GDT: Blue Jackets @ Capitals - 10.18.13 7PM

[Xaroc]

Or maybe we struggle when Brouwer and Laich suck, and do well when they don't.

This.

Even with the two goals Brouwer and Laich didn't play significantly better IMO. They still lost lots of puck battles although they won a few as opposed to almost none. Erat made everything go because he is a) good and b) didn't want to go back to the 4th line. I think you can have one of Laich and Brouwer on a line but not both if you want long term success.

 

[Kegger]

For as much as I hated the Carrick decision, he did out play Schmidt during the preseason.

Fehr out played MP during the preseason too. Crap.

 

[BobRouse]

Grabs wasn't any good yesterday, I think. That isn't good.

This is a very critical juncture for Grabovski. How he handles the "demotion" will go along way in determining how good we are this year.

He was not effective ES on that 2nd line and had little chemsitry with Laich and Brouwer. See's Erat move up and that was our best line tonight. Laich and Brouwer looked like completely different players.

Grabovski cannot mope, cannot complain and has to up his intensity level here. We'll see what kind of character he really has right now.

He was excellent in the preseason and outside of the first couple games has been quite underwhelming

Grabo is all effort, all the time. I'd like to see him with Ovechkin.

Now no one can question Grabovski's effort but there is no way I'd want to see him with Ovechkin. If Ovy was frustrated at times with Ribs holding the puck too long then I can guarantee he will be moreso with Grabovski since he holds it longer and passes far less than Ribs did.

Grabovski needs to play with a playmaking wing or two. He is a shoot first center which is unconventional so the make up of the line has to be very specific to his skillset.

 

[Liberati0n*]

Fehr out played MP during the preseason too. Crap.

I'm pretty sure Perreault only played in one game,

 

[Halpysback*]

Now no one can question Grabovski's effort but there is no way I'd want to see him with Ovechkin. If Ovy was frustrated at times with Ribs holding the puck too long then I can guarantee he will be moreso with Grabovski since he holds it longer and passes far less than Ribs did.

Grabovski needs to play with a playmaking wing or two. He is a shoot first center which is unconventional so the make up of the line has to be very specific to his skillset.

Grabovski is also far more north-south than Ribeiro. I think Ribeiro's cycling and weaving and bobbing is what stymied Ovechkin. Ovechkin is an off the rush player who has always been put with east-west players his whole career and no one in caps' management ever saw a problem with it. Putting him with a speedy north-south player who goes to the net could actually increase his effectiveness even if it decreases the skill on his line.

And it's not like Grabovski refuses to pass. He made plenty of passes to Laich and Brouwer who promptly killed the play. Erat to his credit has a whole career of playing with guys of comparable offensive skill to Laich and Brouwer. Different players benefit from different types of playmaking, that is why chemistry is so elusive and some no brainers like Heatley-Thornton or Richards-Gaborik underwhelm.

 

[Kegger]

I'm pretty sure Perreault only played in one game,

You proved my point. lol

 

[BobRouse]

Grabovski is also far more north-south than Ribeiro. I think Ribeiro's cycling and weaving and bobbing is what stymied Ovechkin. Ovechkin is an off the rush player who has always been put with east-west players his whole career and no one in caps' management ever saw a problem with it. Putting him with a speedy north-south player who goes to the net could actually increase his effectiveness even if it decreases the skill on his line.

And it's not like Grabovski refuses to pass. He made plenty of passes to Laich and Brouwer who promptly killed the play. Erat to his credit has a whole career of playing with guys of comparable offensive skill to Laich and Brouwer. Different players benefit from different types of playmaking, that is why chemistry is so elusive and some no brainers like Heatley-Thornton or Richards-Gaborik underwhelm.

I don't know man..

To me it seemed like Grabovski was the one who was bringing down Laich and Brouwer not vice a versa.

Grabovski isn't playing well now. There is no sugar coating it. I know he has alot of supporters (me being one of them based on his preseason) but don't delude yourself into thinking "It was all Laich and Brouwer's fault!"

Reeks of excuse making to cover up for his lack of production and chemistry with other players.

I really didn't notice him vs Columbus outside of that one partial break he got. The Anisimov goal, while technically was his man, to me was on Joel Ward for failing to cover for him since he was in a far better position to do so.

Brouwer is the kind of player that needs someone to get him the puck. Ribs did that and they had good chemistry. Grabovski needs to be more of a team player.

 

[ChibiPooky]

I don't know man..

To me it seemed like Grabovski was the one who was bringing down Laich and Brouwer not vice a versa.

Grabovski isn't playing well now. There is no sugar coating it. I know he has alot of supporters (me being one of them based on his preseason) but don't delude yourself into thinking "It was all Laich and Brouwer's fault!"

Reeks of excuse making to cover up for his lack of production and chemistry with other players.

I really didn't notice him vs Columbus outside of that one partial break he got. The Anisimov goal, while technically was his man, to me was on Joel Ward for failing to cover for him since he was in a far better position to do so.

Brouwer is the kind of player that needs someone to get him the puck. Ribs did that and they had good chemistry. Grabovski needs to be more of a team player.

I don't think any of them were playing particularly well and that's why they were split up.

 

[BobRouse]

I don't think any of them were playing particularly well and that's why they were split up.

Well I thought Brouwer and Laich looked much better Saturday night. They seemed more involved if you ask me.

But regardless you are right that there were serious chemistry issues on that line.

I still don't see why we don't find a way to get Grabovski with Fehr. I thought they were strong together in preseason.

If we are going anywhere this year then we HAVE to get Grabovski on track somehow.

 

[txpd]

Yeah, almost 5m of them. I wouldn't draw any conclusions from what the Leafs did. They had massive Cap problems, so they had to make some choices.

Grabo is all effort, all the time. I'd like to see him with Ovechkin.

this is going to be interesting. remove the one big game and he has done almost nothing. 1 assist in his last 6 games.

which way will the fail fall? if grabo remains stagnant, will it be the fault of every winger he has been playing with? will it be grabs fault?

here is what I see. just the basics. laich brouwer and grabs did nothing as a group. they were awful and regularly criticized here. laich, brouwer and erat seemed to be hitting on all cylinders from the get go and it showed on the scoresheet.

sure, that might be because of what erat brought, but is erat supposed to be a better player than grabs?

will the problem be that laich shouldn't be the 2c. that it should be grabs? if the 2nd line keeps producing will there still be pressure here to take laich off that line?

my view is that oates put grabs on 3 because he was happier with laich than with grabs.

 

[Burakovsky95*]

Grabovski is actually our most affective player stats-wise. He is the only forward on the entire team that when he is on the ice our goalie's SV % is 100.00. Now that includes every game up to this point. Going back to when he only primarily skated with Laich/Brouwer he had even possession scores with even zone starts, a positive goal differential and was playing a bunch of minutes. The stats show that he drives the play forward constantly. It definitely was not him bringing down that line.

 

[txpd]

I still don't see why we don't find a way to get Grabovski with Fehr. I thought they were strong together in preseason..

fehr would have to play rw. would you scratch Ward or Wilson?

 

[BobRouse]

this is going to be interesting. remove the one big game and he has done almost nothing. 1 assist in his last 6 games.

which way will the fail fall? if grabo remains stagnant, will it be the fault of every winger he has been playing with? will it be grabs fault?

here is what I see. just the basics. laich brouwer and grabs did nothing as a group. they were awful and regularly criticized here. laich, brouwer and erat seemed to be hitting on all cylinders from the get go and it showed on the scoresheet.

sure, that might be because of what erat brought, but is erat supposed to be a better player than grabs?

will the problem be that laich shouldn't be the 2c. that it should be grabs? if the 2nd line keeps producing will there still be pressure here to take laich off that line?

my view is that oates put grabs on 3 because he was happier with laich than with grabs.

All good point TX especially the last observation.

Realistically we can all see the Grabovski has done very little outside of that 1st game. Laich had some moments especially vs the Rangers and Oates obviously likes Laich+Brouwer together (these guys have played together alot since Brouwer got here)

Regardless Grabovski is a better player than what he has shown in the last 6 games and he needs to play like it or else we aren't going to prosper. We just need to find him the right linemates to suit his skills.

 

[txpd]

the player got bought out for a reason. the player laid unsigned on the ufa market til there were few other players left for a reason. he got only a one year contract for a reason. we can hope that he is going to be an impact player, but players like acquired like he was are touch and go acquisitions. things can change. changing teams is often hard on a player. high end ufa's often struggle their first season and find their game again in the second with a new team.

grabs also has the one year contract pressure which can work for and against a player.

I just wouldn't be shocked if he is a bust. I hope for more.

same with urbom. a waiver claim where the caps were not early at the table. if he was really good, would all those teams have passed on him and lou risk losing him for free?

sometimes if its too good to be true, it is.

 

[msrulo]

Great win keep it up boys.

 

[SimplySensational]

the player got bought out for a reason. the player laid unsigned on the ufa market til there were few other players left for a reason. he got only a one year contract for a reason. we can hope that he is going to be an impact player, but players like acquired like he was are touch and go acquisitions. things can change. changing teams is often hard on a player. high end ufa's often struggle their first season and find their game again in the second with a new team.

grabs also has the one year contract pressure which can work for and against a player.

I just wouldn't be shocked if he is a bust. I hope for more.

same with urbom. a waiver claim where the caps were not early at the table. if he was really good, would all those teams have passed on him and lou risk losing him for free?

sometimes if its too good to be true, it is.

Uhhh no. He got married and enjoyed his summer for a while, it was reported repeatedly there was nothing to talk about because he wasn't talking with teams yet.

 

[BobRouse]

Grabovski is actually our most affective player stats-wise. He is the only forward on the entire team that when he is on the ice our goalie's SV % is 100.00. Now that includes every game up to this point. Going back to when he only primarily skated with Laich/Brouwer he had even possession scores with even zone starts, a positive goal differential and was playing a bunch of minutes. The stats show that he drives the play forward constantly. It definitely was not him bringing down that line.

Ummm...ok. Sure. Jeff Schultz was awesome b/c he was a +50.

Grabovski has been playing brutally and no amount of stats can cover for him. The SV% thing was the exact same thing used AGAINST Erskine last year saying that he got "lucky" as the gaolies bailed him out.

Why can't people who were hot and heavy on Grabo's jock come out and say he has not played well at all and deserved the demotion??? It seems obvious.

fehr would have to play rw. would you scratch Ward or Wilson?

Why is that? Oates is using him at C right now and used him a bunch at LW last year

 

[Chukcha]

Oates has said an ideal formula is "2 LH centers + 2 RH centers". I think he has to use Fehr at C because we are short in righties. All current and potential centers (Backsie, Grabo, MaJo, MP and Laich) are lefties. That's why GMGM unloaded MP - due to his left handedness.

 

[BrooklynCapsFan]

The key to winning the Stanley Cup is 11 righties, 11 lefties and an ambidextrous goalie playing with two blockers.

 

[Chukcha]

yes, according to Oates. A perfect example were cup-winning bruins: 4 LHW, 4 RHW, 2 LHC, 2 RHC, 3 LHD, 3 RHD.

 

[Chukcha]

probably that's why GMGM let Semin and Ribeiro walk so easily. Excess in LHC and RHW.

 

[RandyHolt]

I can only assume Oatsie likes his goalies to be opposite handed

It's probably what's "wrong" with Neuvy.

 

[Liberati0n*]

The key to winning the Stanley Cup is 11 righties, 11 lefties and an ambidextrous goalie playing with two blockers.

 

[Hivemind]

Grabovski is actually our most affective player stats-wise. He is the only forward on the entire team that when he is on the ice our goalie's SV % is 100.00. Now that includes every game up to this point. Going back to when he only primarily skated with Laich/Brouwer he had even possession scores with even zone starts, a positive goal differential and was playing a bunch of minutes. The stats show that he drives the play forward constantly. It definitely was not him bringing down that line.

Wha, huh? This is probably the worst attempt at statistical analysis I've ever seen.

Because goalies are saving 100% of pucks behind Grabovski means he drives play forward? If anything, that shows that Grabovski is lucky. All of the shot-based metrics show Grabo as driving play backwards so far this season. His even strength production is almost non-existant as well (only one point at ES).

 

[txpd]

I am confused. I just check grabovski's game log. he has 3 games at -1. two wins and a 5-1 blow out loss. the only way to get a minus and not have the goalie give up a goal is for it to be an empty net goal. what am I missing here? how could he have 3 minus games yet have goalies with a perfect 100% sv% while he's on the ice?