Confirmed with Link: [BUF/WSH] Halak'd: Halak & 3rd '15 for Neuvirth & Klesla

[RandyHolt]

To get Halak to be 2010 Halak I think we'd need Dale back. But he doesn't need to be quite that good. Maybe.

Oates's system giving forwards space so they get suckered in deep and forced to take a bad angle shot that springs our offense to full glory, coupled with our passive defensemen, is likely not a good fit for Halak.

Once it became apparent that our G's were being changed to fit this system, and of course collapsed, the system itself was toast. At the root of any good system is the goalie making saves.

Halak is going to be the key to making the playoffs, but he is going to go it alone. He is not going to get support. See Green let that guy walk down the slot uncontested after Fehr whiffed up high in the slot? Mind boggling. That is our system, hope the guys go east / west.

 

[Langway]

What do you guys think it would take to sign Halak for another year or two? surely GMGM doesn't just want him as a quick fix, him and Holtby could be a big goalie duel next season, if they both play well it could be great for the Caps.

Holtby will want out sooner than later. Not sure he'll be the only one if they kept the same jokers in charge.

 

[ChibiPooky]

This is great. Make a "blockerbuster" trade for a goalie, and then don't start him in his first game with the team.

Does this team have something against starting newly acquired goalies in their first game?

 

[Blades of Steel]

This is great. Make a "blockerbuster" trade for a goalie, and then don't start him in his first game with the team.

Does this team have something against starting newly acquired goalies in their first game?

Well its a complicated system, It would be best for the new additions to sit and watch from the box seats.

 

[RandyHolt]

Mind boggling.

We get Halak for 19 games. Lets sacrifice 5% of them so he can learn. Learn what... its hockey!

We are sacrificing one for him to see clearly the mess we will lower him into.

Talk about ****ing with him mentally. I would get him out there immediately especially after last night.

Don't let him see anything, we need people to stop thinking and just start playing.

The O in Oates stands for over thinking it.

 

[thelebaron]

lol halak not starting today. resurgence of the three goalie tandem

 

[MrGone]

There is nothing good that can come from Holtby starting tonight. If he plays well? What are they going to do stay with him and just keep Halak on the bench. Or if he plays well he takes the bench to give Halak a few games.

I hope they put a TD him tonight. And one nail in the coffin of Oats job.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

Holtby will want out sooner than later. Not sure he'll be the only one if they kept the same jokers in charge.

I hope not. If his head in on straight he'll take this as a challenge and soak up as much knowledge from Halak as he can.

If Halak outplays him, I could see the Caps keeping him and Holtby will have to swallow his pride and play protégé for a while. Couldn't hurt as long as he's getting decent playing time.

 

[RandyHolt]

It's a vote of confidence for Holtby, by letting him play tonight. So he doesn't ask for a trade.

Still, they'll bench him until Halak loses. Maybe getting Halak was only about getting rid of Neuvy.

#Overthinking

 

[ryan519*]

why the **** is halak not starting tonight

 

[trick9]

Makes no sense to start Holtby on back-to-back games so i assume Halak is either tired from traveling or something.

There is always the option though that Oates is an idiot and wants to see Kolzig ruin him too before giving him a game.

 

[MrGone]

It's a vote of confidence for Holtby, by letting him play tonight. So he doesn't ask for a trade.

Still, they'll bench him until Halak loses. Maybe getting Halak was only about getting rid of Neuvy.

#Overthinking

That is one way of looking at it. It's funny how goalies are expected to be ready all the time. And if not they get dumped on like Novy for not stepping up.

While if anyone treated a Kicker or Relief Picture like this. They would have lost there job for messing with there head.

 

[ryan519*]

oh well. he'll debut at home for us. and phoenix is definitely not as strong offensively as boston

 

[ChibiPooky]

oh well. he'll debut at home for us. and phoenix is definitely not as strong offensively as boston

Erat is going to score a damn hat trick against us because of course he will.

 

[ryan519*]

Erat is going to score a damn hat trick against us because of course he will.

hahah wouldnt that be some ****

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

Erat is going to score a damn hat trick against us because of course he will.

Talk about an apropos nail in McPhee's/Oates coffin....

 

[g00n]

Makes no sense to start Holtby on back-to-back games so i assume Halak is either tired from traveling or something.

There is always the option though that Oates is an idiot and wants to see Kolzig ruin him too before giving him a game.

Correct. Coach's decision. Halak has apparently spent much of the last week in transit:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs...-but-braden-holtby-will-start-against-bruins/

 

[RandyHolt]

Lies

Hockey players travel all season long.

 

[jsykes]

Correct. Coach's decision. Halak has apparently spent much of the last week in transit:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs...-but-braden-holtby-will-start-against-bruins/

Thats such a crap excuse. A flight from St. Louis to Buffalo and then a flight from there to Philly? Thats hardly a big deal.

 

[g00n]

Thats such a crap excuse. A flight from St. Louis to Buffalo and then a flight from there to Philly? Thats hardly a big deal.

Over the past week, Halak has done little more than journey between teams. The St. Louis Blues were in Anaheim when they traded him to Buffalo on Feb. 28, so Halak took a the red-eye from California to the East Coast. He then went on the road with the Sabres to Dallas and on to Tampa.

On Wednesday after the trade to the Capitals was official, he flew from Tampa to Philadelphia and on to Boston. A highlight of the trip, though, was that Halak wound up on the same flight to Boston as fellow Slovakian Olympian defenseman Andrej Meszaros, who was traded from the Flyers to the Bruins Wednesday.

Anaheim>Buffalo>Dallas>Tampa>Philly>Boston

6 cities in about 5 days not counting any layovers from Anaheim to Buffalo, or possible jet lag, or the fact that you've been on 3 teams in 5 days. That's a lot to deal with.

 

[RandyHolt]

That is a full plate but we all know hockey players are expert travelers, and nap experts.

If he is that physically fragile.... oh wait never mind.

 

[jsykes]

Anaheim>Buffalo>Dallas>Tampa>Philly>Boston

6 cities in about 5 days not counting any layovers from Anaheim to Buffalo, or possible jet lag, or the fact that you've been on 3 teams in 5 days. That's a lot to deal with.

And never played a game during that time.

He's only been in CST and EST since the first, which is nothing and likely never even acclimated himself to PST before coming back, so no jet lag involved.

I'm sorry, its still a crap excuse.

 

[HunterSThompson]

That is a full plate but we all know hockey players are expert travelers, and nap experts.

If he is that physically fragile.... oh wait never mind.

That seems like a typical west coast road trip for the caps, and we all know how they play like crap out there.

My question is whether another flight to DC tonight after the game would make it better or worse for his ability to play Saturday.

 

[RandyHolt]

That seems like a typical west coast road trip for the caps, and we all know how they play like crap out there.

My question is whether another flight to DC tonight after the game would make it better or worse for his ability to play Saturday.

I have always felt that we lost because those teams always seem to be in a league ahead of ours. Watching west coast games, makes our games look like the beer leagues. I had believed that west coast teams coming east was a good short candidate.

He could play of course but they wanted to give the game to Holtby. Even though he too should be tired from getting shelled and then traveling, himself.

 

[HunterSThompson]

I have always felt that we lost because those teams always seem to be in a league ahead of ours. Watching west coast games, makes our games look like the beer leagues. I had believed that west coast teams coming east was a good short candidate.

He could play of course but they wanted to give the game to Holtby. Even though he too should be tired from getting shelled and then traveling, himself.

The reason that play is so much worse out west to me is circadian rhythms. When the Caps play out west they are at 10 - 10:30 PM DC time. Games regularly go past midnight DC time. Ten PM is a natural down time for people's circadian rhythms. West teams going east change "their" time to 4PM which is hardly an awkward time to start a game.

This is exactly why it is opposite in Football. West coast teams travelling east have to play at 10AM "their" time. Which is a much more awkward time to play than 4PM for East teams travelling west.