Speculation: Caps General Discussion (Coaching/FAs/Cap/Lines etc) - 2020 Offseason Pt. 3

[Ridley Simon]

I dont get the Schultz signing. I have to think we dont see the plan. My guess is a rearranging of the defense to fit new priorities. Like Orlov playing with Schultz as a purely attack pair with Schultz facilitating far more offense from Orlov. But I dont know. Thats just a guess

Hopefully it’s not as simple as a GMBM misstep. I’m somewhat concerned it is.

That said, I’m a massive believer in our GM. Massive. So he gets all my benefit of the doubt.

However I can obviously see the risk, with this players contract.

 

[txpd]

Hopefully it’s not as simple as a GMBM misstep. I’m somewhat concerned it is.

That said, I’m a massive believer in our GM. Massive. So he gets all my benefit of the doubt.

However I can obviously see the risk, with this players contract.

I think Laviolette had a lot to do with that signing

 

[Ovechkins Wodka]

It was always going to be Sammy or bust. Let’s see what he has in him

These new Covid divisions and only divisional play for a 53 game season does us no favors every game will be very hard .

 

[txpd]

It was always going to be Sammy or bust. Let’s see what he has in him

These new Covid divisions and only divisional play for a 53 game season does us no favors every game will be very hard .

Sammy or bust means its a crap shoot. What do you think is most likely he has in him? Most likely isnt going to be ready as a cup level goalie. He will show himself to be a talented but inexperienced player.

The short schedule and the baseball series style schedule will help a first time starting goalie. It will also help a team with a first time starter and no proven 2nd goalie. 40 or 45 starts in a normal season is a light load. Its playing 2 out of 3 and 3 out of 4 in this short season. It gives the Caps a shot to ride their best goalie without overworking him and needing too much from the back up.

The short schedule does hurt the Caps in ways, but there are advantages. My hope is that this season is a step forward to being ready for cup level play in the next season

 

[Langway]

Open tryouts guys. Let's go.

 

[txpd]

Open tryouts guys. Let's go.

scrimmages might be fun.

 

[twabby]

It's officially on. 8 games against each team in the division.

 

[aonb]

Okay.. since we know everything, our starting line-up for 2020/21 will look like...

 

[Marshall]

I understand and support the schedule considering the circumstances and am glad for any hockey.

Really going to miss seeing every team, though, and seeing the same teams eight times is going to be a bit of a drag. Hopefully there will be sets of three games so that third game will get some old-school regular season hate going on. Dare I hope for a fight or two?

 

[txpd]

Okay.. since we know everything, our starting line-up for 2020/21 will look like...

26 players plus 4 taxi squad?

Ov Kuzy Wilson
Vrana Backstrom Oshie
Hagelin Eller Sprong
Panik Dowd Hathaway
Gersish Pinho Sgarbossa

Dillon Carlson
Orlov Schultz
Siegenthaler Jensen
TVR Ladue

Samsonov
Vanecek
Miller

Carr Fehervary Alexeyev TBD

 

[SherVaughn30]

26 players plus 4 taxi squad?

Ov Kuzy Wilson
Vrana Backstrom Oshie
Hagelin Eller Sprong
Panik Dowd Hathaway
Gersish Pinho Sgarbossa

Dillon Carlson
Orlov Schultz
Siegenthaler Jensen
TVR Ladue

Samsonov
Vanecek
Miller

Carr Fehervary Alexeyev TBD

I don't think Miller is gonna leave the West Coast. I would rather take a chance on Craig Anderson, who has the best playoff experience of the very few FA goalies left. Anderson I think you could sign for closer to league minimum. Miller might be a pain and ask for more. I just don't see Miller as a good team first kind of player(just a vibe I have).

 

[txpd]

I don't think Miller is gonna leave the West Coast. I would rather take a chance on Craig Anderson, who has the best playoff experience of the very few FA goalies left. Anderson I think you could sign for closer to league minimum. Miller might be a pain and ask for more. I just don't see Miller as a good team first kind of player(just a vibe I have).

I know Craig Anderson. Every hockey playing member of the Miller family has played for the Caps except Drew. Its a legacy. Its half a season on a legit cup contender. It was just a wild guess because I had to pick an established goalie not yet on the roster. I am not sure either Miller nor Anderson want to play hockey anymore.

 

[txpd]

I understand and support the schedule considering the circumstances and am glad for any hockey.

Really going to miss seeing every team, though, and seeing the same teams eight times is going to be a bit of a drag. Hopefully there will be sets of three games so that third game will get some old-school regular season hate going on. Dare I hope for a fight or two?

3 games in 4 nights is going to create some different dynamics. For sure. Less travel creates more time to prep in addition. With the built in rivalries established already there. The idea of 3 and 4 game sets against the Islanders, Rangers, Flyers and Pens is going to bring the blood up. If Boston cant beat the Caps without Holtby, they are in big trouble

 

[ovikovy817]

BUF, NJD and NYR = bottom of the division.

So we're fighting with the other 4 teams for a spot.

A possible 15 matches against PIT this season. or against any other team in the division

 

[twabby]

For what it's worth the analytics think Ryan Miller is still a decent goalie and he hasn't had a truly terrible season except his rookie year.

That said he is 40 so him dropping off a cliff wouldn't be surprising. But if they could get a repeat of the last few years of Ryan Miller it would be a decent enough gamble for league minimum as a backup.

 

[Melkor]

Schultz's signing has a lot to do with Jensen's inability to provide any offense on a 2nd pairing last season. The fact that the last time Schultz was suitable for that task was 3 years ago is a different story though.

On another note..yeah Caps are in for a dog fight in that division. Everyone except buf and njd are potential playoff teams.

 

[Corby78]

Alright boys let’s go win that Patrick division ..... err East division title!

 

[kicksavedave]

Alright boys let’s go win that Patrick division ..... err East division title!

Side rant, one of the worst decisions the NHL ever made was ditching the conference and divisions named for hockey builders. Shat on a good tradition, in favor of "Southeast" etc which makes absolutely no one think about hockey.

/side rant

 

[um]

Schultz's signing has a lot to do with Jensen's inability to provide any offense on a 2nd pairing last season. The fact that the last time Schultz was suitable for that task was 3 years ago is a different story though.

On another note..yeah Caps are in for a dog fight in that division. Everyone except buf and njd are potential playoff teams.

Even Buffalo has a legit superstar in Eichel plus Dahlin and Hall have the potential to have huge seasons.

I wouldn’t count them out.

 

[pman25]

8 games against each team will solidify those rivalries for sure. We may even develop some bad blood with Buffalo!

Carolina must be pissed. They really tried to lean into making the Caps one of their rivals and they got booted into the central division with some old SE rivals.

 

[Ovechkins Wodka]

its going to be hard if only 4 teams make the playoffs. I can see a good team missing the playoffs in the east

 

[txpd]

Schultz's signing has a lot to do with Jensen's inability to provide any offense on a 2nd pairing last season.

There is a flaw in that thinking. I dont think they got an offensive defenseman to pair with an offensively talented two way defenseman because Jensen wasnt scoring. They got him because

1. No Caps defenseman scored a goal in the post season.
2. They got him because Kempny was no more of an offense producer than Jensen and Siegenthaler and Dillon are also no scoring defense first defensemen.
3. Orlov was on the shutdown pair last season and there is no way Schultz does that duty. That means Orlov's assignment is changing and with that they wanted more offense rather than balance.

I think what you will see is Jensen taking Schultz shifts late in games with a lead.

 

[txpd]

its going to be hard if only 4 teams make the playoffs. I can see a good team missing the playoffs in the east

That depends on the Rangers, I guess.

 

[pman25]

I'm curious about the taxi squad. Do we think that will be more geared towards AHL vets or ELC rookies? Mix of both? Carrying McMichael and/or Lapierre seems smart if they can't play much junior hockey. There is value in traveling and NHL practices. Fill the rest in with vets or guys who are close to ready (AJF, Riat)

I'll go with

Ovechkin-Kuznetsov-Wilson
Vrana-Backstrom-Oshie
Hagelin-Eller-Sprong
Panik-Dowd-Hathaway

Orlov-Schultz
Dillon-Carlson
Siegenthaler-Jensen / TVR

Samsonov
Vanecek

Taxi Squad:
Copley
McMichael
Lapierre
Fehervary
Riat?
AJF?

 

[txpd]

I'm curious about the taxi squad. Do we think that will be more geared towards AHL vets or ELC rookies? Mix of both?

They have not decided on how waivers apply to the taxi squad. If taking a player from main roster to taxi squad means passing thru waivers, that will effect how they move. I think how damaged the AHL competition is by 8 top end AHL players added to NHL rosters will effect how teams operate too