Post-Game Talk: Act II: 27-18-3 Playoffs!!!....we talkin about Playoffs??!?!

[BobRouse]

The Islanders aren't horribly small, and they definitely have the Matt Martin types who will get aggressive with you. That said, IMO that's all the more reason you need the Erskines in there - you can't let them open up space for all that speed. Stay physical (don't forget, physical play gets more leeway in the playoffs) and clog the ice.

The Isles are by no means an imposing physical team. Matt Martin pretty much is what they have as a regular. Carkner is in and out of the lineup. Okposo is physical when he feels like it. Thats pretty much it.

Guys like Nilsson, Grabner, Tavares, Boyes, Moulson, Vishnovsky, Streit etc don't bring much grit to the table and aren't big guys.

We manhandled them last time. I hear the Jets did the same to them this past weekend. I believe the stat sheet had the Jets outhitting them 40+ to 14 or something.

 

[Liberati0n*]

I don't believe I've seen one person say they hate Erskine. The majority of the comments I've seen, and the one I believe, is that Erskine is a great #6, and is playing above his head as a #4. He has his flaws. Good teams will attack those flaws. The proof will be in the pudding if Erskine can handle 20 minutes a night over a long series against one team.

Yeah, this. I really like Erskine. I'm forced into looking like I don't because some people here are so over the top in praising him.


@RH, sorry if I mixed up who'd posted that. You guys were posting a lot back and forth. I didn't modify anything though...copy and paste.

 

[Stewie G]

This is the kind of backhanded compliment Erskine seems to receive. Its always "well I don't hate him but..." then proceed to list a bunch of reasons why you'd secretly prefer he doesn't play.

Erskine has always held his own in the playoffs when given a chance.

That thinking is the same thinking that led BB to hold him out of the Montreal series and that didn't work out too well did it?

You mention his flaws yet fail to mention that the much smaller Islanders can get intimidated by a guy like Erskine just like Montreal could have.

Its the same line of thinking that many posters hold that I have long shook my head at.

Fact is that deep down inside you highly undervalue grit and physical play. Thats why you have been locked into Tinner's doghouse and have been joined by others.

REPENT NOW BEFORE ITS TOO LATE!!!

Man, I'm beginning to think this is a long con troll job. It's like talking to a brick wall. I'm done.

 

[Liberati0n*]

Oates' post-game press conference was good. It's nice to see everyone coming around and jumping on the Oates bandwagon. I'm too lazy to go back and find them, but the thread after he was hired and some of the early season discussions could supply some pretty funny material now.

 

[kicksavedave]

Oates' post-game press conference was good. It's nice to see everyone coming around and jumping on the Oates bandwagon. I'm too lazy to go back and find them, but the thread after he was hired and some of the early season discussions could supply some pretty funny material now.

There's no question Oates was a gamble, a risk... that seems to have paid off now. But lets not forget, we've seen this movie before. BB took over for Hanlon and pulled off this exact same act, almost identical. BB wasn't fired for bad regular seasons, it was playoff flameouts that ultimately cost him the room. Oates still needs to win in the playoffs to actually be better than what BB did here.

I for one, think he can. I think he's got them firing on all cylinders, no passengers, 100% compete level. I think that was always missing with previous coaches and rosters. Just having Sarge and WWW as regular healthy scratches is a huge step in the right direction, come playoffs.

Ultimately at this point, if they fail, the roster simply isn't Cup worthy, and thats on George.

 

[Chokingdogs]

Yeah, this. I really like Erskine. I'm forced into looking like I don't because some people here are so over the top in praising him.


@RH, sorry if I mixed up who'd posted that. You guys were posting a lot back and forth. I didn't modify anything though...copy and paste.

thats because those same people respect, admire, and see the benefit that a player like erskine brings given his skill set.

if everybody, check that, half the team, played with the same amount of desire that big john does night in and night out - regardless of skill level - this team would be like the 80s oilers in terms of running roughshod over the rest of the league...playoffs included.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

Yep I'm not saying they were friends. But it's not like Oates was an obvious coaching replacement for all teams needing one. GMGM was probably the only, or one of the few who would've hired Oates.

Oates surely had to be on the radar of any team looking for a coach last summer...

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

i would not pretend to know what mcphee and oates relationship is, but it would seem logical that if oates felt like mcphee was incompetent that he would not give his first best chance at being an nhl head coach to a team managed by him.

further if mcphee held poor feelings about oates, i cant imagine that he would hire him as head coach under the pressure he was under to get it right.

as i recall olie kolzig left mcphee's employment angry. he's back working for mcphee. peter bondra left mcphee's employment angry. he's back working for mcphee. it would seem to me that many read way too much into these player v management relationships.

GMGM defender to the rescue....


How many hungry NHL assistants trying to be a head coach say no when offered? Use your head. It's not like Oates was turning the offer down.

I was simply pointing out that there has been conflict in the past. I certainly doubt that McPhee was a selling point for Oates taking the job.


Those guys two guys came home to work for the franchise that drafted them, where they had the best days of their playing careers. Not hard to imagine they would return to a role with the team at some point after their playing days, GMGM or any other GM that might be here.

 

[txpd]

Oates' post-game press conference was good. It's nice to see everyone coming around and jumping on the Oates bandwagon. I'm too lazy to go back and find them, but the thread after he was hired and some of the early season discussions could supply some pretty funny material now.

mcphee hired him. there is an instant dislike of anyone hired by mcphee. he played for the caps previous and there's a group here that dont like that. he is a rookie head coach. there is a group that didnt want that.

oates being a really good coach messes with a lot of early positions.

 

[txpd]

GMGM defender to the rescue....


How many hungry NHL assistants trying to be a head coach say no when offered? Use your head. It's not like Oates was turning the offer down.

I was simply pointing out that there has been conflict in the past. I certainly doubt that McPhee was a selling point for Oates taking the job.


Those guys two guys came home to work for the franchise that drafted them, where they had the best days of their playing careers. Not hard to imagine they would return to a role with the team at some point after their playing days, GMGM or any other GM that might be here.

so, you want a monolith here?

i did not get the feeling that oates was desperate to jump at any offer that came his way. smart coaches dont take bad situations because they can terminate your career.

so, you think that oates was desperate enough to take a job from someone be both detests and doesnt agree with when other options were going to come his way?
you think mcphee was going to hire a guy that hates him and would throw him under the bus given the chance when he needs to pick a coach that will have both success and staying power? a coaching choice that was going to be questioned and second guessed from the get go?

so....kolzig still hates mcphee? seriously? he takes a part time coaching job for the caps when he could be hire numerous places. kolzig is widely respected for his game and his compete and his quality of integrity. bondra? bondra has a good job with his national team. he doesnt need to work for the caps too. yes, he lives in annapolis and doesnt want to live anywhere else. that much i'll give you.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

mcphee hired him. there is an instant dislike of anyone hired by mcphee. he played for the caps previous and there's a group here that dont like that. he is a rookie head coach. there is a group that didnt want that.

oates being a really good coach messes with a lot of early positions.

Maybe you should re-read the thread on the topic. Most of the regulars were either OK with the hiring or took a wait and see approach.

http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showthread.php?t=1217359

 

[FloridaCap]

Maybe you should re-read the thread on the topic. Most of the regulars were either OK with the hiring or took a wait and see approach.

http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showthread.php?t=1217359

Got a kick out of: "If he runs the PP for you guys it will be the weakest part of the team."

 

[Liberati0n*]

mcphee hired him. there is an instant dislike of anyone hired by mcphee. he played for the caps previous and there's a group here that dont like that. he is a rookie head coach. there is a group that didnt want that.

oates being a really good coach messes with a lot of early positions.

The "retread" criticism really wasn't unfounded. Whether McPhee hired him for the right reasons is debatable still, anyway. The more I saw of Oates, the more I believed he could be a great coach (it's still early, I know), but the reaction to another ex-player being hired after Hunter wasn't all that inappropriate. Once the season started, it suited an anti-McPhee agenda better to blame the personnel, rather than Oates, so I think you're mostly wrong about that. What I think is cause for some people to eat crow is the blame that was thrown at Oates by some when things weren't going well.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

so, you want a monolith here?

i did not get the feeling that oates was desperate to jump at any offer that came his way. smart coaches dont take bad situations because they can terminate your career.

so, you think that oates was desperate enough to take a job from someone be both detests and doesnt agree with when other options were going to come his way?
you think mcphee was going to hire a guy that hates him and would throw him under the bus given the chance when he needs to pick a coach that will have both success and staying power? a coaching choice that was going to be questioned and second guessed from the get go?

so....kolzig still hates mcphee? seriously? he takes a part time coaching job for the caps when he could be hire numerous places. kolzig is widely respected for his game and his compete and his quality of integrity. bondra? bondra has a good job with his national team. he doesnt need to work for the caps too. yes, he lives in annapolis and doesnt want to live anywhere else. that much i'll give you.

Who said desperate? I said HUNGRY. A guy looking to get promoted to reach the top spot in his profession (coaching), doesn't often turn down the first good offer to take the helm, much less an offer from a team he played for.

Where the hell did I say Kolzig still hates McPhee (or ever did). Why do you insist on making stuff up?

An ex-player coming back to work for a team he played for is common in all sports.


You really want us all to believe that Oates, Kolzig, Calle Jo, Bondra all came back BECAUSE of GMGM? I call BS.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

Got a kick out of: "If he runs the PP for you guys it will be the weakest part of the team."

I remember that post when it was made....silly Devils fans.

 

[IafrateOvie34]

I remember that post when it was made....silly Devils fans.

I remember that too. Funny thing is I was thinking Oates was brought in for the Power Play. It has rejuvenated.

 

[Ovechkins Wodka]

Maybe you should re-read the thread on the topic. Most of the regulars were either OK with the hiring or took a wait and see approach.

http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showthread.php?t=1217359

fun reading that again

props to RH on picking up on switch to RW before the ink was dry on the contract

I am liking Oates already
Quote:
One of Oates’ philosophies is that right-handed shooting players should play right wing and left-handed players should play left wing. At his suggestion, left-handed shooting Martin St. Louis agreed to move from right wing to left wing and the move helped ignite the career of Steven Stamkos. The two linemates combined for 189 points in Oates’ only season behind the Lightning bench.

But it is what Oates has done with Ilya Kovalchuk in New Jersey that most impresses Tocchet and, in his opinion, makes him the ideal choice to coach the Capitals.

“He knows the mind of a superstar because he was one,†Tocchet said. “He helped Kovalchuk by showing him how to work the give and go and I think he could reach a player like Alex Ovechkin.


Ovi flubs far too many one timers at LW. Even on the rush at LW, shots dried up starting in Montreal, game 1. While Bruce did have him rushing down the RW a few times in game 2, it was short lived. Ovi needs fresh ideas on places to score from, and ways to score - working better with linemates.

 

[BrooklynCapsFan]

Here's another "in vs out" that shouldn't be overlooked:

Pointless losses with Schultz might reach 200 if you go back a few years.

 

[RandyHolt]

fun reading that again

props to RH on picking up on switch to RW before the ink was dry on the contract

Thanks dude

I am sure many thought I was off my rocker thinking he needed to be moved. Starting after game 1 vs Montreal.

Just last night, his pass off RW to Nick for a can't miss tap in. that simple passing play never happened on the rush when he played LW. If Nick was a RH shot, moving Ovi may never have been needed. But I had seen both handcuffed on the rush for years, and Nick simply not feeding LW Ovi for countless one timers was an obvious sign of a simple problem to solve to expand both their games.

 

[tycoonheart]

Randy, that pass to Nicky didn't happen because he's on the right. What Oates has done with Ovi is that he has told Ovi to slow down rushing into the offensive zone. In year's past he'd streak down the left side by himself with no one to pass to and get surrounded by the other team's D. What Ovi does now, rather than taking the puck and rushing down by himself, he's rarely the one to enter the zone with the puck. Even if he is, he's slowing down to wait for his teammates so that they can create a chance between them, rather than trying to create something by himself. That alone has done wonders for his game. People can't key in on him as much as they used to. Its so simple when you think about it. But neither Bruce nor Hunter tried to make that small change.

 

[msrulo]

Losses with Schultz go even bigger in the playoffs when it matters

 

[kicksavedave]

So apparently OV hasn't lost his sense of humor... either that or he really is a party boi!

But then a reporter asked Ovechkin how he celebrated this latest achievement Tuesday night, and the 27-year-old winger offered up the sort of sarcastic answer that may be the best example yet that he has turned a new leaf this season.
“Yeah, like, we went to the bar. I got home at 7 in the morning. I get hammered,” Ovechkin deadpanned. “That’s kind of Russian celebration.”

More from OV, good stuff. Maturing, fo sho!

“I hear it (The MVP Chants) and it would be nice, but to be honest with you, I don’t focus about it. Last game, it’s more about winning,” said Ovechkin before being asked if it meant more given all the critics that emerged when he wasn’t producing.
“It means like people who have been all over me, they just hear it and they just can close their mouths and all that kind of stuff. If I’m gonna have a couple bad games, everyone is gonna be all over me again. I just tell myself, ‘It doesn’t matter what’s gonna happen.’ Don’t listen to the fans, you guys [reporters]. I just have to listen to my teammates and my coach and my family. …
“I’ve just grown up as a person. That’s the most important thing. When you grow up, you understand a little bit more and it gives you a little step forward the whole time.”

 

[g00n]

Look, I've turned on Schultz as much as the next guy, but I don't know if anyone truly believes that Schultz has had a noticeable impact on the team's record when he plays vs. sits. He doesn't drive the bus.

I've noticed a very strong correlation between Caps wins and the times when I start watching the DVR after 9. Coincidence? You decide.

You don't need to be the best player to have an impact, good or bad. At any given time there are usually 5 skaters on the ice. In games where 1 goal over 60 minutes can mean the difference between success and failure, every shift matters. And for each shift every skater represents 20% of the team at that given time (removing the obvious constant of the goalie).

So one player is 1/5th of your team at that moment. And those moments can make up 1/3 of the entire game for defensemen. That is more than enough to be significant.


And clearly watching television is not the same as being involved in the game.

While true, driving the bus has a bigger bearing on the outcome of a situation than sitting around watching another other guy drive a bus around. Schultz could have been Chara 2.0 the first 11 games of the season and I'm not sure it would have made a noticeable difference in the record and definitely not the difference implied in the W-L numbers listed above.

Yet that is exactly what we're seeing when 55 is replaced by defensemen who play an opposite style.

I wonder how many of those who think a player can make a difference by addition don't believe a difference is made by subtraction (and thus addition of someone else).

 

[RandyHolt]

Randy, that pass to Nicky didn't happen because he's on the right. What Oates has done with Ovi is that he has told Ovi to slow down rushing into the offensive zone. In year's past he'd streak down the left side by himself with no one to pass to and get surrounded by the other team's D. What Ovi does now, rather than taking the puck and rushing down by himself, he's rarely the one to enter the zone with the puck. Even if he is, he's slowing down to wait for his teammates so that they can create a chance between them, rather than trying to create something by himself. That alone has done wonders for his game. People can't key in on him as much as they used to. Its so simple when you think about it. But neither Bruce nor Hunter tried to make that small change.

Absolutely, there is so much more in play other than "ovi go line up on the other side"

Teams cannot key on one guy when 3 are rushing in a coordinated attack.

But watching those 2 lined up to use their forehands to play catch supports all that Oates has done and puts them in a better position to succeed as linemates. In particular, allows Ovi the freedom to FH to FH pass if the shot is not there - the goalie challenging aggressively. Before at LW, that LD would come over and close any FH passing window real fast. Now he can just drift down into the corner and see the entire ice. Roll behind the net even.

Ovi's passing had been hit or miss as he tried to add it to his arsenal in recent years. He still passes at times when he shouldn't but he is learning, and has never looked better passing IMO.

My all time Ovi why did you pass was late in game 7 against the flyers on a semi break he dropped a pass to Feds.

 

[Stewie G]

You don't need to be the best player to have an impact, good or bad. At any given time there are usually 5 skaters on the ice. In games where 1 goal over 60 minutes can mean the difference between success and failure, every shift matters. And for each shift every skater represents 20% of the team at that given time (removing the obvious constant of the goalie).

So one player is 1/5th of your team at that moment. And those moments can make up 1/3 of the entire game for defensemen. That is more than enough to be significant.


And clearly watching television is not the same as being involved in the game.



Yet that is exactly what we're seeing when 55 is replaced by defensemen who play an opposite style.

I wonder how many of those who think a player can make a difference by addition don't believe a difference is made by subtraction (and thus addition of someone else).

My point wasn't that Schultz doesn't have an impact. It's that his impact (good or bad) in the 14 minutes he gets each game is dwarfed by the impact of the top line, top pair, and G.

The entire team played like crap the first several weeks. The performance of a 14 minute a night bottom pair defenseman is not going to swing the fortunes of a crappy team. He's not going to instantly cause everyone to learn the new system. He's not going to prevent soft goals. He's not going to stop Carlson from looking like Sloan 2.0. He's not going to cause Mojo's head to feel better. He's not going to cause a first line of Ovi-Hendricks-Beagle to turn into the East Coast Express. No other bottom pairing defenseman in the world would have been able to either.

Yes, we all want Schultz gone. No, Schultz's removal from the lineup has had no significant impact on the reversal of the team's fortunes.