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

[txpd]

In my opinion, Orlov-Jensen pair is too limited offensively. They underproduce ~0.5 on-ice goal for per 60 minutes. Does it cost the ~$3.0M Jensen brings to the team with his cheap contract? Maybe.

1st that pair is for defense. Orlov is supposed to be a top end offensive player. Jensen plays defense and can skate as well as any Caps defenseman. He is not there for offense. Yes, he's worth the middle of the lineup player that they can pay with the savings

 

[tenken00]

The speed creates chaos all on its own

Yes. But no goals created with chaos still means no goals.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

No. You hire a real coach.

We went through a decade waiting for Backstrom to carry our center depth through the hump and that never happened. I don't see that happening now that Backstrom is 33 either.

um....I said you try to reform the player....that’s via the next coach....and if he shows the same Semi-Pro attitude, you show him the door IMO.

His production can be replaced by committee. They won’t leave a gaping hole at Center, I feel confident in that, it just might take multiple deals.

 

[tenken00]

I honestly think the very first question I would ask in every one of the upcoming coaching interviews would be "How would you solve the Kuznetsov enigma?"

 

[Barry Amsterdam]

backstrom was not at fault for not winning cups. how can you expect him to carry with brooks laich at 2c

 

[txpd]

Yes. But no goals created with chaos still means no goals.

Quick check. In his last 22 games of the RS he had 16pts including 7 goals. He had a lot of company plenty of company among players with 1pt or less in the post season.

 

[francaisvolantsparis]

I honestly think the very first question I would ask in every one of the upcoming coaching interviews would be "How would you solve the Kuznetsov enigma?"

If coach says "trade Lars" to the Kuzy enigma question, you hire him with no other questions.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

Ive said it before. Kuzy is an artist. Its hard to force art. When he is feeling it, he really is. When he would rather be at home with his kids, he would really rather. His game is so tied to his creativity that i am not sure there is a way around it.

I don’t think that tracks at all. The negative in his game doesn’t suddenly come from creative block....it comes from lack of giving an honest effort each night. Lack of caring.

calling him an “artist“ and playing it off as some sort of eccentricity is just excusing it IMO.

you’re right in that there may not be a way around it though....he can’t be forced to care.

 

[tenken00]

Quick check. In his last 22 games of the RS he had 16pts including 7 goals. He had a lot of company plenty of company among players with 1pt or less in the post season.

And you need to score in the playoffs. Not in "22 games in the regular season." I'm not saying that its all his fault, and that chaos is not good. But what good is chaos if no one can make use of it. I just think that the 3rd line is poorly constructed as is.

 

[895]

Kuzy maybe doesn't give 100% effort on the ice while Backstrom does, but off the ice Backstrom is not nearly putting in enough effort in. He looks like someone with a desk job not a professional athlete.

 

[francaisvolantsparis]

backstrom was not at fault for not winning cups. how can you expect him to carry with brooks laich at 2c

Laich was 2C for only 1/2 a season. You forgot the Fedorov, Ribeiro, Grabovsky, Johansson, Arnott, Belanger, Morrison, all the straggle we came through before God sent us Kuznetsov.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

And you need to score in the playoffs. Not in "22 games in the regular season." I'm not saying that its all his fault, and that chaos is not good. But what good is chaos if no one can make use of it. I just think that the 3rd line is poorly constructed as is.

I thought Hags really turned the corner in the regular season in the offensive half. He was at least decent for a good stretch. Lots of people crapped the bed offensively in the Loffs.

 

[tenken00]

If coach says "trade Lars" to the Kuzy enigma question, you hire him with no other questions.

Wait, how does trading Lars affect the Kuzy enigma?

 

[tenken00]

I thought Hags really turned the corner in the regular season in the offensive half. He was at least decent for a good stretch. Lots of people crapped the bed offensively in the Loffs.

Its kind of funny. The 3rd line started off pretty bad in the regular season. And then they started to finally gel after months of being bad and Hagelin and Panik started scoring after an abysmal point production. Then they went and got Kovy and basically reset it back right before the shutdown. I admit though, I was ok with the thought of Kovy and was thinking he would be at least some what better than what he showed in the playoffs.

 

[francaisvolantsparis]

Wait, how does trading Lars affect the Kuzy enigma?

There is no Kuzy enigma. He is a young top10 NHL center forward on a long underpaid contract. He makes look regular season Ovechkin and the first line forward Wilson like decent 5v5 first line players. He is one of the most amazing NHL players to watch. And on top, he overperforms to the unseen level in every playoff run. It is not because one looser coach said publicaly something odd about him, a good coach should follow that brainf*rt. On the other hand, Lars is consistently killing our 3rd line and C depth.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

It’s Crazy time!

 

[Skrudland2Lomakin]

Fair? Its just a fact. He hasnt won a cup. That is in his favor. He doesnt look like the kind of guy that would have much patience for an artist. So i am wondering why he is thought to be such a fit for Kuzy

He would have won a Cup if it wasn't for us, kind of seems unfair to literally be the reason it didn't happen and then go, "So you've never been able to win the big one."

Also maybe you need to start reconsidering whether Kuzy is a good fit for us, not if a coach is a good fit for him. We've now seen Kuznetsov play and have the same issues of consistency/focus on under three very different coaches. Kind of like the old adage, if every person you encounter in a day is an asshole, you're probably the asshole. If every coach can't crack the Kuzy code, it's probably more of a problem with Kuzy as opposed to every coach we've had.

 

[Ovechkins Wodka]

I think every team in the NHL would take the problem of having Kuzy as 2C

 

[Skrudland2Lomakin]

There is no Kuzy enigma. He is a young top10 NHL center forward on a long underpaid contract. He makes look regular season Ovechkin and the first line forward Wilson like decent 5v5 first line players. He is one of the most amazing NHL players to watch. And on top, he overperforms to the unseen level in every playoff run. It is not because one looser coach said publicaly something odd about him, a good coach should follow that brainf*rt. On the other hand, Lars is consistently killing our 3rd line and C depth.

I swear Francais watches different games than the rest of us.


Francais, bud, Kuzy is being paid $7.8 million and has only once ever been over a PPG player. He's a top 6 C on one of the most prolific offensive teams in the league, he has spent a good portion of his career centering for the greatest goal scorer of all time, and he's a .81 career PPG. He's most certainly not "underpaid". 2017 and 18 aside, his post season play has been absent and abysmal.

 

[Skrudland2Lomakin]

I think every team in the NHL would take the problem of having Kuzy as 2C

That's swell... how many would take him as their 1C though? If you're looking at Kuzy as being our 2C moving forward that's the issue. Y'all feeling pretty happy to pay a 2C almost 8 million to produce around .80 PPG annually?

 

[tenken00]

There is no Kuzy enigma. He is a young top10 NHL center forward on a long underpaid contract. He makes look regular season Ovechkin and the first line forward Wilson like decent 5v5 first line players. He is one of the most amazing NHL players to watch. And on top, he overperforms to the unseen level in every playoff run. It is not because one looser coach said something odd about him, a good coach should follow that brainf*rt. On the other hand, Lars is consistently killing our 3rd line and C depth.

Well what I meant was ask how the coach would attack the question of unleashing the most out of Kuzy's creativity and still play somewhat within a structure. He's at his best when he creates, and the more he creates, the more he is into the game so you want more of that. But he can be a little careless and some structure would be good for him as well. How do you get him to buy into your system while getting him to get his creative juices flowing?

 

[francaisvolantsparis]

I swear Francais watches different games than the rest of us.


Francais, bud, Kuzy is being paid $7.8 million and has only once ever been over a PPG player. He's a top 6 C on one of the most prolific offensive teams in the league, he has spent a good portion of his career centering for the greatest goal scorer of all time, and he's a .81 career PPG. He's most certainly not "underpaid". 2017 and 18 aside, his post season play has been absent and abysmal.

This is BS. Kuznetsov is second to Ovechkin with 11 points in the last two playoff series. He gets $10.0M easy on the UFA market today.

 

[txpd]

I don’t think that tracks at all. The negative in his game doesn’t suddenly come from creative block....it comes from lack of giving an honest effort each night. Lack of caring.

calling him an “artist“ and playing it off as some sort of eccentricity is just excusing it IMO.

you’re right in that there may not be a way around it though....he can’t be forced to care.

An excuse? Not meant to be. When he is really feeling it his game is never straight ahead basics. Its bigger and flashier. The increase in his concentration and effort comes directly from that creativity. When he isnt feeling it, there is a lot less energy. You could say he was less interested. Might be he is less interested. He himself has questioned his own interest level.

It was not meant as an excuse

 

[Skrudland2Lomakin]

This is BS. Kuznetsov is second to Ovechkin with 11 points in the last two playoff series. He gets $10.0M easy on the UFA market today.

Noted playoff success stories, the 2019 and 2020 playoffs...


He played first line center minutes, it would be a joke if he wasn't 2nd in points. That doesn't make it good.


Also he would not get "10.0M easy", that would make him tied for the 8th highest paid player in the league. He has made the ASG once as a replacement player, he has never finished top 10 in any award voting, he has never lead the league in any statistical category, and he's 28 now. If he's a UFA right now he probably gets whatever the interest rate on his current deal is.

 

[txpd]

And you need to score in the playoffs. Not in "22 games in the regular season." I'm not saying that its all his fault, and that chaos is not good. But what good is chaos if no one can make use of it. I just think that the 3rd line is poorly constructed as is.

The 3rd line needs a finisher. They have Eller who is hard to take the puck away from. They have Hagelin to stretch the ice and win loose pucks. They need a Connolly. That was suppose to be Kovalchuk. All the excitement there turned out to be a total bust. I saw a couple of flashes and then nothing. Like he was offended on the 3rd line and playing behind Wilson and Oshie.

They need a shooter. I dont think the problem is Hagelin and Eller. MacLellan seems to like Hagelin and Eller.