Post-Game Talk: Caps vs Panthers 5:00 PM EST

[Capsman]

Watch Protas closely - dude is winning board battles through hard work and big body strength. He's not nearly as good as Wilson but he's a good fit on that line, and it frees up Wilson to help out on another line that needs it.

But yeah when this team is somewhat healthy you can put Wilson on the top line and it's among the best lines in the NHL.

I don't think Wilson is as good at board battles as some believe. Wilson's game fascinates me, kind of an enigma. He's sort of a Swiss army knife player, good at so many things, but his board game and forechecking in my view don't match the reputation his size and strength have created. And that's fine, he's become an excellent player overall.

 

[AlexBrovechkin8]

Protas reminds me a decent bit of Mantha actually. They look eerily similar in size and style and they both have way better hands in tight and along the boards than someone their size should. Mantha’s shot is light years better than Protas which is part of the reason one was a first round pick and one was a third round pick.

I wonder if the people who love Protas will stop being so hard on Mantha when he gets back or if Mantha will never be able to live up to expectations for some given the price paid to acquire him.

 

[Hivemind]

I think RMNB was banging the Holtby train. He's 2-4-1 on the year, but he's got a 2.5 GAA and almost a .920 save percentage. Though I don't agree with his response that Holtby was poor because our defense was poor then,but he does seem to have played a bit better recently.

Scott Murray ruined Holtby twice before. Don’t bring Holtby back if Murray is still here

 

[Hivemind]

I don't think Wilson is as good at board battles as some believe. Wilson's game fascinates me, kind of an enigma. He's sort of a Swiss army knife player, good at so many things, but his board game and forechecking in my view don't match the reputation his size and strength have created. And that's fine, he's become an excellent player overall.

I think his forechecking is strong, but I agree that he doesn’t win as many board and corner battles as you’d expect for someone of his size and reputation.

 

[CapsCrazyX17]

I think his forechecking is strong, but I agree that he doesn’t win as many board and corner battles as you’d expect for someone of his size and reputation.

I think that the years of cheap reputation-penalties against him have had an effect on that aspect of his game.

 

[TRASHCAT]

Protas reminds me a decent bit of Mantha actually. They look eerily similar in size and style and they both have way better hands in tight and along the boards than someone their size should. Mantha’s shot is light years better than Protas which is part of the reason one was a first round pick and one was a third round pick.

I wonder if the people who love Protas will stop being so hard on Mantha when he gets back or if Mantha will never be able to live up to expectations for some given the price paid to acquire him.

Protas seems better defensively and isnt in a position to go afk for long periods of time.

 

[maacoshark]

I don't think Wilson is as good at board battles as some believe. Wilson's game fascinates me, kind of an enigma. He's sort of a Swiss army knife player, good at so many things, but his board game and forechecking in my view don't match the reputation his size and strength have created. And that's fine, he's become an excellent player overall.

You are kidding. Wilson rarely loses a board battle.

 

[TheLegendOfPatPeake]

Protas seems better defensively and isnt in a position to go afk for long periods of time.

But nearly as talented offensively..yet.

 

[Baszie]

Protas is getting a lot a lot of compliments for this game. The stats tell a different story. His xG was terrible with 19%. By far the worst forward (TVR and Cholo had a lower number)

 

[IvanMalison]

I’m not sure we can say they’re hands down the best top line in the NHL but they are playing some terrific hockey. Landeskog-MacKinnon-Rantanen or Marchand-Bergeron-Pasta are two of the top lines in the NHL for me, plus you have Point-Kucherov and normally Palat or throw on Stamkos in Tampa. Regardless, yes, our top line is playing dominant hockey.

I can’t say enough good things about Kuznetsov. He is terrific. Some of the plays he made on the PK tonight made it look like he’s been doing it for years. Really fun watching him enjoy playing the game again, I honestly think he’s one of the 10-15 most dominant players in the league when he’s at his best. Very few guys can play the game at the pace they want to play it at whenever they get the puck and time seems to slow down when Kuzy has it.

If we are talking this season, I think that we certainly can. Marchand-Bergeron-Pasta just haven't been that good this year and Landeskog-MacKinnon-Rantanen haven't played that much together because Mackinnon has been out, and even when they have played together they honestly have not been great.

If there were a power ranking for lines out there, I really don't see how you don't put 8-92-43 at the top right now.

 

[maacoshark]

Protas is getting a lot a lot of compliments for this game. The stats tell a different story. His xG was terrible with 19%. By far the worst forward (TVR and Cholo had a lower number)

Another stats geek