GDT: Caps vs Yotes 9p.m zzzzzzz fest

[bishop12]

I am serious. You're right he is a kid...and stuff can change, but he doesn't have vision or not enough of it....

 

[g00n]

He has a lethal howie, but not enough vision for my liking. It's no wonder the Caps haven't had secondary scoring in forever. Get your standards up...

Ok, just checking. Just trying to give you the benefit of the doubt, maybe an error or typo. Because I don't think a 19 year old rookie who has been one of the team's best playmakers and passers and has displayed top notch vision and anticipation could be singled out as having a good shot and nothing more. Clearly my fault.

 

[Capsman]

Bura has a sick shot..but it stops there. He has no vision....the Caps need some guys that can find trailers and make seem passes. Open the ice up. Backstrom is that guy, but I don't know...

 

[tycoonheart]

He has no vision? Just last night he had a sick pass to a dman (forgot who) who had a good shot on goal. Think in the 3rd. Other than Nicky I doubt anyone on this team makes that pass.

 

[Vladiator16*]

Bura has a sick shot..but it stops there. He has no vision....the Caps need some guys that can find trailers and make seem passes. Open the ice up. Backstrom is that guy, but I don't know...

This comment just won the internetz...

Its like... people see what they wanna see... This guy literally bursts on the seen after one good training camp, and doing better then majority of our veterans, creativity wise... On numerous occasions he pulls 2, 3 opposing players and then makes a fantastic pass out of that cluster****, and you think he has no vision?
Who the **** are you watching?

 

[artilector]

Bura had a play late in the 3rd or in OT that makes me wonder about Backstrom and understand why Trotz put 65 on the top line for a bit.

Bura drew 3 players to him in the high slot on an entry play and made a beautiful (backhand?) pass to Green for a meaningful slapper. That's creating offense. When was the last time Backstrom skated through space and forced a triple team like that? Everyone wants to bash Ovie for his even strength numbers but what's Backstrom doing out there aside from the occasional give and go saucer pass?

Well, yeah, it's part of the problem. I think Backstrom is naturally less of a target for criticism (compared to Ovi) because a) he is at least pretty solid defensively, and b) he is on a quite reasonable deal that doesn't carry much risk at all. Plus you could add he is a very good PP distributor and does generally find a way to put up points.

But yeah, Backstrom just doesn't have the speed/power/aggressiveness to force his will on the opposition. He can hurt you if you give him time & space, or if he has really smart/active/skilled teammates who'll extend the cycle and get into the right spots for him to thread passes to them for scoring opportunities. Unfortunately, playing on the first line the opponents' top D/checkers don't really give him time & space, and Ovi + whoever haven't measured up in terms of being active and crafty off the cycle. Of course, I think you could also make just as strong a case that Backstrom's crafty game has been far from an ideal fit for Ovi. Hence our continued predicament of Ovi + Backstrom being (far) less than the sum of their talent.

People put a lot of hope on Wilson. Well, I agree to some extent that if he can generate energy by banging (and so get Ovi more revved up), and then can create havoc in front for Ovi to throw pucks on net, it could very well be an improvement on the other wingers so far. But at the same time, I think it's a very tall order for him to connect what seems to me very disparate playing styles of Ovi and Backstrom.

 

[g00n]

Well, yeah, it's part of the problem. I think Backstrom is naturally less of a target for criticism (compared to Ovi) because a) he is at least pretty solid defensively, and b) he is on a quite reasonable deal that doesn't carry much risk at all. Plus you could add he is a very good PP distributor and does generally find a way to put up points.

But yeah, Backstrom just doesn't have the speed/power/aggressiveness to force his will on the opposition. He can hurt you if you give him time & space, or if he has really smart/active/skilled teammates who'll extend the cycle and get into the right spots for him to thread passes to them for scoring opportunities. Unfortunately, playing on the first line the opponents' top D/checkers don't really give him time & space, and Ovi + whoever haven't measured up in terms of being active and crafty off the cycle. Of course, I think you could also make just as strong a case that Backstrom's crafty game has been far from an ideal fit for Ovi. Hence our continued predicament of Ovi + Backstrom being (far) less than the sum of their talent.

People put a lot of hope on Wilson. Well, I agree to some extent that if he can generate energy by banging (and so get Ovi more revved up), and then can create havoc in front for Ovi to throw pucks on net, it could very well be an improvement on the other wingers so far. But at the same time, I think it's a very tall order for him to connect what seems to me very disparate playing styles of Ovi and Backstrom.

Wilson on the top line changes that dynamic in a few ways.

For one it doesn't allow the familiar, possibly jaded and habit-bound 8 and 19 to sit back and fall into old patterns. Wilson goes out there and stirs **** the **** up. He's got enough speed to keep up with 8 and 19 if they want to move so he can join the rush, start the rush, get back on defense, or get to the net. Obviously he bangs on the boards and has deceptive puck skills that I believe will only improve. And of course he punches faces.

But the most important strategic thing he brings is a massive amount of disruption to the other team's defensive gameplan. Suddenly every player on the ice has to have his head on a swivel and can't just retreat back into the same old defensive postures they've been applying to Ovechkin and Backstrom these last 4 or so years. Every time that first line steps on the ice it's a whirlwind of 43 they've got to account for and that creates potential lapses in coverage and concentration (not to mention guys crumpled on the ice) that can benefit Ovie and Nick.

I think 8 and 19 have to recognize this and begin using it to their advantage.

 

[artilector]

Wilson on the top line changes that dynamic in a few ways.

For one it doesn't allow the familiar, possibly jaded and habit-bound 8 and 19 to sit back and fall into old patterns. Wilson goes out there and stirs **** the **** up. He's got enough speed to keep up with 8 and 19 if they want to move so he can join the rush, start the rush, get back on defense, or get to the net. Obviously he bangs on the boards and has deceptive puck skills that I believe will only improve. And of course he punches faces.

But the most important strategic thing he brings is a massive amount of disruption to the other team's defensive gameplan. Suddenly every player on the ice has to have his head on a swivel and can't just retreat back into the same old defensive postures they've been applying to Ovechkin and Backstrom these last 4 or so years. Every time that first line steps on the ice it's a whirlwind of 43 they've got to account for and that creates potential lapses in coverage and concentration (not to mention guys crumpled on the ice) that can benefit Ovie and Nick.

I think 8 and 19 have to recognize this and begin using it to their advantage.

Well, indeed, that's the hope. But for me, the example that comes to mind is the Flyers old Legion of Doom line. They had a pretty incredible combination of skill and physicality, but against a smart experienced team like the Wings, it did not really matter.

I guess my feeling is, Backstrom needs a line with a smart cycling identity. Kinda like Sedins, although I think he needs more help. Ovi is a bad fit in this sense. Can Wilson become such a dominant cycler that he can maintain possession with Backstrom long enough to create scoring chances? I think that's very hard.

Otherwise, if Wilson is more of a havoc guy, and somebody to bang in front of the net, then I can see him as a possible teammate for Ovi, but then not sure why Backstrom is a great fit for that kind of game. Then maybe we're talking more about a new version of Zubrus-Clark complements for Ovi, which actually worked very well, and indeed amazingly well in terms of modest salaries, which potentially freed one's hand to afford a lot more skill on other lines.

I hope I am wrong, but.. I think there's no magic solution to glue Ovi and Backstrom together. That's why I had a glimmer of hope when they started off great this year, and really it wasn't really winger-dependent. But now they've pretty much regressed to how they looked for the last couple of years, so... if Wilson can inject enough energy to get that line working, I'm gonna have to buy a jersey out of sheer respect!

 

[tycoonheart]

Wilson on the top line changes that dynamic in a few ways.

For one it doesn't allow the familiar, possibly jaded and habit-bound 8 and 19 to sit back and fall into old patterns. Wilson goes out there and stirs **** the **** up. He's got enough speed to keep up with 8 and 19 if they want to move so he can join the rush, start the rush, get back on defense, or get to the net. Obviously he bangs on the boards and has deceptive puck skills that I believe will only improve. And of course he punches faces.

But the most important strategic thing he brings is a massive amount of disruption to the other team's defensive gameplan. Suddenly every player on the ice has to have his head on a swivel and can't just retreat back into the same old defensive postures they've been applying to Ovechkin and Backstrom these last 4 or so years. Every time that first line steps on the ice it's a whirlwind of 43 they've got to account for and that creates potential lapses in coverage and concentration (not to mention guys crumpled on the ice) that can benefit Ovie and Nick.

I think 8 and 19 have to recognize this and begin using it to their advantage.

Fantastic point. And a good write up.

 

[sycamore]

We all remember how great and dangerous the first line was with Knuble. Hopefully Wilson is the second coming.

 

[g00n]

Fantastic point. And a good write up.

Thanks. It's also worth noting that Ovie and Nick have never had that kind of guy on the top line that I can recall. I don't think Knuble was as much of a physical or speedy force as Wilson but he may be the closest. Knuble filled that role around the net for sure, though.

The last Cap I can think of that was like Wilson was Chris Simon during his couple of scoring years.

 

[artilector]

We all remember how great and dangerous the first line was with Knuble. Hopefully Wilson is the second coming.

They were not particularly impressive with Knuble in playoffs, as far as I recall. Knubs was always good for some rebounds, but as a whole, that line did not put consistent pressure on opponents. In fact, I'm not sure Knubs was much less effective when playing with Aucoin and Ward (?). He sort of did his thing wherever, but chemistry with Ovi and Nick I think only really showed in reg. season and back when Caps were flying high in general.

edit: Yeah, the fact that Wilson has better wheels than Knubs is nice, as that was the one big issue with Knubs (as it was with Kozlov as well, btw).

 

[FloridaCap]

We all remember how great and dangerous the first line was with Knuble. Hopefully Wilson is the second coming.

Knuble was playing with a different Ovechkin.

2014 Ovechkin needs something a hell of a lot better than Knuble.

 

[g00n]

Knuble was playing with a different Ovechkin.

2014 Ovechkin needs something a hell of a lot better than Knuble.

Which is why Brouwer and Ward don't work up there. It's probably why Trotz tried Fehr and Beagle (more energy and aggressiveness and willingness to go to the net). None of them have the physicality and intimidation factor Wilson has.

 

[Acallabeth]

Wasn't that bad of a game (just boring).
Trade everyone, waive Ovechkin, fire Trotz etc.

 

[Mickstix]

Well, imo, Wilson is the one to make it click again.. As was said, he's going to bring a fresh presence to the top line, same as Gramps did, only stronger/faster/better... Least we better hope he does, cause if we think they're bringing in another 6+ million dollar player for that line at some point, we're probably in for a long wait..

Plan B (for Trotz) imo, is if 43 doesn't click with 8 & 19, will be to break up 8 and 19.. (Which may not be a bad thing either, but something we'll be "going back to the drawing board" waiting and waiting to get figured out..

They need to start jelling through the lines so we can stop the musical chairs approach..

 

[Acallabeth]

Plan B (for Trotz) imo, is if 43 doesn't click with 8 & 19, will be to break up 8 and 19.. (Which may not be a bad thing either, but something we'll be "going back to the drawing board" waiting and waiting to get figured out.

I've said it before and I'll repeat: we're not going to find a line for AO and Nick until they start hustling more and thinking faster.

 

[FloridaCap]

He has no vision? Just last night he had a sick pass to a dman (forgot who) who had a good shot on goal. Think in the 3rd. Other than Nicky I doubt anyone on this team makes that pass.

It was Green, and it was a very nice pass.

He also had an incredible one-touch pass, practically no look, through the seam to Mojo, whose shot was promptly blocked.

 

[RandyHolt]

Another Rob Ray, Bishop?

You never ask a navy man if he'll have another drink, because it's nobody's goddamned business how much he's had already.

Wrong, you're drinking too much your Excellency.

Excellency, fiddlesticks, my name's Fred and I'm a man, same as you.

 

[Ajax1995]

They were not particularly impressive with Knuble in playoffs...

Hey look another horse pushing a cart...