Speculation: Acq./Rost. Bldg./Cap Part LXII (Arbitration MADNESS)

[SpinningEdge]

Why do we need to prioritize someone who can kill penalties and win faceoffs?

.... Don't we have Beagle and Backstrom who are both fantastic at it??

 

[Bananas]

Am I the only one that thinks our PP is broken? Sure setting Ovie up over and over again for bombs while there is very little movement or interchange between players has worked great in the regular season...

It's killed us in the playoffs, however. I'd like a more dynamic system personally. Not sure exactly what that would look like, but I know it would try and make other shooters more of a threat and there would be a lot less of guys just standing around in their "spot"...

What are you guys seeing here?

 

[Stewie G]

Why do we need to prioritize someone who can kill penalties and win faceoffs?

.... Don't we have Beagle and Backstrom who are both fantastic at it??

You need more than 2 PKers? Sometimes guys get tossed from the dot? Backstrom won't be back to start the year? Backstrom is coming off surgery and it probably wouldn't hurt to rest him a bit? Guys get hurt?

 

[hockeykicker]

Am I the only one that thinks our PP is broken? Sure setting Ovie up over and over again for bombs while there is very little movement or interchange between players has worked great in the regular season...

It's killed us in the playoffs, however. I'd like a more dynamic system personally. Not sure exactly what that would look like, but I know it would try and make other shooters more of a threat and there would be a lot less of guys just standing around in their "spot"...

What are you guys seeing here?

Well imo it was because of the lack of creativity guys. As much as ward,fehr and brouwer were able to score, its not like they could make great passes or deke around guys.
i feel that with oshie as well as backstrom or kuznestov becoming more comfortable, there will be a new look

 

[itsjustsurvival]

Am I the only one that thinks our PP is broken? Sure setting Ovie up over and over again for bombs while there is very little movement or interchange between players has worked great in the regular season...

It's killed us in the playoffs, however. I'd like a more dynamic system personally. Not sure exactly what that would look like, but I know it would try and make other shooters more of a threat and there would be a lot less of guys just standing around in their "spot"...

What are you guys seeing here?

I see it the way you do. Could use some work.

 

[BrooklynCapsFan]

Am I the only one that thinks our PP is broken? Sure setting Ovie up over and over again for bombs while there is very little movement or interchange between players has worked great in the regular season...

It's killed us in the playoffs, however. I'd like a more dynamic system personally. Not sure exactly what that would look like, but I know it would try and make other shooters more of a threat and there would be a lot less of guys just standing around in their "spot"...

What are you guys seeing here?

I'm seeing that the powerplay is a nice weapon in the regular season but not something you can count on in the playoffs for a host of reasons. The improvement that needs to happen is at even strength.

 

[txpd]

Am I the only one that thinks our PP is broken? Sure setting Ovie up over and over again for bombs while there is very little movement or interchange between players has worked great in the regular season...

It's killed us in the playoffs, however. I'd like a more dynamic system personally. Not sure exactly what that would look like, but I know it would try and make other shooters more of a threat and there would be a lot less of guys just standing around in their "spot"...

What are you guys seeing here?

Food for thought. The Caps use a 1 defenseman lineup because Ovechkin is their best scoring option and he takes a defenseman's slot on the pp. One defenseman is a limiting factor when you want movement because that one player cant move that much.

Second, do you want to move Ovechkin someplace where he is close to the pk and easier to defend? that is the reason the Caps puck movers and puck chasers are on the other side of the ice.

Trotz came into the job last year and started the season saying Ov would play less on the PP. It lasted until he needed a ppg or lose a game and Ov scores in the second half of a pp.

Ov is the best ppg scorer in the game and any thought of reducing his role is going to last til the Caps need to score or lose.

 

[PucksInDeep]

Even with retaining Johansson, I don't think an uptempo 3rd line is a possibility.

The most talented 3rd line I can jangle together would be

21-90-43 which leaves a lot to be desired.

49 - 65 - 43

That's pretty talented, IMO.

 

[Calicaps]

I am confused by all the posts that have Bura on the third line.

I think it's pretty clear that he's going to at least start the year in the top 6.

He played extremely well with both 8-19 and 92. Why on earth would the relegate him to the third line?

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

Why do we need to prioritize someone who can kill penalties and win faceoffs?

.... Don't we have Beagle and Backstrom who are both fantastic at it??

Don't you want your bottom 6 guys to have at least SOME role on the team? Energy guy, enforcer, pk, face-offs, plays great D, provide general depth in multiple areas? At least two of those would be nice. Also you need depth to win Cups.

That's my idea of an ideal bottom-6 pickup on the cheap.

Tyler Kennedy, any watched him closely lately. The Pens version I always thought was solid.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

I am confused by all the posts that have Bura on the third line.

I think it's pretty clear that he's going to at least start the year in the top 6.

He played extremely well with both 8-19 and 92. Why on earth would the relegate him to the third line?

I agree with you, but you never know how things will go in camp. I just don't see him as the 3C. Top-6 wing.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

Am I the only one that thinks our PP is broken? Sure setting Ovie up over and over again for bombs while there is very little movement or interchange between players has worked great in the regular season...

It's killed us in the playoffs, however. I'd like a more dynamic system personally. Not sure exactly what that would look like, but I know it would try and make other shooters more of a threat and there would be a lot less of guys just standing around in their "spot"...

What are you guys seeing here?

Broken? It's incredible but incredibly focused through a single point of failure. They need a 2nd effective shooter. I'm praying Bura is that guy ultimately to the tune of a few 40g seasons.

 

[Hivemind]

I am confused by all the posts that have Bura on the third line.

I think it's pretty clear that he's going to at least start the year in the top 6.

He played extremely well with both 8-19 and 92. Why on earth would the relegate him to the third line?

Lines will be shuffled many times over the course of the year.

Also, if the organization still views him as a center, the top two lines are occupied (minus Backstrom's potential time missed).

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

Lines will be shuffled many times over the course of the year.

Also, if the organization still views him as a center, the top two lines are occupied (minus Backstrom's potential time missed).

That 3c role seems out of his depth until he gets a lot stronger. What would be super encouraging is if we find out come Sept, he comes to camp with 15lbs of muscle and improved skating. If I were a praying man, it would be for this kid to have the will to be great and the fortune to stay healthy. He's got the tools and hockey IQ.

 

[PB12]

Is Boyes best case scenario?

 

[PucksInDeep]

That 3c role seems out of his depth until he gets a lot stronger. What would be super encouraging is if we find out come Sept, he comes to camp with 15lbs of muscle and improved skating. If I were a praying man, it would be for this kid to have the will to be great and the fortune to stay healthy. He's got the tools and hockey IQ.

Depends on what kind of third line the Caps are planning on having next season. 3C on a shutdown line is probably out of Burakovsky's depth, but 3C on a sheltered scoring line seems reasonable.

 

[hockeykicker]

Is Boyes best case scenario?

Most likely. He has scored 35 goals over past two years and the caps have had reported interest

 

[BrooklynCapsFan]

I instinctively hate the idea of developing Burakovsky at C, but it's probably a good idea in the long run and the success they had with Kuznetsov last year has me open to it.

 

[NobodyBeatsTheWiz]

Right now, I think the PK Fs are Backstrom, Beagle, Laich, and Oshie. I suspect Chimmer would be the 5th guy, and wouldn't be surprised at all if they coaches gave Wilson and Kuznetsov PK duties. I think we're ok right now in that department, but would absolutely love to add a solid 3C/PK/FO guy.

I think we add a bottom-sixer regardless just to add depth from a numbers standpoint, as there aren't many naturally bottom-sixers slated to be in Hershey. But at worst, the 3C issue could be addressed at the deadline, with a deep class of pending UFAs (that will certainly become shallower): Staal, Kopitar, Plekanec, Backes, Legwand, Nielsen, Sutter, Gaustad, Gordon, Ott, Helm, Kelly, Moore, Brodziak, etc.

 

[Bananas]

Broken? It's incredible but incredibly focused through a single point of failure. They need a 2nd effective shooter. I'm praying Bura is that guy ultimately to the tune of a few 40g seasons.

During the Isles series it was ineffectual at best. By the end of the Rangers series I was just glad that we most likely wouldn't get scored on for two minutes but even that was becoming chancy.

Yeah, I'd say that a PP that gets you some points in the regular season and then completely collapses once teams have a real game plan in place is, indeed, broken.

If that means having Ovechkin's role at least somewhat changed, then so be it.

Perhaps it's just because our secondary guys weren't very good, but I'd at least hope they don't simply roll out the same formations/strategy with new players pasted into the same fixed spots on the ice with the same roles...

 

[strungout]

I liked the idea of trying Burakovsky and Kuznetsov as Centers last year....whoever wins...wins.

Well...Kuznetsov won. Burakovsky didn't. Develop him as a winger going forward. 1C and 2C are set.

 

[Marshall]

Trotz just stated again "we are still looking for a center" at his talk at the National Press Club. Also discussed internal options if they don't get one.

Sounds like they are still in the market.

 

[NobodyBeatsTheWiz]

Trotz just stated again "we are still looking for a center" at his talk at the National Press Club. Also discussed internal options if they don't get one.

Sounds like they are still in the market.

Any specific names regarding the internal options?

 

[NobodyBeatsTheWiz]

I'm kinda rooting for Olli Jokinen. Let's get a Finn and slay all sorts of playoff demons.

 

[Marshall]

Any specific names regarding the internal options?

'Young guys' was what I remember him saying. It's a live feed now, so I didn't catch all of it. Hopefully it will be posted somewhere. It's part of the Nicklas Backstrom question in the Q & A session after his prepared speech.

ED - oh, wait he did mention Laich as far as a center, but I don't know that he was specifically referring to the 1C spot.