Speculation: Caps General Discussion (Coaching/FAs/Cap/Lines etc) - 2021 Regular Season Part 2

[usiel]

I think you have to consider moving on from Scott Murray for a proven goalie coach before completely throwing in the towel on Sammy. I know its a pipe dream, but Pay Mitch Korn whatever he wants to return and see what he can do with Sammy.

Would love to have Korn back.

 

[SherVaughn30]

Would love to have Korn back.

Korn only goes where Trotz goes. Actually, Korn is now Director of Goaltending for the Islanders with Piero Greco being the Islanders goalie coach.

 

[pman25]

 

[895]

Hot take that I don't really believe: Trotz isn't even thst good of a coach, he just comes with Korn attached who makes every team he coaches a goaltending factory.

 

[AlexBrovechkin8]

Hot take that I don't really believe: Trotz isn't even thst good of a coach, he just comes with Korn attached who makes every team he coaches a goaltending factory.

He’s a good culture guy and clearly gets guys to buy in to an effective defensive structure. Think he’s generally poor at tactical changes and he’s too stubborn with his lineup choices, especially when it comes to how he handles young players. He’s a great coach so long the base system is working but that only takes you so far.

 

[Corby78]

For all the grinding and gnashing of teeth over our goalies, we are sitting at a 2.29gaa and .916 save percentage with three shutouts in 17 games.

not bad for what we’re paying and their age

 

[Holtbyisms]

Hagelin plays with very little curve on his stick blade...

And here we thought he couldn't score...proof he's not even trying to score! What a defensive stud.

 

[zappa4ever]

17 gms in, things are looking damn good...

League-wide:
3rd in P% .735
6th in GF/GP 3.41
2nd in 5v5 GF/GP 2.53
3rd in GA/GP 2.29
3rd in G differential +19
1st (tie) in Reg. L's 2
2nd in SA/GP 27.4

we've had the most compressed sched. in div. so far, many at 14 or 13 GP
gotten the chance to see several Rookies and how well they can play with the big boys
Oshie/Dowd/Eller aren't too far off from returning

The bad
PP% - when Oshie returns, likely Wilson goes to Sheary's spot and gets Sheary off PP1
FO% - 45.9% 30th lol - when Dowd and Eller return hopefully heads back up a cpl pts
L1 Fwds TOI - as we get healthy, get them back to under 20:00
Goalies - j/k they've been fine, we can worry about that come GM.60 or so

 

[Hivemind]

PP% - when Oshie returns, likely Wilson goes to Sheary's spot and gets Sheary off PP1

Assuming they're keeping the same formation, Wilson is the wrong handedness to slide into that spot. The down low player should be a left shot in able to execute the rotation plays with the half wall and feed one timers to the bumper scorer.

 

[AlexBrovechkin8]

Imagine telling your 2013 self that in 2021 they’d be playing six rookies, the PP would stink, and they’d be a dominant ES team with elite shot and scoring chance suppression numbers… and still a top five team in the NHL. Twilight zone stuff compared to the Oates years.

 

[tenken00]

Imagine telling your 2013 self that in 2021 they’d be playing six rookies, the PP would stink, and they’d be a dominant ES team with elite shot and scoring chance suppression numbers… and still a top five team in the NHL. Twilight zone stuff compared to the Oates years.

2013 me would just be floored hearing that we actually won a Cup. And then somber the minute I realize that that's still half a decade away haha.

 

[zappa4ever]

If we were 100% healthy all season, those numbers (minus PP/FO's) are great
With all the injuries/rookies, damn near a great-googly-moogly type reaction

120 point pace currently

Great to have a cushion for when we actually do go through a bad patch (like having to ice 6 rookies)

 

[txpd]

If we were 100% healthy all season, those numbers (minus PP/FO's) are great
With all the injuries/rookies, damn near a great-googly-moogly type reaction

120 point pace currently

Great to have a cushion for when we actually do go through a bad patch (like having to ice 6 rookies)

Marvelous coaching job

 

[kicksavedave]

If we were 100% healthy all season, those numbers (minus PP/FO's) are great
With all the injuries/rookies, damn near a great-googly-moogly type reaction

120 point pace currently

Great to have a cushion for when we actually do go through a bad patch (like having to ice 6 rookies)

This. I'm hoping we can still see some of these rookies in the playoffs... we'll need their energy and speed. Hope they get enough seasoning in the RS to be a factor when it counts.

 

[kicksavedave]

2013 me would just be floored hearing that we actually won a Cup. And then somber the minute I realize that that's still half a decade away haha.

What would 2013 you say if you told him we won a Cup then let the HC go 3 weeks later?

 

[tenken00]

What would 2013 you say if you told him we won a Cup then let the HC go 3 weeks later?

I would think, "man, I guess we won in spite of Oates and not because."

 

[txpd]

This. I'm hoping we can still see some of these rookies in the playoffs... we'll need their energy and speed. Hope they get enough seasoning in the RS to be a factor when it counts.

Proper seasoning takes more than one season in the NHL as a rule. Fehervary and 1 of the forwards could work. I wouldn't want more than that.

 

[kicksavedave]

Proper seasoning takes more than one season in the NHL as a rule. Fehervary and 1 of the forwards could work. I wouldn't want more than that.

I'll wait until MArch/April to decide who I want to start in the playoffs. With Backie and Mantha we may not have a choice, but I expect Oshie Dowd and Eller to reclaim their jobs in short order. We also could have other injuries between now and then which could force a rookie into the lineup longer term.

 

[txpd]

I'll wait until MArch/April to decide who I want to start in the playoffs. With Backie and Mantha we may not have a choice, but I expect Oshie Dowd and Eller to reclaim their jobs in short order. We also could have other injuries between now and then which could force a rookie into the lineup longer term.

I wouldn't expect a fully healthy lineup in the playoffs. I would expect one of those forwards to play. I wouldnt lock McMichael into that spot

 

[kicksavedave]

I wouldn't expect a fully healthy lineup in the playoffs. I would expect one of those forwards to play. I wouldnt lock McMichael into that spot

CMM has been the 1st center off the bench when Backie didn't start the season and he's getting the most ice time of all the rookies. I suppose that could change but I wouldn't bet on it.

 

[AlexBrovechkin8]

Marvelous coaching job

Lavi won’t get the recognition because the Caps are perennially a good team (at least for the last ~15 years) and voters look for either a team that had a big turnaround from the prior year or a team that’s far and away the best team in the league but yeah, his work this year definitely merits Jack Adams consideration.

 

[txpd]

Lavi won’t get the recognition because the Caps are perennially a good team (at least for the last ~15 years) and voters look for either a team that had a big turnaround from the prior year or a team that’s far and away the best team in the league but yeah, his work this year definitely merits Jack Adams consideration.

Of course he wont get Jack Adams credit league wide for that. People here have been bashing him for his coaching pretty solid this season.

 

[Hivemind]

Proper seasoning takes more than one season in the NHL as a rule. Fehervary and 1 of the forwards could work. I wouldn't want more than that.

Did you already forget the 2018 playoffs, where the Washington Capitals won the Stanley Cup with rookie Chandler Stephenson, rookie Christian Djoos, and rookie Jakub Vrana seeing action in 22+ playoff games each, and rookies Nathan Walker, Shane Gersich, and Travis Boyd filling in when needed? Not to mention the contributions of a 22 year old Andre Burakovsky and 23 year old Tom Wilson (both of which were younger then than AJF and Garrett Pilon will be come playoff time).

But Dear Lord No! We need more seasoning in the playoff line-up! Veterans only!


(And the repeated insistence that Connor McMichael might not stay is beyond hilarious)

 

[Capsman]

Yeah I don’t get Tex’s CMM apprehension. He looks really dangerous out there on most shifts and makes a lot of smart, mature plays. Ie he’s dangerous while playing within himself. He looks to me at a point where I don’t see him getting anything more out of the AHL. Some guys you obviously worry about diminishing returns on development in the NHL but I think he’s past that point .

Not going to argue on Protas, I see a really bright future for him. But I think he could develop more in the AHL, especially working on his skating.

 

[HTFN]

Proper seasoning takes more than one season in the NHL as a rule. Fehervary and 1 of the forwards could work. I wouldn't want more than that.

You barely even/didn't want that. Caps are so far away from what you wanted regarding playing young players right now and still succeeding that I'd have to expect you to reevaluate this eventually or just come out and say it's a bit you're doing this year for our entertainment.