Speculation: Caps General Discussion (Coaching/FAs/Cap/Lines etc) -- 2018-19 We Are The Champions Edition - Pt. 2

[Ridley Simon]

The biggest thing for me is that it raises the bar going forward in a way that should only be positive. No longer should they imagine pressure situations with trepidation. No longer do they have the carry around the baggage of past disappointments. Those moments still have relevance as lessons learned but the weight should be off. That should drive them throughout their training and, along with the new staff, motivate them to do their best to remain on top. That confidence and determination may not go 100% for those that didn't factor in during the Cup run but even for them there should, at least in the short-term, be more of an institutional sense of confidence and positivity.

Even a decade from now there will be the utility of those other guys in the past with the same name having done it before. It's a game-changer organizationally, particularly given this franchise's overall history. I'd hope it's not a one-off and there's still more team accomplishments to come but once they've actually done it losses will be far easier to get over. For both the team and the fanbase it should be much easier, at least in the short-term, to keep focus on what can be controlled and let other distractions fade away.

There was some statistic that showed most Cup winners won it all again within 7 seasons (I think it was 7)....something like all but 5 in the past 30 years. The process of learning how to win makes it a lot more likely to win again.

I don’t know the exact numbers, but win it once makes it likely to win it again. We will see

 

[Hivemind]

There was some statistic that showed most Cup winners won it all again within 7 seasons (I think it was 7)....something like all but 5 in the past 30 years. The process of learning how to win makes it a lot more likely to win again.

I don’t know the exact numbers, but win it once makes it likely to win it again. We will see

Looking at the post-lockout winners, I think it helps that so many of the recent cup winners have done it the first time with a young core (Malkin, Kane, & Toews were still on ELCs when they won their first), and most with team-favorable (Crosby's 87 fetishism) and/or back-diving contracts (Duncan Keith, Marian Hossa, Jeff Carter). The Capitals aren't going to have those luxuries. It's certainly possible that this team wins again, but it will be harder for them to do it than it was for Chicago, Pittsburgh, or Los Angeles.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

There was some statistic that showed most Cup winners won it all again within 7 seasons (I think it was 7)....something like all but 5 in the past 30 years. The process of learning how to win makes it a lot more likely to win again.

I don’t know the exact numbers, but win it once makes it likely to win it again. We will see

I’ve said it many times. If they could win one, they might just win 2 or 3 before Ovy is done.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

Look. It’s simple. If there are posters that want to move on from the euphoria of last seasons Cup win, they can. If those same posters want to think people still basking in that win are coloured in a certain way, they can. If posters want to bash the Wilson contract, they can. If posters want to pursue the luck angle, they can.

And if other posters want to call all of that bunk, then they can too. Neither side should get too terribly up in arms about it. There will always be disagreements amongst our own fan base. I’m over it.

For the record, I waited 40yrs for the Cup win. To think that will fade for someone like me in 40days is....well...it’s something. Maybe it’s all related to how long you waited, or how badly you wanted it. Or not. Maybe it’s just the make up of the individual.

Either way.....cheers

So to summarize, people can post junk and we can keep shooting it down.

Sanest post indeed.

 

[shtorm2005]

Damn, Caps' fan @Carlzner is so funny. In the main thread, Laine vs Ovy, he was sending OP to watch Ovy's highlights 5-6 times.

 

[txpd]

I’m not sure what this means, honestly. I haven’t read this book for years and years. I assume you are in the camp that is still very excited about the everything regarding the team (as am I), and that the bloom will be on the rose for quite some time

Eeyore is the doom and gloom donkey with the tail that falls off. Pooh is the optimist looking for more honey

 

[Hivemind]

 

[Melkor]

So full of themselves shoot it down. Hilarious.

 

[Ridley Simon]

So to summarize, people can post junk and we can keep shooting it down.

Sanest post indeed.

 

[g00n]

"..talking about luck as something marginal is not very smart". I didn't call anyone dumb, I said to say something like this is not very smart. You're just spitting bull**** all over the place. If I want to call you dumb I will send you a personal message with the diagnosis (stay tuned by the way). Here I'm just posting hockey related thigns which obviously get you triggered . You just have an agenda to reply some nonsense to every my post this summer.

Nobody's following you around and nobody really cares about what you write beyond the few seconds it takes to maybe read it, if that even happens. If you make ridiculous posts people will respond appropriately and that's all there is to it.

 

[Calicaps]

ENOUGH!!! Next topic please.

 

[Ridley Simon]

So......

Anyone remember who won the this past season?

 

[RandyHolt]

Like when a reporter asks drunk Ovi how it felt to win the cup, and willy starts singing we are the champions.

 

[txpd]

Next subject? Have we talked about Orpik lately?

 

[VaCaps Fan]

Ridley Simon, board sage!

 

[Ridley Simon]

Do the anti-Orpik people still feel anti-Orpik?

I have to assume Orpik at 1m is a far easier pill to swallow than Orpik at 5.5m. Oh and that playoff performance thing he did.

I know twabby has let go his Orpik disdain (won’t use the word “hate”, it’s such a cliche’ now).

Who else has?

I never really had it.

 

[Silky mitts]

Do the anti-Orpik people still feel anti-Orpik?

I have to assume Orpik at 1m is a far easier pill to swallow than Orpik at 5.5m. Oh and that playoff performance thing he did.

I know twabby has let go his Orpik disdain (won’t use the word “hate”, it’s such a cliche’ now).

Who else has?

I never really had it.

I was more unhappy with the move of signing him than any Caps move ever except for trading Forsberg and Ciccarelli, never really liked him, almost blocked out that he scored the 1st caps finals gwg ever, was on here like the day after the parade saying they’re going to buy him out, was happy when they traded him because I had affixed an enormous negative value on him, yet absolutely wanted him back at $1.5M or less and acknowledge he had a solid playoffs.

 

[Devil Dancer]

Who else has?

I never really had it.

I had two problems with Brooks. One was the contract, which is obviously moot now. Two was his propensity for dumb plays at key times. The prime exhibit was that double minor in 2016 that cost the Caps a key game against Pittsburgh.

That wasn't an issue in 2018, so I'm all good for now.

 

[Sam Spade]

I think GMBM did a fantastic deal by getting rid of Orpik AND getting him back for a million. My only issue is he is blocking a pretty decent kid from getting a years experience in the NHL.

It's only one more season so I can live with it.

Capitals are Stanley Cup Champions!!!!!

 

[HTFN]

Fine with it, didn't even really struggle with his selection too much (not because I agreed with it, but it just seemed like a normal NHL fact of life kind of thing).

But it will bother me a lot more this year if he's not seeing Erskine games. Play Orpik against Columbus and the like the way Erskine used to get games against Atlanta, but make it pretty clear that his role has switched to 7D this season.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

Do the anti-Orpik people still feel anti-Orpik?

I have to assume Orpik at 1m is a far easier pill to swallow than Orpik at 5.5m. Oh and that playoff performance thing he did.

I know twabby has let go his Orpik disdain (won’t use the word “hate”, it’s such a cliche’ now).

Who else has?

I never really had it.

Don’t forget he’s also stealing “invaluable development time that will never be reclaimed”........lol!

 

[Ridley Simon]

Fine with it, didn't even really struggle with his selection too much (not because I agreed with it, but it just seemed like a normal NHL fact of life kind of thing).

But it will bother me a lot more this year if he's not seeing Erskine games. Play Orpik against Columbus and the like the way Erskine used to get games against Atlanta, but make it pretty clear that his role has switched to 7D this season.

I mentioned earlier in this thread (or perhaps it was the Orpik resigning thread), that most are missing the Reirden factor here, with Brooks.

He might as well be Reirden’s top assistant, IMO. Seems like a lot that went on the past few years — where Reirden was championing an idea — was to also have Orpik selling it in the room. Those 2 (Reirden and Orpik) have been together a long long time, and they count on each other in ways that should lead to an actual coaching job for Brooks in DC (assuming Todd is still the coach) once the skates are hung up. Hell, it could even be next season.

I say all of this as I simply don’t think Reirden will be playing Orpik as the 7D, anytime soon. Certainly not to start, and probably not unless Brooks shows he’s *really* lost another step. And that will take at least 40gamss to ascertain. Unless Brooks get injured (which he certainly could), we should all expect at least 70games for 44. And that’s fine. As long as he gets some rest over the last quarter of the season as they had up for a repeat.

But Todd won’t bench Brooks. Not going to happen.

 

[Ridley Simon]

Don’t forget he’s also stealing “invaluable development time that will never be reclaimed”........lol!

The real telltale will be what happens when one of the true top 4D gets hurt. Will they push a Brooks back into that role? Or allow a Djoos or a Bowey to handle it?

I’d say it depends when, and who, gets hurt. Too many variables. I’d like them to keep 44 in bottom pair, PK, end of game w lead types of sheltered minutes. No matter what. Unless 2-3 top 4 are injured at same time. That’s a different animal.

 

[Capsman]

Way too much is made of “luck” whether ours or others teams’. Some people remember the posts we hit when we lose but forget the posts the opponent hits. Likewise they remember the posts the opponent hits when we win and forget the posts we hit. We missed some gimme chances against Columbus and Pittsburgh...the difference is that we made up for it unlike past seasons.

With regard to posts hit, has very little to do with luck. The post is one of many 2 inch locations a puck can go without going into the goal. If someone shoots 1 inch wide of the post, it’s still a pretty good shot that may happen multiple times a game but nobody remembers. Hitting multiple posts may be indicative of more offensive pressure than shot stats might indicate, but one or two memorable posts hit does not in any way indicate that one team was more lucky than the other (any more than any other missed shot).

 

[HTFN]

I mentioned earlier in this thread (or perhaps it was the Orpik resigning thread), that most are missing the Reirden factor here, with Brooks.

He might as well be Reirden’s top assistant, IMO. Seems like a lot that went on the past few years — where Reirden was championing an idea — was to also have Orpik selling it in the room. Those 2 (Reirden and Orpik) have been together a long long time, and they count on each other in ways that should lead to an actual coaching job for Brooks in DC (assuming Todd is still the coach) once the skates are hung up. Hell, it could even be next season.

I say all of this as I simply don’t think Reirden will be playing Orpik as the 7D, anytime soon. Certainly not to start, and probably not unless Brooks shows he’s *really* lost another step. And that will take at least 40gamss to ascertain. Unless Brooks get injured (which he certainly could), we should all expect at least 70games for 44. And that’s fine. As long as he gets some rest over the last quarter of the season as they had up for a repeat.

But Todd won’t bench Brooks. Not going to happen.

And that's unfortunate, because he should. If Orpik is being missed as a bench presence, alternate captain, what have you, then punch him back in for 10 games to remind everyone how to be. Otherwise I'd prefer he set that tone in practice/the room.

I'd like ~50 games from Orpik between matchup decisions, injury fill-ins, etc.

We're reaching (have reached) a point with Orpik where he's no longer a babysitter, but someone who needs babysitting. I don't see how it's good for Bowey, Djoos, or whoever else may occupy the spot to develop a game tailored to cleaning up after Orpik. I don't think he's done, but I think you'll have an exceptionally hard time preparing any of the young defensemen for the game of the "new" NHL defenseman when they're shackled to a relic who can't play that way. The things that remain to be learned from Orpik are largely off-ice, or lessons you can teach in smaller doses against tougher, north-south teams.