GDT: G5: Leafs @ Caps - 6:08pm

[mad4comp]

Well this is what leonsis wanted. Surprised any fans showed up at all.

 

[twabby]

Ovechkin scored? That's a dubya

 

[Dr John Carlson]

(edit - correction - TJ Oshie is the lone player on the same contract)

Kuznetsov as well.

I'm having trouble deciding which of Backstrom or Oshie is the most finished. After some consideration, I'm writing in a vote for 92.

 

[Devil Dancer]

6 goals in 5 games and a horrendous goal differential.

I don't put much stock in the first 10 games but yikes.

 

[Brian23]

Hahaha. What an absolute loser mentality

I never once said one cup was enough, I said live in reality. They weren't breaking the band up after they'd just hit the mountain top, and had they been cut throat and let these guys walk you'd have the same people complaining about selling off favorites.

 

[Ovie's Neighbor]

I never once said one cup was enough, I said live in reality. They weren't breaking the band up after they'd just hit the mountain top, and had they been cut throat and let these guys walk you'd have the same people complaining about selling off favorites.

I guess the difference is that almost all those contracts were criticized when they were signed. It does not feel like revisionist history to me.

 

[SherVaughn30]

Keeping the core together a few more years is one thing, but at a certain point there needs to be a reckoning. Just because a player has a contract doesn't mean they can't be traded (and GMBM has traded away plenty of players, they just tend to be the younger guys rather than anyone who gets to skate on PP1). And GMBM has continued to give out more of these retirement contracts that have led to so much trouble, beyond just that season after the Cup.

Keep Carlson, Kuzy, and Oshie around short-term, sure, but that doesn't mean they have to be Caps-for-life.

Ted wrote the Checks, not BMac! Good or bad, it starts with the owner and trickles on down!

 

[Brian23]

Keeping the core together a few more years is one thing, but at a certain point there needs to be a reckoning. Just because a player has a contract doesn't mean they can't be traded (and GMBM has traded away plenty of players, they just tend to be the younger guys rather than anyone who gets to skate on PP1). And GMBM has continued to give out more of these retirement contracts that have led to so much trouble, beyond just that season after the Cup.

Keep Carlson, Kuzy, and Oshie around short-term, sure, but that doesn't mean they have to be Caps-for-life.

They go short term on Oshie or Kuzy at that point, you may not have enough for an Orlov or a Grubauer. Maybe they don't have the room to bring in Kempney. They went long term to bring cap hit down. You can disagree with it all you want, but all cutting years down is make them cost more at the time, meaning less actual players at that time.

And there isn't a world where GMBM is going to be allowed to be cut throat with guys who're actually bringing this team down right now; Oshie, Backstrom, and Ovi. Kuzy is the one that can really be pointed at, and no one wanted him, but you also don't get a cup at all without him so once again, the bill comes due eventually.

I guess the difference is that almost all those contracts were criticized when they were signed. It does not feel like revisionist history to me.

They were not, at all. Oshie's was considered a slam dunk, people thought Kuzy would be 50/50 but he got us a cup, everyone lauded Ovi keeping essentially his same salary, and Backstrom was looked at as being paid his dues. No one thought his hip was going to blow up.

The only one that people really were effy on was Carlson, ironically the one guy who's been the most consistent out of that entire group.

 

[Ovie's Neighbor]

They were not, at all. Oshie's was considered a slam dunk, people thought Kuzy would be 50/50 but he got us a cup, everyone lauded Ovi keeping essentially his same salary, and Backstrom was looked at as being paid his dues. No one thought his hip was going to blow up.

The only one that people really were effy on was Carlson, ironically the one guy who's been the most consistent out of that entire group.

I’m not talking about OV and Oshie. I’m taking about Backstrom who already openly admitted his body was failing him before he signed the new contract. I’m talking about Wilson. I’m talking about Carlson. I’m talking about Kuemper. OV is a bad contract and we all knew it but you had no choice.

 

[SherVaughn30]

More perspective. Ted is the only NHL owner to disregard their Cup Winning coach for the following season and not find a way to keep him. It happened with the Wings and Scotty Bowman, but Bowman retired on his own accord.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

49 pt pace……

 

[SecretaryofDefense5]

49 pt pace……

All according to the plan.

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

I wish we tanked like this last year for Bedard.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

All according to the plan.

tough year….would love to know what’s going through their minds right now….from Carbs up ….wonder what they’re thinking, how long they let this go….

 

[SherVaughn30]

I wish we tanked like this last year for Bedard.

No chance that ever would have happened. If it wasn't the Hawks being so bad, Pens would have been next on the list before the Caps, if the Pens had been as bad as the Hawks.

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

No chance that ever would have happened. If it wasn't the Hawks being so bad, Pens would have been next on the list before the Caps, if the Pens had been as bad as the Hawks.

My point is that we are probably the worst team in the league, but there is no Bedard in this year's draft...

 

[JohnCarlsaurus]

I have to look at the vid clips when I get a chance. The one thing about Kuemper is he's considered a big goalie being 6'5", but not the most mobile for his size. In other words sometimes he plays small for his big size, but I never saw that when he played for the Coyotes, Kings and Avs. It leads me to believe he trying to trust Scott Murray, but Murray is teaching him the wrong techniques and reads! Vanacek had the same problem with Murray. He would open up so many holes for shooters as soon as went down early in the butterfly. Meanwhile, the Finnish goalie coach is working well with the goalies down in Hershey...

I'm not gonna disagree with you about Murray. That guys has yet to get results.

Kuemper did kinda play small on the first goal. Shot was from in close to his left but he got beat in that spot between the arm & stick

 

[SherVaughn30]

My point is that we are probably the worst team in the league, but there is no Bedard in this year's draft...

Bedard wasn't saving this team other than Ted's wallet!

I'm not gonna disagree with you about Murray. That guys has yet to get results.

Kuemper did kinda play small on the first goal. Shot was from in close to his left but he got beat in that spot between the arm & stick

It's referred to as the 6 hole.

 

[PlushMinus]

Hey at least there's tomorrow's game!

Oh wait....

 

[twabby]

I don't really care about many of the old guy contracts especially since Kuznetsov and Oshie won the Cup on their current contracts. And Ovechkin is the franchise. Even Backstrom is franchise-ish.

But I'm still really annoyed at the Wilson extension, which goes into effect next year and then lasts seven (7) years. That was signed this offseason as they were clearly declining. Instead of getting a treasure trove of assets they signed a 30 year old complementary winger to a 7 year deal so he could be the captain in 2027? That one stings.

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

Bedard wasn't saving this team other than Ted's wallet!

Nope, but he would've made it fun to watch for a long, long time (and maybe eventually contend again).

 

[troyerlaw]

My point is that we are probably the worst team in the league, but there is no Bedard in this year's draft...

Macklin Celebrini is kind of a monster in his own right. Super impressive
Consensus #1 pick in pre-draft rankings

 

[Langway]

tough year….would love to know what’s going through their minds right now….from Carbs up ….wonder what they’re thinking, how long they let this go….

Definitely have to wonder if they're not already thinking ahead about the wisdom of buyouts next summer, as unpalatable as it may be. So many cooked vets on terrible contracts with no market. If it's a long season--as it certainly looks to be--then they can't possibly shrug their shoulders and run the core back out yet again, right? Not like there's an easy shake-up to be made or else they would have done it in the off-season like they clearly wanted to. At this point a top six shake-up wouldn't (and won't) go far enough anyway.

Probably no use bundling assets to dump Mantha either. If anything maybe waive him to make room for Miroshnichenko. Add someone eager to go to work and make their mark. Any restructuring/punting may have to start with moving Jensen or TVR since both should at least have an actual trade market. Might as well be honest about their defensive capacity and start over with players that are at least developing like an Iorio. Not much to lose shifting to that mentality before long (to the degree they're even able roster-wise to do so).

While there's a wide degree of latitude for MacLellan in terms of the core, their decline and ownership decisions, he's hasn't added much to offset/combat any of this. Strome, Milano, Phillips, Sandin...none industrious and complete to the point where they're going to make any difference as leadership material. Until they add more of that element--even Wilson looks cooked in that regard--they're just a dense country club easy out seemingly incapable of dialing it in.

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

Macklin Celebrini is kind of a monster in his own right. Super impressive
Consensus #1 pick in pre-draft rankings

“Fail miserably for Celebrini”

 

[Misery74]

I don't really care about many of the old guy contracts especially since Kuznetsov and Oshie won the Cup on their current contracts. And Ovechkin is the franchise. Even Backstrom is franchise-ish.

But I'm still really annoyed at the Wilson extension, which goes into effect next year and then lasts seven (7) years. That was signed this offseason as they were clearly declining. Instead of getting a treasure trove of assets they signed a 30 year old complementary winger to a 7 year deal so he could be the captain in 2027? That one stings.

Backstrom took way too much. His contract is a big part of the problem.