Speculation: Caps General Discussion (Coaching/FAs/Cap/Lines etc) - 2021 "Season" Pt. 2

[traparatus]

I'd go with bad goaltending and bad luck as the primary culprits, and then I'd list every other defenseman before I'd list Nick Jensen as the reason they concede too much.

I agree regarding Jensen.

Goaltending has been poor, no arguing that. Luck? I feel like we have been lucky to come out of many periods tied 0-0 instead of down 2 or 3.

 

[twabby]

Well, yeah. I like Jensen and I don't understand some of the disdain fans show toward this guy but he has no business being in conversation for best defenseman on any NHL team. He is (or should be) on ours.

Kinda like last playoffs. Jensen was our best D. We got obliterated.

This is fair, however I would say that the reason Jensen shouldn't be the best defenseman on a contender is that he just doesn't have the offensive toolset to be a #1D.

He is 100% capable of being a top-tier shutdown D, similar to Matt Niskanen during his best years in DC (minus Niskanen's better offensive skills). Maybe that should make Jensen a second pairing D or whatever, but he is certainly a valuable contributor at his salary.

 

[895]

Jensen currently provides better value for money than Orlov.

 

[traparatus]

Another thing about Jensen. His contract is so damn appropriate. It's exactly what a player like him should be paid for exactly the right number of years with exactly the right kind of trade protection.

 

[tenken00]

Another thing about Jensen. His contract is so damn appropriate. It's exactly what a player like him should be paid for exactly the right number of years with exactly the right kind of trade protection.

Pretty much the Kempny contract, but Jensen never got hurt multiple times.

 

[Melkor]

Fun fact: Nick Jensen has the longest goal drought in the NHL right now.

 

[traparatus]

This is fair, however I would say that the reason Jensen shouldn't be the best defenseman on a contender is that he just doesn't have the offensive toolset to be a #1D.

He is 100% capable of being a top-tier shutdown D, similar to Matt Niskanen during his best years in DC (minus Niskanen's better offensive skills). Maybe that should make Jensen a second pairing D or whatever, but he is certainly a valuable contributor at his salary.

I must say that despite liking what Jensen brings as a player, I still think that the fit on this team is wrong. I'd love to see him paired with a proper offensive minded defenseman and we just don't have that player right now. The way that you describe Jensen's offensive ability is the way I see Orlov. Jensen, to me, doesn't have an offensive toolset worth discussing.

In general, I don't understand composition of current Caps defense or what Laviolette is trying to do with this group. Results are poor, too.

 

[kicksavedave]

Fun fact: Nick Jensen has the longest goal drought in the NHL right now.

All streaks end eventually, but this one seems like it will go on forever. Wooof, that shot

 

[Hivemind]

Just thinking... IF lundy does come back before the playoffs we could waive Panik or Jensen to fit him under the cap. Maybe sending down a goalie and a min player gets us enough cap space for Lundy

Waiving players above the AHL max only saves you the AHL max. This was done after teams buried players like Wade Redden (and Nylander) in the minors.

 

[traparatus]

Fun fact: Nick Jensen has the longest goal drought in the NHL right now.

Ironically, Caps seem to really like having a player in that spot. Orpik was there for a good long while. Hell, I seem to remember Orpik and Bowey occupying 1/2 on that dubious list for a medium length eternity

 

[Ovechkins Wodka]

Fun fact: Nick Jensen has the longest goal drought in the NHL right now.

not shocking with his shot lol

 

[tenken00]

Fun fact: Nick Jensen has the longest goal drought in the NHL right now.

I just noticed that we still haven't celebrated Jensen's first goal as a Caps member. I could have sworn he had one last year. That just means he's gonna score one tonight.

 

[Ovechkins Wodka]

Ironically, Caps seem to really like having a player in that spot. Orpik was there for a good long while. Hell, I seem to remember Orpik and Bowey occupying 1/2 on that dubious list for a medium length eternity

Orpik saved all his goals for the playoffs lol

 

[traparatus]

Orpik saved all his goals for the playoffs lol

Come playoffs, Orpik couldn't stop scoring. He scored and scored and scored and scored.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

Ok, so....

“yes” you aren’t a big believer in twabby’s fancy stats “proof” (you wanted to be convinced...so it’s obv not convincing you)

“yes” you don’t like the contract. His play for the money (ROI on the contract) isn’t good enough

I’m not stating he’s anything. Just trying to understand what people are feeling here.

sounds like it’s “he’s not scoring enough points to be a 7.8m a year player!!!”

succinctly.

so wrong....stats are what they are, I’m not discounting them as voodoo, but they don’t excuse his underperformance....

....and they certainly don’t fool my eyes or totally shape my opinion regardless of other input, nor do stats do that for most of the other fans watching, or apparently the Head Coach of the Caps.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

"Beneficial" is not the bar. Difference-maker is the bar. That's the whole point. These stats aren't wrong per se, they just don't compensate for the fact that he's not playing to his potential or contract.

that’s right this.....when you get paid like a game breaker, and you have the talent to back it up, it’s expected you actually deliver.

 

[twabby]

More Kuznetsov anecdotal data that he is actually doing good and that points, especially in a 9 game sample, don't matter:



Crappy play by Zajac, but certainly good defensive instincts by Kuznetsov to make the takeaway and set up Ovechkin for a grade A chance. Since Ovechkin missed his mark by an inch, Kuznetsov failed because he didn't get a point. Do better next time Kuzy.



Another nice play by Kuznetsov below the goal line (in the trenches, battling hard along the boards, doing the gritty work, really bringing his lunchpail to his union job, chainsmoking a whole pack of cigarettes after he clocks out for the day) to set Sheary up for a prime chance in the low slot. Sheary shoots it just wide. Carlson ends up scoring later in the same possession, but since Kuznetsov wasn't one of the last two players to touch the puck before Carlson scored he isn't credited with a point, and since he didn't get credit for a point it means he didn't contribute to that goal at all. Thems the breaks Kuzy, bring your A-game next time!



No look pass on the PP that allows Oshie to score. Kuzy did good because he got a point, unlike in the previous two clips where he was a failure.

 

[Hivemind]

@twabby with the mic drop post

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

If he was so impactful, why the 3 mins of 3rd period ice time? Coach was wrong?

Anyway, nobody is discounting he makes some nice plays......just discussing that production among other things is required when you’re paid near $8 mil a year.


Like Rids says, maybe his play is turning and the points are right around the corner. We can hope....we’ll see.

 

[g00n]

We all know Kuzy is a boom or bust player. We want to see more individual decisions in-game that are boom rather than high bust probability.

 

[twabby]

Of he was so impactful, why the 3 mins of 3rd period ice time? Coach was wrong?

It is definitely within the realm of possibility that Peter Laviolette is not a perfect coach.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

It is definitely within the realm of possibility that Peter Laviolette is not a perfect coach.

so we’re back to your notion that the numbers are right and the coach is wrong.

Conversation over I guess, even though you know the reason.

If he was kicking so much ass, he would get the ice time. Let’s revisit at the 20 game mark.

 

[twabby]

We all know Kuzy is a boom or bust player. We want to see more individual decisions in-game that are boom rather than high bust probability.

I mean historically yes, he has been a huge defensive liability. But that was under basically one coaching system. Perhaps Laviolette is turning Kuznetsov into less of a high risk/high reward guy and more of a lower risk/high-but-not-quite-as-high reward guy? It certainly jives with the overall less back-and-forth pace of Capitals games this year compared to prior years.

 

[twabby]

so we’re back to your notion that the numbers are right and the coach is wrong.

Conversation over I guess, even though you know the reason.

If he was kicking so much ass, he would get the ice time. Let’s revisit at the 20 game mark.

If we're to follow your logic, then every move Laviolette makes is necessarily the correct one.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

If we're to follow your logic, then every move Laviolette makes is necessarily the correct one.

That’s your flawed logic....sorry. You can stop trying so hard.....we can revisit further into the season.

Nothing would make me happier than him suddenly producing like he can at around a PPG.