awesome. Cap compliant, of course. Maybe pick up twabby's mancruch, Ron Hainsey. He's cheap and obviously good.

I'd be into that.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

To sit on the bench largely? I hope for more meaningful moves.

 

[twabby]

I would have to say, after watching that Pens game, that I would welcome a Chorney upgrade. And I say that with an appreciation and affection for Chorney. Not a "hating" moment, at all.

But the forward and goalies are more than fine.

Another veteran mobile D would be awesome. Cap compliant, of course. Maybe pick up twabby's mancruch, Ron Hainsey. He's cheap and obviously good.

I'd be into that.

I said Hainsey was more or less equivalent to Alzner, not that he's good and certainly not a man crush

No thanks to that move at the TDL. And Carolina might actually be buyers at the TDL.

 

[Langway]

To sit on the bench largely? I hope for more meaningful moves.

I'd agree with you but when the third line pots four goals like they did tonight it's hard to single out the most typical criticism of their current construction. I'm not sure Connolly adds enough to that line but Eller is legit starting to heat up and Burakovsky is showing signs. If Connolly is at least decent enough and the team continues to pace the East then any meaningful roster upgrade involves sitting or moving a player that's helped contribute pretty regularly now. Are they willing to do so and do they have enough insight into what that missing piece may be?

The easy move is to acquire a depth defenseman on the cheap as insurance. Maybe not so much to upgrade over Chorney but to have a better option after him. The farm options beyond him provide little experience and questionable reliability. But that's just another Mike Weber move. Small fries.

 

[Holtbyisms]

Clearly Carlson is an important piece. Need him back and healthy moving forward. Wasn't a big fan of the pairing tonight although defense both sides was a dumpster fire.

 

[artilector]

For me, this Pens game reinforced the idea that the Caps need to add whoever will help team speed -- decision-making, puck-moving, faster forecheck, whatever.

Not an easy thing to do, though. For instance, when I think of forwards, it's not that easy to come up with an upgrade. To get an upgrade in the top-6 could be just hard/too expensive. Bottom-6 maybe not perfect, but currently those guys are playing pretty well as units -- far from clear how to improve without breaking up chemistry.

Probably will require bold moves both by BMac to acquire and Trotz to integrate.

Still, I'd try to add speed. Then scoring. Then nose for the net. Then defense backup.

 

[EroCaps]

If there's a silver lining to last night's abortion, it's that it gives the front office less incentive to be gun shy at the deadline.

The Pens are their primary obstacle to winning a Stanley Cup.

 

[Sam Spade]

No one is moving a top four dman without getting a back a significant piece.

I've been over RFA's, UFA's, decent guys with long contracts on bad teams or that may be moving (Leddy, Shattenkirk, Martinez), there is just nobody the Caps could squeeze in without giving up something insane from the NHL roster. And that is assuming those teams are willing to part with one of their top dmen. Considering those guys are like gold I just don't see it.

Trade deadline is going to be another bust this year. And if the Caps mess with the bottom three I will be pissed.

 

[Ridley Simon]

No one is moving a top four dman without getting a back a significant piece.

I've been over RFA's, UFA's, decent guys with long contracts on bad teams or that may be moving (Leddy, Shattenkirk, Martinez), there is just nobody the Caps could squeeze in without giving up something insane from the NHL roster. And that is assuming those teams are willing to part with one of their top dmen. Considering those guys are like gold I just don't see it.

Trade deadline is going to be another bust this year. And if the Caps mess with the bottom three I will be pissed.

This is my point, that there won't. E much moving, and frankly, we don't need it.....and it would mean something we don't want to lose going out the door. We don't have cap space either.

Pick up a better Chorney and or a better Ness. That's about it.

 

[txpd]

If there's a silver lining to last night's abortion, it's that it gives the front office less incentive to be gun shy at the deadline.

The Pens are their primary obstacle to winning a Stanley Cup.

What about last night does that?

 

[OV Rocks]

What about last night does that?

How Barry Trotz came right out and said their Top 6 was better than our Top 6. He isn't wrong. Their lineup is littered with players who live up to their role. The Caps have players we hope can fulfill their role, Kuznetsov, Burakovsky, Williams, and Orlov all come to mind as players who need to be at their best to win a Cup. The pens just need their players to perform because they are so deep. Which means that the Caps need to add to beat the Pens 4 out of 7 times. The penguins depth will win every time.

Ovechkin>Malkin

Malkin>Kuznetsov
Crosby>Backstrom
Kessel>Oshie
Bonnino>Eller
Hagelin>Burakovksy
Horquvist>Johannson


Caps 4th Line>Penguins 4th Line
YIPPEEEEE

That doesn't even include defense

Don't think that any of this can be argued, which is sad

 

[trick9]

How Barry Trotz came right out and said their Top 6 was better than our Top 6. He isn't wrong. Their lineup is littered with players who live up to their role. The Caps have players we hope can fulfill their role, Kuznetsov, Burakovsky, Williams, and Orlov all come to mind as players who need to be at their best to win a Cup. The pens just need their players to perform because they are so deep. Which means that the Caps need to add to beat the Pens 4 out of 7 times. The penguins depth will win every time.

Ovechkin>Malkin

Malkin>Kuznetsov
Crosby>Backstrom
Kessel>Oshie
Bonnino>Eller
Hagelin>Burakovksy
Horquvist>Johannson


Caps 4th Line>Penguins 4th Line
YIPPEEEEE

That doesn't even include defense

Don't think that any of this can be argued, which is sad

Penguins don't have 2 Malkin's.

Crosby > Backstrom (didn't look that way in the last Playoffs though, Backstrom dominated him)
Malkin > Kuznetsov
Bonino > Eller
Cullen = Beagle

Kessel < Ovechkin
Hornqvist < Oshie
Hagelin < Johansson

Any of Penguins remaining wingers < Williams
Any of Penguins remaining wingers < Burakovsky
Sheary > Connolly

Penguins 4th line < Capitals 4th line

Your point is ridiculously flawed. You essentially just take out Ovechkin by adding another Malkin to the Penguins line-up.

 

[Langway]

The top line was poor defensively all game long. That can't happen.

You never know when both Johansson and Kuznetsov will flake out in the playoffs and Burakovsky could easily wilt as well. They're kind of stuck hoping this year winds up differently so long as regular season results don't give reason to do something drastic. Maybe they can add a depth winger or defensemen but it's still mostly going to come down to the same group of players needing to be at the top of their game.

 

[ovikovy817]

So let's forget the blowout in november or even the one from 6 days ago. Let's also forget how we won in the past 2 weeks against the best teams in the league. Forget all this, and focus just on 1 game, (a 3rd game in 4th night) where we were able to get a point playing against 2 "teams".

 

[g00n]

How Barry Trotz came right out and said their Top 6 was better than our Top 6. He isn't wrong.

Washington Coach Barry Trotz said he thought his top-six forwards were outplayed by the Penguins’ top two lines, something he attributed to building fatigue after the team played on Sunday afternoon and has had a game every other day this month.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/spor...53f67e-dc21-11e6-918c-99ede3c8cafa_story.html

Fluke game between rivals where one hot team is worn out and the other is fresh and hungry for a win after a losing streak. I usually scoff at the typical fatigue excuse but this one is legit. They've been playing a lot and beating the hell out of everyone. Perfect storm, that's all.

Yeah, let's make moves based on that one game.

 

[trick9]

So let's forget the blowout in november or even the one from 6 days ago. Let's also forget how we won in the past 2 weeks against the best teams in the league. Forget all this, and focus just on 1 game, (a 3rd game in 4th night) where we were able to get a point playing against 2 "teams".

This.

Besides these Penguins losses don't mean anything at the Playoff time. They aren't going to win there playing shoot-out or 3-on-3 OT hockey.

 

[hockeykicker]

Stephenson sent back to Hershey