GDT: Caps and Wings 7:00 PM

[SecretaryofDefense5]

Do we still have a chance to sign Frank?

He probably wants nothing to do with this sh*t show. In reality I think he signs.

 

[Calicaps]

Do we still have a chance to sign Frank?

why not? the more compelling question is how long until this board hates him and his deal?

 

[895]

why not? the more compelling question is how long until this board hates him and his deal?

Why would we hate a guy on a near minimum ELC?

 

[IafrateOvie34]

why not? the more compelling question is how long until this board hates him and his deal?

Roflmao. It's not just this board, it goes way back to ESPN etc, but yeah we need to be more patient with youngsters and potential future Caps.

 

[Ovechkins Wodka]

Well, I completely forgot we were playing and missed all of this. Can’t remember the last time I did that for a caps game it says a lot about this team. And the NHL tv deal

 

[Calicaps]

Roflmao. It's not just this board, it goes way back to ESPN etc, but yeah we need to be more patient with youngsters and potential future Caps.

Indeed. A loooong history.

 

[marcel snapshot]

Pretty dismal. Their pre-game huddle must have gone something like this: “we’re having a lot of trouble scoring goals”. “Right so let’s be sure to pass up as many shot opportunities as possible so that we will score that 1 pretty goal that makes up for all the ones we’ve failed to score in 2023”

 

[notDkristich]

Pretty dismal. Their pre-game huddle must have gone something like this: “we’re having a lot of trouble scoring goals”. “Right so let’s be sure to pass up as many shot opportunities as possible so that we will score that 1 pretty goal that makes up for all the ones we’ve failed to score in 2023”

so many chances to shoot were passed up tonight. the fix is in!

 

[Holtbyisms]

Oh wtf ever….that’s a routine play in the NHL if your head isn’t up your ass.

I don't want to play the GMGM were you even in the game card...but one of the most fundamental things you learn as a dman is to use your partner and to use the wall, never out front of your own net unless you're skating it and possessing it and there's no pressure coming if you do so. You don't flip a pass to a forward surrounded by multiple opposing players in the most dangerous part of the ice in front of your goalie. That was a McIlrath level decision. I get it Kuzy is playing poorly right now but call it what it is...whole team needs to be better not just him.

 

[BallardEra]

Mantha has gone 15 straight games without a goal and only has 1 goal in his last 23 games.

 

[trick9]

Well…..I bet the Wings.….knowing damn well this was likely…..I feel dirty, but well paid.

Easiest money you'll ever make... one of the hottest teams vs. one of the coldest teams. Dylan Larkin tried to gift the game for us but even without him it was a rather easy win for the Wings.

Should be an interesting trade deadline.

 

[YippieKaey]

Every Caps forward except Ovi has gone 600 straight decades without a goal and only have 1 goal in the last 15 eons.

Fixed it for you

 

[Capsman]

Roflmao. It's not just this board, it goes way back to ESPN etc, but yeah we need to be more patient with youngsters and potential future Caps.

I’m all for being patient with youngsters, ie not kicking them to the curb. Some may turn out to be serviceable NHL players. But it’s painfully obvious Maclellan and his staff have done a very poor job procuring high level talent through the draft in these 9 years of drafting. The difference between McPhee and Maclellan in similar draft positions is striking. Yes McPhee struck out on occasion and yes the Forsberg trade was unforgivable (btw Maclellan has admitted he had a willing role in that), but he also has picks like Carlson, Holtby, MJ, Orlov, Eakin, Kuzy, Grubeaur, Boyd, Djoos, Bura, and Stephenson. Not including Wilson because he was a 16. Sure the jury is still out on some of Maclellan’s picks but so far they are looking meh.

 

[BiPolar Caps]

I don't want to play the GMGM were you even in the game card...but one of the most fundamental things you learn as a dman is to use your partner and to use the wall, never out front of your own net unless you're skating it and possessing it and there's no pressure coming if you do so. You don't flip a pass to a forward surrounded by multiple opposing players in the most dangerous part of the ice in front of your goalie. That was a McIlrath level decision. I get it Kuzy is playing poorly right now but call it what it is...whole team needs to be better not just him.

Wasn't that Jensen who made the pass from behind the net to Kuznetsov. I know Locker between periods focused on Kuzy fumbling the puck, but after the score it seemed Kuemper immediately turned towards Jensen and said something to him, most likely WTF. Maybe it was Jensen's "don't trade me move", because such a move doesn't help his value.

 

[Neil Racki]

Puck just wouldnt go in last night. Guys still gave a losing effort but I thought it should have been 3-4.

Its bad hockey with bad luck at this point.

Canes game was just hard to watch, last night we played better but man .. if thats better .. f***ing A man.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

Wasn't that Jensen who made the pass from behind the net to Kuznetsov. I know Locker between periods focused on Kuzy fumbling the puck, but after the score it seemed Kuemper immediately turned towards Jensen and said something to him, most likely WTF. Maybe it was Jensen's "don't trade me move", because such a move doesn't help his value.

He said “dude…..he couldn’t have been more wide open, not your fault.”……..

 

[RedRocking]

He said “dude…..he couldn’t have been more wide open, not your fault.”……..

This goal was like a microcosm of the terrible stretches of play this year. It doesn’t feel like opposing teams “earn” most of their goals against us. Either we turn it over in prime scoring spots, or ridiculous seeing eye shots hit 3 guys and go in.

Our zone exits have been atrocious for most of this year. They try short passes in their own zone too much (and constantly turn it over), and everyone seems terrified of icing for some reason. I imagine this is coaching since everyone does it - from various D combos, to the forwards, and even DK, who turns it over most times he plays the puck. I can’t remember a Caps team that was so careless with the puck.

 

[um]

Mantha has gone 15 straight games without a goal and only has 1 goal in his last 23 games.

ouch.

I'm not sure we will be able to get another team to take him without spending. We may be stuck with him.

 

[sycamore]

Guys, forgive the dumb question but I've been outta the loop for a while.

If Ovie gets back tonight, does he still have a shot at a 50 goal season?

 

[bacchist]

Guys, forgive the dumb question but I've been outta the loop for a while.

If Ovie gets back tonight, does he still have a shot at a 50 goal season?

He needs to score at almost a goal a game pace for the rest of the season while playing for a bad team.

 

[Holtbyisms]

He said “dude…..he couldn’t have been more wide open, not your fault.”……..

Option A, keep to your strong side since Jensen is a righty and go up the wall hard to the teammate just out of frame. Option B, pivot the hips slightly and reverse to Marty Party off the boards to avoid the fly-by forechecker and brace for a possible hit if he doesn't fly. Option C pivot the hips and go hard around to Milano. The big red blob is where basically every coach I ever had would bag skate me to death if I passed the puck to. Jensen has several options here and he took the least desirable. On film breakdown day I'm hoping he gets a similar visual.

 

[marcel snapshot]

I fully agree that coaches at most levels of hockey loathe that Jensen to Kuzy pass. But these are the best players in the world and there's a lot of open space there. I've seen the Caps and other teams make that play lots of times in order to get a (relatively) easy clear. It's one of the things that is cool about the NHL - these guys are so good that you can dispense with some of the coaching orthodoxies stringently applied at other levels.

Also, if that play is such an unequivocal no-go at all times, then WTF is Kuzy doing presenting himself to Jensen in that manner. He's not just down there being responsible C in front of the net in a 2-1 game in the 3rd where we're trying to tie it up.

I suspect the Caps coaching staff may even prioritize getting the puck onto Kuzy's stick when he's open to start a transition, even if he's open in a dangerous area - because most of the time they execute that play and he's one of your best hands, highest skilled players most able to pull that kind of thing off. To me, Kuzy was asking for that puck, and needed to make a better, more possessive play than immediately trying to half-ass pass it to his wing without actually gathering it onto his stick.

And the failure to pull of that play and have it end up in the back of our net is a little microcosm of the disconnectedness that has plagued the Caps since the new year began. And with each game the discombobulation seems to grow and the collective confidence seems to shrink. It's a cycle of suck - hope Ovi's return can pull them out of it

 

[bacchist]

these are the best players in the world

welp...

 

[marcel snapshot]

Yeah, a little poetic license there

 

[um]

View attachment 654909
Option A, keep to your strong side since Jensen is a righty and go up the wall hard to the teammate just out of frame. Option B, pivot the hips slightly and reverse to Marty Party off the boards to avoid the fly-by forechecker and brace for a possible hit if he doesn't fly. Option C pivot the hips and go hard around to Milano. The big red blob is where basically every coach I ever had would bag skate me to death if I passed the puck to. Jensen has several options here and he took the least desirable. On film breakdown day I'm hoping he gets a similar visual.

Eh, this is the NHL, passing to an open guy in front of the net happens all the time.