GDT: Capitals @ Devils | 10/24/22 | 7:00p ET

[IafrateOvie34]

Stupid me just realized NJD plays the Red Wings tomorrow. Sometimes I just can't listen to broadcasts .

 

[PlushMinus]

Nice to get a win, and I think this season it's going to be really important to take them and run, because when you do a Twabby and just look at the box score, what you see is:

Jersey had 41 shots on Lindgren and he allowed 3 goals.
Caps had 22 shots on Jersey and they allowed 6 goals.

Happy for those who watched to pile on (and I'm sure you will), but that doesn't look like a dominant team performance by the Caps. It looks like 2 points courtesy of really bad goaltending.

 

[twabby]

Good to see the top line drive play a bit tonight. They were the only line that really did so.

Not much more to say about Lindgren. So far he looks like an ace pickup!

 

[twabby]

Nice to get a win, and I think this season it's going to be really important to take them and run, because when you do a Twabby and just look at the box score, what you see is:

Jersey had 41 shots on Lindgren and he allowed 3 goals.
Caps had 22 shots on Jersey and they allowed 6 goals.

Happy for those who watched to pile on (and I'm sure you will), but that doesn't look like a dominant team performance by the Caps. It looks like 2 points courtesy of really bad goaltending.

It’s certainly not an effort that indicates any sort of playoff success, but yes they need the points now more than anything.

 

[Portable Mink]

Have to like what we did in the neutraul zone for half the game. When we do have clean posession I also like our offense. I think we are still a handful when we get the timing going nicely later in the season.

 

[ovikovy817]

Nice W, division rival, Ovi on the board, that was a great 2nd period.

 

[AlexBrovechkin8]

Nice to get a win, and I think this season it's going to be really important to take them and run, because when you do a Twabby and just look at the box score, what you see is:

Jersey had 41 shots on Lindgren and he allowed 3 goals.
Caps had 22 shots on Jersey and they allowed 6 goals.

Happy for those who watched to pile on (and I'm sure you will), but that doesn't look like a dominant team performance by the Caps. It looks like 2 points courtesy of really bad goaltending.

I’m honestly not sure what to make of the shot total disparity. It’s obviously not great but the game didn’t feel like they were doubled up on shots except for that stretch in the third period. New Jersey’s top guys never seemed to threaten and it felt like a lot of their shots were reactively straight forward saves — there weren’t a bunch of second chances opportunities or odd man rushes or saves that required lateral movement across the crease. This takes nothing away from Lindgren though, he was really sharp.

I’m a bit concerned about Kuznetsov. The depth guys are playing well but they need a ton more from him if the Caps are going to have any semblance of a chance this year.

 

[g00n]

I'd be curious about a heat map or other analysis of the shot quality, period by period if possible and including shots missing the net.

It seemed like the caps were working hard and getting shots off in good scoring position quite a bit early on but they kept shooting high or wide, which likely also contributed to the shot count disparity.

 

[itsjustsurvival]

I’m honestly not sure what to make of the shot total disparity. It’s obviously not great but the game didn’t feel like they were doubled up on shots except for that stretch in the third period. New Jersey’s top guys never seemed to threaten and it felt like a lot of their shots were reactively straight forward saves — there weren’t a bunch of second chances opportunities or odd man rushes or saves that required lateral movement across the crease. This takes nothing away from Lindgren though, he was really sharp.

I’m a bit concerned about Kuznetsov. The depth guys are playing well but they need a ton more from him if the Caps are going to have any semblance of a chance this year.

Seems to be struggling to find chemistry with linemates. Also, looks visibly frustrated this season. Whether it's because he knows he's underperforming or nagging injury, he hasn't looked himself.

I agree with @Langway though, they are in desperate need of some play driving talent in the top 6. More than enough finishers and complimentary pieces. Adding just one responsible forward with vision and above average skating could drastically elevate the forward group's effectiveness.

 

[AlexBrovechkin8]

Seems to be struggling to find chemistry with linemates. Also, looks visibly frustrated this season. Whether it's because he knows he's underperforming or nagging injury, he hasn't looked himself.

I agree with @Langway though, they are in desperate need of some play driving talent in the top 6. More than enough finishers and complimentary pieces. Adding just one responsible forward with vision and above average skating could drastically elevate the forward group's effectiveness.

Timo Meier is your man. An absolute beast who can drive play and finish. He’s got the size profile they want and he just turned 27 so he’s still got plenty of good years left in the tank and could be a nice bridge piece. I wouldn’t hesitate to flip Lapierre or McMichael++ for him, so long as the first is lottery protected in case the train falls off the tracks and the ping pong ball bounces in their favor.

It’s clearer with every game that Ovi still has his shot and knows where to be to get in position to score but they can’t expect him to play 20:00/night against the best competition and drive play. The dude is 37 and has logged a ton of miles. Kuznetsov and Strome are good but not great. Mantha and Oshie similarly aren’t the dominant play driving wingers they need and Wilson, as unique of a player he is, isn’t one either. Their depth is better than advertised but they really need an elite player in the top six to help balance things out.

 

[pman25]

 

[Langway]

Timo Meier is your man. An absolute beast who can drive play and finish. He’s got the size profile they want and he just turned 27 so he’s still got plenty of good years left in the tank and could be a nice bridge piece. I wouldn’t hesitate to flip Lapierre or McMichael++ for him, so long as the first is lottery protected in case the train falls off the tracks and the ping pong ball bounces in their favor.

It’s clearer with every game that Ovi still has his shot and knows where to be to get in position to score but they can’t expect him to play 20:00/night against the best competition and drive play. The dude is 37 and has logged a ton of miles. Kuznetsov and Strome are good but not great. Mantha and Oshie similarly aren’t the dominant play driving wingers they need and Wilson, as unique of a player he is, isn’t one either. Their depth is better than advertised but they really need an elite player in the top six to help balance things out.

Solid player but I'd wager either a center upgrade over Strome or LD is the main priority. So I guess Chychrun is the best way to go. It's risky given his injury history but banking on Fehervary presents its own risks and Chychrun likely has more potential than any available center in a thin market. At 24 beyond all of the injury stuff that's a piece they could build around. It would provide a slight hedge against Orlov pricing himself out of town, though you'd think that will get done either way. Again, risky but if the market isn't strong they do have what at the moment anyway are extraneous pieces to make that move and perhaps not at back-breaking cost. I'm not sure he altogether drives play but when healthy he's got the elements they look for in a solid two-way addition that can eat up minutes and play all situations.

Meier would be a safer target but fundamentally I'm not sure any winger functionally moves things too significantly on their own. He'd help but some of their more foundational issues I think can pretty much only be solved by upgrading one of those two positions.

 

[AlexBrovechkin8]

Solid player but I'd wager either a center upgrade over Strome or LD is the main priority. So I guess Chychrun is the best way to go. It's risky given his injury history but banking on Fehervary presents its own risks and Chychrun likely has more potential than any available center in a thin market. At 24 beyond all of the injury stuff that's a piece they could build around. It would provide a slight hedge against Orlov pricing himself out of town, though you'd think that will get done either way. Again, risky but if the market isn't strong they do have what at the moment anyway are extraneous pieces to make that move and perhaps not at back-breaking cost. I'm not sure he altogether drives play but when healthy he's got the elements they look for in a solid two-way addition that can eat up minutes and play all situations.

Meier would be a safer target but fundamentally I'm not sure any winger functionally moves things too significantly on their own. He'd help but some of their more foundational issues I think can pretty much only be solved by upgrading one of those two positions.

How likely is a center upgrade though? They just signed Strome and aren’t likely to trade him. They’re not trading Kuznetsov, I assume. Eller I thought would already be gone but Lavi seems to love him. Does upgrading Kuznetsov or improving their 3C really move the needle? Maybe they bring in a 1/2C, trade Eller, and bump Strome down to 3C? That I could get around for sure.

All that said, they have gaping holes at wing in the top six and I think the need there is understated. Oshie is no longer a top six player. Mantha is a nice complimentary piece but probably nothing more. Ovechkin needs other guys to get him the puck in scoring areas. Wilson is a bull but I think he’s going to need time to get confidence in his knee even when he’s back. I think an elite winger is arguably their biggest need at the moment.

As for the defense, Orlov is a top pairing defenseman. Fever is best suited as a 3LD I think at this point so yeah, upgrading 1/2LD is a priory. I wonder what they really think of Alexeyev’s upside. Chychrun is interesting. None of it really matters on the blue line though if Carlson plays at the level he’s played at the last four postseasons.

Ovechkin-Kuznetsov-Wilson
Mantha-Strome-Meier
Sheary-Eller-Oshie
Johansson-Dowd-Hathaway

Pretty deep and good looking forward lineup I think.

 

[twabby]

A healthy Chychrun would be a good target, but yeah I agree a center is still what they need most. Hard to know who is or will be available though, but they shouldn’t be afraid to be aggressive in getting upgrades.

 

[Langway]

Maybe Horvat. They'll give Strome a long look first, though. If he can manage to improve his neutral zone and defensive game some and build chemistry it might be okay. For now he's not much of a play driver and I'm not sure that gets significantly better to the point needed. But he could be a flippable asset at least. He does add a little something on the PP and could fare better elsewhere around more pace. Similarly, I think if you're underwhelmed by Mantha not being a star player then a swap might be the best way to go there as well.

No idea what to do with Oshie really. For how they play and what they lack he doesn't offer much 5v5 at his cap hit. That's the trio to swap out if they want to significantly reconfigure the forwards at some point. The rest is passable depth. It's impact upgrades only time either way barring lots of injuries hitting. As-is they need needle movers that fit a more cerebral fluid two-way profile.

 

[RedRocking]

What’s the latest with the Winnipeg situation - either Scheifele/PLD? I know PLD only signed a one year deal @ 6M, and last I heard doesn’t seem to want to commit long term there. I think that’s why the Scheifele trade talks quieted over the summer.

Would take a lot to get either guy. What other top 6 centers are out there for a possible deal this season?

Unfortunately, I imagine the club will be hesitant to do anything at the position as they are going to give Backstrom every chance to get back. I love Nick and wish him well, but a return to form seems so unlikely.

So maybe a move for Chychrun would be our best bet to get a real impact player this year.

 

[Jags]

No idea what to do with Oshie really. For how they play and what they lack he doesn't offer much 5v5 at his cap hit.

Oshie's got a rep as a clutch performer that comes up big in the postseason. I could see a team parting with a significant future or two to add him at the deadline. Especially a team like Toronto that wouldn't hesitate to buy him out if he didn't fit after their run.

 

[John Price]

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

A healthy Chychrun would be a good target, but yeah I agree a center is still what they need most. Hard to know who is or will be available though, but they shouldn’t be afraid to be aggressive in getting upgrades.

That’s my concern….he’s rarely healthy. I’m not super keen on his addition because of that.

I‘d be surprised if their “upgrade” move is a journeyman add like Kempny was. I feel like they just keep Fever there unless there’s a more clear cut upgrade acquisition.

 

[AlexBrovechkin8]

Moving on.