Post-Game Talk: Flyers @ Caps | 1/14/15 | 8pm EST NBCSN | Calling Doctor DRIIIIIVE!!!

[CapsJunkie]

Truthfully, I'd love Simmonds on the Caps though.

Can you imagine? Dude is so good at scoring garbage goals. Caps don't have anyone to knock in the rebounds. He'd score 40 on the top line with Nicky and Ovie

 

[Carlzner]

Who replaces Mojo's zone entries on the PP or his ability to open up gaps with his speed?

 

[Fallschirmyager]

100% agree though. They will smoke the teams in the East if they keep developing under Trotz like this.

Wow. Who would have guessed that adding proven NHL coach and addressing the D short comings would have a positive effect on this team?

Makes GMGM look even more like a moron.

 

[EroCaps]

Wow. Who would have guessed that adding proven NHL coach and addressing the D short comings would have a positive effect on this team?

Makes GMGM look even more like a moron.

Hey imagine what they could have if they shipped 52 out and got a 2C.

It's a shame most fans have seen the formula for years and the GM couldn't.

 

[Raikkonen]

Mojo could be tried as 1RW at some point.

 

[CapsJunkie]

Mojo could be tried as 1RW at some point.

Caps tried that for a year and a half...It was so painful to watch Nicky and Mojo Pass to Ovie while he was triple teamed. The Two Swedes refused to shoot...Could work though if Mojo shot more

 

[Sam Spade]

Who replaces Mojo's zone entries on the PP or his ability to open up gaps with his speed?

Kuznetsov?

 

[txpd]

Hey imagine what they could have if they shipped 52 out and got a 2C.

It's a shame most fans have seen the formula for years and the GM couldn't.

52 is not going to get a 2c. As a pending ufa any team trading a 2c at this point wants a future. As for the Caps, they with a top four plus Hillen and then Oleksy with Carrick and injured Orlov and Schmidt out indefinitely, they would be adding rentals like Green for depth.

 

[txpd]

Who replaces Mojo's zone entries on the PP or his ability to open up gaps with his speed?

I don't think those that want 90 shipped out realize how important his role on the team is.

 

[AlexBrovechkin8]

Fell asleep as the third started, long day at work. Happy to get the win. Keep racking them up as I'm sure we'll hit a skid at some point.

Simmonds would be perfect on the top line. I actually can't think of a better fit. Would never happen, but would be awesome.

Bura will be a beast if he hits the weight room hard this summer. Needs 10-15 pounds of muscle to stop getting tossed around in the corners.

You just get the sense that the guys expect to win now. Very refreshing. It also feels like a matter of time before Ovie and Kuz break out. Ovie hit another post last night. And whoever said Kuz had terrible vision and is a poor passer... please.

 

[g00n]

I absolutely would be. But I'm also more than fine with him in his current spot on the Caps 3rd line.


Not sure what's so hard for people to grasp that Laich-Fehr-Ward is the team's 2nd line. Trotz has said so, and their ice time matches his statement.

I think that's more about pumping them up so they don't get disrespected than actually making them the clear #2. The 3rd is getting about 1minute more of ES TOI/game than the supposed 2nd line on the season, but the game breakdowns tell the story there. Total number of shifts are close and so it total ice time on a recent game by game basis. Shift count from last night and TOI split:

Mojo- 19 (13:13 EV TOI, 2:39 PP, 0:00 SH)
Kuz- 15 (12:40 EV TOI, 0:00 PP, 0:00 SH)
T-bro- 21 (12:25 EV TOI, 2:33 PP, 1:40 SH)

Laich- 21 (14:47 EV TOI, 0:00 PP, 0:40 SH)
Fehr- 22 (13:20 EV TOI, 0:06 PP, 2:40 SH)
Ward- 21 (15:11 EV TOI, 0:06 PP, 0:25 SH)


Overall, they were around 15 1/2 minutes to 16 minutes total each, with Brouwer (high) and Kuz (low) being slight outliers. Brouwer shifts heavily on PP and PK, while Kuz is on neither and didn't get a lot of time/shifts period. Mojo gets no PK time.

Some of this was due to the Chimmer injury. Mojo also took only 5 shifts in the 3rd period, which was probably a partial benching. Worth noting that Bura got no special teams time at all, but over 15 minutes of ES time and 18 shifts.



It's pretty clear to me that other than the outlier situations Trotz is mostly shifting these guys pretty evenly overall, and making some adjustments based on special teams needs and injuries.

Which is why I say we have a 2A and 2B line.

 

[g00n]

Kuznetsov?

I think this is the wild card in our trade/upgrade scenario. I don't know if Bura will accelerate to the NHL level fast enough and THEN make the leap to playoff hockey immediately since there's no adjustment period.

And I doubt we get 2 big pickups in the forwards by the TDL, which means you probably get either a RW1 or a 2C and let Kuz fill the other spot.

 

[Langway]

The 90/92/20 line's play is pretty much a direct function of how much space they're given. If they have the room to dip and dangle, they will tear you apart. If you get your stick in their skates or keep them along the walls, they'll struggle to create legitimate scoring chances. Flyers didn't give them much room for most of the game tonight

Yeah, I think this is their main problem and why there's no easy solution. The problem is all of them gaining more of an interior presence, not just upgrading over Kuznetsov in the short-term.

They either need to ramp it up systematically in order to allow the top six as a whole more room to operate or they're really going to need to dig in individually in order to create room for themselves. Hard to expect players that have a track record of not being able to do that to suddenly do it on their own. It has to be a collective, almost systematic thing. It's why Burakovsky on the top line doesn't accomplish much of anything right now. There's no way he's really ready for it.

 

[Suds]

Washville Preditals get a win....


A win is win no matter how tedious..


GG Caps

 

[BackToTheBasics]

Who replaces Mojo's zone entries on the PP or his ability to open up gaps with his speed?

Kuznetsov already does that just fine.

 

[BobRouse]

Yeah, I think that 1st line is RW away from being consistently dangerous. He gets outmuscled very very easily.

Thought Nicky was a little weak tonight too. Ovi was the best player on that line.

Anyone else think Burakovsky needs to be relegated to the press box again, bring wilson up to the top line and put latta back on the 4th?

Too many pucks are dying on his stick and its hurting Ovi and Nicky's play and possesion

Ummm...No.

I think some posters just struggle learning something.....YOUNG PLAYERS TEND TO BE INCONSISTENT.

Last year 90% of you were ready to ditch Holtby.

99% thought MJ was a scrub.

In order to let young players grow you MUST allow them to cut their teeth. The worst thing you can do is constantly bench them after a mistake or bad game.

Posters on here need to learn this. Too much knee jerk reaction ESPECIALLY when it comes to kids.

It's not all about the stats. Mojo has been pretty horrible aside from the game he had against the Leafs. He's barely been shooting the puck and looks more like the Mojo of last year.

This is wrong. MJ has been very good and consistent all year. He's much stronger on the boards and more physical.

He could have been better last night but players have off games now and then. ALL OF THEM DO.

 

[Vladiator16*]

Washville Preditals get a win....


A win is win no matter how tedious..


GG Caps

Was thinking the same... not very exciting, but very effective, at least right now...

If Eddie Olczyk thinks Backstrom is under appreciated in Washington, he should hear what some say about Mojo around here...

 

[um]

You are comfortable with him in Caps' top 6?

mojo is our third best forward. getting rid of mojo isn't going to make our top 6 any better.

 

[BobRouse]

Yeah, I think this is their main problem and why there's no easy solution. The problem is all of them gaining more of an interior presence, not just upgrading over Kuznetsov in the short-term.

They either need to ramp it up systematically in order to allow the top six as a whole more room to operate or they're really going to need to dig in individually in order to create room for themselves. Hard to expect players that have a track record of not being able to do that to suddenly do it on their own. It has to be a collective, almost systematic thing. It's why Burakovsky on the top line doesn't accomplish much of anything right now. There's no way he's really ready for it.

Dude..

We are 7th or 8th in the league in ES goals and like 5th or 6th in ES goal ratio.

We have a top 5 PP.

All this while letting 3 VERY young players take turns in the top 6 (Kuz, Bura, Wilson).

We have 1 regulation loss in 20 games.

Systematically we are hard to play against and are suppressing shots very well.

Maybe some patience is required here. How do you expect guys like Bura and Kuz to get better if you are going to replace them with vets and take away their much needed ice time?

 

[BrooklynCapsFan]

Maybe some patience is required here. How do you expect guys like Bura and Kuz to get better if you are going to replace them with vets and take away their much needed ice time?

They can get better over the next 4 years. In the meantime, the organizational focus should 100% be on winning the postseason this year.

If the two ends intersect right now, great. If not, tough.

 

[BobRouse]

They can get better over the next 4 years. In the meantime, the organizational focus should 100% be on winning the postseason this year.

If the two ends intersect right now, great. If not, tough.

Thats why its wise to wait until the trade deadline and between now and then give these young guys every opportunity available.

Kuz has really grown over the last 10-20 games once we exhibited patience with him. We need to do the same with Bura and Wilson.

 

[Carlzner]

Kuznetsov already does that just fine.

His stick handling and finesse may be on another level but no, he cannot even come close to replacing Mojo at those kind of things right now.

Kuz tries to enter the zone through the middle, and sometimes it works and looks really nice. Mojo is able to use his speed to get in the zone on the boards and It almost always works. Do you guys think we can just plug any player there?

 

[AlexBrovechkin8]

I'm very impressed with how they play with the lead and after they score. Night and day from previous years.

 

[BrooklynCapsFan]

I'm very impressed with how they play with the lead and after they score. Night and day from previous years.

23-1-3 when we score first

 

[tycoonheart]

I'm very impressed with how they play with the lead and after they score. Night and day from previous years.

Its actually the mental aspect of their game that has impressed me. In the past we would fall apart when the other team made a push.