Post-Game Talk: Caps vs Devils Oct 21

[kicksavedave]

Are we suck this year?

Not be yet!

 

[Kalopsia]

You can't really do it in the NHL and I wanna watch Ovi play every night but this older Caps team would really benefit come playoff time from some load management during the season. If you can't sit the older guys entire games like the NBA does, at least watch their minutes. I just don't want to see this team run out of gas as it obviously looks very good while fresh.

I think that's what they're doing, as much as they reasonably can. The 4th line is getting around 13 minutes a night and matching up against top lines, and the TVR-Schultz 3rd pairing is getting 17 minutes a night. The fact that there's no passengers is taking the pressure off the older guys.

 

[Devil Dancer]

You can't really do it in the NHL and I wanna watch Ovi play every night but this older Caps team would really benefit come playoff time from some load management during the season. If you can't sit the older guys entire games like the NBA does, at least watch their minutes. I just don't want to see this team run out of gas as it obviously looks very good while fresh.

It's too bad but until game 81 or 82, no one sits their best players, even if they're older.

We've been talking about it for what feels like a decade on this forum, and it hasn't happened yet. Teams play their best players, in part because they want to play.

 

[HTFN]

One of those slow retreads appears to have taught Jensen how to play a solid 2nd pair role. Just sayin…

Only in that martial arts way, where wearing an unreasonably weighted vest while you train makes you much better and faster when you eventually take it off

 

[Calicaps]

One of those slow retreads appears to have taught Jensen how to play a solid 2nd pair role. Just sayin…

 

[DWGie26]

It's too bad but until game 81 or 82, no one sits their best players, even if they're older.

We've been talking about it for what feels like a decade on this forum, and it hasn't happened yet. Teams play their best players, in part because they want to play.

Well Backstrom will be rested. And there is the Olympic break for some but many of our older players will be there. We’ll probably rotate more than CMM and Jimi before Backstrom comes back. But can’t make any changes when winning and not even 10 games in.

 

[Roshi]

Just 4 games in, i know i know.

But right now we have one of the hottest first lines, one of the hottest fourth lines and one of the hottest goalies in our hands. With working game plan and solid defence.

Cant remember when i was this excited for the Caps last time….

…ok i think that happens every year couple of times. They like to get us high before they drop us down?

 

[ovikovy817]

Nice start of the season.
So far so good.

 

[TJHKY]

 

[tycoonheart]

Are we suck this year?

We are peaking too early

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

Only in that martial arts way, where wearing an unreasonably weighted vest while you train makes you much better and faster when you eventually take it off

I was thinking more of the ruthless aggression he’s showing in his own end. He could alway skate, that wasn’t the issue, he was kinda soft in his own defensive zone before.

 

[max21]

Fever and TVR are awesome, I’ve all but forgotten about Chara and Dillon

 

[marcel snapshot]

Really been impressed with TVR’s all around game, consistency and poise. He is not playing like anything close to a guy who the league seemed to decide was a #7 D-man.

 

[twabby]

Fever and TVR are awesome, I’ve all but forgotten about Chara and Dillon

Fehervary and TVR certainly look like upgrades given the struggles that Chara has had in NYI and Dillon has had in WPG so far.

I like the balance on the D-pairs but Fehervary is going to need to show continued improvement to stick with Carlson. They've been ok as a pair, but their numbers are lagging quite a bit behind the team as a whole.

 

[max21]

They’re both making 1.83 combined this year with Fever still on his ELC which is also neat

 

[Midnight Judges]

Fehervary and TVR certainly look like upgrades given the struggles that Chara has had in NYI and Dillon has had in WPG so far.

I like the balance on the D-pairs but Fehervary is going to need to show continued improvement to stick with Carlson. They've been ok as a pair, but their numbers are lagging quite a bit behind the team as a whole.

Yeah, but the team as a whole is crushing it at a rate which is likely unsustainable, right?

 

[g00n]

Fehervary and TVR certainly look like upgrades given the struggles that Chara has had in NYI and Dillon has had in WPG so far.

I like the balance on the D-pairs but Fehervary is going to need to show continued improvement to stick with Carlson. They've been ok as a pair, but their numbers are lagging quite a bit behind the team as a whole.

Are we still thinking we suck at 5 on 5 and can't play this way in the postseason? Or there is some other reason we fail in the playoffs?

 

[twabby]

Yeah, but the team as a whole is crushing it at a rate which is likely unsustainable, right?

Sure, in terms of goal-scoring at 5v5 there's no way they will continue to score 85% of the goals and only allow 0.63 goals per 60 at 5v5. That is 100% unsustainable.

But their xGF% metrics as a team should be quite sustainable. Right now they are sitting at 56% in that metric overall, which is very good but not something you necessarily expect to regress.

However, the Fehervary-Carlson pairing is currently at 31% xGF%. This is also unsustainable which is why I was careful to say that they haven't been bad, per se, but I also don't know that they have been good either. I think they've been fine, and if Fehervary continues to get up to speed with the NHL game then I have hopes that they will at least be a breakeven xGF duo at 5v5.

 

[twabby]

Are we still thinking we suck at 5 on 5 and can't play this way in the postseason? Or there is some other reason we fail in the playoffs?

I'd like to wait for more than 4 games before changing my opinion!

 

[chilimac]

In short, the Caps have faced one quality goalie so far this brief season,, and i think we all remember how that turned out.
So, I think there's work to be done before we all move permanently to Giddy-town.™
I'm looking forward to watching the process...

 

[kicksavedave]

Sure, in terms of goal-scoring at 5v5 there's no way they will continue to score 85% of the goals and only allow 0.63 goals per 60 at 5v5. That is 100% unsustainable.

But their xGF% metrics as a team should be quite sustainable. Right now they are sitting at 56% in that metric overall, which is very good but not something you necessarily expect to regress.

However, the Fehervary-Carlson pairing is currently at 31% xGF%. This is also unsustainable which is why I was careful to say that they haven't been bad, per se, but I also don't know that they have been good either. I think they've been fine, and if Fehervary continues to get up to speed with the NHL game then I have hopes that they will at least be a breakeven xGF duo at 5v5.

What about their deployments? JC is considered a top pair D, certainly paid like one, but we all know his defensive liabilities of recent years. But how are 74/42 being deployed early on? Any trends there about their matchups?

Also are we sure its Fever that needs to improve to get that 31% up to break even? Maybe its too soon to get meaningful numbers when they are apart but it sure feels to me like 42 is bailing out 74 more than the other way around.

 

[g00n]

I'd like to wait for more than 4 games before changing my opinion!

A playoff series can last only 4 games!

 

[tenken00]

A playoff series can last only 4 games!

We're used to 5

 

[crazy8888]

We're used to 5

I remember the days when all Caps series went to 7 games. Also remember only winning 1-2 of those game 7's

 

[tenken00]

I remember the days when all Caps series went to 7 games. Also remember only winning 1-2 of those game 7's

The glory days