Player Discussion Evgeny Kuznetsov

[Raikkonen]

So, if you do not have the magical 'will', fascinating 'physicality', miraculous 'smarts' nor the spooky 'leg moves' opponents score more goals against you. Or is it just a dull joke?

If you did know some things about defense you wouldnt ask those questions.

Stats, shmats, Kuzy cant defend properly.

 

[francaisvolantsparis]

If you did know some things about defense you wouldnt ask those questions.

Stats, shmats, Kuzy cant defend properly.

My point exactly! It's 99.999999% ignorance/stupidity/xenophobia.

 

[Raikkonen]

My point exactly! It's 99.999999% ignorance/stupidity/xenophobia.

I have to check my reading skills. Dont understand your point anymore.

Do you want to bet your avatar on anything, btw?

 

[artilector]

I heard 1000 of times about Kuzys famous ''defensive deficiencies'' as it was an evidence. Just interested how is it possible that opponents score as much goals against every Caps top-6 forward Backstrom included as they score against Kuzy?

Last year TR tried to play Kuzy on PK. He does know hockey better than ~100.000000% of posters here. But logically it is/was not evident for him that Kuzy can't play defense.

Conclusion: Kuzys famous ''defensive deficiencies'' are 99.999999% ignorance/stupidity/xenophobia.

It would be very hard to charge me & Raik with xenophobia towards Kuzy

But seriously, I would say point number 1 is that the whole Caps' top-6 has had plenty "defensive/motor deficiencies" for a long time. So it's definitely not just Kuzy. To some extent he's an easier target, sure.

Point number 2 is that Kuzy's lack of effort annoys people more than let's say Backstrom lack of speed -- so he catches extra flak. Xenophobia or not, there's a difference between how Kuzy and let's say Datsyuk play(ed) the game.

Point number 3 is about what's behind the numbers. Even if Kuzy's passing ability allows his line to maintain decent goals differential despite bad possession numbers, giving up lots of possession has detrimental effects on the rest of the team -- everybody gets more tired, the opponents gain momentum as they're buzzing around the offensive zone, etc. These effects may be hard to quantify, but they are pretty damn visible. (It's kind of like the effect of having some "good" defensive defensemen -- they manage to keep some pucks out of the net, but they kill the team by forcing it to play in the defensive zone for 7 games in a playoff series. Alzner over Schmidt, baby!)

 

[francaisvolantsparis]

I have to check my reading skills. Dont understand your point anymore.

Do you want to bet your avatar on anything, btw?

I have one ongoing bet. I loose if LuJo plays ten or more NHL games in a season.
You want to bet?

 

[francaisvolantsparis]

It would be very hard to charge me & Raik with xenophobia towards Kuzy

Most of the time it's just the ignorance..

But seriously, I would say point number 1 is that the whole Caps' top-6 has had plenty "defensive/motor deficiencies" for a long time. So it's definitely not just Kuzy. To some extent he's an easier target, sure.

Good point

Point number 2 is that Kuzy's lack of effort annoys people more than let's say Backstrom lack of speed -- so he catches extra flak. Xenophobia or not, there's a difference between how Kuzy and let's say Datsyuk play(ed) the game.

Kuzy does not need to be as good defensively as Datsyuk was. Kuzy is exactly as good at defending as Backstrom is.

Point number 3 is about what's behind the numbers. Even if Kuzy's passing ability allows his line to maintain decent goals differential despite bad possession numbers, giving up lots of possession has detrimental effects on the rest of the team -- everybody gets more tired, the opponents gain momentum as they're buzzing around the offensive zone, etc. These effects may be hard to quantify, but they are pretty damn visible. (It's kind of like the effect of having some "good" defensive defensemen -- they manage to keep some pucks out of the net, but they kill the team by forcing it to play in the defensive zone for 7 games in a playoff series. Alzner over Schmidt, baby!)

Actually, it is the opposite. Kuzy caring the puck 90% of the time and doing all the offensive work for his teammates let them much more energy than Backstrom does.

 

[Raikkonen]

Kuzy is exactly as good at defending as Backstrom is.

Anything to support that claim?

 

[francaisvolantsparis]

Anything to support that claim?

Anything to contradict it?

 

[Raikkonen]

Anything to contradict it?

Backstrom has long history of playing 4-vs-5, 3-vs-5 and matching opponent's best lines. What do you have?

 

[alphabetical]

Anything to contradict it?

should we all take that as a no?

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

should we all take that as a no?

Yes, yes we should...

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

Backstrom has long history of playing 4-vs-5, 3-vs-5 and matching opponent's best lines. What do you have?

a loud mouth? Lol....

 

[artilector]

Actually, it is the opposite. Kuzy caring the puck 90% of the time and doing all the offensive work for his teammates let them much more energy than Backstrom does.

This is just brilliant in every way.

 

[alphabetical]

Anything to contradict it?

this season, Backstrom has averaged 2.15 giveaways per 60 minutes to Kuznetsov's 2.52. Backstrom averages 1.87 takeaways per 60 minutes to Kuznetsov's 1.17. Backstrom averages 2.38 shot blocks per 60 minutes to Kuznetsov's 0.94. 49.5 % on the draw to 43%. 7.5% higher on SAT, even more when it comes to unblocked shots.

put up your stats.

 

[LesDiablesRouges]

Mods, thought this was an interesting poll idea, given the circumstances surrounding Kuzy. Feel free to move, but, I feel like there's value in the poll alone.

 

[Melkor]

He needs to score a golden goal in the Cup finals and deliver an all time playoff performance in order to stay. Otherwise, he gone.

 

[g00n]

Would like to see "Yes but only if he kicks ass in the playoffs and stays out of trouble".

 

[ALLCAPSALLTHETIME]

Needless muckraking.

 

[txpd]

I have no idea

 

[LesDiablesRouges]

Needless muckraking.

How so?

This is a pretty important question and likely going to be the focal point of our offseason (one way or another). Trading Kuzy is a franchise-altering trade (for better or for worse).

 

[kicksavedave]

This thread needs more randomly generated speculation.

 

[Bananas]

I’ve always been a huge fan of the mercurial Kuz. He’s testing my patience this year but the return needs to be excellent or his behavior off the ice abhorrent for me to even consider dealing him. When on he gives us a gigantic boost.

 

[twabby]

This thread needs more randomly generated speculation.

Evgeny Kuznetsov started his life in Kaunas Kuchen, Russia, in the 1980s. "To write some interesting political book I went to Russia a little late and found out it was a bit risky, but at first I was very good at it and liked it because of my reading it," Kuznetsov describes himself.

Today he's an editor for The International Front, a national newspaper and television program focused on Russian history. "I did a lot of research on Russian history and the people that gave him the name Khurkhov," he says. "I started a series called Khosny" about the period from the early 1980s. While living there, he also published a collection, "Cheka: The Life and Times of Vladimir Khudai"—which he called his "official History of Khudai."

Vladimir Khudai was born in Russia, but he was just 12 when he entered the U.S., his family later confirmed. His father and a Russian friend were named after his grandfather, who was one of the five presidents of Russia. Khudai was one of the four siblings that lived in Manhattan (Vladimir's father was a major figure in the Bolshevik Revolution). And despite his youthful age (11), he's been described as a "good young man."

 

[zappa4ever]

Offseason is the operative word; this has already been discussed and speculated on ad nauseum and looks like it's just clickbait and the timing is suspect

After the playoffs, sure

Now, in the middle of a playoff series, not so much

How so?

This is a pretty important question and likely going to be the focal point of our offseason (one way or another). Trading Kuzy is a franchise-altering trade (for better or for worse).

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

He’s got 15 more wins to prove he wants to be here.

I hope he gets his shit worked out, but I’m not holding my breath.