Speculation: Acq/ Rost. Bldg./ Cap Part XXV

[BobRouse]

Erat flat out said he came to DC because he thought they could win a Cup. Now after not even a full year he wants out because he doesn't think the Caps can win a Cup.

Part of me thinks this could be the death knell for GMGM, another part wonders if the snub will rally the remaining players to unprecedented heights.

Hahahaha who am I kidding.

The reality of the situation is that Erat was massively bitter due to his lack of ice time and being a proud veteran didn't like that. I don't think he handled it right but it just seems like sour grapes to me. If he was getting ice time (that I agree he deserved based on his play) then he wouldn't be asking for a trade and he would think we are a contender.

He just wanted to take a shot at Oates for his snubbing.

I don't think there was ever a coach (BB was close for me) that I pretty much agreed with 100% of the time. In fact I don't think there is a fan in the world of any team who agrees with his coach 100%. Just go to every message board EVER and you will see a general consensus that fans of any given team don't understand why "player x" is playing and not "player y". In most cases there are multiple players like this.

The reality is that some people don't like each other. Coaches are people (mostly) and they don't like some players (who in most cases are people too).

I cant begin to explain why Oates didn't care for Erat. I figure it had to be something behind the scenes.

Erat clearly could never play for a guy like Mike Keenan (just read Jeremy Roenick's book and there are some crazy hillarious stories of Keenan in there).

I think there is plenty of blame but Erat was not professional. I don't feel Ovechkin deserved 13 minutes of ice time under Dale Hunter and he must have been fuming. But he never said anything about it and played it diplomatically. Erat should have done the same thing instead of "What? I'm not getting ice time and playing on the 4th line??? TRADE ME!...what? I haven't gotten traded yet??? I'm going to the MEDIA and calling out everyone!"

Kinda weak on his part but I understand his frustration.

Wait, am I the only one who's noticed Ovechkin has more burst and better stickhandling this year, and is actually pulling off that move almost as well as his first 3 or so years??

Yes 100%. His moves are working and he looks to have speed to get around the guy. The only difference is he's not finishing some of those that would make for epic highlights like he did back then.


RE: Marchand

I LOVE this guy. No way the Bs trade him for Erat+. It would take a lot more than that. He's only 25 and has scored 20+ goals in his first two full seasons and led the Bs with 18 in a shortened year last year. Also he is a huge pain and has loads of grit and skill. He's signed thru his goal scoring prime at a reasonable $4.5 mil.

They already made what I thought was a major mistake in trading Seguin so I doubt they will do the same with Marchand.

 

[Roughing]

Erat wasn't given a real chance to establish himself. Oates never bothered to put him in a position to succeed, aside from the short stretch with Ovechkin and Backstrom. He's a lot better than Sturm who flat out sucked.

Not trying him with Grabo when his game was tailor made for Grabo was just absolutely idiotic. If Oates put a quarter as much of an effort into Erat as he did into the leaderp twins this team would be much better than it is now.

This. I liked the trade and just don't feel he was used properly but whatever...

 

[PuckBuddy]

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/teams/players/bio/?id=2439

GMGM is not down with the people of Suomi. Czechs to follow.

 

[Ovechkins Wodka]

looks like Erat running his mouth got him a nice seat in the pressbox

 

[NobodyBeatsTheWiz]

looks like Erat running his mouth got him a nice seat in the pressbox

Or they don't want to risk him getting hurt and killing any possible trade.

 

[BrooklynCapsFan]

looks like Erat running his mouth got him a nice seat in the pressbox

Let's hope that's due to a pending transaction rather than the first step in his reeducation.

 

[strungout]

Or they don't want to risk him getting hurt and killing any possible trade.

This.

 

[hb12xchamps]

Galiev recalled to Hershey today. Could possibly be for a team to scout him. The recall seems interesting since there haven't been any injuries reported. Hershey plays St. John's (Winnipeg), Wbs Penguins, and the Providence Bruins the next three games.

 

[strungout]

Galiev recalled to Hershey today. Could possibly be for a team to scout him. The recall seems interesting since there haven't been any injuries reported. Hershey plays St. John's (Winnipeg), Wbs Penguins, and the Providence Bruins the next three games.

No one wants that dude.

I can't believe he couldn't even crack the Bears lineup until now. Bah.

 

[BobRouse]

I think there was a specific effort to add more "grit" after 2010, but it wasn't executed well. Putting so much stock in Brouwer as a core player is probably the biggest mistake in that process. He and Laich are players with nice aesthetics but who aren't legitimately hard to play against (Erat is probably harder to than either of them). Wilson looks like he fits the actual idea much better though, and Latta helps.

.

There's a very obvious shift to a grit/toughness game which isn't necessarily a bad thing on its own but it's being done very half-assedly and with no regard for how the team fits together. It's like GMGM is looking at players NHL '13 scores and throwing them on the roster if they're adequate for him.

Have to agree with you guys. Returns thus far have shown that it hasn't been executed all that well.

Its still early but I think GMGM has not done enough to obtain grit where its REALLY needed...on the D. Wilson, Latta etc need time to develop more.

I also agree that Erat is far harder to play against than some guys who get more time ahead of him.

I also think we need more skill in the top 6. Kuznetsov should help with that tho.

 

[fedfed]

Erat sits in the press box because Beagle doesn't make the line-up and Crabb is not in the line-up anymore. Otherwise, he would've played with them.

 

[fedfed]

Yotes place Klesla on waivers. Too bad we don't have the space.

 

[stanleycaps18]

Make a claim and trade Erat for a high pick.

 

[HeyMattyB]

Make a claim and do whatever else it takes. A lot of Cap fans have been talking about trading assets with actual value to acquire this guy. We can certainly pick him up and dump wasted salary instead.

 

[AlexBrovechkin8]

Make a claim and trade Erat for a high pick.

Please let that happen.

Why couldn't they have traded Erat for Klesla in the first place?

 

[strungout]

Please let that happen.

Why couldn't they have traded Erat for Klesla in the first place?

I'd go with Phoenix doesn't want Erat.

Or Mafki is sleeping in his office.

 

[InfernalDark*]

Or Mafki is sleeping in his office.

All the angry Caps fans waiting outside his office?

 

[notDkristich]

Please let that happen.

Why couldn't they have traded Erat for Klesla in the first place?

because of this guy

 

[Liberati0n*]

SS hacked into Don Maloney's computer and put Klesla on waivers.

 

[fedfed]

Make a claim and trade Erat for a high pick.

IIRC, you have to make a corresponding move first.