Post-Game Talk: G5: Sabres @ Russian-less Caps | 1/22/21 | 7p ET

[Devil Dancer]

I was hoping to see TVR just for the new player novelty. Oh well.

Should be a weird game.

 

[twabby]

Has he? This is why Eller jumped him on the depth chart? Maybe I am reading the board wrong but it seems to me a consensus that he hasnt been his best....largely good this year

He's been generating offense while not giving up chances defensively. He made one stupid dump-in on a goalie on a 5v3 that everyone remembers I guess, but I'd caution not to read too much into that.

It's 4 games so it doesn't mean he won't revert, but he's leading the team in xGF% at even strength. It helps that he hasn't seen the stiffest competition but again, my claim wasn't that he has been amazing but that he has been largely good.

 

[g00n]

Let's see what does this team worth without its four best players

Wilson, Oshie, and Backstrom are playing, bruh

 

[kicksavedave]

Oh how I've missed those fancy heat charts...



..... that I still don't understand how to read.

 

[francaisvolantsparis]

He's been generating offense while not giving up chances defensively. He made one stupid dump-in on a goalie on a 5v3 that everyone remembers I guess, but I'd caution not to read too much into that.

View attachment 387043

It's 4 games so it doesn't mean he won't revert, but he's leading the team in xGF% at even strength. It helps that he hasn't seen the stiffest competition but again, my claim wasn't that he has been amazing but that he has been largely good.

One day I will go to the Zoo and show hockey stat spreadsheets to gorillas. To have a 100% complete achievement.

 

[Eirikrautha]

What am I missing? Backstrom went down and Eller stepped up. Wilson got suspended and I dont recall who stepped up. This situation and that one are not the same. Unless you are suggesting Eller is going to play 20 mins with Kuzy out.....which is possible

We had Boyd, Gersich, Walker all in the line-up due to injuries, et al. Chaisson and Burky only played about 1/2 the games each. Our lineup was in constant flux. I think you're not remembering some important challenges during that run.

 

[Eirikrautha]

He's been generating offense while not giving up chances defensively. He made one stupid dump-in on a goalie on a 5v3 that everyone remembers I guess, but I'd caution not to read too much into that.

View attachment 387043

It's 4 games so it doesn't mean he won't revert, but he's leading the team in xGF% at even strength. It helps that he hasn't seen the stiffest competition but again, my claim wasn't that he has been amazing but that he has been largely good.

So, based on what I see, with Kuzy we have more net-presence offensively, and give opposing teams more offensive net presence. And it's vice-versa when he's out. So an offensive benefit and defensive liability...

 

[twabby]

So, based on what I see, with Kuzy we have more net-presence offensively, and give opposing teams more offensive net presence. And it's vice-versa when he's out. So an offensive benefit and defensive liability...

At least through 4 games he hasn't been a defensive liability though. It's important to not just look at the net-front area but rather the whole ice, and it shows that the team has been equally good defensively when he's been on the ice vs. off it (-27% xGA compared to league average). But as you mentioned they are getting much better looks when he's been on the ice (+25% xGF compared to league average) vs. off the ice (-52% xGF).

Again, it's been 4 games and it's fair to be skeptical given his past two seasons where he's been statistically one of the worst defensive forwards in the entire NHL, and even if he has improved these numbers simply won't continue. But it is silly to bash the guy for his on-ice performance this season when his on-ice performance has largely been good.

On the other hand it is perfectly fine to bash him for his off-ice conduct with regards to COVID, because that was monumentally stupid.

 

[Ovechkins Wodka]

I can’t believe the NHL is letting us play

 

[Eirikrautha]

I can’t believe the NHL is letting us play

They're making a point. They need an example of someone to drive the point home. So making the Caps (potentially) lose games is a way to scare the rest of the teams. If they just postpone games, where's the pain?

"Fear will keep the other systems in line, fear of this battle-station."

What we need is about three or four more players to go "visit" Sammy to cheer him up. If the Dallas standard is 5-6 players out to get a postponement, get a couple more on quarantine and force the NHL's hand... LOL!

 

[searle]

Time to show who has bought in.

Seems like ice time is going to be WIDE open tonight, if you look hungry it seems like Lavy will let you run

 

[ovikovy817]

Playing without your 1LW 1C 2D and 1G it's difficult

 

[um]

Wilson, Oshie, and Backstrom are playing, bruh

You forgot that guy who almost won a Norris last year.

 

[g00n]

You forgot that guy who almost won a Norris last year.

Orlov isn't playing.

 

[EroCaps]

Playing without your 1LW 1C 2D and 1G it's difficult

They'll miss Ovechkin and Orlov.

Kuzy frequently sits out games, he just does it on the bench.

And they don't have a #1G.

 

[IafrateOvie34]

Just win. Defy the odds!

 

[searle]

quick q: do the covidiots count against the salary cap?

 

[RandyHolt]

They should count double

Nothing But Crosby will become Nothing but Nothing next year NBC getting out of sports. Good riddance.

 

[txpd]

He's been generating offense while not giving up chances defensively. He made one stupid dump-in on a goalie on a 5v3 that everyone remembers I guess, but I'd caution not to read too much into that.

View attachment 387043

It's 4 games so it doesn't mean he won't revert, but he's leading the team in xGF% at even strength. It helps that he hasn't seen the stiffest competition but again, my claim wasn't that he has been amazing but that he has been largely good.

Yea, yea. I know analytics. When the charts say a player is killing it and the coach thinks he is stinking it up and cutting back his ice, I assume you think the coach is an idiot. Is Orlov still the best defenseman on the team?

Again, it seems a common view that Kuzy isnt playing well. He could make a decent case that he was dropped to 3C for the last game. There is a disconnect there. I havent noticed 92 much this season and am not prepared to critique his play. I think you are in a minority group with your read of his play based on the evidence I mention above

 

[txpd]

Playing without your 1LW 1C 2D and 1G it's difficult

Backstrom is the 1C. Samsonov is pretty unproven at present and is not leading in starts.

 

[tenken00]

quick q: do the covidiots count against the salary cap?

I'm not sure exactly how it works. Interestingly, Capfriendly has 3 of the 4 (Ovechkin, Kuznetsov, Samsonov but not Orlov for some reason?) as non-rostered:

Washington Capitals - CapFriendly - NHL Salary Caps

NON-ROSTER (3 - $18,263,462)	TERMS	POS	STATUS	AGE	CAP%	2020-21	2021-22	2022-23	2023-24	2024-25	2025-26	2026-27
Ovechkin, Alex "C"	M-NTC	LW, RW	NHL Non-Roster	35	11.7	$9,538,462	UFA
Kuznetsov, Evgeny	M-NTC	C	NHL Non-Roster	28	9.6	$7,800,000	$7,800,000	$7,800,000	$7,800,000	$7,800,000	UFA
Samsonov, Ilya	ELC	G	NHL Non-Roster	23	1.1	$925,000	RFA

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

And Pinho who is the only one in tonight's lineup not on the roster previously as an "Emergency Loan"

Pinho, Brian

C, RW

Emerg. Loan

25

0.9

$725,000

$725,000

UFA

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

Edit: oh and Anderson

Anderson, Craig

35+

G

Emerg. Loan

39

0.9

$700,000

UFA

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

Current projected cap hit is

UPPER LIMIT

$81,500,000

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

PROJECTED CAP HIT

$85,540,110

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

 

[twabby]

Yea, yea. I know analytics. When the charts say a player is killing it and the coach thinks he is stinking it up and cutting back his ice, I assume you think the coach is an idiot. Is Orlov still the best defenseman on the team?

Again, it seems a common view that Kuzy isnt playing well. He could make a decent case that he was dropped to 3C for the last game. There is a disconnect there. I havent noticed 92 much this season and am not prepared to critique his play. I think you are in a minority group with your read of his play based on the evidence I mention above

No I think Laviolette made a smart decision to try to spread the wealth a little bit and try to find some chemistry early in the season.

And I'm not really concerned if I have a minority view, I don't think it makes it any less correct by that standard alone. Plenty of times I've held a minority view and turned out to be wrong, but there have also been plenty of instances where I've presented a minority view and turned out to not be wrong!

 

[kicksavedave]

They should count double

Nothing But Crosby will become Nothing but Nothing next year NBC getting out of sports. Good riddance.

Are they getting out of sports entirely, or just shutting down NBCSN, for which the only time I ever watch is Caps games. Plenty of Caps games are on NBC nationally, not NBCSN.

 

[txpd]

No I think Laviolette made a smart decision to try to spread the wealth a little bit and try to find some chemistry early in the season.

And I'm not really concerned if I have a minority view, I don't think it makes it any less correct by that standard alone. Plenty of times I've held a minority view and turned out to be wrong, but there have also been plenty of instances where I've presented a minority view and turned out to be correct.

I know. Its hard to be the only one able to see the light.

 

[txpd]

Are they getting out of sports entirely, or just shutting down NBCSN, for which the only time I ever watch is Caps games. Plenty of Caps games are on NBC nationally, not NBCSN.

They are moving the product to USA and to Peacock. They have too many big sports contracts to just walk away from the products