Speculation: Caps General Discussion (Coaching/FAs/Cap/Lines etc) - 2019 Offseason Pt. 4: Nobody Panik!

[John Price]

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

Spinner....honestly don’t remember him or seeing any chatter here about him. Weird.

 

[Ridley Simon]

ha ha... well, training camp cant get here fast enough i see, even for
kuzy(?)

regardless of the turmoil here at ol' HF, i just want everybody to know that i am still in 'chill mode'.. and its a nice place to be. its like regular pool time vs adult swim. just saying....

Yeah — I read these threads with a wry smile. It’s all good.

Sure, it didn’t feel great when they lost, and they blew an opportunity. But the year is about to start, and I’m optimistic for this years team. How can you not be?

Wisdom tells us it will be a ride. Up and down. Let’s see what’s happens?

 

[Ridley Simon]

Who is this Steve Spinner you speak of?

@Langway — why have you been holding him back from us??

 

[twabby]

Yeah — I read these threads with a wry smile. It’s all good.

Sure, it didn’t feel great when they lost, and they blew an opportunity. But the year is about to start, and I’m optimistic for this years team. How can you not be?

Wisdom tells us it will be a ride. Up and down. Let’s see what’s happens?

It really is a solid roster up and down the lineup, especially if you think all 3 of Vrana, Wilson, and Kuznetsov will be better than they were last season. Maybe Ovechkin or Backstrom will drop off a bit but I doubt either will drop off a significant amount. You could argue that the bottom 6 is slightly worse because of losing Connolly but I honestly think Panik will be able to produce almost as much, to the point where the difference between the 2 is somewhat negligible.

The defense looks much better than last year's version, assuming Kempny's recovery goes as planned. Gudas and Jensen are a tremendous upgrade over Niskanen and Orpik on paper and I'm interested to see it play out.

The only thing that worries me is the coaching. There is no reason the power play should have been that bad last year and it didn't look like any adjustments were made. That needs to change. Similarly I want to see how they approach team defense at even strength because they really shouldn't be nearly as bad as they have been the past two seasons at ES with the personnel they have. I understand that Kuznetsov was dogging it defensively and Ovechkin has never been a great two-way player, but that doesn't fully explain their struggles on their own end of the ice.

 

[tenken00]

I'm fully ready for the opening months highs to the winter lows to the post-trade deadline adrenaline rush all over again.

 

[francaisvolantsparis]

It really is a solid roster up and down the lineup, especially if you think all 3 of Vrana, Wilson, and Kuznetsov will be better than they were last season. Maybe Ovechkin or Backstrom will drop off a bit but I doubt either will drop off a significant amount. You could argue that the bottom 6 is slightly worse because of losing Connolly but I honestly think Panik will be able to produce almost as much, to the point where the difference between the 2 is somewhat negligible.

The defense looks much better than last year's version, assuming Kempny's recovery goes as planned. Gudas and Jensen are a tremendous upgrade over Niskanen and Orpik on paper and I'm interested to see it play out.

The only thing that worries me is the coaching. There is no reason the power play should have been that bad last year and it didn't look like any adjustments were made. That needs to change. Similarly I want to see how they approach team defense at even strength because they really shouldn't be nearly as bad as they have been the past two seasons at ES with the personnel they have. I understand that Kuznetsov was dogging it defensively and Ovechkin has never been a great two-way player, but that doesn't fully explain their struggles on their own end of the ice.

May be Wilson over Oshie on PP1? A bigger guy infront of the net. With Hagelin, Hathaway and Panik Wilson will have less PK duties this season anyway.

Player	5v4 IPP	how it was in 2018/19
Alex Ovechkin	61.9	second best PP player
John Carlson	70.73	Best PP player
Nicklas Backstrom	53.85	second worst PP player
Evgeny Kuznetsov	55.26	third best PP player
T.J. Oshie	41.18	Worst PP player

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

 

[txpd]

May be Wilson over Oshie on PP1? A bigger guy infront of the net. With Hagelin, Hathaway and Panik Wilson will have less PK duties this season anyway.

Player	5v4 IPP	how it was in 2018/19
Alex Ovechkin	61.9	second best PP player
John Carlson	70.73	Best PP player
Nicklas Backstrom	53.85	second worst PP player
Evgeny Kuznetsov	55.26	third best PP player
T.J. Oshie	41.18	Worst PP player

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

A bigger guy in front of the net. Maybe you mean it a different way but the Caps don't use a net front presence on the PP. Oshie, the bumper player, is a shooter. Not a screener. He is a puck chaser. He's not there for rebounds and loose change. The Caps dont score that way on the pp. Of course I don't trust your stats the Backstrom is a "worst" on any power play. He controls that power play. But....ok.

 

[twabby]

May be Wilson over Oshie on PP1? A bigger guy infront of the net. With Hagelin, Hathaway and Panik Wilson will have less PK duties this season anyway.

Player	5v4 IPP	how it was in 2018/19
Alex Ovechkin	61.9	second best PP player
John Carlson	70.73	Best PP player
Nicklas Backstrom	53.85	second worst PP player
Evgeny Kuznetsov	55.26	third best PP player
T.J. Oshie	41.18	Worst PP player

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

I don't really think the setup was the problem, it was IMO a predictable zone-entry scheme that hasn't really been tweaked in a while. I don't have the stats and I'm not sure they exist anywhere, but I imagine that when they get setup the Capitals still have one of the most lethal PPs in the league it's just that they don't reliably gain the formation unless they win the first faceoff after the PP starts.

You can maybe lay some of this at the feet of Kuznetsov and Backstrom who are tasked with being the primary puck-carriers but it really just seems like a poorly coached PP that is still relying on the slingshot from close to center ice which doesn't really back off the defenders at all and allows them to stack the blue line.

 

[Ridley Simon]

It really is a solid roster up and down the lineup, especially if you think all 3 of Vrana, Wilson, and Kuznetsov will be better than they were last season. Maybe Ovechkin or Backstrom will drop off a bit but I doubt either will drop off a significant amount. You could argue that the bottom 6 is slightly worse because of losing Connolly but I honestly think Panik will be able to produce almost as much, to the point where the difference between the 2 is somewhat negligible.

The defense looks much better than last year's version, assuming Kempny's recovery goes as planned. Gudas and Jensen are a tremendous upgrade over Niskanen and Orpik on paper and I'm interested to see it play out.

The only thing that worries me is the coaching. There is no reason the power play should have been that bad last year and it didn't look like any adjustments were made. That needs to change. Similarly I want to see how they approach team defense at even strength because they really shouldn't be nearly as bad as they have been the past two seasons at ES with the personnel they have. I understand that Kuznetsov was dogging it defensively and Ovechkin has never been a great two-way player, but that doesn't fully explain their struggles on their own end of the ice.

It’s interesting to read some of the articles about Reirden. I think he was in a hard spot. Taking over the Championship team. I wonder if he almost needed for it to fail as was, in order for him to be able to put his stamp on it. The old “if it ain’t broke” etc etc. Hard to argue with almost identical lineup and of course very similar schemes. Just won the Cup!

So now, it’s really his team and his group to mold. Barry is now long gone. Team failed as was. Will be interesting to really see what nice guy Todd brings to the table.

He may simply not be that good. Or he may have felt hamstrung by it all. And of course it could easily be a combo of that.

He should feel that urgency now himself. Let’s see how he responds.

 

[txpd]

I don't really think the setup was the problem, it was IMO a predictable zone-entry scheme that hasn't really been tweaked in a while. I don't have the stats and I'm not sure they exist anywhere, but I imagine that when they get setup the Capitals still have one of the most lethal PPs in the league it's just that they don't reliably gain the formation unless they win the first faceoff after the PP starts.

You can maybe lay some of this at the feet of Kuznetsov and Backstrom who are tasked with being the primary puck-carriers but it really just seems like a poorly coached PP that is still relying on the slingshot from close to center ice which doesn't really back off the defenders at all and allows them to stack the blue line.

Unpopular as it may be to say, the PP zone entries have been off progressively since they lost Johansson. Kuzy cant do what Johansson did and Backstrom cant come close. If there is a reason to try Wilson on PP1 its the zone entries.

 

[hockeykicker]

 

[Calicaps]

That's hilarious and amazing.

 

[HecticGlow]

Unpopular as it may be to say, the PP zone entries have been off progressively since they lost Johansson. Kuzy cant do what Johansson did and Backstrom cant come close. If there is a reason to try Wilson on PP1 its the zone entries.

Given GMBM typically targets specific players to trade or sign based on not just a positional need, but quite specific team needs (e.g. penaltykillers who would fit the Caps’ scheme), I wonder if the reports over the summer about the Caps eyeing up a Mojo return were primarily powerplay related.

Kuzy brings different things to the PP than Mojo did - MJ not only was better at zone entries, but also more effective at screening the goaltender. It honestly makes sense that you don’t want it to be Backstrom or Kuzy having to jump out of the way of Carlson rockets from the point, or getting punched in the back by goaltenders and defensemen for 90 seconds, because an injury to either is a massive loss to the team as a whole. MJ, on the other hand, has enough size, skill and athleticism to fill that role effectively, without being so pivotal to the rest of the team to fear injury to that same extent.

What Kuzy does best on the PP is probably being an interchangeable part with Backstrom, but unless one of them can do magic in the old MJ slot, it’s not much of an advantage to have two guys who can run play from the wall when both are healthy and on the ice together. But I don’t see anyone else on the team who would be more effective at zone entries than Kuzy. You’d think Eller, as a somewhat skilled, big guy and a puck-possession expert, would actually be a natural MJ successor on the powerplay (allowing Kuzy to run a more dangerous Kuzy-Wilson-Vrana-Ovi-Orlov PP2), but it doesn’t feel like he’s brought much at all to the Power Play in Washington.

 

[txpd]

Eller is too slow. Purely on zone entries Johansson did it with speed. Besides were Johansson back the only value in that is putting him in Kuzy's pp spot and I don't see that happening. Wilson has the speed to retrieve. That's the reason to consider him instead of Oshie. But that wont happen either

 

[francaisvolantsparis]

.... I wonder if the reports over the summer about the Caps eyeing up a Mojo return were primarily powerplay related.
Kuzy brings different things to the PP than Mojo did - MJ not only was better at zone entries, but also more effective at screening the goaltender....

Mojo WAS a good player.

 

[Roshi]

While Oshie on PP is a shooter, he is definately a screener too. One of the best in the World for the job in fact.

Look closely what he does in the PP. Its those little screens in the middle of the ice when Kuzy is skating the puck up or Ovie is fine-adjusting to his spot. Getting on enemies skating lanes or lifting their stick at the timely moment. I think missing healthy Oshie was the biggest problem in the PP last year. Kuzy and co had been too comfortable having that extra inch and split of a second time and they didnt adjust.

Its unfortunate and a bit ironic he got injured in the same screenplay by Malkin that he does himself _a lot_ (time to let it go, it was bad that his elbow was up but its a routine play for visionary players).

Im top3 biggest Willy-fan you can find, but as long as Oshie is healthy and playing at his best theres no Place for Willy in the PP1. Atleast not yet, but im hoping he can pick up some of that stuff From Oshie and become a force in PP. Right now he would be there mainly for his presence in front of the net and we dont really need that all so much.

 

[francaisvolantsparis]

I have a feeling Dowd will end the season on the third line with Panik and Hagelin/Vrana. Is it only me?

 

[hb12xchamps]

I have a feeling Dowd will end the season on the third line with Panik and Hagelin/Vrana. Is it only me?

So Eller suffers a season ending injury in this scenario? Because that’s the only way that scenario comes to fruition

 

[John Price]

 

[francaisvolantsparis]

So Eller suffers a season ending injury in this scenario? Because that’s the only way that scenario comes to fruition

No. But I feel like we will see a dominant Dowd on the bottom six. Like if you bring 'McDavid' for 4C and then suddenly realize how good he is. So good that you put him over a year after year after year struggling guy on your 3C.

 

[Dr John Carlson]

That won't happen.

 

[hb12xchamps]

No. But I feel like we will see a dominant Dowd on the bottom six. Like if you bring 'McDavid' for 4C and then suddenly realize how good he is. So good that you put him over a year after year after year struggling guy on your 3C.

Nick Dowd isn't close to sniffing Connor McDavid and should never be compared to him. Dowd's exactly as advertised, a competent 4C. Lars Eller, like a lot of Capitals forwards (besides Ovechkin, Vrana and Wilson) had a down year last year. He was a huge asset in the SC run and is a great hockey player. I don't understand your hate for him but he's another one of your whipping boys. I vividly remember you clamoring for Mike Sgarbossa to be called up because he's "better" than Lars Eller. Some of these takes are getting very, very hard to take seriously and I'm leaning towards most of your posts being made just to stir the pot around here

 

[Skrudland2Lomakin]

I have a feeling Dowd will end the season on the third line with Panik and Hagelin/Vrana. Is it only me?

Nothing about his game tells me he has the skills, vision, or athleticism to play beyond his current role.

 

[Ridley Simon]

I have a feeling Dowd will end the season on the third line with Panik and Hagelin/Vrana. Is it only me?

ummm....

Ahhhh.....

Welp???