Speculation: Caps General Discussion (Coaching/FAs/Cap/Lines etc) - 2019-20 Season Pt. 6: 2020

[Langway]

Far too soon for Orpik to be a regular behind the Capitals bench. There wouldn't be that separation between the player and the coach that is required.

On the other hand, he never really shied away from lighting into teammates. It's possible he could make the switch in demeanor and perspective but I do think it'd be better if he had more experience first. It would develop him just like any other prospect so that he's not eventually overtasked in taking on too much, too soon. Maybe the stretch run prepares him for it but a lot would have to go right IMO. It would take a special breed. I wouldn't discount it but he would need to be a natural head coach in waiting of sorts to step in and make that transition. On the plus side, though, would be his very recent experience of what the game is like and heading toward.

 

[hb12xchamps]

The other major point is does Brooks actually want to become a coach? IIRC he wanted to spend time more time with his family after he retired and his new gig was only part time to work with the organizations prospects. Becoming an assistant coach means spending even more hours away from his family than he did as a player. Maybe he goes the Kolzig route and sinks a few more hours into prospect development before he fully decides to become a full time assistant coach?

I also lean toward the organization finding a more qualified candidate with coaching experience to replace Cashman. Preferably someone that has a decent track record of helping young players transition into the NHL and be successful since there's plenty of young talent waiting in the wings to take that next step.

 

[txpd]

Well, the defense was pretty mediocre last year as well, although better than this year (which was alarmingly bad at times).

Kempny and Carlson were good til Kempny was eliminated.
Orlov and Niskanen were both clearly recovering from the cup run. Many here thought Niskanen was over the hill.

Orpik and Djoos were both damaged good. Orpik couldn't walk up and down stairs and Djoos was trying to recover from compartment syndrome surgery.

They got Jensen trying to plug the holes. If you can blame Niskanen's improved game this season over last season on the Caps, ok.

 

[tenken00]

Kempny and Carlson were good til Kempny was eliminated.
Orlov and Niskanen were both clearly recovering from the cup run. Many here thought Niskanen was over the hill.

Orpik and Djoos were both damaged good. Orpik couldn't walk up and down stairs and Djoos was trying to recover from compartment syndrome surgery.

They got Jensen trying to plug the holes. If you can blame Niskanen's improved game this season over last season on the Caps, ok.

And none of it changes the fact that Reid Cashman's defense has never had a prolonged stretch of good play while he was with Washington over 2 years.

4 years if you include his 2 years working with the defense in Hershey under Mann.

Like I said, it might not be all his fault, but his defensive units have never ever been really good in all 4 years within the Capitals organization.

 

[hb12xchamps]

And none of it changes the fact that Reid Cashman's defense has never had a prolonged stretch of good play while he was with Washington over 2 years.

4 years if you include his 2 years working with the defense in Hershey under Mann.

Like I said, it might not be all his fault, but his defensive units have never ever been really good in all 4 years within the Capitals organization.

I wouldn’t necessarily say that’s fully true. Those teams still made the CC playoffs in Hershey.

His development of D prospects other than Djoos and Lewington is where you could possibly lay some blame. Bowey never thrived under Mann/Cashman’s tenure in Hershey. Plus he had Williams, Hobbs and a season of LuJo

Edit: Helmer was the assistant in 2015-16 so that’s a moot point

 

[Ridley Simon]

Far too soon for Orpik to be a regular behind the Capitals bench. There wouldn't be that separation between the player and the coach that is required. It could maybe work in another org, but not one that he just shared the ice with most of he team a couple years ago. There needs to be that gap, for both Orpik and for the players to respect Orpik properly. I know the assistant coach gets to often be the "good cop," but the players still need to view him as a coach rather than a teammate and he still needs to be able to dissociate with the locker room and view things objectively. I deal with this all the time with recent alumni in the high school organizations I work with. They want to help out, but they still feel too much connection to their teammates to be anything more than part time assistance.

I don’t buy any of this, and knew you’d bring this to the table.

Brooks already had that respect while as a player. It’s not going to somehow be an issue now.

To compare this to high school shows very little understanding of the team and the player, IMO

totally silly mindset.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

I don’t buy any of this, and knew you’d bring this to the table.

Brooks already had that respect while as a player. It’s not going to somehow be an issue now.

To compare this to high school shows very little understanding of the team and the player, IMO

totally silly mindset.

100% agree...

 

[LastWordArmy]

As the 2020 NHL Entry Draft approaches, we decided to examine each team’s best and worst pick since the 2000 NHL Entry Draft. The biggest boom is a player that had the best value relative to where they were selected. Meaning, no one in the first round will be considered a team’s best value pick. However, the biggest bust picks will almost always be in the first round. We will examine each player, why they were picked where they were, and what their NHL career was like. Today, the Washington Capitals draft Boom and their Draft Bust.

The Article is here
Washington Capitals Biggest Draft Boom and Bust Since 2000

Here is an HM for a taste.


Anton Gustafsson

The Swede came with high expectations, being the son of former Capital Bengt Gustafsson. Known as a highly-skilled two-way center with good size and decent strength, who won the J18 SM Silver Medal and the J20 SM Gold Medal consecutively.

Drafted by the Capitals in the first round, 21st overall pick in the 2008 Draft Gustafsson never played in the NHL and only played a single game with the Hershey Bears before returning to Sweden. The was no real obvious reason for this bust other than failure to step up to the NHL level. The 30-year-old currently plays for EHC Biel-Bienne in Switzerland. Another disappointing pick for the Capitals team.

 

[Cush]

The less said about the '05 the draft, the better. At least they got Carlson in '08, makes up for Anton

 

[notDkristich]

Cashman was not the assistant coach I was looking to see get replaced.

I thought he was the obvious choice. Forsythe is the easy choice. The difference, Reid was that bad

 

[StrikingDistance]

Far too soon for Orpik to be a regular behind the Capitals bench. There wouldn't be that separation between the player and the coach that is required. It could maybe work in another org, but not one that he just shared the ice with most of he team a couple years ago. There needs to be that gap, for both Orpik and for the players to respect Orpik properly. I know the assistant coach gets to often be the "good cop," but the players still need to view him as a coach rather than a teammate and he still needs to be able to dissociate with the locker room and view things objectively. I deal with this all the time with recent alumni in the high school organizations I work with. They want to help out, but they still feel too much connection to their teammates to be anything more than part time assistance.

Nah, they referred to him as 'father' when he was on the team.

All you need to know.

 

[Jacoby4HOF66]

 

[Jacoby4HOF66]

 

[Rayquaza64]

I could see Orpik as D coach, not sure if thats a good idea yet though. He seems to being doing fine helping with the prospects, and I think he will stay there for at least 1-2 more seasons before becoming an assistant coach.

As for the roster size up for debate, I personally dont see it going past 30 players + unlimited goalies, since say you bring 4 goalies thats 34/50 people you can bring to a game right there. Will be interesting to see how the leauge handles this moving forward

 

[trick9]

Happy to see Cashman gone to be honest, but it's too early for Orpik to jump in. He needs to get experience elsewhere and Capitals need someone more experienced to keep their window open as long as possible.

 

[Jacoby4HOF66]

 

[txpd]

1. Orpik was effectively a coach on the team from the time he walking into Caps camp the first time. The respect level there is unmatched.
2. Most hockey teams use their assistant coaches as a buffer between the room and the head coach. The question on Reirden was if he could go from good guy assistant coach to the boss.
3. Does he want to be a coach? I think he has said that he does. He has said that he wants to spend more time with his family and likes the part time job that he has. Its hard to know how much of that to believe. It seemed to me that had his knee allowed he would have played another year. It also might be, there is no way to know, that the Caps told him they wanted him to stay and a coaching job was there for him when it made sense.

So, my read is that if he wants the job, its his

 

[twabby]

It’s funny because I see Orpik as more of a head coach than an assistant coach. His leadership and respect from younger players seems like it would translate better as a head guy rather than an Xs and Os assistant coach type. I’m sure he’d have to start as an assistant coach somewhere but I’d imagine if he was interested he’d end up with a HC job in the minors or something rather than being an NHL assistant.

 

[Liam Smith]

Happy June 7th!

 

[txpd]

It’s funny because I see Orpik as more of a head coach than an assistant coach. His leadership and respect from younger players seems like it would translate better as a head guy rather than an Xs and Os assistant coach type. I’m sure he’d have to start as an assistant coach somewhere but I’d imagine if he was interested he’d end up with a HC job in the minors or something rather than being an NHL assistant.

I am not sure why you don't think his skills translate as an Xs and Os position coach? That's who he was as the captain of the defense. He was about motivation sure, but much of what he did was advising on playing the game. Shift to shift. Reads. Tendencies. Direction. That is all X's and O's. He's certainly was not a defenseman that skated by on his skill. He had to know the game plan, execute it properly, make the right decisions and be in the right places to be successful.

I expect him to be a head coach, but I don't think I would dis him has a position coach

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

Exactly.....I think Orpik is much smarter than Twabby wants to give him credit for.

I also seriously wonder why Orpik would want to live the minor league life when an NHL assistant role could also lead to a HC gig, if that’s his goal and he has the option.

Maybe if his kids were grown...

 

[895]

Reminder that the greatest and smartest player ever was a replacement level coach in the NHL while the greatest coach ever never made it out of the Quebec minor leagues before his career ended due to injury at age 22.

So basically there is very weak correlation between how someone plays and how someone coaches. Might as well roll a dice to figure out how Orpik will do as a coach.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

If anything Orpik is the type of guy who goes onto being a successful coach IMO vs super star types who have tried.

Was never a star-level player, always a hard worker type, had to think the game instead of relying on natural skill and was massively respected in the room.

 

[Rayquaza64]

Orpik definitely has what it takes to be a good coach, I would probably like to see him have some type of coaching job in Hershey over his current developmental role for a year or two before he's behind the bench in the big leauges

 

[Empty Goal Net]

NBC Sports Wash is showing 2018 finals. G4 on now, G5 begins @ 7 ET on its 2nd anniversary.